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Jon Katz Movie


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(Yes, Upstate NY is cold in the winter, get over it!).
And he only had 16 sheep and a handful of lambs . . . And he had help . . . My reaction exactly. Poor, poor baby.

 

BTW, did you have snow yesterday and today too?

 

Kim

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Nope, no snow - though I would have welcomed it instead of the 10 straight days of rain.

 

I did break down and turn on the heat for a few hours though...it went down to 44 degrees in the house and much colder outside. 'Course, now that the weekend is over is it nice and sunny out... :rolleyes:

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Originally posted by Jack & Co.:

Here is a link to a thoughtful, well-written article pertaining to the release of the Disney movie, "Snow Dogs." I realize this movie has been out awhile now, but I thought it was a good example of how humane societies and rescue programs around the country have to go into "battle" mode when dog movies come out.

 

At the end of the article there is another link to a great editorial on buying puppies from a pet store. I love the suggested use for a pet store pup's AKC papers!

 

 

http://www.hillsidespca.com/huskyinfo.htm

Nice link. =) Really though, I think if someone wants a Husky/Mally/Snow Doggy, they should read some of Gary Paulsen's books. Haha, that would deter a lot of people.
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I have to confess that as a tween/teen, I was desperate for an Irish Setter because I was such a fan of the Jim Kjelgaard books, Big Red (also a Disney movie!), Outlaw Red, Irish Red, etc. I did get the dog and he was beautiful. Not the sharpest tack in the box, but then again, neither was I.

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I think if someone wants a Husky/Mally/Snow Doggy, they should read some of Gary Paulsen's books. Haha, that would deter a lot of people.
:rolleyes::D:D . I love Gary Paulsen's books, and agree with you wholeheartedly!

 

Now we just need someone to write a book about what life with a BC is really like...

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Because of Winn Dixie has Winn Dixie as a Mutt.
completly off topic, but that Movie does NOT have winn dixie as a mutt, they have him as a Picardy Shepherd, although they dont mention the breed in the movie, and nobody irrisponsable is going to have a clue lol maybe thats what we need? only use breeds that nobody has heard of and dont mention the breed in the movie
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Oh no...I'm sure to see in increase in the all the Border Collie puppies in my puppy class.

 

I bet they are trying to make $$ off the success of "Marley and Me." That book has been in the top best sellers list for a long time and a movie about another 'guy and his dog' will probably try to ride the coat-tails of that books success.

 

sigh....time to go recruit more folks to help with BC rescue.

 

Denise

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Maybe it should be mandatory at the beginning of each 'dog' movie to show the number of the 'selected' breed being euthanized at shelters!
What!? UnHolywood do something that shows the truth!!?? Pfst You have no idea how much respect I'd have if they actually did this! Heck i might even go see the darn movie. It's a shame they never use that power to do actual good! Imagine how many folks would complain if they had to see perfectly healthy animal killed before they got to see the happy puppy moivies! Imagine the impact on children? Maybe it wouldn't have to be so bad in the future.

 

I have a confession tho....

"Down and out in Beverly Hills" was the movie that got me interested in Border Collies! What can i say!? A crazed dog like the one in that movie awoke something in me. I've been ruined for any other breed.

 

Just wanted to spit out my 2 cents.

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Our group has discussed this and we are going to see if we can hand out information about border collies and rescue after some of the showings. Someone also suggested that we approach the local media about doing a segment on border collie rescue when the movie comes out.

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So far I'm really enjoying the book "A dog Year", that I picked up yesterday at the Library. I just read the part where Devon escaped from the yard, tried herding a big fat yellow sheep, which was really a school bus.

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And I am enjoying Dogs of Bedlam farm so far! But then again, I am a novice BC person by some peoples standards I guess. I have only been owned by 3. No sheep, no farm, no real herding experience (which is about to change as of next month BTW), we start our 1st real lessons!!!

As I am reading Bedlam farm, I fantasize about me doing just what he did. Selling my place here in So. Md. and buying a small farm, with lots of acerage. I only want a couple of sheep though, and maybe a few small farm animals, and lots more dogs. I guess it is hard for some of ya'll who live on farms or have lots of land, to realize how others of us would love to have the farm and sheep etc., it's my dream. Soooo, based on that I like the book!

I do agree about a movie creating a potential major issue with BC's being over bred and shelters and rescues overflowing. I know sadly that can happen, so if that is the case, that will suck!

I am very much against the AKC's recognition of the BC and did what little I could do to keep that from happening, but it happened anyway, obviously.

My BC's are pets all spayed or neutered and 2 coming from known working lines. As a trainer, I have spent alot of time talking people out of getting a BC and talking to others about not breeding if they already have one, and about the difference between the AKC BC and the REAL, working BC's.

Let's hope it dosen't come to what happened with the Dalmations.

