Dog day at the fair

I had planned to spend the entire day at the fair, but that got cut short abruptly when a lady came smiling my way and quietly told me that my dog was not allowed in the main exhibit building. So, we went home several hours ahead of schedule.

The apparent new ruling at the fairgrounds, where signs at the entrances warn that dogs must be on leashes, puzzled me. I've always figured that those signs meant that dogs are expected on the fairgrounds, and dutifully I kept my dog on a leash. Suddenly, yesterday---the day of the sheep dog trials and the day of the doggie dress-up contest---white lazer-copied signs appeared everywhere, warning that no dogs were allowed in the barns.

I didn't spot the first sign until AFTER I'd gone into the cow barn to look at Sherri Remmers mini Highlander bull and to talk to her "herdsman" Bill Adams. It was minutes before Kiwi and I were supposed to meet Rose Marie for those Polish and German dogs at the sausage stand. As we left the barn, I could see that Rose Marie hadn't yet shown, so I decided to check out the indoor arena, where I read the first dog warning.

During that short stroll, I saw several dogs walking by with their owners, including another Border Collie from the Friends of the Shelter. Rose Marie came along while I was visiting with Jenny and Grace Meyer and "Grandma Kiebert," her son Mason and her two granddaughters. We eventually enjoyed our yummy sausages while Kiwi fed on a cheese-filled soft pretzel.

Then, we headed to the sheep dog trials. It took only the first team of herders (human and canine) for me to learn that Kiwi definitely has herding in her blood. She never took her eyes off from the arena action as teams would move three sheep through assigned obstacles. Sitting next to her older brother Roy, Kiwi spent an uneasy time as a spectator. She wanted to get out there in the arena and show them how to do it.

I guess I'm going to have to bite the bullet and get serious about some training so she can perform next year. After watching Robin and Roy do their rounds (they took the nod on the most difficult obstacle when the sheep went right over the bridge within seconds), Kiwi and I headed off to see the rest of the fair.

Kiwi got a bit distracted when we had to walk through the area between the indoor arena where a wild and crazy football passing game was going on between two groups of kids in the midst of the crowd. I was surprised that nobody came to tell them to take their game somewhere else.

Our big mistake came when we walked inside the main exhibit building, which I had not ever thought of as a "barn." Well, within seconds, I was "sweetly" ushered out. I was appalled, to say the least, especially after I've seen dog after dog year after year attending the fair. Another gentleman who was manning a booth followed me out the door and told me he'd seen at least a dozen dogs walk through the main exhibit hall--er--barn yesterday alone.

I guess all good things must change, even at the local animal shows. It still baffles me, especially since my daughter tells me it's almost a fashion statement to be bring one's mutt along on shopping trips in downtown Seattle stores like Nordstrom's, etc. I've also sat next to people and their dogs for years while attending horse shows and sitting inside the indoor arena.

I guess the Bonner County Fair and dog days have gone too uptown in an attempt toward canine correctness. So, the great planned anniversary of Kiwi and my meeting at last year's fair went sadly awry. We came home and spent a quiet afternoon doing lawn work. All I could think of while snipping off deadheads from flowers is that our county fair has truly gone to the dogs.

I wonder what they do at the National Dog Show. From what I've seen on TV, it's held inside a building and the one in Spokane at the fairgrounds, where the dogs are always inside one of the Interstate Fairgrounds barns.

Oh, well, I think it's a sad day when "man and woman's best friend" can't go to the fair. Is George Orwell's Animal Farm unfolding, where the rules just keep changing just to suit the humans?