A couple of recent incidents involving a couple of friends have me thinking about our dogs and what we think of them, specifically our competitors' dogs, not so much our own. I think it's pretty obvious that we're all a little "kennel blind" when it comes to our own dogs - it can be hard to admit faults in our own dogs. I actually don't think that's such a bad thing. I'll never be one to put someone down for liking their own dogs, even if it's a little overboard sometimes. I can think of a lot worse things in a person than over-liking their dogs!
What i've been thinking about though, is our opinion on others' dogs. A friend and i talk about it all the time -- "no one likes anyone else's dogs". Stop and listen to people talking sometime, or even just pay attention under the tent at a dog trial, and you'll think every dog running is a piece of junk, and hardly worth feeding. Start asking around about male dogs with an eye towards finding a stud dog, and you'll wonder how anyone ever breeds anything. I wonder why this is sometimes. Is it just human nature, to focus on the negative so strongly? I know i'm as guilty as the next person, tossing out my dislikes when asked about a dog, and having to remind myself that it wouldn't hurt to focus more on the positive things in that dog first.
I guess the point of all this is, we need to look at our own dogs in as honest a light as we can, for both the good and the bad. And we need to maybe think more about what these wonderful dogs are giving us instead of focusing on the bad parts, in both our and our competitors' dogs. Every dog has it's faults, EVERY one of them. But there's a lot more good parts than bad ones. It wouldn't hurt to think about accentuating the good stuff, both in how we look at them and in how we breed them. It's also probably a good idea to remember "no one likes anyone else's dog" when you hear the offhand (or not so offhand) comment that makes you feel bad about your own dog. I think maybe it's just human nature to be negative about it, so don't get too caught up in what other people think or say. It's what you think that matters the most. And maybe the next time you feel yourself popping off a negative comment about a dog, you can stop to note the good things about him too.
8 comments:
Great post!!! Very very true!
Very thoughtful post. I think it is partially human nature--not so much to focus on the negative but to use pointing out the negative as a way as showing authority, authenticity and a "discerning" eye (maybe). I think it's also interesting that many auctual authorities don't do that kind of thing all that much at all....
Dogs have negitives?? Couldnt convince me! lol
Yep, it's interesting. One handler here that i admire very, very much will almost never say anything bad about a dog.
Shoot, I generally like other people's dogs better than mine at trials! However, that is likely a function of my skills as a handler;-)
Interesting post, I agree with your thinking, and the other Robin's too.
Very well said.
Also, if a dog is neutered and isn't for sale-why say anything at all?
Very perceptive and honest post. Sammy's Kind Friend agrees with Pippin and Robin.
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