Things That Go Out of Fashion

So many things go out of fashion. I’ve never been a fashion maven. I know very few women wear long skirts or jumpers anymore. Jellies, those transparent plastic shoes that were popular at one time are gone, and so are light up sneakers, rubber bracelets, butterfly clips, scrunchies, Bling bling, shell necklaces and wearing bandanas according to one site I visited.

Not dealing with fashion, the Volkswagon Beetle that made a brief comeback didn’t last long as the cool car to buy.  Boom boxes are out and so are Beanie Babies, Pokeman, Silly Putty, Mood rings, and Pet Rocks, as well as a whole list of once popular singers, actors and TV shows.

I even saw on one site putting up flags outside our homes is out of fashion. When was the last time you saw antimacassars on the arms or backs of chairs and sofas?

What brought me to this topic is an article my daughter sent me, “Five Out-of-Fashion Dog Breeds This Vet Misses” by Dr. Marty Becker. The following is from his article with my comments added.

Irish Setters: I used to see a lot of these bouncy red dogs in my practice. I know the rub is that they’re too energetic and not the brightest bulb on the light string, but the ones I used to know were great family dogs who loved to be around people and really wanted to please. I miss their smiling faces and the feathered tails that never stop wagging. (A woman in one of my book clubs had to drive five hundred miles to get one.)

Scottish Terriers: These stylish, strong-minded dogs can be difficult to handle, since they are terriers through and through. In my family we’ve loved a lot of terriers, including our forever-missed Wire-Haired Fox Terrier, Scooter, so I understand some of the challenges. These days I’m more likely to see a Scottie on a Monopoly board than on an exam table.

 (I think the last time I actually saw one was when I was a kid.)

Collies: When Lassie is in, so are Collies. Otherwise, their size and the challenges of their massive, beautiful coat no doubt put many people off. And that’s a shame because a good Collie, while not likely to be saving Timmy from the well every day, is a great family dog – smart, loving, and always keeping an eye on his flock. (I can attest to that.)

 Brittanys: I suspect that as hunting has become less common as a sport, the breeds so closely associated with the pursuit have fallen out of favor. And that’s unfortunate, because the Brittany is a dog that can do more than just hunt. The Brittany’s compact size makes him a good match for an active family, and he’s a natural at modern-day canine sporting events such as agility.

(I haven’t seen one in years, either.)

 Cocker Spaniels: These little bird dogs were top of the heap for decades, the most sought-after of all purebred dogs. Their reign at the top of the American Kennel Club rankings finally ended with a wave of Poodles. I still see a fair number of Poodles – and even more Poodle-oodle-mixes – but Cockers are relatively rare. And that is a shame, because like the Irish Setter, these dogs are sweet, beautiful and full of fun. (A good friend of mine had one. Darling dog.)

Dr. Marty Becker goes on to say he loves all dogs and cats, but he misses these out-of-fashion dogs and feels one movie or TV show featuring them will bring them back as popular dogs again.

Molly and I at my patio . I'm writing in my journal.

 I’ve been in love with collies since I was a kid and read books by Albert Payson Terhune; Lad, a Dog, The Further Adventures of Lad and Bruce, long before TV and the Lassie series. It also was from my mother telling me stories of Fuzzy, the collie she and her siblings had. My first collie was a stray that I found when I was sixteen. Most of my collies over the years were strays, or from an ad for a free collie. That’s before they went out of fashion. After being without a dog for fifteen years, I answered an ad for a stray collie. I only had her three months when she came down with encephalitis and died.

I searched ads for another collie and finally found a six-week old collie puppy quite a distance away. She was too young to be separated from her mother, but the woman had sold most of the litter with only two puppies left. She wasn’t asking very much for them. I settled on the little female. Molly was a sable and white collie and such a joy. However, shortly before her fifth birthday, she developed grand mal seizures and pills didn’t stop them for long. When she had one that paralyzed her hind quarters, I had no choice but to have her euthanized.

Yes, she has a lot of fur, but it's silky and beautiful.

I wasn’t ready for a new dog although it wasn’t long before I wanted another collie. After checking websites for rescue collies, I gave up since they were either quite elderly or had serious health problems and most hundreds of miles away. A breeder of collies who lived fairly close had an eighteen month old tri-color female. She didn’t show well so she was willing to sell her. That’s when I got Twin Cities Born to Dance, aka Maggie. Maggie has a different personality than Molly, but is an incredible joy to me. Molly eagerly ran to meet everyone who came. Maggie holds back to see if they’re friendly or I welcome them. In fact, I realized that was why Maggie couldn’t be a show dog. She would have been nervous in large crowds. Maggie has come a long way since those days, but not enough to prance into a ring with head up. Not that I ever wanted to show a dog anyway.

Maggie and I ready to head for our daily walk.

Like the doctor above mentioned, collies are smart and loving and their coat isn’t that hard to take care of, although I have to admit she does bring in a lot of twigs, pine needles, and leaves and also burrs in the fall. I probably should brush her every day, but I don’t. When I do start to brush her, she flops over on her back with all four legs waving in the air. I get her groomed every three months, and the groomer and her helpers absolutely love her because she’s so sweet. Yes, my sixty pound Maggie is a good dog - fun, playful and a nosy neighbor who keeps an eye out from the front window on what’s going on with the two neighbors across the street. She barks to tell me if eighty-three year old Margaret is coming or going down the driveway, or if either neighbor is getting company. She also keeps an eye on the bird feeders in the back to let me know when squirrels, rabbits or chipmunks are raiding them. Would she come to my defense if someone broke in? Probably not, but who knows. Like the vet said, it’s a shame collies are out of fashion.

What has gone out of fashion that you miss?

If you have a dog, what breed is your favorite or do you preferred mixed breeds?