ET’s Titbits ‘n’ Tails
Don’t be fooled …
While talking to some breeders abroad they made an interesting comment, after watching how the “Show scene” works in England, they said that in England you do not need a good dog to make him into a Champion, you just need three good friends – made me smile.
Remember me?
For all the people you walk over and for all the ones you tread on as you climb the ladder to reach the top, conveniently forgetting those that helped you take the first step up, remember that you will see them again one day as you fall back down to the ground!!
Dogs love their friends and bite their enemies, unlike some people, who often bite their friends …think about it!
Why do we judge?
Because we think it is the most exciting thing in the whole world?
I don’t think so…
Because that is what everyone should do to let people think they are important… Maybe because judging MAKES you important…Could be. .. Because you can only win with your dogs if you are a judge… Possibly… Because you like to be spiteful… Who knows… Because you have a HUGE ego… Now your talking… Because you can then BRAG to anyone that will listen… Certainly… Because judging makes you FAMOUS… Especially if you are no good at it… Because you can show everyone how CLEVER you are… In your own eyes… Because if you don’t get asked it would be the end of your world… How sad.
OR
It could be because you love our wonderful breed… You have worked hard most of your life to improve the breed… Your dogs are consistently of good type… You have an eye for a good puppy… You appreciate the qualities of a dog and do not just look at the faults… You can see past the person showing the dog… You try to be fair to all exhibitors… You sleep with a clear conscience…
OR
Months before you start telling everyone how much you love their dog… You start to talk to folk that you have previously ignored… You make sure all the judges you take your dogs under know you are judging … You strut about as if you are the most important person in the world… You ignore all the people that have not judged as they are so unimportant … Planning who you are going to put up to impress keeps you awake for nights on end…
OR
You put the date in your diary, plan your trip, organise the kennel staff, AND JUST GET ON WITH LIFE AS NORMAL.
A dog is not an egoist, he loves you more than he loves himself.
Why do we show?
Here are just a few reasons as to why we choose to show dogs:
We love to get up at 4am and drive in pouring rain when it is pitch black for hours on end.
We love to drag all our paraphernalia through mud from one end of a field to the other.
We love to stand around for hours , freezing from head to toe.
We love to take a dog into the ring that decides it will drag it’s head on the floor, refuse to stand, jump of the table, pee up your leg, do anything but walk like a show dog and finally get thrown out by the judge !
We love to spend all our money on fuel, dog sitters, entries, special “show clothes” dog spray, special leads, new brushes , cages, trolleys, expensive dog food and of course meals on the way home.
We love to know that all this is pointless before we even enter a show because the judge always gives the awards to his or her friends.
We love to moan all day about the judging, the weather, the venue, the dogs, and anything else we can think of.
We love to get home and spend another 2 hours seeing to the kennels and dogs before we can sit down for 5 minutes before going to bed.
We love to do all these things just in case there is a tiny chance that we will win a piece of cardboard that we can bring home and use for our shopping list.
We love it all…
Showing dogs is for crazy people and I should know after nearly 30 years!!
What is a friend?
A friend is someone who drives a long way to bath and groom your dogs when you aren’t allowed.
A friend is someone who comes to stay and works all week in your kennel for nothing.
A friend is someone who you can laugh with until you cry when you miss the turning on the motorway and have to drive at a hundred miles an hour back to the show.
A friend is someone who always makes the picnic for the show because you don’t have time.
A friend is someone who gives up her time to drive you to a show when you are judging.
A friend is someone who you can talk to about anything and know it will not go any further.
A friend is someone you can trust to care for your dogs when you are away.
A friend is someone who shares your love of chocolate.
A friend is someone who calls you for a chat about nothing in particular when they know you are on your own.
A friend is someone who comes for a visit just so that you can go out for lunch.
A friend is someone you help as much as you can.
A friend is someone that appreciates your help.
A friend is someone that never “stabs you in the back”.
A true friend is a rare thing? Always cherish your friends.
ET
A dog is a true friend, he wags his tail instead of his tongue …