I’m on a train headed up to Wilmington, DE….Train coffee is better than hotel coffee though. Its Maxwell house fresh out of the industrial brewer but the key word is “fresh”. A few dozen creamettes and I’m fixed up to go.
So, I’ve had more time to think lately. Mostly because I’ve forced myself back into the pattern of pondering the canine world and how funny we all are with our unique ways of going about living our doggy lives. One that came to mind was how we do not like to see ourselves in photos with our dogs.
Now, if you are a conformation person I think you almost take it for granted that you will be in a picture. It just sort of comes with the territory, I think. Hand judge ribbon, arrange dog appropriately, smile, and *SNAP* its over. Obedience competitors almost take the same approach.
But if you are competing in agility or herding, you NEVER want to see yourself in pictures. Why? Could it be because we are normally dressed WAY down and will probably wear the same clothes we wore the day before or if we are really on top of it, whatever we pull out of the drawer? I know I’ve worn whatever was going to be the most comfortable and to hell with fashion. I would have received a 10 year sentence from the *fashionistas* if I were ever evaluated. And what about the faces we make as we scream at our dogs?!?! Hair whipping around, spit flying, body parts jiggling and gyrating….and I’m not talking about the dog here.
Maybe that is why conformation and obedience folks don’t mind so much. They dress better for their events and most of their activity is concentrated on carefully orchestrated movements and timing.
We aim to look bad or at least to look not so good in agility. And herding is even worse because of where you are and the conditions you are in. Cutesy tennis shoes or outfits are never seen in herding. Jeans, old sweatshirt or tee-shirt, and black Muck boots. Nothing pretty here. Now I did see one judge who looked like she stepped off a photo shoot for a Western wear catalog. And I think NOT coincidentally, she was from my old stomping grounds of So. Cal.
I’ve had many a good agility or herding photo altered because I was asked to “CUT ME OUT OF IT”. Now we have a recomposed image that doesn’t have the entire setting for the viewer to see. But that is ok – I always keep backups of the original…
Regards,
Bobby