That's nice. I wish everyone in dogs felt that way.
Sadly there are many dogs with an arm's worth of titles and it's not at all fun for them it's all working to feed the owner's ego. I've seen some pretty ugly things done to dogs in the name or earning titles esp in the traditional obedience world.
For me, the titles we've earned are letters that I read and remember the weekends we spent together and with our dog and dog nerds friends, the crazy trips, the evenings training, the laughs, the embarassing moments, the beers, the pride I felt in my ability to teach my dogs and my pride in them for being the fantastic dogs that they are. I think they are symbols of what we've learned together and all the fun we've had. (gee whiz I'm making myself tear up here LOL)
I am so happy that there are now so many great sports for non purebred / non registered dogs to compete and earn titles like rally-o, agility, herding, tracking etc There are plenty of very capable, very cool dogs out there who aren't registered and deserve a chance to compete. (sorry I don't mean to take this off topic)
Sadly there are many dogs with an arm's worth of titles and it's not at all fun for them it's all working to feed the owner's ego. I've seen some pretty ugly things done to dogs in the name or earning titles esp in the traditional obedience world.
For me, the titles we've earned are letters that I read and remember the weekends we spent together and with our dog and dog nerds friends, the crazy trips, the evenings training, the laughs, the embarassing moments, the beers, the pride I felt in my ability to teach my dogs and my pride in them for being the fantastic dogs that they are. I think they are symbols of what we've learned together and all the fun we've had. (gee whiz I'm making myself tear up here LOL)
I am so happy that there are now so many great sports for non purebred / non registered dogs to compete and earn titles like rally-o, agility, herding, tracking etc There are plenty of very capable, very cool dogs out there who aren't registered and deserve a chance to compete. (sorry I don't mean to take this off topic)
My sentiments exactly. I wish that everyone respected and treated their dogs well. Those who do have many ways in which they pay tribute to their dogs. We all have individual and sometimes more private ways of honoring our dogs. I think titles are wonderful for those who like a more tangeable or visual tribute to go along with their heart felt esteem. But the love, respect, appreciation and the honoring of my dogs is really something... not a piece of paper or a ribbon, or even the achievements themselves, but it's the relationship and bond I've had with my dogs.... something I hold in my heart and in my memories which to me is enriching in it's own way. So I don't agree that titles necessarily prove that your dog inspired you to have the special relationship enjoyed by so few or that this is something that needs to be proved. I do admire achievements people make with their dogs. It's not that at all. But the sentiments of that writing are not quite in sync with my beliefs or spirituality, at any rate. It is a nice writing though.