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Post by lmcallen74 on Nov 14, 2009 12:34:08 GMT -5
Okay, I took Kawaii for a walk this morning & we ran into a man walking a friendly & smallish lab x b. collie. He stopped me to ask about Kawaii (what she is, age, speed, etc), and then he went on to tell me about his dog (all his agilty competition hopes, etc). The content of the conversation itself wasn't odd as we dog people do chat together, but he seemed more intent/interested/focused on Kawaii that someone with just casual curiosity. Then came the moment... He asked if I'd like to breed our dogs together...I think I was shocked and missed parts of what he was saying after that, but I did catch that he figured with her greyhound background it would give the pups from the litter great speed for agility competitions. After I had a second or two to process what he had said, I simple told him that Kawaii was 'fixed' so there were no puppies in her future. He seemed disappointed & the two of them carried on their way. Is it just me, or is it odd that a person would ask that question so casually to a complete stranger??? It felt kind of weird My neighbour thinks I should take it as a compliment but it just hit me strangely. How would you have taken this if someone asked you the same question? Lisa
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Post by Gigi on Nov 14, 2009 13:13:10 GMT -5
WOW - I'm with you...awkward, to say the least. And I would have been REALLY embarrassed!
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rathma
Grey Addicted
we love lying in the spring sunshine!
Posts: 2,521
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Post by rathma on Nov 14, 2009 15:47:03 GMT -5
I think that's very weird to come out of the blue like that and for him to make such a quick decision! However, I would also feel compelled to take it as a compliment. I mean really, just look at her
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emily
Hound Nut
Posts: 1,529
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Post by emily on Nov 14, 2009 15:54:36 GMT -5
Of all the ways...
I wonder if he went home to do some research.
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obbki
Grey Lover
Posts: 550
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Post by obbki on Nov 14, 2009 17:08:48 GMT -5
Definitely a 'caught off guard' moment.
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Post by lmcallen74 on Nov 14, 2009 17:32:47 GMT -5
I think that's very weird to come out of the blue like that and for him to make such a quick decision! However, I would also feel compelled to take it as a compliment. I mean really, just look at her lmao! I'm not sure if there is a correlation between cuteness & agility but hey, he was obviously willing to test his theory! Okay, relieved to hear I wasn't being overly sensitive to the question. I felt like one of those old cartoon characters that do a double take
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Post by luvastorm on Nov 14, 2009 22:45:44 GMT -5
That guy obviously had the tact of a bulldozer, but I can see his point. If he's got a dog with a lot of brainy border collie in it that he enters in agility, I can understand him wanting a dog with a combination of b. collie brains and greyhound speed. Maybe he was afraid if he didn't ask then, he'd never see you again. But I'd have been pretty shocked too. When I was a kid I had a b. collie that I consistently won prizes with, so I am familiar with the breed and their brains.
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Post by lmcallen74 on Nov 15, 2009 10:23:55 GMT -5
... I can understand him wanting a dog with a combination of b. collie brains and greyhound speed. Maybe he was afraid if he didn't ask then, he'd never see you again... Sure I can understand how his mind was thinking too to an extent. I had never seen him or his dog before so perhaps he doesn't live right here in the area. Kawaii looks predominantly grey BUT with differences, so he may have been hoping that since she wasn't likely a retired racer that she might not have been fixed like the rescue groups like GRA do. Basically, having a b.collie x lab X a predominantly greyhound lurcher, you'd end up with a pretty fast pup. B.Collies sure are bright and not slow speed either. I even wondered if he had crossed a collie with the lab to speed it up. It sure was a moment I won't forget soon though. Lisa
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Aradex
Junior Grey Lover
Posts: 319
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Post by Aradex on Nov 15, 2009 11:47:57 GMT -5
I would have been dumbstruck and probably said (very slowly) "You want to use my dog... to breed a bunch of mutts... like all the ones in shelters?"
People who want to breed mixes always puzzle me.
