Opportunities for promoting purebred dogs and their supporters abound. When it comes to measuring progress in terms of effective messaging, it’s important to consider all of the ways in which information can be shared. Even casual encounters can strengthen a breed’s broad base of support. This point was made clear to me recently during a visit to a commercial pet supply store.
I’d nearly run out of the bags I use for picking up my dogs’ waste, and so I’d stopped at one of those large chain stores to replenish my stock. This particular establishment was newly opened and had all of the requisite “departments” that are now typical of the big box stores, including veterinary and grooming services as well as self-wash doggy stations. On this particular morning, a large group of people was waiting to see the vet and had occupied both the reception area and the store’s vestibule. As I made my way through the crowd, I took note of the dogs gathered around the customers’ feet and recognized the predictable array of pit bulls and doodles, plus one suspicious-looking Yorkie. “Business is brisk,” I thought.
Locating the bags that I’d stopped in to get, I proceeded to the check-out where a dutiful associate asked if I was familiar with the company’s rewards program. “Yes,” I said, hoping that my short response would hasten the transaction. After thanking the cashier for his service, I made my way through the menagerie again towards the exit where I found myself following a fine-looking purebred dog that I’ve only ever seen at a dog show. “Is that an Elkhound?” I asked the gentleman as we both stepped outside, grateful to once again breathe fresh air. “Yes, he is,” the man replied with a cautious smile, looking at me as if I’d just accused him of stealing the beautiful dog on the end of his leash. “Nobody ever knows what he is.”
Well, I told him that I know a couple things about dogs and that I thought his Elkhound was a fine example of its breed. This encouraged the man to tell me a bit about his dog and share his experience with the breed as a companion. Before I knew it, we were deep in conversation on the merits of having a purebred dog and were soon joined by the man’s wife who offered her thoughts on the subject. “This is our third Elkhound,” she said, which surprised me only slightly. As a preservation breeder myself I understand that once a person has found the right breed for them, support can last a lifetime—or three.
As our conversation continued, the couple began to share their “origin story” with their chosen breed. “We had a neighbor who had an Elkhound that was often left outside in the yard,” the husband told me. “I’d go over and talk to the dog just to keep him company, and after several visits the dog’s owner hinted that the dog would probably have a better life with us, and I couldn’t disagree. ‘Buddy’ was eventually given to us and he was a great dog for many years. When he passed away, we decided that we wanted another just like him. And when that second dog passed, we found a breeder and got another.”
I genuinely appreciated hearing the couple’s story and came away from the interaction with a few thoughts. First, the well-bred purebred dog often goes unnoticed in a world where mutts and misfits have become the preferred choice for pet owners. The fact that I knew that the man’s dog was an Elkhound seemed to startle him, yet it encouraged a conversation that would have otherwise gone unspoken. The result was an opportunity for me to offer support to a couple who hadn’t chosen a “chiweenie” or a “shichon” as a companion.
Secondly, I was reminded that purebred dogs (whether Coonhound, Deerhound, or Elkhound) are likely to continue to go unnoticed if their owners keep them hidden from public view. It’s important to understand that coincidental meetings have the possibility to convert strangers into breed supporters. One international judge I know discovered her breed through a serendipitous exchange on a beach. That impromptu encounter changed the course of her life. And my introduction to my breed came initially through a photo in a book and another that was printed in a newspaper. I was mesmerized by those images for years—I still have them—and when I finally encountered the breed in person, that was it!
My breed, in fact, is often mistaken for a doodle. People generally assume that my Irish Water Spaniels are a mix of breeds, although a UPS driver recently shouted, “I thought you were walking a bear!” (His comment let me know that my dog was overdue for a trim.) On only two occasions has someone known my dogs’ breed, and one man told me that his mother had one. (I knew the lady and her dog.) The other time was when yet another passing motorist shouted. “Is that an Irish Water Spaniel?” I was dumbstruck, but would nevertheless have enjoyed a conversation with that well-informed driver. Maybe that is why the Elkhound owner and his wife seemed to appreciate the conversation we were having. Maybe they were grateful that someone shared an interest in their purebred dog—and not because it was a trendy mix or a dog that came with a hard-luck rescue story.
Now I’m wondering how many dedicated purebred dog breeders, exhibitors, and competitors routinely take their dogs on excursions in public settings. I know I do, and so do the pet people in my town who have purebreds. In fact, in my little New Jersey town I routinely cross paths with a Rough Collie and a Sheltie, a Malamute and a Siberian, and a Bouvier and a trio of Vallhunds. I’ve said hello to a wide variety of terrier breeds too, including a Bedlington, a Dandie, a Kerry Blue, several Norfolk and Norwich, a Westie, a Wheaten, and a Wire Fox. In fact, the list of terrier breeds I haven’t seen around town is surprisingly short and includes the once ubiquitous Scottie. If any are still around, they’ve been keeping a very low profile for years.
When we talk about promoting purebred dogs to the general public we often consider big, expensive endeavors like all-breed dog shows and events like “Meet the Breeds.” These celebrations certainly have tremendous value and can generate a great deal of publicity, but each of us can do our part by giving the people in our own communities a chance to see our dogs in and around the places where we live and work. Just imagine the excitement generated by a Great Dane that’s seen strolling down the street or a Min Pin that marches into a local shop. Encounters like these are likely to encourage the positive interaction that I recently experienced with the Elkhound and his owners, and they’re sure to reinforce a truth that we already know: There’s a perfect purebred for everyone.
Let’s get out there and share our dogs with our neighbors, because when it comes to promoting purebred dogs, progress can be made one impromptu encounter at a time.
