Someone left a message on my machine yesterday morning. Mark wanted information about our Border Collies. He left a telephone number with a local area code (618).
I have learned over the past 8 years of living here in central IL that many folks that reside in my neck of the woods have a vastly different perspective about dogs than do I. In a nutshell, my experience is that people expect a puppy to cost under $100 and there seems to be a general view that dogs are quite disposable. For example, one man called me a couple years ago about dog training. When I told him that an 8 week class cost $120 he replied, “well, I only paid twenty bucks for the dog. I could buy a few new dogs for the cost of fixin’ this one”. Needless to say, he did not attend class. It wouldn’t surprise me if he just took it out back and shot it then acquired a new dog a week later.
I did not feel compelled to immediately return Mark’s call as I had other more pressing things to do and I had a decent idea how the conversation would proceed. A few hours later a call came in. The Caller ID told me that it was Mark. So, I picked up the phone.
“Yeah, I’m wonderin’ about your Border Collies”, he said.
“What would you like to know?” I replied.
“Do you have any puppies?”
“No, not at this time. I have a litter planned and puppies should be available in April. What are you looking for?”, I asked.
“How much do they run?”
I thought about saying that a well bred Border Collie can run all day long, once it was mature, but I knew what he meant. When price is the first concern, which it usually is when folks from 618 call me, I can typically predict how the call will end. But, I replied with a dollar value without feeling any need to explain about health clearances, proper early socialization, etc… I knew it wasn’t important to “educate” the guy. It was fruitless.
“Well, I’m not lookin’ for a pup for me. I ran my dog over yesterday and I already got a new pup picked out for me.” He made the proclamation in the same tone of voice that I might say, “I threw away that bag of potato chips because they were stale. But, I bought a new bag, so we’re gonna be just fine”.
Then, he continued, “ I’m lookin’ for a female for my friend’s daughter. If we can find her a girl we’ll be able to breed mine to hers. I’m getting a male. Do you know somebody who had puppies now?” he inquired.
When I hung up I looked all around my office for a tiny camera. I thought I was being punked. Sadly, deep down, I knew they guy was genuine. It wasn’t a prank. But, I will never truly be able to reconcile in my head and heart how someone can live with a dog and have such a flippant view of its precious lives. Whateva’
October 16th, 2009 at 2:50 pm Yikes! You can only shake your head. Just noticed the new blog. Great! Amazon says your new “4-H Guide to Dog Training & Dog Tricks” is going to be available a week earlier than expected…Jan 19-25.
October 16th, 2009 at 3:57 pm …It just makes you so angry to hear stories like this. Today on our local news there was a story about some idiot that beat the livin’ daylights out of a chocalate lab pup and then threw her out of a car window….amazingly she was rescued and taken to the Veternarian Hopsital at iowa State university and they were able to pin her shattered legs and she is doing well. Here is the saddest part, after all of that she is still a loving and giving animal. Too bad we cant find the sicko and give him a taste of his own medicine. Thank God for great people like you and Robert…who every day we tell Asta how lucky she was to have been born with you both! Thanks