What WAS your limit?

[cali]

so if a dog was a complete couch potato, you wouldn't want it?

I would not get a dog that was a complete couch potato in the first place. why on earth would I knowingly get a dog that I know full well would get left behind a lot(traveling to tournys and trials)?

[Kfamr]

That's what I was saying.

So your answer would be no, you wouldn't want a dog that just wanted to lay around and well, be a dog.

What happens when your 'athletes' no long want to compete in their older ages, and want to be complete couch potatoes?

[Logan]

KayAnn, you know I love you lots, but I think you need to give this subject a rest, hon. Meant with all of the best intentions.

Logan

[Kfamr]

Sorry, the post made me completely sick to my stomach when I first read it. I was disgusted ... but yeah .. there's tons of pages on it already..

[cali]

when they retire they become pets like shadow, where they can just relax and take it easy, IF THEY WANT TO, keep in mind the breed of my dogs, they are not by any means the types that would decide to layz about. they would still get to go to flyball for fun and fun matchs and demos. all the dogs I know that retired from the sports hate being left behind, even they they are slow and tire easy they want to play, and they get to.

edit:knowing you guys the last part will be interpreted wronge to I am just taking it out.

[dukedogsmom]

That's the way some of the our retired cop dogs are, too. Poor things can't understand why they still can't go to work with mommy or daddy. I've got an interesting point to make about the sport dogs. What about the Greyhounds after their racing days are over? Its really sad. They're treated really good while they're able to race, after that, it's the axe. But I see nothing wrong with having a dog that likes to do the sports. I've watched the flyball on tv and the dogs seem to love it! I would love to have a dog that did that. Or, one of the Labs that dives in those long pools for the water toy. I think it gives them joy to do those things. Dogs are different, just like people.

[Twisterdog]

I'm not sure why choosing a dog to fit your lifestyle is such a bad thing.

I never said it was. Choosing a dog that DOESN'T fit your lifestyle is a bad thing. I'm not sure if you were referring to me or not, but I didn't say or mean that at all.

Twister you have changed your mind about Cali? In another post you spoke for her, much as I did in this one, and explained to everyone what you interpreted her to be trying to say.

I don't know Cali, I've never met her. I don't base any of my posts off whether I "like" or "dislike" someone. It wouldn't matter one bit to me who posted that, I would comment on it. I don't look at a post and say, "Oh, I don't like that person, so I'm going to say something bad." Please. I look at each individual post separately, and comment on it separately. I may agree with 9 out of 10 posts someone makes, but not the 10th. So? That is life, sometimes we agree and sometimes we disagree.

What happens when your 'athletes' no long want to compete in their older ages, and want to be complete couch potatoes?

I think that is a valid question.

but hey if you choose to believe that I am an animal abuser and keep my dogs underweight and they dont enjoy what they are doing that that is your own damn problem

I never said they didn't enjoy what they are doing. They probably do. And YOU said they were underweight. You said, and I quote, "kept on a racing weight (if they were pets they would not be fat just a more normal weight)." So, you said yourself, that if they were just pets, they would be a "normal" weight, but since they are "athletes", they are kept on "racing weight." So ... if "racing weight" is less than "normal" weight, they are therefore underweight. Less than normal weight is underweight. You said it. Sorry if that's "not what you meant", but it IS what you said.

And the weight was just one part of the reason your post rubbed me the wrong way. Dogs should be pets first, loved unconditionally, and whatever-else secondly. Just like kids. And if you have no limit to the number of dogs you will "buy, receive or adopt" just because they are good "athletes", then I think that is wrong and selfish. Again, Sorry if that's "not what you meant", but it IS what you said. That's my opinion, and it will continue to be my opinion.

[Twisterdog]

They're treated really good while they're able to race, after that, it's the axe.

Actually, they are treated very badly while they are racing, as well.

[cali]

and again I explained what I meant by normal and racing weight. normal being the weight I see most pets at, which is a little bit OVER weight, not fat just a little bit pudgy because there diet and exersize is not as strict, because they are athletes that need to be kept on a perfect weight, and kept in top condition. normal being a pet only weight, more relaxed.

What happens when your 'athletes' no long want to compete in their older ages, and want to be complete couch potatoes?

