Deep Thoughts

Vickie Haywood © TheDogPress May 2005 - I've been thinking about what the future may hold for dog breeders, dog health, dog shows, breeding, and how we will use things like DNA, computers, and genetics.  I am not known to be a deep thinker, although I have some "not normal" beliefs, probably because my father was involved in science technology with the Navy. He worked on a sonar project in the 1950's. He believed we would one day harness magnetic energy to solve all kinds of problems in health and travel. He held that space travel would one day be from magnetic energy. He actually created a small keyboard device that used electricity to make musical notes, a forerunner to key board  midi files or at least that is what it sounded like!!  Much has changed since the year of my birth... 1949...  where might the science of dog breeding be headed?

With the advanced technology of DNA mapping, and studies of animals that can re-grow parts of their bodies, like sharks making all those extra teeth and some lizards that re-grow tails, the future holds the possibilities of re-growing organs and limbs in humans. They have already made great strides in mice.

One day soon your vacuum cleaning robot could be more like the Jetsons' maid and your computer could be performing tasks for you while you sleep (sort of like the computer in JD Robs books.) You'll say, "Computer, run this search." without manually typing in data or searching Google!!  Some things don't get better though.  Back when I was a kid, soda came in glass bottles. I'm sorry, plastic may be cheaper, but those old fashioned small Cokes tasted better.

The future is individual tubes like for the astronauts. After all, the space program gave us TANG and space blankets, and the government gave us MRE's (for the unmilitary "meals ready to eat").  Now you can buy online from the same companies that supply the military. Wonderful things to have around when the power goes out or during hurricane season. I keep several cases in the closet.

So what about dog breeding and dog shows?  When I was young most farmers milked cows by hand, and then along came automatic milkers and the price of milk keeps going up and up.  I see into the not so distant future when we will have no cows for real milk unless you own some land and milk your own. Will we still have real dog shows?

I got a Digital SLR camera for Christmas, it is my third digital camera, each a step up in quality, price, and features.  This one should last me a while, but like so many computer things, by the time you learn how to use it, something even better has come along. The new camera has added a new dimension to my work.  I can now provide instant lasting memories for my grooming clients, and that will eventually boost my income. I hope!

The world of computers has opened a whole new vista for us doggy folks. We can access all kinds of genetic information, it makes record keeping easier, and connects us to our counterparts half a world away. I can "talk" to friends on line any time of the day or night. We even talk to friends in Iraq, England, Australia, or anywhere there is a computer.  I can and do share dog pictures all over the world!

*     When I first started showing dogs, entry fees were a mere $6, now nearly $30. 

*     When I first started grooming dogs, my scissors were $15 and I charged $9 for a Toy poodle. Now my scissors cost $200 and I charge $40 for a toy poodle.

*     A bottle of Shampoo is nearly $30.  Back then I just used Lux liquid 50¢ a bottle and it went a LONG way.

*     I washed the show cows in my Mom's Tide detergent and used alum to get the curl into the tail!

*     Now I wash the dogs in Shampoo more expensive than my own.  A permanent is $65, but I don't sport one!

*     Back then we used "Nice and Easy" for a little extra color on the dog hair, but now I understand it is a Big production with Water works. People actually PAY for poodle wigs.  Can you imagine? I used to give them away.

I pay big money for nice dog crates but their favorite place to be is ON TOP OF a 60 year old antique Standard poodle crate that we refinished this year.  They actually jump up on it to sleep and never break the rule of jumping off a table.  They always wait to be taken down. Jaeger perches on it every day and greets the customers like the King.

Years ago we researched 3 generations of pedigrees and did a breeding. Now we research as many generations as we can find, do DNA testing for what we can DNA test for, consult with the Repro vet about the right time to breed so as not to waste a season or sperm.  We ship in frozen or fresh chilled semen and Implant to get pups. What ever happened to letting mother nature take her course?  Don't dogs and bitches still like to have sex? At 30 days we do an ultrasound to see babies, and hire a whelper helper to make sure those contractions are coming along so we don't have to have a C section, or to warn us that we DO!

Back when I was a Kid, the daddy dog came and stayed a few weeks, and

in a while the mommy dog had puppies in the hay in the barn. She took care of them and we left them alone until they started eating her food, which she regurgitated.  Then we got to play with them, and mom cooked oatmeal and soaked puppy chow. They never got shots, except rabies, and never seemed to get sick. Maybe it was all the table scraps and raw meaty bones from butchering. "Ya think?" Fresh veggies from the garden, and raw whole cows milk, they were always fat and healthy.

Did I tell you I have a 20 year old cat that has never lived in the house and has fed herself all her life? The only shot she had was when she was spayed.  But only after being trapped because she was wild as a buck, and you couldn't catch her today if you had too. She leaves her "catch of the day" remains where we can see them and praise her worthiness. She has all her teeth yet, and a nice coat.  She sleeps in the hay on the front porch under half a barrel. She likes her home.

So if the future is a little scary, just take a look back at where we have been and where we are going, and maybe the old ways were not so bad after all.

In a few years you can probably access pedigrees on the AKC site and order up what ever dog you want, for a hefty fee, and they will conger up all that DNA they have and create the dog of your dreams "guaranteed to win".

Nah, I think I like the old way, watching mom push out a pretty pup and holding it in my hands. Then helping it to grow up and grow old and coming full circle from all the dogs behind.

That's just the way I see it from the other side of the fence!