Westminster Dog Show
- Thread starter Della
- Start date
hollydolly
SF VIP
- Location
- London England
We Have Crufts... my daughter goes every year. She first started going when she had her dog kennels and training ground...she's a Qualified City & Guilds Groomer ( side hustle).. and her partner then was a Dog trainer...
They entered some of their dogs in various categories, and many came out 3rd with rosettes, bless.
They entered some of their dogs in various categories, and many came out 3rd with rosettes, bless.
I know @Jules! They were talking about the slow sales on some of the breeds during the show. It's terrible to think any of them might go extinct. Where I grew up we all had big yards and our dogs ran loose during the day. So I had the pleasure of my friend's dogs plus my own.
Half a dozen neighborhood dogs were Collies! There were several German Shepherds. I had an Irish Setter and my uncle had English Setters. I babysat for a family with a Great Dane. A neighbor on one side had a Samoyed and on the other side was a Weimaraner. My neighbor in Georgia was a sheriff who owned a Bloodhound he was training for police work. My daily cuddles probably weren't helping.
So where are all our big beautiful dogs these days? My street has only one dog -- my mini-Dachshund.
Half a dozen neighborhood dogs were Collies! There were several German Shepherds. I had an Irish Setter and my uncle had English Setters. I babysat for a family with a Great Dane. A neighbor on one side had a Samoyed and on the other side was a Weimaraner. My neighbor in Georgia was a sheriff who owned a Bloodhound he was training for police work. My daily cuddles probably weren't helping.
So where are all our big beautiful dogs these days? My street has only one dog -- my mini-Dachshund.
RadishRose
SF VIP
- Location
- Connecticut, USA
Lassie was a popular TV show when we were all children, maybe that's why there were so many Collies around. Same where I lived. German Shepherds and Boxers too. They ran all over the place and we were all friends with them.
We had Spaniels, an Irish Setter, a Pomeranian and a mutt. Now I have a shih tzu mix.
We had Spaniels, an Irish Setter, a Pomeranian and a mutt. Now I have a shih tzu mix.
RadishRose
SF VIP
- Location
- Connecticut, USA
Oh yes, the Border Collie! The smartest breed. I just love them too. I wish I could have one. Yes, they require a lot of activity and brain exercises, true. They could probably fix our computers!
Do you have one?
jujube
SF VIP
If Border Collies don't have a "job", they can get destructive and unhappy.
My sister had one and he roamed the neighborhood, "collecting" things and herding them home. She'd come home from work and there would be a set of car mats on the porch that someone had draped over their fence to dry. One day there was a tricycle on the porch. Other items included lawn chairs, towels, tools, and assorted flotsam and jetsam. She'd have to go around and return the items. Most everyone in the neighborhood knew if something was missing that Griswold had probably taken it.
He had no cows or sheep to herd, so he was doing his duty as he saw it.
My sister had one and he roamed the neighborhood, "collecting" things and herding them home. She'd come home from work and there would be a set of car mats on the porch that someone had draped over their fence to dry. One day there was a tricycle on the porch. Other items included lawn chairs, towels, tools, and assorted flotsam and jetsam. She'd have to go around and return the items. Most everyone in the neighborhood knew if something was missing that Griswold had probably taken it.
He had no cows or sheep to herd, so he was doing his duty as he saw it.
RadishRose
SF VIP
- Location
- Connecticut, USA
Yes, exactly why I can't have one.
jujube
SF VIP
That's the problem with a lot of breeds. They have been bred for a specific purpose and then they're not allowed to do it. No wonder they get neurotic.
Take the "ratters". Their instinct is to chase small critters or dig for them. But chase the hamster or dig up the yard looking for moles and it's BAD DOG! BAD DOG!
Go fetch things and you get chained up in the yard.
Try to protect the family from evil, demented mailmen, pizza delivery guys and political canvassers who obviously have ill intentions and you get shut up in the laundry room.
What's a poor working breed to do?
Take the "ratters". Their instinct is to chase small critters or dig for them. But chase the hamster or dig up the yard looking for moles and it's BAD DOG! BAD DOG!
Go fetch things and you get chained up in the yard.
Try to protect the family from evil, demented mailmen, pizza delivery guys and political canvassers who obviously have ill intentions and you get shut up in the laundry room.
What's a poor working breed to do?
Bella
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We all loved Lassie, and who didn't love Rin Tin Tin?
The original Rin Tin Tin.
... and his faithful companion, Rusty!
I had a lovely German Shepard when I was a child.
jujube
SF VIP
Collies are smart. There's no doubt about that. We all think, however, that they are smarter than they really are because we've been brainwashed by the TV show Lassie.
Every steenkin' week, Lassie would come running and bark like crazy. The adult humans would stand around asking stupid questions like, "Do you think Lassie's trying to tell us something? What are you trying to tell us, girl? Do you think we should follow her? Do you think Timmy is in trouble?" as if every steenkin' week so far that dumb kid hadn't fallen down a well, was drowning in the river or was cornered by a bear. OF COURSE he was in trouble. His middle name was trouble. The show would have lasted for one episode if the dog wasn't there to bring reinforcements.
Lassie looked smart in comparison to the dumb parents. A banana slug would have looked smart in comparison to the parents, much less the kid who couldn't seem to stop falling down wells, getting in the river and messing around with bears.
Hmmmmph......
Every steenkin' week, Lassie would come running and bark like crazy. The adult humans would stand around asking stupid questions like, "Do you think Lassie's trying to tell us something? What are you trying to tell us, girl? Do you think we should follow her? Do you think Timmy is in trouble?" as if every steenkin' week so far that dumb kid hadn't fallen down a well, was drowning in the river or was cornered by a bear. OF COURSE he was in trouble. His middle name was trouble. The show would have lasted for one episode if the dog wasn't there to bring reinforcements.
Lassie looked smart in comparison to the dumb parents. A banana slug would have looked smart in comparison to the parents, much less the kid who couldn't seem to stop falling down wells, getting in the river and messing around with bears.
Hmmmmph......
only his Mother could love.
I have been "mom" to 2 border collies - first was a female, smooth coat, tri-colour and very mellow; the current (Flash) needs a job and at least 2 hours walk as well as mind games. Both dogs had/has an "off button" between 10 pm and 7:00 am daily.
Border Collie - Wikipedia
Border Collie - Wikipedia