Every greyhound person who has ever taken their pups out in public has heard crazy comments - and usually it's directed toward their dog.There are the classic comments including, "What a beautiful great dane?" and "I've only seen gray greyhounds."
The less tactful usually say to the dog itself like, "Don't they feed you enough?" - this one is obviously directed at Roxy in our family.
And who can forget my all-time favorite comment that came from a nice mountain man as we walked Seka on the Greenway Trail in Boone, NC, who plainly asked - "Is that there one of them high-speed dogs?" Why yes it is.
I thought I had heard it all when it came to comments about my greyhounds from strangers. That was until the Steeplechase at Callaway Gardens this weekend. SEGA has had a Meet n' Greet booth at the Steeplechase for several years now and this year we had 18 greyhounds in attendance. This event is a lot of fun for both humans and hounds. Food, wine, lots of people who love to love on the dogs, wine, a beautiful location, wine, incredible horses jumping hedges at incredible speeds - did I mention the wine?
I think it might have been the wine that lead to one of the most unbelievable comments about our dogs. Our SEGA tent was set up next to the Terrier Races. Yes, 30 or more Jack Russel Terriers barking, yapping, jumping, going nuts in general for about 4 hours straight and all the while our dogs are just relaxing and napping or greeting people without a sound. So as you can imagine, it was quite the juxtaposition between the two breeds.While talking to a couple about our dogs, the woman said, as plainly as if she was asking if they had fur, "Do you guys have your dogs sedated?" I had to ask her to repeat herself, as I was afraid I misunderstood her. I mean who would think 16 people would drug up 18 dogs and bring them out in public? But she repeated her question and anxiously awaited an answer.
I almost told her that the only sedation that occurred here was for the owners, but I took the high road (don't ask me why). Maybe she just wanted to be as relaxed and carefree as our dogs. To be laying 20 feet from yippee dogs without her nerves standing on end. To nap for hours as people peek at her in a little pen. Maybe she wanted to know what we sedated them with so she could get some for herself. Why else would someone ask such a question? Congratulations, lady - that one will be recorded in the greyhound book of stupid questions!
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15 comments:
Just take it as a compliment. Obviously the greyhounds were relaxing and behaving like they do so well.
Jen
OMG, I'm glad she didn't say that to me - I wouldn't have been able to contain myself. That is definitely one for the books!!
You know I don't know whether I would have laughed, punched her, or just poured myself another glass of wine. On second thought, wine usually works best.
what a turd. you're a better person than me.
You are one, cool chick, Heather.
I applaud your self-control, of which I have NONE.
i can kind of understand. think about it. all that yapping? i pharkin need sedation. and think about parents that say they unwind after a family outing with just two kids.
it's more a statement about the terriers than her. i think she's saying "they are so phkn annoying, how do your dogs not explode?" most would.
of couse, who would sedate the dogs, really? no one. and that's why it's a dumb question, but... you kind of see the point. don't tell me you weren't secretly wanting a little sedation yourself.
i used to teach. i could be trying to help little Sekabelle with fractions and a Peanut would come over and tug on me and say mscassidymscassidymscassidymscassidy. i drank a lot of margaritas when i taught.
a
lot.
and i remember fieldtrips. one took us to the adolphus hotel. we'd get a tour. all nice. the staff would bring them cookies. the teachers would joke at the end of the trip that after all those kids had those cookies, we'd want some fine vintage vino.
she's probably a very tired mum who occasionally self sedates anyway. that's why i have greys and not kids.
I commend you for taking the high road. She's lucky she didn't get to see the depth of your wit...but then again, she probably wouldn't have got it. LOL.
In Tractor Supply a few weeks ago, we had two older ladies stop and talk to us about the greyhounds. as they were loving all over my two hounds, one said..'but you know..when they get older..." to which I thought..'what?" And she finished.."when they get older..they turn on you."
so obviously that is why we sedate them..to put off their future intention of eating us in our sleep. ;-)
That is my personal favorite, adding to what Trina said. You are standing there with your dog and they comment to their companion something totally ridiculous and untrue about greys. You want to just look at them and say "how would you know anyway??" People are truly amazing. If we did not love our dogs and want the rest of the world to appreciate greyhounds also. We would never put up with the public.
wtf?! sedated?! Ugh. We've heard a lot of (uneducated) stupid comments, but that's insane! Usually we get the "is that whippet", "I bet they can run fast", "you should feed your dogs", etc. and oddly enough, the mistaken identity of a Great Dane (I never could figure that one out). I wouldn't have known how to handle that because my natural inclination would have been a smart assy comment. As far as the "they turn on you" comment - then who would wait on them hand and foot after they've eaten us?!
Oi Vey. There are dumb questions - and this was one of them. People tend to ask the craziest things, and I think its because they don't actually ponder thoughts before SPLAT out it comes.
I love it when people who don't have greyhounds proceed to tell me stuff about my dogs that they feel I should know.
Have you updated your site??
LOVE IT!!!
It still surprises me when strangers ask if I race my greys. Sometimes I feel like I need a tape recorder with canned answers so when people start asking questions (every half-block or so on a normal walk) I can just press "play" and save my breath.
Perhaps she was a JRT owner. I know owners of JRT's that 'sedate' their dogs when they take them to sporting competitions etc because they are so wild. The most common thing I've heard of is a small dose of melatonin.
I could never own a Jack, however I'm sure my Vik has greyhound in him (along with some border collie and who knows what else). I love grey's :-)
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