What breed?

 

The question asked most among dog owners and the generally curious is: "What breed is that?" We have had Portuguese water dogs for about 25 years now, and we did not even know what the breed was when we adopted what was advertised as a "lab mix" in a small Dogs for Free ad, in the Baltimore Sun.

 So by accident we joined owners of a rare breed. Twenty five years ago there were less than 3,000 in the world. In the middle of the Portuguese Civil War in the 1970's their population dropped to a low of 27.  Today in America, Portugal, Australia, and Brazil they are a thriving breed no longer on the brink of extinction. If you watch Crofts show in England or any of the American major shows you will see them competing in the working dog group.

 

My story today is really not about rare pure bread dogs. My blog today started with a comment from our veterinarian on our last visit with two adopted mix breed pups.

We were having a general conversation about the treatment of animals and got on to the subject of horses at some point. His face dropped into a sad frown.

  

Fudge our Portuguese Water Dog Sire being pursued by our two latest mix breed adopted pups.

He told us that the market for horses had hit hard times and people who owned them were not giving them the care they required.  If the horse was a $200 buy it had very little chance of good care, but if the horse was a $2,000 buy or better it would probably get care.

The animals were being stratified by their economic status. Both horses could be ridden the same distance, would establish the same connection with a caring owner, yet because of their apparent dollar value they would have much different lives when it came to medical care.

We have had the same veterinarian for fourteen years now and we have the responsibility for 10 dogs.  There care and feeding rivals our mortgage payment. There has been changes in the membership of our pack over the years. New Portuguese Water Dogs and new Found Dogs have made up the mix of our ten.

 

Sebastian found us this past July. We think he is part Bernese Mountain Dog since he loves to lie and roll in the snow..

He needed an operation for some damage that had been done to his hip in a fight or accident before we added him to our group,

 

Dr. B. Paid us a compliment during the visit we just had with our two new mix-breed pups.

He observed over the years we had worked with him that we gave the same attention and care to all of our pack, pure bread or mix breed.  I had never given a moments thought before to treating a dog we had just spent a small fortune (to us) for, any different than Sebastian a mix breed who arrived in our neighbors yard, all bones and covered in burrs, lost and hungry.

 

When I think about his comment, it made me reflect about the 5 going on 6 year conflict on Health Care in the United States.  If you are pure bread with a nice thick wallet for a coat, the best of care is available to you. If you are a skinny stray who had had the misfortune of becoming lost in our economic survival of the fittest jungle, chance are you will have a short miserable life, and medical care will be a luxury you just will not be able to take advantage of.

 

We treat Americans our own citizens just like the horse owners have done. We care for the rich and the poor have a second class place at the medical dining room.

 

So as you read this, think---are you one of the well off with unlimited access to the best care or are you just able to access care on an emergency basis.  Will the next medical event in your life be with out more than the normal amount of worry or will it wipe out all you have worked for in your lifetime? 

 

Both situations are the American Way!

 

Pure Bred or Mix-Breed

 

Door to the Left or Door to the Right

Best of Care or Left to Chance