Agility has always been a huge part of my life, not just the animals and the lifestyle but the sport itself. Dog agility is not just a sport though, I've come to realize it is more of a community. And without the support or disdain of others, one simply cannot grow to become a true competitor.
There is a certain sense of reliance within agility and I believe that is greatly overlooked.
Despite being so blatantly surrounded by "the dog life" I took all of it (whatever it may be) for granted. Obviously I liked it all, and considered myself a part of this community, but I hadn't been what I regard as actively involved until this year when training, trialing, and thus the agility community became my life. From my perspective, I view agility as my misfit home, as do so many other juniors that I've talked to. However, despite agility being slightly less scary than the outside world, everyone knows there are a few bad apples.
Just like in training, repetition of bad behavior, unsuccessful attempts and scolding will, in most cases, lead to shut down and an unwillingness to work as a team.
The same applies to life.
However, this theory must be taken with a grain of salt. We are not dogs, we are humans, and therefore we must learn to cope with factors we would rather not and "perform" despite it all. In our cases, the dynamic of handler and animal must be replaced with individual and community wherein we aren't being forced around a course but rather are being examined and many times picked apart depending on who sees your runs. Whether it be online, in person or by word of mouth, everyone or no one can know about your progress or failure in the agility world.
I know many people claim to hate this aspect of agility, but yet, is it not a main aspect of life as well?
I really should find a word to address both agility and life... In most of my blog post I tend to use both synonymously. This one is no exception.
In both life and agility your biggest blunders and worst fears will be realized with a large audience there, forcing you to never forget. But no matter how big or small the mistake, there will always be those who talk and just like in agility, in the beginning, your amount of drive as a human can be made or broken depending on the forces behind you. Whether they be forces of the positive or negative sort.
I've come to realize that there are two determining factors in which one can gauge whether or not to, putting it blatantly, take these attempted tear-downs as compliments. Two things in which one can take demotivational handling and transform it into positive re-enforcement.
I clearly love reversing things seemingly black and white...
Empathy and jealousy are these two determining factors. If someone honestly thought you were a terrible handler, or had an awful dog they most likely wouldn't comment, or would take pity, rather than spreading rumors and blatantly stating their pure disdain through condescension. If they did comment something as such that would only reflect poorly on them... Aren't humans wonderful?
However jealousy, in many cases, drives people to the brink of madness replacing the good with the ugly, breaking all barriers of what is clearly stated as acceptable, whether this be in the agility community or again, in the many scenarios in which life will play out. Jealousy forces those who feel inferior to justify their statements when walking all over those by which they feel threatened. This forced justification only aggravates the statements and enlarges the number of people they will infect with negativity in your regard.
This spread of infectious negativity by the core virus is, again, your truth, your nutshell. This person is only wishing deep down that they had the guts, the handling capability or the training skills in order to have a dog like yours. One would not simply rip someone's hard work and commitment down for fun, although that is what they would like to claim.
However that is not to say that there are no good apples either, and in any group of individuals there will, and always be, those who support you with more force than the blows of those trying to knock you down which, again, applies to life as well.
Negativity and positivity are ideas which have always appeared so black and white to me though I obviously can't speak for others. However, I know that whether the clashes of these shades, colours, ideas or abstractions are clearly defined is irrelevant. There is always room for interpretation.
I choose to interpret the concepts of positivity and negativity so that I may reach my full potential, and I encourage others to do so as well. My theories of jealousy, empathy and how these ideas affect the viral spread of negativity throughout a community only help me to justify the "gray" area I detect.
Life is full of justification and interpretation, but choosing to see those that allow you to excel is an art that will be learned, re-learned and attempted to be understood throughout the entirety of one's life no matter what community someone is a part of.
Personally though, I choose positive re-enforcement. For my friends, for my animals and for myself.
Tuesday 13 November 2012
Sunday 21 October 2012
Sailing a Ship of Influence
Influence can come from the most unknowing of places, whether its
noticed or passed, accepted, given without consent or even ignorantly
claimed to be one's own.