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As a easy reading piece of literature, Bedlam Farm IS entertaining. But if you're reading it to learn/understand about what running a small farm is/should be like -- avoid. One part I remember in particular was his description of walking his sheep down the road - just to walk them down the road. As a person who needs to move my sheep down the road to GRAZE them, I found this highly irresponsible. Several other sheep farmers in my area had the same reaction (both to this anecdote and the book), so I don't think I'm particularly out in left field in my assessment.

 

I guess I wouldn't be as sensitive if he wasn't presented as an "expert" in the promotional interviews for the book (and didn't promote the AKC).

 

Kim

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Our group has discussed this and we are going to see if we can hand out information about border collies and rescue after some of the showings. Someone also suggested that we approach the local media about doing a segment on border collie rescue when the movie comes out.
That's a really good idea.

 

It seems that these types of movies being detrimental to the good of a breed is somewhat inevitable, but maybe some of us can get some good information out there when awareness is raised.

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When the crate of barf bags comes in would you shoot a few my way?

 

I think it is a great idea, though, to try to get local media interested in doing something on BC rescue. When the movie comes out I think I will approach the local free weekly paper to see if they will do a story on our rescue group. They would be more receptive than the standard media and give us a lot more space. Would give us a chance to tell people what BCs are really like.........the best dog in the world but *only* if you are willing to put in 4 or 5 times the amount of time that most dogs take. And not necessarily the best "pet".

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Ok... I just read 3 of the links on Katz's books, til I started getting cross-eyed!

So now I only know what I have read about this man on all these threads. I have never heard him speak, and I have only just gotten a little less than 1/2 way through Dogs of Bedlam Farm.

My take, strictly from the book I am reading is... this is a man who is leaving the corporate world behind and persuing a major challenge of which he admits is way more than he expected. I can visualize myself doing the same, with

(apparently) much more knowledge of BC's anyway. Owning a small farm with more BC's, sheep and some small farm animals is my life dream.... or (goal!).

I see humor, ignorance, perserverance etc. I see him being laughed at and helped at the same time by others in the community that "know better". I see varying degrees of animal "love",animal respect as well as disrespect, from characters in the book, and some people who have totally given up on humanity and devote their life to "the dogs".

This book has made me laugh, made me go aaaaw!, made me identify with some of the BC's behaviors and antics, made me think, hmmmm that dosen't sound right (ie: the leaving the pup alone with the sheep and other farm animals), and made me think...cmon... even a city boy isn't that ignorant (is he???). BUT... I must say at no point did I ever even remotely figure Katz to be an expert at anything having to do with dogs, or animals or even living the "simple life".

I picked up the book because it had Border Collies on it, and the back of the book talked about the trials, the tribulations, the joys and

the education of a city boy gone farm boy with BC's and not knowing anything about either. I thought it would be a good read, and so far, I think it is.

I suppose if I were more educated in sheepherding (which I am working on BTW, by being on these boards and starting Phoenix in herding lessons), I would feel more like many of you. Only time will tell. I guess in the case of this book, ignorance (mine), is bliss, (well maybe not bliss, but casual enjoyable reading)anyway.

I must say, I had no idea that feelings were sooo strong against this guy, and I can see why in a lot of respects.

I totally agree, that some of the "stuff", mentioned in all the posts, is simple stupidity in my opinion, and or lack of basic common sense,(like the car chasing, and the opening of the crate in the airport!!!), now there I absolutley agree!!!

Ya know if stupidity were a gauge of most any profession, or way of life or whatever.... huh, we wouldn't have any writers, teachers, Dr's, parents, piolots etc, etc, etc, stupidity occurs in anything humans have a hand in, and in alot of humans themselves.... There is a difference in the meaning of stupidity and ignorance. I can deal with ignorance, that can be solved by educating someone... the ol, when ya know better ya do better thing. Stupidity, on the other hand is inexcusable in my way of thinking... that means one does know better, and does it anyway!!! I hate stupidity in any form, from particularly adult people.

Anyway, after all that being said, I can no longer say I am ignorant about the Author/self proclaimed BC expert, Jon Katz, can I :rolleyes:

But I'm still gonna finish my book!! LOL

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It's not the stupidity that bothers me most. It's the belief he apparantly has that he's qualified to speak as an expert on the subject of dogs and their training. I don't care if someone is stupid, I'm used to stupid people, but he's getting a lot of national attention and there are a lot of nice folks and their good dogs that could be steered the wrong way.

I guess I'd call it sheer arrogance on his part to believe that his brief experience makes him so qualified.

 

Muddy

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He annoys me by periodically writing very snide, one-sided, and self-righteous articles about rescue. That's pretty much the extent of my first-hand exposure to him but that's enough for me. Rescue has enough troubles without someone who touts himself as a dog expert, undermining it publically.

 

Oh, I also heard a couple of interviews right after the release of Katz on Dogs that made me want to pull over and do serious damage to my radio. He told basically every single person who called with a problem with a rescue, "What did you expect when you adopted a dog with an unknown history?" Including the person who had a border collie that was barking - probably the dog was barking due to some unknown epsode in its past. Duh, the dog was kept in the backyard all the time.

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