I know how well this is going to go over …
I don’t like dogs.
I’m human enough to understand why others do, though: I’m not a serial killer. Instant companionship is a plus. And getting it from something other than a human being is totally understandable. People lie, steal and cheat. They’re not trustworthy, either. Incapable of pinpointing man’s flaws, however, dogs accept ALL the baggage an owner offers …
Void of judgment, it’s unconditional love.
I get it.
There’s a flip-side to dog ownership, though …
In spite of growing up in a home with two dogs at all times, I can still taste the smell of dog on my tongue. I don’t care how clean you keep your house, the second somebody steps foot in it (poop) for the first time, they know you’ve got dogs – and all they need to know is a nose.
The smell isn’t even the half of it, though. Dog hair: It’s everywhere. It’s on the floors, on the furniture, in the kitchen and perhaps worst of all, on you. And when the sun hits a window just right, you’ll see it’s even airborne. Dog hair might as well be glitter; there’s no shedding (pun) it.
And don’t get me started on the work involved in taking care of a dog …
I prefer kids – 100% of the time.
But this article has ZERO to do with all that …
What’s bizarre to me is how an entire sport has embraced one man’s pet as its own …
Luke Humphries’ dog, to be more specific:
Hogan.
I’ll admit the love story is heart-warming. Luke even shared a first-hand account of it with Green Splatter a few months back. But Hogan’s reputation has somehow managed to blast well past “cute and cuddly,” instead reaching celebrity status amongst professional players and fans.
I joketh not …
- He’s on actual product logos.
- He’s getting shoutouts on coverage.
- He’s one of the biggest stars of OTB Skins.
- He’s got a collectible trading card devoted to his mug.
As a guy who’s collected hoops cards most of his life, that last one’s mind-boggling …
I love Brixton; I admire their work.
I don’t get the move at all.
At this rate, Gannon Buhr’s caddie mother will one day have a card of her own, too.
I’ll admit it: This is a “me” problem. For some reason, I struggle to disassociate Hogan the household dog from the beef I have with pooches on disc golf courses. Their excrement is all over the place, they stop and stand in the middle of fairways and they like to share teepads.
Does a combination of all this make me a bad person?
Probably.
Hogan’s Instagram account (because of course) has over 7,000 devoted fans who will one day picket my home, I’m sure. But at least my life and game are free of stool, smells and slobber …
I can live with that.
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I’ll take dogs over kids at the course any day!
To each his own, Cam!
And with kids, up until a certain point, you’re probably right …
My boys aren’t old enough for the course yet, but one day, they’ll get there.
ugh. this article is sad. If you don’t like dogs, then don’t dedicate 500+ words of your time to them.
You complain about a dog having a trading card (as promotion)… and yet this article of that dog exists (as promotion). The hypocrisy is strong.
Yeesh
Right, but if I don’t waste an hour penning a piece on this, how will you ever waste 30 seconds commenting on it?
Checkmate 😉
You could just get a poodle.
They don’t smell or shed.
This is brutal, but somebody has to say it …
Ryan, there’s no such thing as a “hypoallergenic” animal.
It’s dander people are allergic to – not hair.
(but I do know some cool poodles, so you’re not far off – haha)
I trust Luke’s dog more than him.
Luke is skeevy and un trustworthy as they come.
That being said he has no place on a disc golf course. And I love dogs.
Woah, woah, woah …
Those are some strong accusations there, Steve-O …
Is there a backstory to ’em or something?
I’m in the dogs are better than kids category. I don’t know why dogs get the amount of hate they do on the golf course. I personally have never had a problem with them. Never seen or stepped in poop and in general they’re on leashes and well-behaved. But I’m a big dog lover so maybe I over look some things. And you probably won’t believe me but there are dog breeds who do not have a natural odor. My Scottish Terriers are one of them. Just for the record though I do not take my dogs with me when I play
Joe, my favorite is when somebody claims their dog is “hypoallergenic.”
It’s a made-up term.
It’s fancy way of saying a breed of dog doesn’t shed …
The problem is that it’s dander (skin flakes) people are allergic to – not dog hair.
But, my man, if the dogs are working for you, more power to you – nothing wrong with it!
I’m also generally fine with dogs on course, provided the owner knows how to pickup the dog’s turds and the dog is mild tempered. If the choice is between kids and dogs out on courses, I’ll take dogs every time (especially after the round I just got done playing this afternoon where I could not throw two different holes due to oblivious small children jacked up on candy playing in the fairway). Generally you can call a dog out of the way, and if you do accidentally hit the dog with a disc, they are pretty robust and can take a hit (dog’s ancestors were built to fight to the death, after all); you also have protection of leash laws. On the other hand, hitting a small child with a disc is the type of thing that gets a disc golf course permanently pulled, or even worse…if there is injury and possible litigation.