I've come to the conclusion (and I don't mean to finish before I start) that without the influence of others, one cannot reach their full potential. Only through the influence of others can one only truly become "themselves".
We believe ourselves to be free, free to choose, free to act, but when do we ever go about our daily lives without questioning? Though it is through the illusion of choice that society claims us all to be unique and different, harbors of varying ideas, boats of opportunity with ships full to the brim with crew, deckmates and a captain; thoughts, morals and beliefs.
But are you really your own captain? Or is your ship sailed by the influence of others, pushing you to port, to starboard, back to land and out to open sea all simultaneously? How often is the true value of choice given to one without the judgment, disdain and in some cases silent ridicule of others? Forcing unto the thinker, a slew of contradiction to what was originally decided.
It is believed that those who surround us only want to help us out, and in some cases this may, in fact, be very true. However there are cases when those who surround us do nothing more than create a barrier, blocking all creativity and individuality.
It is within society, groups of peers and central ideas that one is forced to act a certain way, ruled by fear of exile, labelling and the dreaded judgement. No matter age, gender or race,
Conformity is an influence that is largely overlooked. Surrounded by those who supposedly support, one would feel free and encouraged to act the way they want and to speak their minds. But, again, in most cases this is not always the truth. People take blows from groups of people who are meant to only reassure them, accepting these lashes without second thought... because they're my friends and they must know best!
It is in human nature to release one's frustrations and insecurities, but it is within human choice to not do that unto a friend. Tearing others down is only a result of a miserable feeling from within, and it is a friend's duty to listen to these, not to fall victim to moments of weakness. Misery and excuses go hand in hand, taking out the insecurities, fears and pain that are felt on a friend is only an immature, selfish way in which humans react when threatened. We feel the need to bring down people to the levels which we are currently at, whether that be on a good or bad day. But what happens when a friend's bad days span not just a simple 24-hours but the entire existence of your relationship? Do you eventually grow to accept how they treat you, relishing the fun moments spent together and turning a blind eye to the bad times?
My theory is that a true friend will be honest with you, providing input and support in both the bad times and the good, no matter the circumstances. Because a friend is someone who won't have to feel superior to their counterpart, plagued with the feeling that they have something to prove just because of the way they feel, look or have been judged on a given day.
Bringing back my introduction/conclusion in this rambling blog post I feel as though through separating one's self from the accepted negativity of others, one can only then reflect on who they are and want to be; creating not an illusion of what a friend "should" be or of how great and unique an individual they are, but of a self-knowing captain, who navigates their own ship no matter how stormy the waters may be, getting from point A to B without mutiny, retreat or capsizing.
.... or scurvy for that matter.
I've come to the conclusion (and I don't mean to finish before I start) that without the influence of others, one cannot reach their full potential. Only through the influence of others can one only truly become "themselves".
We believe ourselves to be free, free to choose, free to act, but when do we ever go about our daily lives without questioning? Though it is through the illusion of choice that society claims us all to be unique and different, harbors of varying ideas, boats of opportunity with ships full to the brim with crew, deckmates and a captain; thoughts, morals and beliefs.
But are you really your own captain? Or is your ship sailed by the influence of others, pushing you to port, to starboard, back to land and out to open sea all simultaneously? How often is the true value of choice given to one without the judgment, disdain and in some cases silent ridicule of others? Forcing unto the thinker, a slew of contradiction to what was originally decided.
It is believed that those who surround us only want to help us out, and in some cases this may, in fact, be very true. However there are cases when those who surround us do nothing more than create a barrier, blocking all creativity and individuality.
It is within society, groups of peers and central ideas that one is forced to act a certain way, ruled by fear of exile, labelling and the dreaded judgement. No matter age, gender or race,
Conformity is an influence that is largely overlooked. Surrounded by those who supposedly support, one would feel free and encouraged to act the way they want and to speak their minds. But, again, in most cases this is not always the truth. People take blows from groups of people who are meant to only reassure them, accepting these lashes without second thought... because they're my friends and they must know best!
