So I went with my sister yesterday to pick up the new dog--she's adopting another St. Bernard. This one is a 3-year-old male, a conformation champion, whose owner needs an ankle replaced and just doesn't have the time/energy to keep such big dogs anymore.

So we met him, and he's pretty sweet and biddable. But he's three years old and doesn't know how to sit on command! And I don't think he even recognizes his name!

My sister is flabbergasted: she didn't expect to have to do such remedial training with him.

And he has been rechristened as Ringo, since he's so good natured and maybe kinda dopey. (Apologies to the Beetles fans!)

Women are oppressed! Not enough journals.

This is what those hardback composition books with the black and white covers are for.

But he's three years old and doesn't know how to sit on command!

What? Wow. What's a conformation champion, though?

This is what those hardback composition books with the black and white covers are for.

But they're not pretty enough for women!!

Women are oppressed! Not enough journals.

They can just use binders.

Ha!

The composition books don't open flat, do they? I do know what she's saying about that part, I admit.

Remember back in olden days when we'd gather around the hearth and stack cats?

Stack the Cats

Consuela - not Paul? He's the one that had a sheepdog! Hee.

I'm one of those people, when given a choice between the men's/unisex and the "designed for women!" I'll generally go for the former.

Why do my polo work shirt color choices have to be pink, baby blue, turquise, purple, or white? Why can't I have sage green, tan, rustic orange, and brown?

The "four-year journey" seems just sad.

What? Wow. What's a conformation champion, though?

Conformation is the type of dog show they parodied in Best in Show; it's basically a beauty contest. As compared with obedience, rally, agility, drafting, herding, and the other kinds of dog competitions where the dog and owner actually have to do something other than look pretty. (I have some issues with conformation: it's restricted to breedable dogs for the most part, and can result in breeding for looks rather than temperment or health.)

So this new dog is a fairly attractive and slightly overweight good-natured male, with no obedience training at all. Even the kind that 99% of pet owners would require, like sitting on command. Oh, wait, no, he can walk on a leash quite well. Yay.