My dogs are "old fashioned" dogs.

I was talking with a pro the other day. He was asked for his e-mail address. His response was, "I don't have an e-mail address. I guess that I am just old fashioned.".

When I think about it, I guess that my dogs are "old fashioned" too.

I bought some new crates for my dogs with some nice crate pads. They must like their old crates better because that's where they prefer to go on their own and they chewed up the new crate pads. I tried to change their food to something that was healthier and gave them more variety but they pick at it instead of their usual attack of the food bowl with their old food. I have all kinds of technology that I have introduced to my dogs; electric collars, tracking collars, bells, and beepers. And all that they want to do is run NAKED!

It is not only this that makes me think that they must be "old fashioned".

My dogs hunt the old fashioned way. Even though farming methods now clean a field from edge to edge my dogs are still looking for those birds where they used to be, at the fringes of the planted areas. What's wrong with them? Don't they know that the bird planter is using an ATV to plant the birds on the horse path down the middle of the field?

My dogs also use the old fashioned way to find the birds; they use their noses. Those pen raised birds used at the last trial preferred to walk around out in the open and be seen rather than smelled.

Then there is that thing that they do when they do find a bird. Instead of slamming on point the second they smell a bird they try to "work" the bird, trying to pen it. Those new fangled judges keep calling them out for "moving" on their bird before they even get a chance to finish penning the bird and THEN establish point.

Oh, yes, there is that other thing that my dogs do the old way. They watch the birds fly from their flush, sometimes even moving their front legs to mark the flight path. Old fashioned behavior. What good is that when the new fangled judges want them to act like frozen statues when the bird flies?

Then it's the way that they look. They have orange and white all over. Not a nearly all white one in the bunch!

So what am I to do? I guess that I will just have to find some way to accept this. Perhaps I will just embrace my dogs' attitudes. Sort of the "If you can't beat them, join them." concept. I can train them, work them, and handle them the "old fashioned" way and if others judge them negatively because of that I will just have to judge my dogs myself.

Let's see. Points for hunting where those old fashioned wild birds would be. Points for knowing how to "work" a bird. Points for "marking" a bird. And extra credit for looking like a hunting dog. Ah yes. I like what I see...

-Vic Williams

P.S. For those of you who read this and are getting ready to reply with a "how dare you?" response or think that I am talking about you or your dog, you should know, this is really just sarcasm and it is not about YOU at all. It is just some of those brain mutterings that I have when I am out playing with my dogs. If you want fight about it you should know that I just don't have the energy or interest to defend or attack with regard to my ideas. They are JUST my ideas and are subject to change. I only hope to pique your interest and thinking with my ramblings as well as provide the cathartic instrument of writing to my own condition, what ever that is... Confused? Well so am I! Thanks for reading...