It is in human nature to release one's frustrations and insecurities, but it is within human choice to not do that unto a friend. Tearing others down is only a result of a miserable feeling from within, and it is a friend's duty to listen to these, not to fall victim to moments of weakness. Misery and excuses go hand in hand, taking out the insecurities, fears and pain that are felt on a friend is only an immature, selfish way in which humans react when threatened. We feel the need to bring down people to the levels which we are currently at, whether that be on a good or bad day. But what happens when a friend's bad days span not just a simple 24-hours but the entire existence of your relationship? Do you eventually grow to accept how they treat you, relishing the fun moments spent together and turning a blind eye to the bad times?
My theory is that a true friend will be honest with you, providing input and support in both the bad times and the good, no matter the circumstances. Because a friend is someone who won't have to feel superior to their counterpart, plagued with the feeling that they have something to prove just because of the way they feel, look or have been judged on a given day.
Bringing back my introduction/conclusion in this rambling blog post I feel as though through separating one's self from the accepted negativity of others, one can only then reflect on who they are and want to be; creating not an illusion of what a friend "should" be or of how great and unique an individual they are, but of a self-knowing captain, who navigates their own ship no matter how stormy the waters may be, getting from point A to B without mutiny, retreat or capsizing.
.... or scurvy for that matter.
Thursday 11 October 2012
The Right Decisions
As I sit here, finding myself with a wicked case of writer's block, the only thing I seem to be able to consider are the decisions I will eventually be forced to make and the repercussions that could and will ensue.
Making a feeble attempt to write actually seems to be the least of my problems at the moment but it does, in a sense, force me to reflect on the things I have yet to do, the decisions I have yet to make.
Millions of ideas, tiny voices, swirling around in the seemingly empty space that used to be my brain's. Worries, negativity, doubt, fears, questions unanswered just seem to hang. However, when reaching out in feeble attempts to face them, I find myself empty handed, dazed and confused. Every one of my worries seemingly linked to the other, separate they are powerless but together, unsolved, they seem far more powerful than I do.
Before this week, I had honestly been enjoying the college (cegep here in Quebec) experience. I am currently studying to get two DECs; one in health sciences and the other in social sciences. My justifications for choosing this program were that it would keep my options open, I had all the prerequisites and it would allow me to explore different potential fields and careers. However, as my readers may or may not have determined:
I am no scientist.
This may seem completely irrelevant and unrelated to my introduction however, this leads me to my most prominent unanswered question which is undoubtedly, in my opinion, one of the most powerful of the lot. What exactly am I going to do career and decision-wise? This week has only proven to me how much I struggle to get the marks acceptable by my standards in the science field and quite frankly, how little I enjoy these classes. I've always just gone through the motions of taking the harder courses or programs in order to "keep all doors open" so that if ever I change my mind, choosing sciences for one reason or another, I wouldn't have to go back in order to get my high school chemistry, physics, advanced math, etc. College is different than high school, and I feel as though I may only be limiting myself in regards to what I could be potentially discovering. Whether that discovery be of a career option or of some new part of me.
Are all of one's worries brought upon one's self? Do my faults of indecisiveness and doubt not flaw my overall forms of critical thinking in regards to the decisions I am to make for myself? Sometimes I wish I could simply turn a blind eye to all the decisions I deem life changing or extremely important, though I concede relativity plays an enormous part in my views and the drama I clearly must enjoy. Ignorance may be bliss but apathy is forced and though, I admit to feeling scared and confused as to where my paths will take me I wonder how anyone could not be preoccupied with such things. The right decisions not only play a part in how your day will play out, but in some cases your life or your career. I wish I knew how to go about deciding, whether the brutal cliché of following one's heart will ring true, or whether it will be awaiting me in future years to slam me with regret. The right decisions are always the hardest to make in my opinion, and I've substituted my chemistry studying time with writing this post and now have yet another voice to add to the chorus inside my head.
