Posted by our friend Fran Seagren, who writes in an email: "What are people thinking?" The answer: Duhhhh!
When at Lowe’s today, we got talking to a guy that worked there about dogs. He told us he had a year old chocolate lab female. He went on to say he was planning on running in field trials. And, that he was having a hard time training her. He said she was “dominant” and he wasn’t sure what to do. I suggested he get with a trainer – that running in field trials wasn’t something that a person could just learn on their own. He then told me that he had run in trials some years ago, with English setters. (Uh), I debated whether I should just say, “Good luck and Merry Christmas” and move on, or let him in on a big secret. – That “Setter” field trials weren’t even remotely similar to “Retriever” trials.
But, before I could open my big mouth again, he went on to say that because his female was so hard to train, he was going to breed her and keep a male – that he would train and run in field trials. I just looked at him for a minute, I felt Scott give me a nudge in the ribs - and I heard him sigh. Scott KNEW at that moment, I wouldn’t let this one go without trying.
My first question was, “And what about the rest of the litter of pups?” I’m pretty sure by the look on his face and his hesitation before responding, he hadn’t thought of the other puppies. He mumbled a couple words that we couldn’t hear and then said something like “good pups are not cheap.” I’m not sure what he meant by that. I told him I knew of litters of pups where both parents had hunt test titles and they still weren’t sold when the puppies were getting close to a year.
Unless he got a title on his female, his chance of finding homes for a litter of labs would be slim. But, that didn’t stop him. He responded back with, “Someone will always be willing to pay $20 for a Labrador.”
At this point, I’m wondering if he’s even listening to himself! (He’s got puppy that he admits he can’t train. He’s told me he has “lots of experience” and doesn’t need a trainer. Yet, he wants a puppy from this female that in his words is, “dominant.” He obviously hasn’t given any thought to what he will do with the rest of her litter.)
I had just one more response. I said, “I wonder how people will take care of a puppy that they could only afford to pay $20 for?” I told him this past month, one of our dogs ate a dead salmon – cost $475. Two weeks before that our young lab got suddenly sick – emergency vet $250.” I wished him “the best” and we moved on. Good grief.
Fran: If he can't sell the pups for $20.00, he will probably just drop them off at the local shelter. Wonderful.
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1 comment:
retarded doesn't mean stupid. when you use that word as an insult you are mocking the disabled whether that was your intention or not. Just wrong to use a word that hurts vulnerable people.
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