Breedist...

[Laura_E]

Today I went along to a fundraising day at our local greyhound rescue with Tess and Emily, a girl that I look after at the weekends.

 

We went along to show our support and help contribute to the much needed funds of the rescue, but throughout the day people kept making remarks about 'the little dog' (Tess) and giving us condescending looks and generally making us feel unwelcome. Initially I brushed it all off and carried on about my business, but as the day went on it started to grate a bit. The final straw came when one woman approached me and commented I was either 'brave, or stupid' to bring such a small dog along to a greyhound fundraising day. At this point, my patience had well and truly ran out.

 

For starters, and as I pointed out, Tess is hardly chiuaua sized- she is about the same size as a cocker spaniel, so not exactly tiny (she certainly isn't a 'small furry'). But secondly, why shouldn't owners of other breeds be able to support breed specific rescues? Tess is used to living with foster dogs of all different shapes, sizes and breeds and is a very well socialised dog- if she wasn't, I wouldn't take her to an event where there were likely to be lots of other canines.

 

Although it was only a few people that made us feel unwelcome, it really annoyed me. I also noticed last week when I was fostering Roxy (staffie cross) that many owners acted in a hostile manner towards us and certainly didn't want their dogs socialising with her- despite the fact that she behaved impeccably.

 

I have to say, my experiences over the last week have left me feeling really disappointed by peoples attitudes. I appreciate that many people have preferences for certain breeds, but does that mean that they have to be so dismissive of other dogs based on their size and breed type?! I certainly consider it to be a form of prejudice, but maybe I am just over-thinking things as usual!

[Fee]

How sad that you turned up to support a rescue and were made to feel unwelcome because you had the wrong sort of dog. I'd be pretty fed up if I were you as well

 

As for the 'brave or stupid' comment, that sounds like someone who should have known better perpetuating the myth that greyhounds can't get along with smaller dogs or other animals. There are many people here who can prove that isn't true (me included - Meg is the same sort of size as Tess and she and my old greyhound girl adored each other).

 

I've turned up with miscellaneous dogs for all sorts of events, fundraisers, street collections etc for various rescues including greyhound rescues and never had that sort of reaction, I very much hope this was a one-off on that particular day. I'm sure most rescues would welcome anybody who bothered to turn out and show support so I hope it won't put you (and Tess) off in future.

[BillyMalc]

Totally agree with Fee here As for the 'brave' or 'stupid' remark, I'd say that that woman was either 'thick' or 'prejudiced' - neither one of which is particularly flattering or helpful.

As for Staffie (crosses): I do worry when I see one over in our park, but simply because their silly owners don't bother to teach a decent recall, and my 2 hooligans don't "do" any dog that runs up to them: They chase them off frighteningly viciously - although they would never go up to any dog themselves to start trouble. Trouble is, one or two have retaliated (with mine on lead!) and stupid, ignorant ownerss still blame me, and/or smack their poor dog! So staffies in general do spell trouble for me, but only because of their stupid owners

[buddyboy]

I know exactly what you mean!

 

Lucy Greyhound used to live with 2 terriers, one of them small and fluffy. Our local Greyhound Group were fine with all my non greyhound dogs coming on walks (the late great Bud had his own thread on the forum!) but at a few "other" fundraisers there were looks and comments. Yes there are some greys who are very prey driven but guess what - the rest of the people on our group walks had ex-racers (as Lucy was) and they were fine with my dogs.

 

When Jed wanted to learn flyball a few clubs turned him down because he isn't a collie.... never even got as far as explaining to them he is also deaf. Now at tournaments most people are great but you still get the "your dogs are not collies so they don't really count" (yup, they are a big bulldozer and a staffie cross) - again though most people are fine.

 

I also get the reverse with Cassie. People want to stroke and fuss her because she is a little Cavalier King Charles..... NO, she is an ex puppy farm dog, she is great out of the house when she meets people on her own terms but if they come up to her and bend over to stroke her she is petrified...... yet the people take no notice of me saying it and try to ignore the big dogs who all push in between so they get the fuss (and I don't stop them because they enjoy it and Cassie doesn't)

[cycas]

I have encountered a bit of this from the other side (and within sighthounds too : there are actually people who will sneer at lurchers for crossed with 'curs' ! - ie, people make disapproving remarks to me about other people's dogs because they assume that as both of mine look full sighthound, I will agree with them. Possibly I should carry one of the cats with me at all times to make it clear mine is not a purist sighthound-only household?

