Canadian Pet Expo Observations
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Canadian Pet Expo Observations
I am writing this the day after me sitting at the Simply Pets/Don Cherry’s Pet Rescue Foundation booth at the Canadian Pet Expo. Doesn’t matter which one, when it comes to observing, they all blend together. You know how some of you say you like sitting at an airport or mall people watching., well you would enjoy my times at the Expo. Add to the mix people walking, holding, dragging, yanking, their dog, cat, and kids around. You are in observation heaven. Some thoughts not about animals? How does she walk in those high heels all day at this show? How many hours do you have to spend in the gym to look like that? I wonder what he’d look like under that beard? She looks good for her age. Does he have a nice hair. I wonder where she got that purse? It’s endless. But most fascinating, is how well all the public’s dogs get along. There was not one altercation between two dogs that I could see. So many well behave dogs. It’s fun to watch when the owners may be preoccupied at a booth, and the dogs are just taking it all in. Talk about socializing your pet. This is the ultimate. So many bums to smell. Plus, if there was ever a place to see how your choice of breed reflects you, this would be the place to make that assumption.
The key to me being there and doing my thing, is to have great associates at our booth. They know me very well, and know my cues. I enjoy talking to people about their dogs and pets, and I learn a lot. For instance at one show I got a whole education on what I termed black and white Newfoundland dogs or more factually known as Landseers. My tolerance is very high at these shows, (though some volunteers may disagree) but sometimes, I just have to pass on the conversation to one of my associates at the booth. They know their cue, and handle it with great ease. Now that list is getting longer every show on what I have to just shut up about. Sure I’d love to debate subjects that are on this list, but this isn’t the place. Some would say it is. Isn’t it in our mandate to educate the public? Sure, but in a “nice” way. I have tried, I really have, but somehow it always turns out me looking like a know it all, and being misconstrued. So I recognize this, and have to move on. This even happened to one of the volunteers at our booth a few years back. Here I was thinking I was enlightening them about a subject, and she said to a close friend of mine, “ I finally find a breed I like, and Cindy hates them”. I “hate” a breed? My friend asks me, “what the hell did you say to her? Smarten up!” I then realized maybe my communication skills are not what I thought. So that is when I recognized, I really have to watch what I say and as my brother points out to me all the time, “it’s how I say it”. I guess delivery is everything. So I was going to list these taboo subjects, but then, as usual this blog has gotten too long. So I guess you’ll know that if I ever pass you on for more information to a colleague, I have reached my limit (niceness) on this topic of discussion. No offence. It’s me, not you.