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Post by Die Fledermaus on Feb 25, 2013 13:49:18 GMT -4
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Post by Die Fledermaus on Feb 22, 2013 17:25:14 GMT -4
I finally got around to doing HALF of the Dog Show photos on Photobucket. They already were on my FB pages, and other FB pages. RIGHT HERE!Hope it works for you!
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Post by Die Fledermaus on Feb 15, 2013 16:08:01 GMT -4
So long as HE is healthy! Some may remember my amazement at finding out Poppy was a guy - a story related on RR years ago - or the vet who supposedly knew Syrian hamster asking if I was sure Princess was a female. More recently I wanted to female rats, and I checked myself. We were all wrong! But it turned out good as now I have a bunch of tame handleable rats I raised and handled before their eyes opened.
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Post by Die Fledermaus on Feb 15, 2013 15:53:45 GMT -4
Reflections on the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show this past week.
The new venue was at 55th Street and the West Side Piers, and the first day I had the long walk there from the subway through a freezing rain early in the morning. Not pleasant. The second day there was no rain, although the streets were still slushy with melting snow.
The new place was much bigger and there were many more dogs; the benching area had lots of elbow room for people and dogs. The first day the Toys were in a separate pier area so we needed to take a big freight elevator up to it; the second night the Terrier group was there. In years past, those groups really caused crowded conditions.
That was the good news. The bad news was the location was not convenient, they charged more money with separate admissions for The Piers and later at Madison Square Garden, and there was no grandstand. This was the worst thing as in the past we could watch the Breed competition in the rings from the seats. Now, no seats! So the area around the rings became very crowded and it was hard to see; it also got more fatiguing standing around with snow boots on so long. We also could not just go up into the seats and relax for awhile; there was no lounge area at all.
This bothered most everyone I spoke to, and there was room to build a temporary grandstand for viewing, but they had not. Whether they will if they stay there remains unclear.
All this resulted in more fatigue than usual; plus, all the events were over by 2 PM. As I remember, that would be a good 90 minutes earlier than in previous years. So, there would be a six hour gap between the Breed competition and the 8 PM start at MSG. Not good. No way would I have hung around that long plus there was no point in coming early as all seats were reserved - getting to MSG early did not mean a better seat.
Why that six hour gap I don't know. This might be convenient for people who live in Manhattan and want to have dinner and put on their tuxedos, but not for me.
There were free shuttle buses between the Piers and MSG - helpful but crowded.
How big the crowd was inside MSG for both nights was hard to tell on TV - looked about the same in the lower seats but seemed less in the darker upper levels, but I could not get a good look to be sure.
All the standing around, a different more remote venue, no seats, crowds around the rings, not to mention the weather, made it all more fatiguing than normal, so much so I’d not consider going at night even with less than a six hour gap.
So, about the WKC itself. . . had interesting talks with the owners, as usual. What struck me most was how a Bichon Frise – who had not seen his owner since the night before and was professionally handled in the ring – went crazy happy when reunited with the owner. I got a good photo of that.
A Bull Terrier owner lamented that dogs don’t live longer – the only thing he didn’t like about them, “but they teach us about life, and death”.
The Jack Russell (new breed this year) owner said there was no real difference between that breed and other JR’s other than a slight color difference. She also made it seem like there was some hostile internal politics between clubs at work. The dog I saw was very calm and sedate. She said that was typical for him.
Had a nice talk with a Finnish Spitz owner who claimed hers was the best in the country, and he did win Best in Breed at the WKC.
I got some good photos of a Komondor, which I never have before.
I got some really good Toller photos – very cute happy dogs.
As always, the dogs I photo’ed were targets of opportunity – those out of crates and in good poses for the camera. I used two different cameras.
One thing that again struck me was how all these dogs – no matter how different or big and small – are still dogs, and they act like it. When you see a Bull Mastiff or a Cane Corso getting hugs and belly rubs that becomes obvious.
I posted the photos on my two Facebook pages, the WKC and the AKC FB pages, among others. I may get around to putting them on Photobucket, eventually. No time now. Will add anything relevant that comes to mind, later.
As always a fun experience, but the lack of a grandstand and a lounge area (as the seats at MSG are in fact) is a serious problem, and this six hour gap before the MSG events, was not good. Nice to not be crowded in the benching area, though. Good for the dogs - no more drooling hot Mastiffs!
Still catching up from all this. Much got backlogged. Busy busy.
Banana Joe Wins! >>http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/banana-joe-named-top-dog-show-article-1.1262865<<
>>http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/13/sports/no-ordinary-affenpinscher-banana-joe-is-named-best-in-show.html?_r=0<<
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Post by Die Fledermaus on Feb 2, 2013 11:48:32 GMT -4
We have great respect for rodents, one of the most successful life forms in history. Today is the one day of the year when they take center stage. And Phil predicts an early Spring! Did NOT see his shadow. PUNXSUTAWNEY PHIL SEES SHADOW!Phil, in the NY Daily Newswww.groundhog.org/We have many other threads on Groundhog Day up in RR. Just go back to past February 2nd's in previous years. Today:
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Post by Die Fledermaus on Jan 30, 2013 13:47:02 GMT -4
Such comments, and possible replies, belong in a PM.
