Dogsey

I agree.......

As a matter of interest, the PWD does not smell, (unless he as rolled in something nasty) they do not give off that doggy smell. they are neither wiry or lanky, if you put your hands on these dogs they are little power houses... they have been described as the "tug boat" of the boat/ship world, they are robust, hardy and are capable of pulling nets/boats and people in form the cold Atlantic ocean.. by no stretch of the imagination could they ever be called wiry or lanky LOL!

I'm sorry Meg, but I totally disagree. Llasa Apsos, Shi tzu's, pekes, all similar breeds with beautiful silky coats and they ALL need to get down and dirty, as do ALL dogs. There doubtless are a few who HATE getting dirty and muddy, but the bulk of dogs like nothing better than a good romp on a sandy beach, rolling in the sand, or a blast through muddy fields with the wind in their fur. I don't know of course, but I bet that poor little Llasa was NEVER allowed out anywhere where he could get dirty. Walks for ALL dogs need to be stimulating - a quick blast round the block on a nice clean pavement just does not cut the mustard.

I will ignore your ridiculous remark about torturing my dog ... you know as well as I do I would NEVER hurt ANY animal intentionally ... we had sound reasons for using an e collar on Ben, and it solved an intractable problem. I should NOT be subjected to constant reminding and harassment over something that was solved a long time ago.

With regard to Myra's use of the word "whatever", one needs to be reminded that she is very young ... certainly young enough to be my grandchild. Considering her youth, I think she does extremely well in putting up with us old fogies!! She has told me on more than one occasion how she likes to listen to what the older generations say, because she acknowledges that we have built up a great amount of wisdom and practical commonsense surrounding dogs and she is prepared to LISTEN ... something that most young people of her age would simply not do. My daughter is now nearly 28 and she STILL doesn't listen to her mother or her father, and I honestly cannot remember when we have ever been wrong in giving her advice ... she has gone her own sweet way, messed up, and then expects poor old Ma and Pa to dig her out ... expects being the appropriate word, because she doesn't get!

So cut some slack with Myra ... I think she shows a great deal of maturity for one so young, and is doing a good job with her 2 lovely dogs, who are both a handful in their own different ways.

You can disagree all you like Nikki, it doesn't change my opinions or make me alter my stance in any way

Good!! You are entitled to your opinion and me to mine. I have no problem with that.

Do I care what you think, Meg? The part of the statement that held my point was completely dismissed by you. You chose instead to focus on the final word only. And it's me who is losing the argument? Haha, if you say so. WHATEVER.

Gnasher, I don't need any slack from older people who won't let me express my opinions without getting in my face. I only said that the dogs often looked a certain way, I never said they all were exactly all the things I said. Oh, and if you want my real opinion, even the well groomed dog does look rather gangly in that peculiar cut that I am really not a fan of. You can say the dog doesn't look a certain way, but it won't change how I think. If you don't like my comments, fine, but I'll not be stepped on by you people. Never have, never will.

Well that escalated, I'm sure the dogs owner thinks the world of him
I'd tend to reserve judgement on a breed until you've actually been up close, I assume his detractors all have hands on experience with the Portie

No, Mr Bulldog, I don't have personal experience of the Portie other than the one I met on holiday in Devon. That dog was not primped within an inch of his life, but allowed to behave as naturally as possible, which he is. He is a water dog, and lives quarter of a mile from one of the most amazing beaches in Devon, and is walked for 6 miles every day, swims every day, and has a thoroughly good and natural life.

I don't need to be an expert on Porties to know which dog leads the better life. Poor Matisse has probably never been allowed to act out his breed nature - let us hope now that he is being retired he will live a more natural life.

I am sorry, call me bigoted, but I feel very, very strongly about the subject of show dogs. I just do not think that we have to right to do the things we do to them. Thanks to dog, us humans became the species that we are today, we owe it to them to treat them better than this.

And here is my final point. Okay sure, I'm not a fan of the breeds appearance, or even how they are normally kept cut. Most of them look like Jackies Figo. They don't look like the dog in the pictures. His hair is really long mostly, has no sheen, and he looks dirty and smelly. He's absolutely cute in the face, which I've even said a few times. I never get a thank you, but unlike some people, I don't make it a point to be nasty to someone for as long as I see them.

Their hair kind of looks like dreadlocks often look to me. My brother has dreadlocks and I find them gross, but he's great, so please! Am I saying the dog is those things? Am I even saying he looks that way to everyone? No, why would I speak for everyone, that's stupid. Nope! She shows him and I can guarantee my dogs are smellier and dirtier. Their LOOK is what I don't like.

The dogs LOOK that way to me, therefore I don't get their allure. There is nothing else there, unless you put it there. Call me garbage names if you want, get in my face and attack me, dismiss my opinions because you don't agree and/or just want to argue. Make your sorry statements about what YOU believe belongs in an adult argument, I can take a hint.

Meg, do you think your little insinuations are less childish than the words you spent two or three posts mocking? I sure don't! The e collar mention to take a shot at Gnasher, the little indirect comments about losing an argument and an "adult" conversation to take shots at me. And I'm the immature one.

At your age, I'd really suggest not being a hypocrite and holding my tongue. We all can throw our opinions of other people's wording in here. It's too easy. You did it, I did it. So way too easy, actually. They are meaningless. Hold your stance, and keep your opinions, but don't dare expect me not to do the same.

Myra, I am not patronising you ... I genuinely like your fresh-faced, youthful frankness and love me or leave me attitude! You remind me of me!! Don't ever let any old fogies like myself do you down ... you speak your mind, and that is good.

I like you, you know I do, so I will say it again ... old fogies, including myself, cut Myra some slack and do what she asks ... let her express her opinions. I don't agree with everything she says, and as sure as hell she doesn't agree with everything I say. This is what Dogsey is all about surely ... a great place to debate, argue and learn ... whether we are young or old, rich or poor.

Don't ever change Myra, you are great as you are!! xx gnasher xx