Hold the pet industry accountable

Just a little something off the top of my head. Let me know what ya think.

While I do not endorse the pet store industry, I also realize it is not possible to just tell people to stop buying animals from these resources. Unfortunately there is a powerful engine that will continue to drive the supply, IGNORANCE and MONEY.

It's all about money.

Why would a pet store worry about checking if their pets are going to good homes? Why should they care about the health of the pets they sell? It would only interfere with the sales and their profits.

Unless, the quality of their buyers was directly connected to the profit margins of the store. Then perhaps we could rely on these pet stores to check that their animals were going to a good home.

How could we accomplish giving the pet industry a conscience? If city government got involved we could hit these stores where they respond the most. In their wallet. If the city started a program that allowed ANYONE who purchased a dog from a store, that no longer wanted the dog, to turn their dog in (with receipt) and the selling store would then be fined for the costs of housing the animal until it could be adopted out. This would/should also cover dogs that can be proven to be the offspring of sold dogs, that are turned into city facilities.

These fines could also subsidize the caring for stray dogs looking for homes, and perhaps turn many of these city into NO-KILL shelters. Why not demand that the industry that is spurring on these tremendous costs to the city, and powering the horrific slaughter of innocent (and loyal) animals pay restitution to the public in the form of responsibility for their actions?

This would DRAMATICALLY reduce the profitability of irresponsibly selling animals, and dramatically reduce the profitability of selling animals in general.

In addition we can further clamp down on the profitability of irresponsible animal vendors by having the registration authority for pure breeds take on a more responsible role for the sake of animals they profess to caring so much about. It should not be possible for puppy mills to legitimately register their dogs with the AKC. The AKC owns much of the responsibility of placing high values on many of the most sought after breeds of dog. Papers from the AKC should represent more than just whether a dog is of pure blood within the lines of a breed. Official papers should represent a responsible breeding environment, and a responsible selling pipeline. Breeders should go through a quality control process that ensures they are responsible when it comes to the lives and health of their product. This may result in higher costs for getting a papered pure breed dog, and perhaps the government should subsidize the AKC to help establish and enforce guidelines.

Pet stores should only be able to obtain papered pets from registered breeders. Pet stores should be forced to sell to caring qualified pet owner customers to avoid fines from returned pets. This would also force the pet stores themselves to educate the public in order to better prepare a prospective customer.

The most effective way to change the pet industry is through the wallet and licensing rather than through legal actions and propaganda. Let's push for legislation that will save millions of animals, generate revenue in which to keep the process moving, and get off our soapboxes because the people who should be listening are deaf to the suffering of other entities, unless those entities can sue them.

Bailey the mango Muncher

Bailey is a pretty particular eater, a rare trait for a Labrador. He won't eat cereal, or crackers not made for four-leggers and he has NEVER shown a particular affinity for foods that have not spent some period of time trodding this wonderful planet of ours prior to being on his menu. But today I was munching on some frozen Mango chunks as a little mid-day snack when he came over to investigate. With a little chuckle I proffered a small chunk of Mango knowing he would turn up his nose with a look of "are you nuts?!? I'm a dog!" But to my surprised he slurped it up and eyed me up for more. Wow... My dog loves Mango. Cool.

What veggies do your dogs love? I'm sure carrots are at the top of the list.

Jz.

Bailey had a hard week...

Bailey's week was a rough one. For the most part, outside of knocking out his two front teeth going after a tennis ball on the cement, he hasn't really dealt with illness. But last Monday was the start of an unpleasant 6 days for Bailey and myself.

On Monday night Bailey started vomiting EVERYTHING he was hording in that bottomless Labrador stomach of his. This continued throughout the night into the next day.

As a little side note: I discovered that Bailey has a very appreciated dislike for desecrating his home. Everytime he needed to expunge the contents of his stomach out of his "Barkhole" he would run to the door. So I just left the door open all night, and I could hear his little paws heading out the door everytime the nausea hit. Of course, I'd get up and watch over him in the yard each time, which made for a very LONG night.

As the vomiting subsided, the canine backdoor opened to a flood of water waste. My initial impulse was to avoid a trip to the VET as I felt they would probably just run a couple tests that would reveal nothing (as usual), charge me a lot of money (as usual), then just give me an anti-biotic hoping this would fix the problem. The poor little bugger then suffered through 4 days of diarrhea and listless discomfort as I tried all sorts of dietary remedies... To no avail.

