Quote Originally Posted by EWO View Post
Funny.

I'm not sure if I was a yard man or not but from the time I was 10 or so, til high school my best friend had to clean, rake, water and feed all the dogs before he could go play. The fastest way for that to happen was us doing it together.

My biggest reflection is not so much the dogs and people but the changing of the times. Imaging a 10 year old walking down the road with a 46lb. match dog pulling him forward and the kid leaning back for all he is worth. There were two fields on opposite sides of the road with a tree line hiding both of them. As a 10-11 year old kid one of our job's was to hand walk dogs. There were grading sticks set up with painted ends. At each grade marker you in hook the traces and drop the chains. My best friend would come along with the dog he was walking and hook up. We made laps around those fields and back to the house where the ol' man was sitting on a bucket. He would put on the treadmill for ever so long, then back to hand walking.

It was great set up and worked beautifully. Even with that experience I made the decision once a dog had been touched he was off limits to my son at that age.

Times and perspectives change. Reflection is a big part of these dogs once the years roll by.

EWO
In many ways it's sad to see the modern direction of the sport but that is not to say there is still not top notch dogmen and woman, as well as first class shows going on and I know this next comment will be controversial but I honestly feel that the upper best of dogs today are better then at any other point in history and the men behind those fine animals deserve all the credit in the world. I personally feel it's just not worth it to attend smaller shows because of rats, thugs, rubs as well as law enforcement coming in at any time. Of course I am just someone who appreciates this from a historic standpoint and have no first hand knowledge or know anyone first hand who partakes in fighting dogs at present time. I comment only on what I have read and what is readily available to anyone with access to the internet.