What dogs look like on the inside
By Gina Spadafori
April 9, 2008
So I’m sitting here at a dog show every day this week, watching dog after dog after dog in the ring in front of me. To most people, all flat-coated retrievers look pretty much look alike: A bunch of dogs who look a lot like black golden retrievers, unless they’re (more rarely) looking like brown golden retrievers. (A few of them look like yellow goldens, which is to say they look like goldens to most people, although yellow flat-coats aren’t allowed in championship competion. No, I don’t remember why.) To the people here, of course, they look different, quite different to the trained eye.
But if you want to get another point of view, sit next to a board-certified veterinary surgeon.
That’s what I did for a while yesterday, sitting next to a woman who has been a surgical specialist for many years, working by referral only. I asked her if when she saw dogs in front of her if she was picturing what they looked like underneath, the way she sees dogs when they come in for blown knees and hips, among other things.
“Yes,” she said, “I can’t help it. After all these years all I see is how it fits together.”
A better way to spend part of a day I couldn’t have imagined, especially in light of our discussions so frequently here on the problems with breeding choices, working ability, temperament and health. Fix a few thousand dogs and structure really has some meaning, not just in terms of the couple minutes a show judge will spend on a dog.
An important point to make, too: This veterinarian has been putting pets back together for a lot of years, and she makes her own rules for doing so. If someone brings in a dog for surgical repair with a congenital defect, she won’t do the surgery unless the animal is spayed or neutered. And she throws in that surgery for free. If you want to make another choice, it’s not on her conscience: She’ll happily refer you elsewhere.
I have known this woman online for many years, but never had a chance to sit down with her before now. I felt so lucky to have done so I gave her a signed book today.
Christie and I have worked with a lot of veterinarians. I’ve written books with three different ones. The bad veterinarians make your head explode if you know anything about good medicine. The good ones are not only great to talk with — most don’t have the attitude of human doctors — but they’re also great people to toss back a few adult beverages with. Why do the best tend to be great fun? My theory: You can’t ever take yourself too horribly seriously after you’ve spent any amount of time with your arm up to your shoulder inside a cow, as they all do in vet school no matter what kind of practice they end up in.
Because I’m curious: So you’re in a hotel, and you walk your dog outside just before bed, bag in hand for clean-up, of course. What do you call that activity? Here, I’ve heard people say they need to “walk” their dogs, “potty,” “air” and — my favorite yet — “drain.” I pictured the guy who said it (who says that’s what they say in Minnesota) putting his dog on a lift and removing a drain plug as at an oil-change place.
Pictured: My own Heather, still happy and healthy at 11-plus, who took second in her class of older girls two nights ago. The picture was from 2004, when she was first in the 7-9 year-old class at the national show. She’s holding together pretty well, and I bet she looks pretty darn good inside. But I may be biased, a little. Don’t tell any of the others, but she’s the best dog with whom I’ve ever shared my life. When this girl goes, I’m going to be a mess.
I say either “I’m going to take her out” or “I’m going to take her to go potty”.
Comment by Janine — April 9, 2008 @ 9:35 pm
It’s “whittle” and “whiz.”
Picked that up (if you’ll pardon the expression)from the hunt crowd back East many years ago.
Congratulations to the Queen for taking 2nd!
Comment by Nadine L. — April 9, 2008 @ 9:41 pm
Not that I’ve ever done it outside a hotel, not yet anyway, but what we say here at home is, ‘empty the dog.’
I’ve also been known to tell the dog — when he barks — ‘Hush up, sweetheart, and pee at ‘em instead.’
Comment by Eucritta — April 9, 2008 @ 10:27 pm
Ah, but try and get people to watch several hundred (or even twenty) goldens at a dog show. And try not to fall asleep…
I like both breeds, but at shows I’ll always end up paying more attention to the flatcoats. The way they’re handled when compared to goldens makes a big difference in the enjoyment of watching them.
Flatcoats just glow (in the ring and everywhere else) and show lots of personality when goldens (and unfortunately many other breeds as well) don’t.
When it comes to seeing inside the dog, in my attempt to understand breed standards a bit better, I’ve been studying various books on canine structure and movement. My current favorite is K-9 Structure & Terminology by Edward M. Gilbert Jr. and Thelma R. Brown. At least I’ve finally understood what angulations mean and why different angulations are preferred in different breeds.
Comment by ramin — April 9, 2008 @ 10:53 pm
More interesting I think is what people teach their dogs as “the word.” I have joked for a long time that if I ever write a book I have enough material here for an entire chapter.
My Favorite….an 80 year old great grandma client of mine who tells her rescue lab cross to “pay the Governor”.
Comment by nancy freedman-smith — April 10, 2008 @ 4:12 am
I’ve sure never heard anyone in Minnesota refer to it as “draining” the dog… We just say “go out” or “go potty”, although Winnie somehow learned the difference between the words pee and poo, too.
Comment by Megan — April 10, 2008 @ 6:07 am
I must admit I typically announce that I am going to ‘vent the dog’.
Comment by emily — April 10, 2008 @ 6:41 am
I take my dog to go “hurry up”.
Comment by swamper — April 10, 2008 @ 8:59 am
I must confess to being puzzled by the apparent popularity of “hurry up” as a potty command. It’s too easy a phrase to say in circumstances where you really, really don’t want the dog to potty!
Comment by Lis — April 10, 2008 @ 9:24 am
I use “hurry up.” Like “OK” for a release word — which I also use — I haven’t had any trouble with miscommunication. I think the dogs come to understand words in context.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — April 10, 2008 @ 9:49 am
Oh I wish I was at the specialty. I am loving your reports, Thanks. Congratulations on Heather’s placement.
Comment by CLynch — April 10, 2008 @ 10:08 am