Please don't misunderstand me. I appreciate working dogs because I grew up in NYC with a pet BORDER COLLIE, highly intelligent but perhaps the most INappropriate dog to own in a big city apartment building. He used to root up ladies' dreses with his snout thinking he was herding sheep. He also would only drink water from the bathroom sink - nevrr from a bowl or dish.
On 2/7/07, Christopher McCann <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
I only recently started learning about how important dogs have been and can be - it is truly amazing. Germany considers the German Shepherd a national asset - they use them for everything. (Germans invented the seeing eye dog). They now even have cancer detection dogs - sniff urine for prostate cancer, sniff breath for lung cancer, sniff moles and can indicate if they are benign of malignant. Search and Rescue dogs, etc. St. Bernards (avalanche). Natural gas detection dogs are FAR more accurate than the gas detection meter. It really is amazing. Read about medic dogs in the army trained to pull wounded men to cover when they are under fire and can't move due to being shot. Incredible stuff. If I had Paris Hilton's chihuahua "Tinkerbell" in mind, I might have been tempted to say what you did! :-) Chris andrew strasfogel <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: I knew my comment would get a rise out of somebody! Good point about the need for work and guide dogs - I hadn't thought of that. My comment was directed more to what I call vanity dogs, those rare and pricey breeds that attract humans (aka "owners") who use them as an exotic fashion accessory or lifestyle enhancer. On 2/7/07, Christopher McCann wrote: > > I do think that adopting a shelter dog is a wonderful thing to do. > 3-4 million dogs are euthanized in the US every year, which is a > terrible shame. However, it is NOT the only ethical way to acquire a > dog. Serious breeders, who are not in it for money, but to > continually improve the breed are a great benefit to dogdom and to society. > Many dogs are working dogs - they have jobs. If everyone bought > from shelters and stopped buying purebred dogs, these breeds would be > gone. Herding dogs for farmers, flock protection dogs for ranchers, > hunting dogs for all types of hunting, German Shepherds alone are suited > to SOOOO many useful tasks: seeing eye dogs, police work, > seizure detection, blood sugar "reminder" dogs for diabetics (they smell > your sugar level and poke your tummy when you need to eat)....many > more example could be given. Critter Control in Kansas City uses > terriers for their original purpose - killing rats in your house! The > various qualities of working > breeds must be retained, LITERALLY for the good of society. It's not by > accident that dogs were domesticated over 7,000 years ago and have been an > important part of society since. They are not just fluffy moving > decorations/toys. > > It used to be that dogs were primarily to do a job. Now most > are companions (which is a job too, but different). If you want a > companion dog, yeah, seriously check out the local shelter. But to say this > is the only ethical way to get a dog is rediculous. I think your > concern is much better channelled into encouraging people who have NO > BUSINESS breeding dogs to have theirs neutered and spayed. > > Most dogs end up in shelters because of obedience problems...99% of > the time it's the owners fault. In Kansas City, we have a great > and inexpensive dog obedience school whose mission is to train owners > so that they have well behaved dogs that do not end up in shelters. > > Chris > > > > andrew strasfogel wrote: There is only one > ethical way to choose a dog breed: adopt your pet from > the local humane society shelter! There are a plethora of sizes, breeds > and > temperaments to choose from, and the modest adoption fee goes to a good > cause. That's where we found Woby, a Tibetan Terrier who had the highest > bark to size ratio of any dog in existence to go with his woebegone > expression. > > > > On 2/7/07, Zoltan Finks wrote: > > > > Yes, I would remind that breeds certainly do vary within a breed. The > > poorer, or the less-focused the breeding program, the more the variance. > I > > include in the category of less-focused those that breed for pets and > not > > for the particular purpose for which the breed was developed. Yes, there > > are > > breeds that were developed for no purpose other than to be a pet, and it > > is > > harder to find actual proof of the puppy's quality in these cases. > > > > As Chris said, there are puppy tests that judge temperament, though I've > > found a lot of breeders get offended if you offer to administer them. > Most > > breeders that think highly of their program will tell you what's up > rather > > than have you tell them anything. Most of the time, at least in the case > > of > > working kennels, the breeder will profile you and decide which pup is > the > > best match for you. > > > > Research and attend dog shows or performance events pertaining to the > > breed > > you are interested in. People are usually more than happy to tell you > the > > good and the bad about the breed unless they are getting ready for their > > ring time. However, they are much less willing to speak of who is a good > > or > > bad breeder. Meeting the dam and sire are pretty useful, though > certainly > > no > > guarantee. > > > > Brian > > > > > > Chris wrote: > > breeds certainly have unique temperments/personalities and > qualities, but > > temperment also varies widely within each breed. > > _______________________________________ > > http://www.okiebenz.com > > For new parts see official list sponsor: http://www.buymbparts.com/ > > For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: > > http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com > > > _______________________________________ > http://www.okiebenz.com > For new parts see official list sponsor: http://www.buymbparts.com/ > For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: > http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com > > > > --------------------------------- > Don't be flakey. Get Yahoo! 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