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Post by Die Fledermaus on Jan 29, 2013 20:29:25 GMT -4
Before the names, I handled some female rats yesterday. Not only are they a lot smaller, their fur is much softer! Very nice.
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Post by Die Fledermaus on Jan 28, 2013 15:25:02 GMT -4
>>Candy has been kept away from Felicity for almost three weeks.<<
Tempus fugit! Time flies. Add to that ANOTHER three weeks. . . and no real change noticed as of this morning. Six weeks. So, this morning I let the two friends out. . . together! And they seem happy enough.
Felicity's feathers are perfect now, but I am sure they will go a little white IF overgroomed.
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Post by Die Fledermaus on Jan 28, 2013 15:22:35 GMT -4
I want to get together an album my other pets, and of generally cute animal photos. Soon.
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Post by Die Fledermaus on Jan 28, 2013 15:20:45 GMT -4
The price has almost doubled, and the convenience of it all being in one place is gone. No one knows for a fact the benching area will be better and roomier now. We will see how many care. But there will be more dogs. >>Now many many more dogs; that problem got worse as new breeds get added.<< Easier for you to say that when you were never there and never experienced the heat and crowded gridlock in the benching area, esp the Toy area. It was awful, and dogs were nearly overheating, esp. the big ones drooling like crazy lapping up ice water. The owners were not happy either; ergo, every time the AKC added new breeds they had to cut down on the overall number of dogs per breed so the total number did not keep going up and up when there was no room! Now they can add more breeds without the concern there will be a lack of space. And that is good. So perhaps that will draw more people. We shall see. One thing is sure - I leave at 6:30 AM!! Still better than the Macy's parade when I leave at 5.
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Post by Die Fledermaus on Jan 26, 2013 15:43:08 GMT -4
No time to get them on a site with links, or to post each photo here. Webshots is gone, and Photobucket does not as far as I can tell let us post .jpg links. So, for now, make do with a Facebook link. These are seven of my eight who help keep me sane. All are rescues, of course. Their stories are already on the Cat forum here. Mistie in 2007 and the siblings in Spring of 2008. I got Audrey - camera shy for now - in December of 2006. Just find the stories in the Cat forum, if interested. Photos of other pets another time. CATS PHOTOS HERE!
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Post by Die Fledermaus on Jan 26, 2013 15:37:06 GMT -4
I THINK the point of the shots was to develop over time LONG TERM IMMUNITY, not to address a current condition, or to prevent one coming the next day or so. So the pill and medahaler have an entirely different purpose. The shots were not meant as a quick preventive or cure but sort of like a long-term inoculation/vaccination. Ask your dad if so. I remember the first James Bond movie. Dr No. Bond was terrified over a tarantula walking on him (he woke up to see it), and then ran off and threw up! Arachnophobia! Even I would not react that way to a tarantula!
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Post by Die Fledermaus on Jan 26, 2013 15:33:02 GMT -4
If you SAW the benching area, especially with the TOY Group, it was GRIDLOCK! Crowded as hell, and hot. I can still see the Mastiffs drooling like crazy and sucking up ice water. Plus, the number of dogs had to be more limited than usual owing to MSG renovations. Now many many more dogs; that problem got worse as new breeds get added. >>this is the largest bunch of dogs that have ever been in Westminster before<< My point, that. As for cost, much higher prices mean fewer people, I would assume. Bet Day One at MSG in the evening is not even half full; it usually is 2/3 full. >>The Russel Terrier looks similar to the JRT<< Never been a fan of those. Anyway, at least this year I will get enough sleep between days, and the owners will be less cramped.
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Post by Die Fledermaus on Jan 25, 2013 16:48:21 GMT -4
It nears, the WKC dog show. Big changes!! Except for the evening Best in Breed/Group/Show competition, which will be at Madison Square Garden as usual, it will be at the Piers Two miles away at 55th Street next to the West Side Highway! It is now $25 per day for the Piers, and $40 per evening at MSG. That is $130 for the cheaper seats for two nights. last year I paid HALF that! Plus this will be a lot more fatiguing, all that walking around. Ergo, I will likely watch the evening events at home, and see the dogs up close during the day. The only good thing is that there will be a lot more room and a lot more dogs!
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Post by Die Fledermaus on Jan 24, 2013 19:47:08 GMT -4
Yep. And it moves me more towards vegetarianism. I rarely eat anything that had four legs anyway, unless someone gives it to me. I never eat pork or lamb. I have ethical issues with it, and pigs are an environmental problem too (very messy; lots of waste).
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