I think that is a valid question.

one that I answered. even if by some way they did turn into couch potatos(keep in mind the breeds I have) they would get to relax and be a couch potato, however that does not mean they would not still want to play the sports I KNOW they still want to play the sorts at an old age because I know a LOT of dogs that retired from the sports, they hate to be left behind, they are old and tire easy but they still want to play. that is what fun matches and flyball for fun and demos are for. the old and the new, we also have special teams just for the older dogs that want to play, they go to turnys for recreation not to win, but because they love it, out club contains a 13 year old sheltie, a 10 year old belgen a da 9 year old border collie, they dont get to race often but they do get to race, just as a spare, because they enjoy it. they are retired by the way, but get to come when they feel up to it as a spare

[ParNone]

twisterdog writes:

I never said it was. Choosing a dog that DOESN'T fit your lifestyle is a bad thing. I'm not sure if you were referring to me or not, but I didn't say or mean that at all

Hi twister!

My post wasn't directed at you. It was just a general thought
I had based on kfamr's comment about not wanting a couch
potato dog. I think some dogs need a so called "job" to do
to be truly happy and agility's great for them. I've also, through
my agility classes, seen some people that are in it for the wrong
reasons or don't have the right attitude about it. I've seen some
awfully bad human behavior from some people who's number one
priority wasn't for them and their dog to have fun. I've had to
bite my tongue several times. The guy that hurled his border
collie over a jump by his collar out of frustration comes to mind.
Thankfully the instructor didn't let the behavior slide and took
care of it.

Par...

[cali]

hurled the dog over the jump? oh gosh that mean, the first and formost thing with my dogs and sports is that they have fun, its not fun for me if its not fun for them, it makes me happy to see the exitment and happiness in ther faces when they play the game.

[micki76]

Well, here’s another fun thread ruined! I swear this crap is getting really old. I’m so sick and tired of fun threads being killed be people who just feel the need to be a bitch to someone. STOP IT PEOPLE.

Why not make this a fun place to hang out? Does it just not make you people happy until you’ve ruined a thread for everybody?

I keep coming back to read people responses to THE THREAD QUESTION and I find all this crap.

Just friggin’ quit it.

[joycenalex]

my limit is two (and i have 2 cats). duke and alex the wonder dog are and were absolutely the best dogs ever. i found, as a single working full time human dog mom, i could only do right by 2. both dogs were/are high maintence, both had medical conditions the required daily meds, near monthly vet visits, and in alexs' case, i can expect one to two vet er bills a year. i have a good job, but i do know that there were times when money was tight, and the animals came first (good thing i love thrift stores and drive a used car.) when i hit the lottery however, things will change.....

[Twisterdog]

Originally posted by micki76
Well, here’s another fun thread ruined! I swear this crap is getting really old. I’m so sick and tired of fun threads being killed be people who just feel the need to be a bitch to someone. STOP IT PEOPLE.

Why not make this a fun place to hang out? Does it just not make you people happy until you’ve ruined a thread for everybody?

I keep coming back to read people responses to THE THREAD QUESTION and I find all this crap.

Just friggin’ quit it.

You posted seven times in this thread, micki76, and none of them were "responses to THE THREAD QUESTION", as you put it. If you go back and re-read the entire thread you will see that you, also, hurt some people's feelings and added to the argument. So, you now posting the above is a bit of "the pot calling the kettle black", IMO.

And, yes, I definately helped to lead this thread off topic. Sorry. However, I don't believe in sticking your head in the sand and saying nothing when you read something disturbing. Cali's post was disturbing to me, and to many others. We questioned it. Sorry, but every single thing in life can't be "fun". Sometimes, hard questions need to be asked and hard subjects addressed. It's called responsibility.

I admit, I was more than a little sarcastic in a couple of my posts, and I apologize for that. It was immature. But, I still think the issue needed to be addressed. Just because we disagree or question each other doesn't mean we "don't like" each other. Sheesh. That is such an immature, middle-school attitude. Not everyone agrees, and NO one agrees 100% of the time. It's not the end of the world. It's real life. My gosh.

[micki76]

Actually, I did respond to the thread question, but I also posted a lot of times about the same junk in the thread. It's just very annoying to me that people are ruining great, fun threads with the same old stuff (not that it's not important stuff). I wish people would make a new thread when they have an extreme issue, or heaven forbid use a PM. I'll try to start doing that myself. I know how it is when you’re passionate about something, but we all need to start using a little tiny restraint (myself definitely included) and use the pm system that’s available to us all.

I shouldn’t have commented so much, that’s true, but I just wanted to get people to stop posting with the OT stuff and I only helped to take it OT.

My apologies to all involved. I tried to stay positive, but I got irritated, which is something I wish wouldn’t happen here so much.

Could someone please post about the topic now?