Dog Events Bring Out All Kinds of Dog People

Ask me a question about setters...
just make sure it's not
ridiculous.

This past weekend Alex and I had the pleasure of manning a booth for our near and dear rescue Ohio English Setter Rescue at a local Dog Days Event held at Cantigny Park here in the Chicago Suburbs. It was a gorgeous setting for many local rescue groups and businesses and over 5000 people came out with their four legged kids to enjoy the day.

Dogs, dogs everywhere!

But take a large group of humans and dogs and surely I will find something to report and make fun of. Here are some highlights:


* Our banners read "Ohio English Setter Rescue - Chicagoland Chapter" Pretty self explanatory, no? Well we learned rather quickly that numerous people wanted to know how long it took us to drive in from Ohio. Alex and I just started pointing to the bold printed "Chicagoland Chapter" of the banner systematically. By the time the 50th person asked we were very well versed in our speech of how the rescue was founded and based in Columbus, Ohio but has volunteers and alumni dogs all over this great land of ours. 
* Banner Misreads Part 2 - Several seemingly intelligent people stopped, read our banner and then with a straight face asked us what made an "Ohio English Setter" different than a regular "English Setter". Seriously. The light bulb seemed to go off when we pointed to Midwest Husky Rescue and explained that it was just a description of where the rescue was founded, not an actual breed of dog. Ooohhhh, right!
* No matter what, there is always an idiot with a flexi-leash at a large gathering of people and dogs. The worst offender? Our hats are off to you 20-something lady with the shiba inu who doesn't know how to use the lock setting on the leash! While reading a pamphlet at the booth across from us you turned your back on your little darling who ran into our booth entangling itself onto the rope holding up our banner. Not only was said pooch about to dismantle our display but he also created a perfect trip line across the aisle of people,children and pets walking along the corridor of booths. When are these leashes going to be banned? Honestly.
* Moments when I had to paste a fake smile on my face and nod politely as I was representing the rescue and henceforth had to act accordingly and not interject my own Head Bitch two cents.
1. While a man promoting a new dog day care facility told me he once had an English Setter that lived in his barn because "bird dogs aren't supposed to live inside the house." (wow, he seems like the perfect person to run a dog day care! Not.)
2. While lady with Greyhound Rescue complained her vet told her she had to put weight on her super skinny rescue greyhound but he doesn't understand how much dog food costs, so she's sticking to feeding the dog once a day. (I may have slipped the dog a few treats when she wasn't looking)
3. While a Mother pet Pogue on the head and then saw his "Deaf Dogs Rock" bandanna and recoiled from him like he was on fire and warned her children to stay away from him because in her words "deaf dogs bite" (Okay, I didn't zip my lip on this one. I educated her! There was only so much I could be polite about!)
4. While adults took candy freely from our table that was out for donation purposes. (amazingly every child asked before taking and put a quarter in the box, only adults boldly thieved in front of us)Nobody likes a candy-stealer. Nobody.


All in all it was more good than the above silliness. We had a lot of great people offer to help our organization and had some truly wonderful folks ask great questions about the rescue and the breed. But they aren't as much fun to talk about.Right? Sigh. 
 ~ The Head Bitch