Find my happy place.
Making a feeble attempt to write actually seems to be the least of my problems at the moment but it does, in a sense, force me to reflect on the things I have yet to do, the decisions I have yet to make.
Millions of ideas, tiny voices, swirling around in the seemingly empty space that used to be my brain's. Worries, negativity, doubt, fears, questions unanswered just seem to hang. However, when reaching out in feeble attempts to face them, I find myself empty handed, dazed and confused. Every one of my worries seemingly linked to the other, separate they are powerless but together, unsolved, they seem far more powerful than I do.
Before this week, I had honestly been enjoying the college (cegep here in Quebec) experience. I am currently studying to get two DECs; one in health sciences and the other in social sciences. My justifications for choosing this program were that it would keep my options open, I had all the prerequisites and it would allow me to explore different potential fields and careers. However, as my readers may or may not have determined:
I am no scientist.
This may seem completely irrelevant and unrelated to my introduction however, this leads me to my most prominent unanswered question which is undoubtedly, in my opinion, one of the most powerful of the lot. What exactly am I going to do career and decision-wise? This week has only proven to me how much I struggle to get the marks acceptable by my standards in the science field and quite frankly, how little I enjoy these classes. I've always just gone through the motions of taking the harder courses or programs in order to "keep all doors open" so that if ever I change my mind, choosing sciences for one reason or another, I wouldn't have to go back in order to get my high school chemistry, physics, advanced math, etc. College is different than high school, and I feel as though I may only be limiting myself in regards to what I could be potentially discovering. Whether that discovery be of a career option or of some new part of me.
Are all of one's worries brought upon one's self? Do my faults of indecisiveness and doubt not flaw my overall forms of critical thinking in regards to the decisions I am to make for myself? Sometimes I wish I could simply turn a blind eye to all the decisions I deem life changing or extremely important, though I concede relativity plays an enormous part in my views and the drama I clearly must enjoy. Ignorance may be bliss but apathy is forced and though, I admit to feeling scared and confused as to where my paths will take me I wonder how anyone could not be preoccupied with such things. The right decisions not only play a part in how your day will play out, but in some cases your life or your career. I wish I knew how to go about deciding, whether the brutal cliché of following one's heart will ring true, or whether it will be awaiting me in future years to slam me with regret. The right decisions are always the hardest to make in my opinion, and I've substituted my chemistry studying time with writing this post and now have yet another voice to add to the chorus inside my head.
Find my happy place.
Lunchbag Letdown.
Clearly I've forgotten about the whole idea I had about "posting every week" and such. But that is so very typical of me and my enormous schemes, my grandiose ideas and thus; my lunchbag letdowns.
So this is essentially just... tying up my blog from this summer to now, fall.
I will make a serious attempt to post from now on, no more of this funny "hey, lets not post forever then pop back in again" business
Then again, you never know... could just be another lunchbag letdown.
So this is essentially just... tying up my blog from this summer to now, fall.
I will make a serious attempt to post from now on, no more of this funny "hey, lets not post forever then pop back in again" business
Then again, you never know... could just be another lunchbag letdown.
Monday 16 July 2012
$$$ Wishing for a Money Tree $$$
*Sigh*
I know I haven't posted for a while but I've been a little preoccupied with work and work and... well... more work.
Today, Zeke and Rave went to the osteopath so there's not much to tell on their behalves.
The entire crew has been taking it easy, due to the raging heat wave that rolled in to Montreal at the end of last week so dog-wise there isn't much news... at all.
Back to my money woes, which I am certain everyone on the face of God's green Earth has...
I've been saving up... FOREVER... for a...
*DRUMROOOOOOLLL PLEAAASSSEEEE*
Canon EOS 7D and new lens.
I've done a few minor calculations and I would (obviously) love to have it ASAP.
But you know, this so-called "instant-gratification" plan I had isn't seeming so instant.
In my typical teenage mindset I just wish I could have it now.
Wishing for a money tree...
