COWBOY ETHICS FOR DOG OWNERS
by
Donna P.
Noland
Cowboy Ethics might
not seem to have anything to do with dogs, fighting City Hall or
standing up for our legislative rights as dog owners but bear with me.
I see a connection, especially to those of us who grew up with Roy and
Dale, John Wayne, and other such cowboy heroes. I feel this is really
relevant to what’s happening right now in politics, in the fight for
animal welfare vs. animal rights, and who we are today.
James P. Owen is the originator of “cowboy ethics” and “The Code of the
West”. As Mr. Owen outlines it, this is the code that all cowboys
followed then and today:
-
Live each day with
courage.
-
Take pride in your
work.
-
Always finish what
you start.
-
Do what has to be
done.
-
Be tough, but fair.
-
When you make a
promise, keep it.
-
Ride for the brand.
-
Talk less and say
more.
-
Remember that some
things aren’t for sale.
-
Know where to draw
the line.
Even though there are very few of us who are driving cattle to
Kansas City anymore, putting up miles of fencing or laying brands or
breaking horses, all ten of these principles still apply to a life
of honor and our love for dogs - if we pay attention. Some may think
they are old-fashioned values or just plain hokey but following
Cowboy Ethics could make a major impact on our little piece of the
world. Why? Because they’re based on ethics and doing what’s right,
not what’s expedient. They offer stability, not chaos, to a society
and a sport urgently in need of help.
How does this apply to dog owners, breeders and fanciers? The Code
is based on personal responsibility; something that pretty much all
of us profess to believe in when it comes to the owning, breeding
and treatment of dogs and other pets. Most of us expect people to do
“what’s right and fair” when it comes to the dogs.
We also believe in freedom – freedom to have our dogs, to
participate in dog-related activities without interference, to live
our doggie lifestyle. The cowboy ethics principle that particularly
applies here and now is “do what has to be done”. For the past
several years, and for the immediate future, dog owners have been in
a fight for their existence and way of life. Forces gather to take
all this away from us, either all at once, or piece by piece over
time. It’s time to do “what has to be done”.
I offer this quote from Mr. Owen’s book,
Cowboy Ethics: What Wall
Street Can Learn from the Code of the West:
“In Kevin Costner’s Open Range, the cowboy heroes are Boss Spearman,
a tough old cattle drover who has endeavored to steer clear of
bloodshed, and his hand Charley Waite, who has clearly done some
killing in his time. While resting their herd, they run up against
Baxter, a despotic rancher who rules the nearby town and hates “free
grazers” like Boss and Charley. Baxter’s men rough up their friend,
Mose, and the bullying rancher lets them know he means to kill them
all and scatter their herd if they do not quit his domain.
‘You reckon them cows are worth getting killed over?’ Charley asks
Boss when he vows to protect the herd. ‘The cows is one thing,’ says
Boss. ‘But one man telling another where he can go in this country
is something else.’”
I think all dog lovers need to “Cowboy Up”. NOW
Donna P. Noland. Terrier Wrangler -
www.alabamacaninecoalition.org
http://www.thedogplace.org/PROSE/Cowboy-Ethics_Noland-09121.asp #121
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