Breed Dog Old Yeller
It's going to be quite the dogfight, at least according to numbers released today by the American Kennel Club.
Seems that after a 19-year reign at the top of the America's Most Popular Dog list, the good-hearted labrador retriever with the great disposition and velvety ears is being chased for the number one ranking by a dog with a bit more attitude: the German shepherd.
And while the labrador retriever is still number one, the German shepherd isn't far behind.
An AKC press release, which notes the popularity race is based on 2009 breed registration numbers, reports that Rin Tin Tin has, in fact, even edged out long-time second placer the Yorkshire Terrier, which has been number two on the annual list since 2006, and big dog looks to be leading the pack for 2010.
Meaning, of course, that the family dog and the lap dog are losing ground to the guard dog, meaning that these days we are looking for pets with more bite than bark.
The German shepherd, says the AKC, was a big hit in North America after the Second World War, and had a popularity resurgence in the 1970s, but AKC spokesman Lisa Peterson says it is regaining its ranking in the hearts of American pet owners likely “due to the increased attention they receive for their security efforts at home and abroad.
“Hailed as the world’s leading police, guard and military dog, this energetic and fun-loving breed is a loyal family pet, ideal companion and dependable K-9 partner when duty calls," Peterson says in the press release.
When we called Peterson in New York Wednesday and asked if it doesn't really mean that we're all a little more afraid these days, and our pet selection is a reflection of that, she said the German shepherd is becoming viewed not so much as a guard dog, than as a family protector.
“They are working canines and a great pet as well. It's a sizeable dog and it's formidable, but it has a great temperment and it's a good dog to have with you when you're walking down the street at night.”
She notes that the 2009 Top Dog rankings are still dominated by small dogs, especially in the Top 10 where the beagle, dachshund, poodle and shih tzu hold bragging rights, clearly because we like our pets to fit in our laps and our carry-ons.
And, yes, we know Old Yeller is technically a Blackmouth Cur.
marie heck said:
Subspace,
I am so tired of people using the whole "if you eat meat your no better than this guy" crap that is being force-fed down our throats everytime there is a case of animal abuse or beastality. I was raised around farms and not ALL places abuse or torture animals. Just like not all people who were abused as children abuse their own children. Or people who had adicts for parents grow up to be adicts. I was abused my biological father and both my step-dad and biological father are adicts (although my step-dad, or dad as I call him, has been in recovery for over 3 years now) and I do not abuse my daughter nor have I ever done drugs. You can't lump everything together. There is a difference between animal abuse and raising animals for food. For thousands of years that is how people survived. They raised animals for food, not pets. Or they went out and hunted for their meat. Things are no different now than they were then. Well, with the exception that you can walk into any grocery store and buy meat. There are some places that abuse and/or torture animals and those places should be shut down. But what exactly is your definition of abuse and torture? They are feed and watered. They have the shelter needed. I mean, those animals are treated better than some peoples pets. I guess if you thought it was abuse and torture to be raised for food, than yea I might see your point.
I'm sorry, but I was raised to eat meat. I saw and heard about animals gettin butchered for our food. I will never buy into the whole its abuse or whatever that people like you try to feed me. As a farm girl I see nothing wrong with having a cow, chicken, pig, or whatever else for food.
My husband and mom work for the same feed company (he a driver, she a dispatcher) and my dad works for a different one. And I'm sorry, but if comes down to their job and not eating meat, I'm gonna go with my family keeps their jobs. All you people who want us to stop eating meat because you don't like it need to remember the thousands of people who are involved in that industry. Does that mean the bad places need to stay in business? No. But what about the good ones? The ones that don't abuse or torture the animals before they are slaughtered? What about those places? And not everyplace uses inhumane ways of killing the animals. Actually some places have very humane ways of killing them. And I don't know what farms or feedlots you have been to, but all the ones I have been to have more rules regarding the safety of the livestock than they do the workers. My husband worked for the local meat packing plant bringing in cows and often went on pig runs. They couldn't kick, hit, or harm the animals in any way. Even if they were charging. And the pigs? We took a load from texas to nebraska and had to stop every 2 hours to spray them with water and had to lay down hay for them so they wouldn't get worked up.
And the labs? Yea they are horrible, I will give you that. I make sure things I buy say they weren't tested on animals. I actually think we should be using people, you know the scum of the earth (like molesters, murderers, those kinds) since they are "people" and that way they could pay back society, but that's only a dream.
Funny, though, that you give those two examples, but not wearing fur. I mean, to me that's worse than killing animals for food. That's just killing them so some madison avenue witch can look and/or seem cool, no other reason.
I guess if your raised around farms/livestock, you think differently. There are animals for food and then animals for pets. I'm a proud meat eater and animal lover. I will never stop eating meat unless its outlawed by the goverment, and even then I would probably find meat and eat it.
Also, where exactly did you do your research for the whole "more women are into beastality than men" crap? Its cause we think of animals more emotionally? Are you serious? Where did you find that crap? Its not just women who think of their pets as people. I actually learned that from my dad, not my mom. She likes animals, but not as much as my dad and I do.
This guy raped a dog. There is nothing right about him. He is a complete sicko who needs a very extensive pshyc evaluation.
Posted 02/01/2010 at 06:42:04 AM