I know I haven't posted for a while but I've been a little preoccupied with work and work and... well... more work.
Today, Zeke and Rave went to the osteopath so there's not much to tell on their behalves.
The entire crew has been taking it easy, due to the raging heat wave that rolled in to Montreal at the end of last week so dog-wise there isn't much news... at all.
Back to my money woes, which I am certain everyone on the face of God's green Earth has...
I've been saving up... FOREVER... for a...
*DRUMROOOOOOLLL PLEAAASSSEEEE*
Canon EOS 7D and new lens.
I've done a few minor calculations and I would (obviously) love to have it ASAP.
But you know, this so-called "instant-gratification" plan I had isn't seeming so instant.
In my typical teenage mindset I just wish I could have it now.
Wishing for a money tree...
Monday 9 July 2012
"...B-BUT it's a Rescue"
If I had a nickle, heck, if I had a penny for every time I heard someone justify the actions of their dog by saying;
"Oh b-but he/shes a rescue..."
I would be a multi-billionaire.
Now, don't get me wrong here, because I am certain that what I'm writing and what you will soon read could be easily misinterpreted. I am not at all against rescuing dogs, truly, I believe that it is a fantastic effort that is being made by millions of people and the lives of the dogs adopted are in most cases bettered immensely. What I have a problem with, is the percentage of these people that feel the need to let their dogs do as they please solely given their sometimes unknown history.
Just because your dog has been rescued does not give it, or you for that matter, the right to bypass all the usual standards society has grown accustomed to in regards to the 4 legged, panting population.
Your dog may have been abandoned, abused, starved, forced to fight, or all of the above. What matters is the present though, not the past. What happened to the dogs before being adopted solely matters for the future you will spend together, it only tells you what to expect and how to prepare for the potential baggage your new house-mate may or may not bring with them.
Just because your dog wasn't taught the ropes of greeting others, doesn't give it the right to barge into other dogs' faces and push them around.
Just because your dog was abandoned does not give it the right to rip your house, including couch, linens, carpets, walls, pillows and anything else to shreds the minute you leave the room.
Just because your dog was hurt by people does not give you the right to let it growl, snap, and endanger the people surrounding it for any given period of time.
When dogs are rescued, a certain responsibility is inherited as well and I am sick and tired of people simply justifying the actions of their dogs as such just because of the way their new pet is labelled. There are many rescued dogs, who have had issues and probably still do, who function perfectly well in doggie society today.
However, I know for a fact, that every dog is different, and different issues come in various concentrations. What I'm expressing my obvious disdain for isn't rescued animals and their issues, its the people who haven't made an effort to lessen the accompanied baggage of their newest companion.
But as stated before, I know dogs are as unique as their owners and sometimes the baggage cannot be lessened. I can understand this seeming relatively contradictory but it is true. And again, it is not the issues accompanying the dogs I dislike but, again, its the people who use the excuse that they've rescued a dog to not teach it proper behavior.
If your dog is bad with others, no matter how much socializing you do... Don't let it go see other dogs!
If your dog is bad with people... Make sure your dog is tightly on leash while walking down the street!
If your dog doesn't like being left alone... Crate train it!
If your dog is afraid of having its food taken away... Teach it that resource guarding is not acceptable or feed it in a safe environment where it doesn't feel threatened!
This blog post was spurred by the backlog of people who have brought their dogs to where I work so that they can have their nails cut or so that they can be groomed. If the dog is covered in mats, its not because it is a rescue, its because you have neglected to brush it! If the dog tries to bite me, while I'm cutting its nails, its not because its a rescue, its because its afraid of having its nails cut, LIKE MANY UNRESCUED DOGS!!!
Another thing I've got beef with (my teenager is showing lol) is the whole "rescued is greater than bred" thing (again, this mindset obviously isn't shared by all families adopting pets). It is my choice whether or not I choose to adopt a dog. For my lifestyle, it isn't what I want and it clearly isn't what I choose, but just because I have four aussies, all coming from breeders doesn't make me less of an animal lover than you, and it definitely does not make your pet, nor you, any better than me or mine.
