Why dogs?

In my professional life I train adult learners and I always say in my intro that I show and train dogs and if I give them a cookie, I promise it will be a people cookie.   That always leads to questions about the dogs during the 6 to 10 weeks of training.  Most think it is cool but it there is often a question of why?

So I thought I would think about the why?  What is my why?  What motivates me to get out of bed at zero dark thirty to drive to a fairground or expo center to spend under an hour trotting around a ring with my dog to win a scrap of ribbon and “points” and pay $30 for the privilege?

I am a competitive person but not so much so that my identity is tied into winning.  I hope I am a graceful loser and seen as a good sport.  So my why isn’t about WINNING.   I think my why really is about the dogs.

I find dogs to be highly entertaining.  Their joy at life never fails to bring joy to my life.  Of course I could just have pets and be joyfully entertained.   I think showing for me is a visual art form.  Beauty come to life, a masterpiece on four paws.  I think it is the celebration of dogs that draws me in, the events themselves, the circus atmosphere, the gypsy lifestyle of the people.

I have had lots of hobbies where I shared experiences with other like-minded people and enjoyed them fully but with dogs and their people it is like joining a tribe.  To quote a favorite author it makes me happy to be in “a nation within”