FINALLY I decided the VET option was the way to go. So we went in. They ran a bunch of tests that told us nothing, they charged me alot of money, and they gave us an anti-biotic.

Well, whatever was messing with my little boy must have been either a bacteria or a proto-zoa as the anti-biotic seems to be doing the trick. One day after beginning the treatment Bailey's appetite has returned, and the back-door to the pooch factory seems to be working again!

So Bailey is getting back to normal, just in time for a big competition this weekend. Unfortunately I was hobbled this same trying week with a ruptured Calf muscle (not the Achilles Tendon... Thankfully). So if we decide to compete, it will be with me pretty much stading still and tossing discs...

Hope to see you out in Lancaster this weekend rooting on Bailey as he tries to attain victory carrying me on his back.

Jz.

Nature breaks during competition

There are a variety of organizations with varying rule sets regarding how a Disc Dog competition should be administered and run. For the most part, these differences allow for an interesting diversity of experience when competing from competition to competition. But one subject has come up time and time again as a point of controversy. This subject is how to deal with dogs that take nautre breaks (urinate and/or defecate) during competition.

Some organizations are sympathetic to the dogs and their immediate natural plight and allow for stoppage of time so that the four-leggers can complete their personal maintenance mission without any time pressure. But this brings rise to accusations that handlers abuse this accomodation and train their charges to eliminate on command in order to rest their dogs, or gain advantages related to time. Unfortunately, their accusations have proven true in some cases.

While other organizations call for an immediate cessation of the canine's competition round and a hefty penalty for daring to defile the competition venue (as if the pups disregarded the rules that were read to them before the competition began). This seems a bit harsh an action to take on a pup that simply raises his leg on a nearby tree, or takes a quick squat. Let me tell you, no matter HOW MUCH YOU WALK YOUR DOG before a competition, some dogs will even pee air on a tree if the tree is in his immediate vicinity. They are dogs! This is what they do.

This past weekend I had the unfortunate opportunity to witness a new dog and handler penalized by this unfortunate rule. The gentleman had a big Yellow Labrador, yes just like my Bailey, and proceeded to go out in round number 1 and throw a top round of 17 points! I believe this may have been his first competition! Wow! So, he is understandably excited about his performace, and the sport of Disc Dogs. The second round begins and he starts it off strong with a good throw and catch. On his second throw he makes a bad toss and the disc flies into the thick array of trees lining the field. His dog climbs under the fence and hunts down the frisbee in the brush, and as he turns to come back on the field he simply raises his leg for 1 second on one of the MANY trees around him. Boom! Done! His round is over, and he suffers a penalty. He continues to throw because he can't understand why the judges are telling him his round is over. He then comes over to the judging tent to try to make sense of the incomrehendable situation. To sum up the rest of the proceedings, he leaves the Disc Dog area a disgruntled disc dogger, and I'm not sure if we'll get to see this great team again.

It seems to me that the best solution to this problem is to have no solution. If the dog stops to pee, then that is what the team is doing with their allotted time during competition. TIme should not stop, and the handler should have to pick up after their charge before continuing, but no further penalty should be imposed. Harsh arbitrary rules such as these aren't going to stop dogs from being dogs. They are only going to hurt feelings, and disenchant those who would otherwise love to get involved in this fun sport.

These are just my feelings on the subject.

Illusions of Immortality

This past 6 months has been nightmarishly surreal. Seemingly healthy and happy one day, then BAM, they're gone.

Indescriminate of who or what we are:

Friend:
Greg, a recent addition and invaluable asset to our disc dog community. Greg was quick to answer the call for volunteers in a community dedicated to keeping four-leggers happy and healthy chasing plastic discs. In my brief dealings with Greg I found him to be a friendly, compassionate, intelligent human being who unfailingly managed to make those around him smile. He was taken from his family and friends long before his mind, body, or spirit would have ever been willing to depart.

Canine Companions:
Tufe - a beautiful Dobbie, Sammy - an elder stateman of the disc dog world and inagural canine of the Wang family, Nitro - young speedy disc cruncher, Hula - a spirited little Heeler making her way up the disc dog charts, and unfortunately the list is larger and ever growing.