Yet another thing I'd like to touch base on is what I call the "end of spectrum syndrome" (tongue twister). Just because your rescue came from a shelter does not make its issues any greater than my dogs' or any others'!
Each one of my dogs has a certain behavior that needs to be minded: For example, Zeke, my boy, hates having his nails done, and showed signs of resource guarding at a very young age. Even given his hatred of nail trimming, THEY GET CUT. And a lot of work was put in to making him "share" as a puppy but you can be damn sure that when another dog comes to see me, near his toys or food I, or someone else, has control of him.
All I'm saying is, if a dog is a rescue, so what?! Thats great! Its found a new forever home to spend the rest of its life with, but it is still a dog and it should be treated the same as any other dog would be. Being rescued does not give your pet any extra privileges or lee-way with its phobias, problems or other-wise. What rescuing a pet does give is a certain responsibility. This responsibility is given to the owner to watch over it, and re-assure this dog that, even given its past, the future will remain constant, filled with re-enforcement of good behaviors and the rehabilitation of the bad.
P.S Kudos to all the great rescuers out there, I really do give you creds and appreciate all that you do.
"Oh b-but he/shes a rescue..."
I would be a multi-billionaire.
Now, don't get me wrong here, because I am certain that what I'm writing and what you will soon read could be easily misinterpreted. I am not at all against rescuing dogs, truly, I believe that it is a fantastic effort that is being made by millions of people and the lives of the dogs adopted are in most cases bettered immensely. What I have a problem with, is the percentage of these people that feel the need to let their dogs do as they please solely given their sometimes unknown history.
Just because your dog has been rescued does not give it, or you for that matter, the right to bypass all the usual standards society has grown accustomed to in regards to the 4 legged, panting population.
Your dog may have been abandoned, abused, starved, forced to fight, or all of the above. What matters is the present though, not the past. What happened to the dogs before being adopted solely matters for the future you will spend together, it only tells you what to expect and how to prepare for the potential baggage your new house-mate may or may not bring with them.
Just because your dog wasn't taught the ropes of greeting others, doesn't give it the right to barge into other dogs' faces and push them around.
Just because your dog was abandoned does not give it the right to rip your house, including couch, linens, carpets, walls, pillows and anything else to shreds the minute you leave the room.
Just because your dog was hurt by people does not give you the right to let it growl, snap, and endanger the people surrounding it for any given period of time.
When dogs are rescued, a certain responsibility is inherited as well and I am sick and tired of people simply justifying the actions of their dogs as such just because of the way their new pet is labelled. There are many rescued dogs, who have had issues and probably still do, who function perfectly well in doggie society today.
However, I know for a fact, that every dog is different, and different issues come in various concentrations. What I'm expressing my obvious disdain for isn't rescued animals and their issues, its the people who haven't made an effort to lessen the accompanied baggage of their newest companion.
But as stated before, I know dogs are as unique as their owners and sometimes the baggage cannot be lessened. I can understand this seeming relatively contradictory but it is true. And again, it is not the issues accompanying the dogs I dislike but, again, its the people who use the excuse that they've rescued a dog to not teach it proper behavior.
If your dog is bad with others, no matter how much socializing you do... Don't let it go see other dogs!
If your dog is bad with people... Make sure your dog is tightly on leash while walking down the street!
If your dog doesn't like being left alone... Crate train it!
If your dog is afraid of having its food taken away... Teach it that resource guarding is not acceptable or feed it in a safe environment where it doesn't feel threatened!
This blog post was spurred by the backlog of people who have brought their dogs to where I work so that they can have their nails cut or so that they can be groomed. If the dog is covered in mats, its not because it is a rescue, its because you have neglected to brush it! If the dog tries to bite me, while I'm cutting its nails, its not because its a rescue, its because its afraid of having its nails cut, LIKE MANY UNRESCUED DOGS!!!
