Coronavirus, Covid 19 Discussion and How It Has Affected Your Daily Life Chat Thread

[MROO]

What cuties, TropicalBabies!

It's hard for me to wrap my mind around Christmas in the tropics. Of course, it was a tremendous shock to me to move from the NE to SoCal with respect to Christmas too. But over half a century I've gotten this far... And at least our trees are mostly bare and the temps are cold. Maybe not cold enough for snow but cold for us.

We were in HI once just prior to Kalikimaka. I was amused by the trees decorated in tropical colors but I have to admit I was happy to get back home in time for a more traditional Christmas.

I understand in Australia and New Zealand where they're in full blown Summer, Christmas is a barbecue on the beach affair. We weren't in Cape Town long enough to experience their version of Southern Hemisphere Christmas. I think everyone should celebrate in the way that makes them happy and seems traditional in their culture. I truly do! But, as I said, I just can't wrap my mind around it.

I have friends in New Zealand and just outside of Perth, Australia - and you're right, Christmas is usually celebrated with a "Barbie on the Beach." The funniest part for me is seeing their family pictures with Santa wearing shorts!

 

[ChocolateMouse]

Oh, MROO, I would have loved to do dog shows as a kid. XD That sounds fun....

 

[MROO]

Oh, MROO, I would have loved to do dog shows as a kid. XD That sounds fun....

It's a LOT of work! It's hard to "finish" a dog (get a Champion title) without a professional handler or a big name, but that's not why I was in it. I just wanted to learn and meet other people who loved dogs like I did/do. As a hobby, it's expensive, it's frustrating, and it's nerve-wracking ... but if you're not in it expecting to win national titles, it's an awful lot of fun! We did really well in the "Puppy" shows and the regular Novice classes, but then my little girl slipped and broke her jaw. The surgery ended all showing hopes, but I didn't care. She was my baby, so I was just glad to still have her!

 

[roosterhavoc]

https://www.propublica.org/article/...internet-trolls-helped-censor-the-coronavirus

 

[sourland]

It's a LOT of work! It's hard to "finish" a dog (get a Champion title) without a professional handler or a big name, but that's not why I was in it. I just wanted to learn and meet other people who loved dogs like I did/do. As a hobby, it's expensive, it's frustrating, and it's nerve-wracking ... but if you're not in it expecting to win national titles, it's an awful lot of fun! We did really well in the "Puppy" shows and the regular Novice classes, but then my little girl slipped and broke her jaw. The surgery ended all showing hopes, but I didn't care. She was my baby, so I was just glad to still have her!

And this is why I like performance events.

 

[h2oratt]

Back in my misspent dog-show youth, i met the Rosens - the couple responsible for starting the Greyhound rescue in my area. They were the first to "export" retirees and speed-failures from the Massachusetts tracks to the MId-Atlantic, often bringing twenty at a time. Betty was a gem! She described greyhounds as very large lap-cats. Clean, quiet, crazy-fun when excited ... it SO fits! I will warn you, though. If you plan on getting two at once ... you'd better have a BIG couch, 'cuz that's the only way you're gonna have a place to sit!

What kind of dog shows did you do? What breed?

 

[ShrekDawg]

And this is why I like performance events.

Even some of the performance events can get competitive! Like agility for example. And I think even dock diving. Idk. Some people take those things so seriously!

 

[h2oratt]

All our dog shows are now cancelled again in calif. I am sure the big chicken show will be cancelled also.

 

[sourland]

Even some of the performance events can get competitive! Like agility for example. And I think even dock diving. Idk. Some people take those things so seriously!

Competitive is fine - nothing wrong with competitive, and there is room for interpretation even in performance events, but nowhere near as much as in conformation events. In competition either you get the job done or you don't. If I were younger and not involved in field trialing, I would not hesitate to get involved in obedience or agility events. We titled a dog up to CDX in both AKC and UKC and found competitors to be generally supportive.

 

[MROO]

What kind of dog shows did you do? What breed?

I had a Shih Tzu, so we did a few specialty breed shows in DE, MD & VA and two AKC All-Breed events in MD and and PA. She did really well as a puppy, but slipped on a newly waxed floor and broke her tiny jaw in two places shortly into her adult class age. It was scary, but she came through it fine and the rest of her 15 years as a spoiled lap baby.
I attended a lot more shows than I participated in, though. As part of a breed club, we went to a lot of different shows all over the area - sometimes as support for other members, but mostly for the experience and the fun. The All-Breed, mixed discipline shows were the best - we got to see agility competitions and some REALLY neat Search and Rescue and Public Service demos.