How can life be so fleeting when Life seems so rightfully ours, so permanent in abstraction from the overwhelming evidence of our everyday experience? Even when presented with this evidence, we each think ourselves invicible from moment to moment. Only when we look beyond the moment do we see the inevitable denoument to our unfolding stories. Or when our loved ones are snatched from our physical worlds do we lose our comforting illusions of immediate immortality. Painful and disconcerting as this revelation is, a tribute to the power and adaptability of our minds, we only stay disapointingly enlightened a short time blessedly falling headlong back into our soft cloud of numbing mercurial safety, scarred and marred but again oblivious.

I can imagine that our canine companions romp in this world of illusory invincibility, only rarely (if ever) being disillusioned with reality. For this we can be thankful, and we can reflect on the joy we gave our beloved pets while they frolicked uncaring of what all too sudden would be a severing of their mortal coil. Watch over them, you are everything to them at this moment, and "now" is all they care about.

To us all, live for the moment, because you are only invincible for the moment past.

Bye to another Disc Dog.

Wannabe Athletes

Unfortunately the Disc Dog world is infested with too many wannabe athletes that are living vicariously through their canine to achieve an erroneous sense of athletic accomplishment. Come on folks, it's the pup that's doing all the running and jumping! Ok, so you now are a pretty adept disc tosser, NOT AN ATHLETE!!! I say this because there is too much politicking that goes on in this wonderful sport. Too many inflated egos looking for their place in history... History!?!

Enjoy the bond you have with you dog. Enjoy the excitement and pure bliss your pup experiences as he works hard for you and pleases himself nabbing the little disc duckies flying through the air! Allow the world to experience the amazing opportunities working with your dog can open up in the relationship of canine and man. Worrying about your little place in Disc Dogging lore, and how you can keep yourself at the top of the game at the expense of the game is petty and a dis-service to something that has given all those lucky enough to navigate through all the bull, such a wonderful gift.

I sincerely hope I'm decimated in competition by a cavalcade of new talent and new imagination in the years ahead. At the same time I will go out there and try my best to safely do my best with my pup as long as he enjoys the sport. I will share my knowledge and encourage ANYONE to come on out and compete (maybe I won't tell ya everything during the comp, but come on by after and I'll share what lil knowledge I do have [come on, I do want to win whenever I play]). I miss seeing Bob and Nick exhibiting their amazing skills, I wonder if all the name calling and other unnecessary garbage has led to a decline in their participation. But actually, I don't care to know. I don't want to hear reasons for this and reasons for that. Let's just enjoy the opportunity we have to play with our doggies.

Anyway, let's all just get along. And if anyone is offended, then... you should be! Cuz I'm talking about ME, YOU, and whoever else will be offended by this little blog entry! We are all wannabes!!! Deal with it! Actually, deal with it like a mature adult, and do something good for the sport, rather than try to tear it apart.

That's my 0.02 cents worth.

Jz

Southern California Disc Dogs Events

Recently a visitor to one of our events remarked on the lack of promotion that goes into Disc Dog events here in Southern California.

This initial response this person received was a litany of discourse as to how difficult setting up one of these event is and that the organizers are donating their time and effort with no financial rewards. While this is all true, as I recently found out after organizing my first event in West Los Angeles, I recognized the merit of the comments of the visitor to our Disc Dog event.

I myself had made the same observations over the last couple years of my involvement in this wonderful sport. I lamented that more wasn't being done to spread the amazing bond building fun that Disc Dog sports give a canine and his human pack leader. I was surprised at how little information was available with regard to setting up and promoting these Disc Dog events. But, I was very pleased when members of the D2isc Board of Directors (not me) proposed that we begin compiling this information for future events.

As I have learned more and more about the people involved and the politics that go along with any endeavor that includes many people, I have tried to get myself more involved in growing the sport to a status I believe it deserves.

It is my hope that we take advantage of opportunities to grow the sport by bringing more people out to the events, and organizing larger events that appeal to sponsors. In hopes that a little recognition of the quantity, and quality, of work througout the year by the dedicated Disc Dog teams here in SoCal will spur interest and a friendly competitive spirit I am going to track the results throughout the of the Disc Dog events.

So let me know what you think in regards to growing the sport of Disc Dog. Do you think it will hurt the sport? Do you think it will cause the sport to change? Is this good or bad?

Disc Dog Sports in Southern California

Visit Disc Dogs in Southern California website for the most up-to-date listing of events in Southern California.

http://www.d2isc.com