Another thing I've got beef with (my teenager is showing lol) is the whole "rescued is greater than bred" thing (again, this mindset obviously isn't shared by all families adopting pets). It is my choice whether or not I choose to adopt a dog. For my lifestyle, it isn't what I want and it clearly isn't what I choose, but just because I have four aussies, all coming from breeders doesn't make me less of an animal lover than you, and it definitely does not make your pet, nor you, any better than me or mine.
Yet another thing I'd like to touch base on is what I call the "end of spectrum syndrome" (tongue twister). Just because your rescue came from a shelter does not make its issues any greater than my dogs' or any others'!
Each one of my dogs has a certain behavior that needs to be minded: For example, Zeke, my boy, hates having his nails done, and showed signs of resource guarding at a very young age. Even given his hatred of nail trimming, THEY GET CUT. And a lot of work was put in to making him "share" as a puppy but you can be damn sure that when another dog comes to see me, near his toys or food I, or someone else, has control of him.
All I'm saying is, if a dog is a rescue, so what?! Thats great! Its found a new forever home to spend the rest of its life with, but it is still a dog and it should be treated the same as any other dog would be. Being rescued does not give your pet any extra privileges or lee-way with its phobias, problems or other-wise. What rescuing a pet does give is a certain responsibility. This responsibility is given to the owner to watch over it, and re-assure this dog that, even given its past, the future will remain constant, filled with re-enforcement of good behaviors and the rehabilitation of the bad.
P.S Kudos to all the great rescuers out there, I really do give you creds and appreciate all that you do.
Thursday 5 July 2012
The Flipside of an Agility Teen.
I've read many blog posts about the importance of dogs and what they mean to their people. How dogs have affected the lives of their owners and how, with each tail wag and paw shake, they never cease to impress, amaze and awe without fail.
I'm sure there are hundreds if not thousands of posts describing in detail how dogs can better lives, but I guess I'll just add another to the pile.
My dogs are quite obviously an extremely pertinent and influential part of my world and I find it quite stunning how people can diminish me for that very reason. I can understand your pet not being the center of your universe... Wait, scratch that, I can't. I cannot even begin to fathom a life in which dogs exist but don't, well, play a significant role. Maybe I can understand your life not revolving around your animal, but when it comes down to it, is he or she not just another member of your family? I can nod my head understandingly when someone tells me they like their dog but agility, obedience, flyball, and all dog sports alike just aren't for them. Because the amount of love you have for your animal isn't necessarily correlated to the amount of sports (YES. SPORTS) you take part in with them as a team. I can say "that makes sense" or "I get it" and I won't judge a person for it, not in the slightest. But when someone tells me...
"Whats with that? Its just a dog."
...Now that really offends me.
Sometimes a pet, is simply a pet. A family animal and something to greet you at the door when you walk in. But it isn't for me, and it isn't for my family. I would never stare down at someone for playing hockey or soccer. So why would you put me down for loving my dog and agility?
I don't want this to seem like an ignorant rant against anyone who doesn't take part in agility or anything else with their dog because I know many people who are extremely supportive of me, my family and my animals despite my "incessant animal posting" and "doggie pictures".
There are always those people though. I could just un-friend them on facebook, or not talk to them at school... But that somehow seems oh-so unsatisfactory. (Posting a rant on my blog shouldn't really be the answer, but it is somehow making me feel a lot better, lol)
I don't insult or diminish you for posting about, again, hockey drafts, or who won Euro 2012 because really, if its important to you, I respect that! And if that's what you like, follow and love, that should be enough for me to just scroll right by, like it, and to maybe include it in conversation the next time you and I chat on facebook or face to face.
But please, please, don't ask, and by ask I mean tell, me to stop posting stuff about my dogs.
I was not put on this world to please you, if you don't like it, you can un-friend me. If you don't like when I tell you something that I did on the weekend with my dog after you tell me about going out with your friends, that's fine! Don't ask me then! I understand how that could sound stand-off ish or, in some cases mean, and maybe its just my generation... But I really believe its just common courtesy to respect, and not put down something that a person blatantly adores!