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Post by lmcallen74 on Nov 15, 2009 12:45:32 GMT -5
I was dumbstruck...but wouldn't have said the other part...we get pure breds (sadly) at the shelter too. Unfortunately, it is equal opportunity. Yes, there is an over abundance of dogs in the world, more than there are good homes for. We have, quite regularly at the Guelph shelter, purebred beagles, labs, jack russels, rottis, german shepherds, retrievers, border collies, miniature poodles, pugs, coonhounds, fox hounds & even on occasion boxers, Chinese cresteds, chihuahuas, shelties, schnauzers, and the list goes on. Sadly, there are no guarantees in any dog's life - purebred or not. Lisa P.s. Respectfully, reconsider using the word 'mutt' in a negative way. Perhaps you didn't mean it that way in your posting. Tone can be hard to interprete in postings sometimes. There are many mixed dogs (likely whoops-litters) that are loving dogs too. Kawaii is the best dog I could have ever hoped for, and she is technically a 'mutt'.
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Post by luvastorm on Nov 15, 2009 13:23:54 GMT -5
But yes, there is an over abundance of dogs in the world, more than there are good homes for.L[/quote] AGREED! ! IF that guy - if he ever does get a greyhound to breed - keeps ALL the pups, NO PROBLEM. But he likely wouldn't so YES there'd be more dogs looking for homes. However re: Purebreds vs MUTTS, until we got Stormy, all my dogs were rescued Mutts (i.e. Parents unknown) and they were very good dogs with few health problems. With the unemployment rate as high as it is now I'm afraid there will be a lot more dogs and other pets looking for new homes.
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Post by lmcallen74 on Nov 15, 2009 13:27:23 GMT -5
But yes, there is an over abundance of dogs in the world, more than there are good homes for.L AGREED! ! IF that guy - if he ever does get a greyhound to breed - keeps ALL the pups, NO PROBLEM. But he likely wouldn't so YES there'd be more dogs looking for homes. However re: Purebreds vs MUTTS, until we got Stormy, all my dogs were rescued Mutts (i.e. Parents unknown) and they were very good dogs with few health problems. With the unemployment rate as high as it is now I'm afraid there will be a lot more dogs and other pets looking for new homes.[/quote] In complete agreement Luvastorm! Even if Kawaii weren't fixed when I got her, I would have had her fixed asap because of overpopulation of dogs in general. L
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Post by luvastorm on Nov 15, 2009 13:35:38 GMT -5
Whenever we got an animal - dog or cat, if it wasn't neutered then - it was ASAP ! ! We got one dog who was dumped when she went into her first heat and it was fun keeping sanitary pads on her for two weeks. Luckily she didn't try to tear off her "panties".
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Aradex
Junior Grey Lover
Posts: 319
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Post by Aradex on Nov 15, 2009 15:53:29 GMT -5
P.s. Respectfully, reconsider using the word 'mutt' in a negative way. Perhaps you didn't mean it that way in your posting. Tone can be hard to interprete in postings sometimes. There are many mixed dogs (likely whoops-litters) that are loving dogs too. Kawaii is the best dog I could have ever hoped for, and she is technically a 'mutt'. There's nothing negative about the term mutt and I'm sorry if you took it that way. Fact is that any dog of mixed or indeterminate parentage is a mutt. My first dog was a mutt. Mutts are great but they should not be intentionally bred when there are so many dogs in shelters. Many purebreds shouldn't be bred either but there's some chance of the breeder being responsible, something I'm yet to see out of anyone who has bred mutts. I'd have as much of a problem with someone indiscriminately breeding any dogs but this guy did want to breed mutts for a purpose that many shelter dogs could be used for. It's just dumb and I would have told him so.
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Post by lmcallen74 on Nov 15, 2009 19:03:40 GMT -5
I agree in that obviously this man was not being responsible in his selection process (there was no process). But there are LOTS of responsible and irresponsible breeders out there, and that goes for breeding either 'pure' or mixed dogs. I've seen firsthand TERRIBLE extreme cases of both forms at the Humane Society. Neither usually make it into adoption Most of what we consider 'pure bred ' dogs are dogs that over many, many, many generations were bred and crossbred with others in the attempt to bring out certain desirable traits, including sighthounds. They only exist b/c somewhere in history people tinkered with breeding to get what they wanted. The man I met was obviously NOT skillful, tactful or selective and certainly not a good example of what a breeder should be. Breeding of dogs, and not ensuring the off spring are cared for for the duration of their lives is the reason why shelters AND bred-specific rescue groups (including greyhound related ones) exist. They are the options (to find loving homes) for dogs that don't have other options when they aren't needed anymore, aren't as cute as they used to be or aren't as profitable as they used to be, etc - mixed or purebred. I think we are coming from different philosophical points of view here, so in the end, we may have to agree to disagree. L
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