Month: March 2018

Pucks & Paws: A Recap

Kristyn Weaver / / Blog Posts, Lifestyle

This past Saturday I had the pleasure of attending the 2nd annual Pucks and Paws Hockey Game between Greenville’s Swamp Rabbits and the Jacksonville Icemen. This hockey game was special in that for one night only your furry friend was able to enter the stadium free of charge! Tickets purchased also benefited Lucky Pups Rescue, a local non-profit dog rescue shelter! Here’s everything you need to know about Pucks and Paws if you missed it:

 

Pros:

  • To put it plainly seeing all the pups in the stadium made my hockey experience 10x better. While I am not the biggest hockey fan (that was my second ever game!) I am sure that the crowd got bigger on Saturday night just because the thought of seeing all the dogs in the stadium drew more people out!
  • The crew did a great job of getting the crowd involved with all sorts of fun games during intermission! One of my favorite things to watch was a race between around fifteen dogs on the ice. While I was expecting a bit of sliding and slipping around on the ice, the smallest Shih Tzu I have seen all the sudden just bolted after the air horn, leaving his competition in the dust! The ‘Simba Cam’ during breaks was another one of my favorites. A song from the Lion King would play and dog owners would be encouraged to raise their pups over their heads just like Simba in the movie! Some people were holding their 80 pound dog up and others were holding their human friends. It was a riot.
  • The booths around the stadium were very nicely organized and provided so much information for local shelters, natural and healthy treats, and organizations dedicated to supporting animals. It was so nice seeing all of them supported at the game.

Cons:

  • It was a bit hard at times for the bigger dogs to fit in the small stadium seats. A lot of them had to awkwardly ‘squish’ between their owners legs and the back of a chair, which might have been hard for some people. I know two huge Mastiffs didn’t even try to make it into the stadium so they and their owners sat outside.
  • My first seat came with a rather interesting odor and we later saw a bit of droppings left at the beginning of our row. Needless to say we switched seats and didn’t have another problem!

 

You can check out my Live Tweets here!

 

Overall, this event was one of the coolest experiences in Greenville I’ve been to so far. The only negatives were really logistical errors as the stadium doesn’t usually accommodate dogs, and I don’t think that should be weighed in with heavy consideration. I look forward to next year’s Pucks and Paws event, no doubt you’ll see me there!

 

 

Shedding Spotlight on Hunting Dogs

Kristyn Weaver / / Blog Posts, Information

 

Dogs, specifically hunting dogs, have remained at the epicenter of hunting culture. Living up to their name as ‘man’s best friend’, dogs have helped retrieve, track, and hunt all sorts of prey for their human counterparts. A good sense of smell, long stamina, and high energy are qualities most hunting dogs need to have, as well as a great training program when they are young. If you yourself are a hunter, you have definitely seen a dog in action before and know how seriously most hunting dogs take their job. So if you are a hunter looking for a furry companion to help you on trips, get to know some basics about the various breeds and what each kind of hunting these dog specialize in before you make a decision.

 

Not recognized as their own breed group through the American Kennel Association, hunting dogs are grouped in with the Sporting Group. There are six major categories or groupings of hunting dogs: hounds, terriers, dachshunds, feists, cur dogs, and gun dogs.

 

  1. HOUNDS: used to pursue running game, hunt mostly raccoons, rabbits, and other mammals
  • Sighthounds: As their name suggests, sighthounds are adapted and used for their visual accuracy as well as their high though quick bursts of speed. Popular breeds include: Italian greyhound, Irish Wolfhound, Afghan hound, etc.
  • Scenthounds: Scent Hounds are defined by their strong ability to smell and their booming voice. Their high endurance and strong nose allows them to follow a trail for a long time. Most are used in packs with groups of multiple dogs. Popular breeds include: Bloodhounds, Beagles, etc.
  1. TERRIERS: Spirited, typically used to hunt vermin through locating dens. Popular breeds include: Bull Terrier, Schnauzer, Soft-coated Wheaten Terrier, Russell Terrier, etc.
  2. DACHSHUNDS: Bred follow and flush out small burrowing den animals. The only certifiable breed to hunt below and above ground.
  3. FEISTS: Chase prey, ocassionally ‘tree them’ in which they force their target up a tree until their hunter comes. Hunts rabbits, squirrels, and other small animals.
  4. CUR DOGS: Similiar to terrier though usually hunt larger game.
  5. GUN DOGS: used to locate game within shooting distance of the hunter then retrieve the fallen game. Hunts usually birds
  • Retrievers: Their primary role is to find and retrieve game shot by their hunter and have large very gentle muzzles so as not to damage their finds. Popular breeds include: Golden Retrievers, Labs, Chesapeake Bay Retrievers
  • Pointers: As their name describes, these dogs will track a scent and hold their signature ‘point’ pose until their hunter comes along to check on them. Popular breeds include: English Setter, Irish Setter, Pointer

 

To hear my perspective on hunting dogs check out my feature on a podcast below!

 

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