My family, dogs included, have been there for me when kids, teenagers, from my school and elsewhere haven't, and they have helped me through so much caused by the latter. So, no, I will not stop posting every single time my dog gets up on the counter and eats something. Because, hell, that's freakin' hysterical, to me at least (I should really work on that, hindsight), and to a lot of the "dog people" who I have grown to consider my extended family and closest friends even though they're not "my age" or don't go to my school.
So you know, having finally graduated high school is liberating in the sense that I am continuing on to bigger and better things, to cegep and eventually to university, away from the people I've been trying to escape for quite some time now. But I also find it so amazing how, without the somewhat judgemental views of others (which I thought I had come to ignore), I have really begun to realize how much more I love the things that have been right in front of me this entire time.
I thought I loved it before, but man, do I ever love it now.
I'm sure there are hundreds if not thousands of posts describing in detail how dogs can better lives, but I guess I'll just add another to the pile.
My dogs are quite obviously an extremely pertinent and influential part of my world and I find it quite stunning how people can diminish me for that very reason. I can understand your pet not being the center of your universe... Wait, scratch that, I can't. I cannot even begin to fathom a life in which dogs exist but don't, well, play a significant role. Maybe I can understand your life not revolving around your animal, but when it comes down to it, is he or she not just another member of your family? I can nod my head understandingly when someone tells me they like their dog but agility, obedience, flyball, and all dog sports alike just aren't for them. Because the amount of love you have for your animal isn't necessarily correlated to the amount of sports (YES. SPORTS) you take part in with them as a team. I can say "that makes sense" or "I get it" and I won't judge a person for it, not in the slightest. But when someone tells me...
"Whats with that? Its just a dog."
...Now that really offends me.
Sometimes a pet, is simply a pet. A family animal and something to greet you at the door when you walk in. But it isn't for me, and it isn't for my family. I would never stare down at someone for playing hockey or soccer. So why would you put me down for loving my dog and agility?
I don't want this to seem like an ignorant rant against anyone who doesn't take part in agility or anything else with their dog because I know many people who are extremely supportive of me, my family and my animals despite my "incessant animal posting" and "doggie pictures".
There are always those people though. I could just un-friend them on facebook, or not talk to them at school... But that somehow seems oh-so unsatisfactory. (Posting a rant on my blog shouldn't really be the answer, but it is somehow making me feel a lot better, lol)
I don't insult or diminish you for posting about, again, hockey drafts, or who won Euro 2012 because really, if its important to you, I respect that! And if that's what you like, follow and love, that should be enough for me to just scroll right by, like it, and to maybe include it in conversation the next time you and I chat on facebook or face to face.
But please, please, don't ask, and by ask I mean tell, me to stop posting stuff about my dogs.
I was not put on this world to please you, if you don't like it, you can un-friend me. If you don't like when I tell you something that I did on the weekend with my dog after you tell me about going out with your friends, that's fine! Don't ask me then! I understand how that could sound stand-off ish or, in some cases mean, and maybe its just my generation... But I really believe its just common courtesy to respect, and not put down something that a person blatantly adores!
My family, dogs included, have been there for me when kids, teenagers, from my school and elsewhere haven't, and they have helped me through so much caused by the latter. So, no, I will not stop posting every single time my dog gets up on the counter and eats something. Because, hell, that's freakin' hysterical, to me at least (I should really work on that, hindsight), and to a lot of the "dog people" who I have grown to consider my extended family and closest friends even though they're not "my age" or don't go to my school.
So you know, having finally graduated high school is liberating in the sense that I am continuing on to bigger and better things, to cegep and eventually to university, away from the people I've been trying to escape for quite some time now. But I also find it so amazing how, without the somewhat judgemental views of others (which I thought I had come to ignore), I have really begun to realize how much more I love the things that have been right in front of me this entire time.
I thought I loved it before, but man, do I ever love it now.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)