 

 

Frankly, I am baffled by it. I'm really sorry to hear people were so rude and unwelcoming

 

I suppose Tess isn't huge if you are used to greyhounds, so 'little dog' was probably inevitable in the absence of a yorkie for contrast. (I can't help calling my mother's dogs 'the little dogs' and they are two smallish collie crosses and a whippet! On the other hand, have met a greyhound owner who called my Mollydog greyhound 'the little dog' because she looks like a dwarf compared to a big male greyhound and a Borzoi...)

 

I guess there probably are greyhounds that would not recognise Tess as a dog to start with because their definition of 'dog' is so narrow - but in that case I would have thought it would be jolly good practice for them to see her pootling about at a distance.

[lil_angel]

Ive only been on the end of a breedist sneer once with Louie but it was more 'keep your filthy mutt away from my precious pedigree'. Louie walked past the dog impeccably well behaved whilst her Shih Tzu was desperately trying to drag her across to say hello to him.

[owl]

I think that is appalling behaviour. Greyhound rescues need all the help they can get, and should be especially welcoming to supporters outside the breed. Their money is as good as anyopne else's.

 

It's not always the case. We were made very welcome on a greyhound walk we went to last month which was mostly purebreds with a lurcher or two. I took Wispa who does have some sighthound in the mix but I'm sure that Polly puli would have been just as welcome.

 

We don't have to live with or even like certain breeds in order to support them, and to make rude comments about them is to be hurtful and disrespectful to their humans.

[Karen]

It's baffling and disappointing behavour. Rescue is rescue, whatever size and shape of dog.

 

A lady in the next road from me used to get very uppity when my "cross-breed" collie/lab got near her lovely shelties. It didn't help that he was black too, it's suprising how much dog colour prejudice of various types there is around too!

[kats n greys]

Shame that some people were so ignorant- there is no excuse at all.

 

All the rescue M&G, fund-raising etc we've been have often had a variety of hounds - Susie has been to all that we've been to since we've had her and she's only about 15" - walks underneath all the hounds.

 

Susie after winning Best in Show at a Gap Show.

[Laura_E]

I have to say, it was only a handful of people that made those remarks, and nobody from the actual rescue made us feel unwelcome, but it was the 'brave or stupid' comment that really annoyed me. There was also another woman that kept remarking about how Tess was 'aggravating' her hound, despite the fact that she was paying no attention to her dogs whatsoever.

 

There was one lady there though that made us feel really welcome and took some lovely pictures of Tess and Emily- so it really wasn't everybody. Unfortunately it's the bad ones that tend to stand out.

[K9Fran]

You want to try walking a Labradoodle

[one.eyed.dog]

It would never cross my mind to avoid a greyhound if I had a small dog. I see them as gentle dogs.

[Laura_E]

Shame that some people were so ignorant- there is no excuse at all.

 

All the rescue M&G, fund-raising etc we've been have often had a variety of hounds - Susie has been to all that we've been to since we've had her and she's only about 15" - walks underneath all the hounds.

 

Susie after winning Best in Show at a Gap Show.

 

Oh, and well done to Susie. What a beautiful girl she is- and what impressive trophies!!!

[BillyMalc]

Susie :wub:

 

It does cross my mind to avoid greyhounds with my hooligans, because I'm worried they might damage the greyhound's paperthin skin! It's happened once already, which fortunately wasn't our fault, but it's made me very aware of how easy they can be "broken".

 

On the "breedist" note though, most people at our agility club insist not just on having border collies, but also on buying them from a breeder! Now that's what gets up my nose - I'll happily admit to being "breedERist"!

[Laura_E]

Pets As Therapy recently ran a 'PAT Dog of The Year' competition, which I thought I would enter Tess into just for fun. However, when I made further enquiries I was told that only KC registered dogs were eligible to enter.

 

I thought this was an absolute disgrace, not to mention a complete slap in the face to all the people and non-pedigree dogs that give up their free time to represent the charity. When I relayed this to them I was told the reasoning behind it was due to the fact that the dogs would be going to Crufts, so they had to be of ' Crufts standard'.