The Positive About Special Interests

[Gerald Wilgus]

Today I and two friends spent the day on the Pine River collecting aquatic invertebrates for a measure of stream quality. Being trained in the technical side of biology this gives me the opportunity to dive into taxonomy, the basis of biological science. We spend about an hour each at three sites along the river taking turns sampling and picking throught the samples. Later I will ID the specimens to the family level and derive a score for water quality.

At our second site, while we were working a group of kayakers landed. These guys paddle the Pine at this time of year. Seeing us working they were interested in what we were doing and I answered their questions showing them examples of insects that are very sensitive to pollution. Then they set off to make lunch at the site's picnic table. A little while and we were packking up to go to the next site and have our bag lunches. Those guys, seeing us invited us over for a lunch of grilled brats, baked beans, and chips! They wouldn't let us go 'til we had seconds . . . and with all the wading we sure worked up a hunger! This was nice and unexpected.

So we went to the next site and were working there when a bunch of motorcyclists pulled in to take a break (a very scenic site) They were in a group away from us and some of the biker chicks came over to visit us. They were fascinated with what we were doing and one especially related how she enjoys looking at insects with her microscope. Soon the guys came over and enjoyed seeing some of the spectacular primative insects like the Giant Stoneflies we were finding there.

Anymore, I have met people who react positively to my special interests. It is great being treated positively by a wide variety of people. That makes me feel good about my interests

 

[Misery]

In my case, generally nobody gives a fart about any of my interests...

...unless they're in the house here, near my computer. The Oculus always draws attention.

If I can get them to put the VR headset on, there's ALWAYS a positive reaction to that one. Granted someone may also fall over or walk into a wall, but that's beside the point.

 

[Sherlock77]

I often have conversations with about photography I'm doing, I think most photographers would say the same thing

 

[Luca]

My biggest interest is a pretty niche thing (dog training/behavior and competition sports for dogs and handlers- not just what you think of as a dog show, but actual high-action sports), so usually the only people who can relate to that are people I meet at dog shows and competitions. Most other people either don't care about it at all or find it boring, and non-dog people tend to find it really eccentric (there are also a lot of really harmful stereotypes about people who show dogs, and about the dogs too).
One of the first things that people notice when entering my house though (aside from the fact that LITERALLY EVERYTHING is dog themed in some way ) is that my living room wall is covered in ribbons, rosettes, certificates, and awards... and framed photos of our wins, and action shots from competition. That makes a great conversation starter and somewhat of a bragging right lol, but people who don't know me very well or are friends of friends visiting for the first time (who probably already thought I was weird before seeing that) are really put off by it sometimes. Because it seems... well... extremely obsessive.
I don't even like to think of my interests as "obsessive," even though I kind of know that they are... I tend to think of myself as being really passionate and dedicated to what I do, which has gotten me to where I am right now and I'm proud of that. It's a testament to my training as well as my dogs' intellect, obedience and willingness to please, and a testament to our unbreakable bond as working partners.
So I don't think anyone should be ashamed of having an "obsession" or a Special Interest. Even if you feel like no one else finds it interesting, it's important to YOU. And it brings joy into your life, which is what matters.

 

[Suzette]

I wish I had ONE special interest. Those of you who do develop amazing skills!
I am much too curious to choose just one. On the other hand, I am never bored.

 

[Misery]

My biggest interest is a pretty niche thing (dog training/behavior and competition sports for dogs and handlers- not just what you think of as a dog show, but actual high-action sports), so usually the only people who can relate to that are people I meet at dog shows and competitions. Most other people either don't care about it at all or find it boring, and non-dog people tend to find it really eccentric (there are also a lot of really harmful stereotypes about people who show dogs, and about the dogs too).
One of the first things that people notice when entering my house though (aside from the fact that LITERALLY EVERYTHING is dog themed in some way ) is that my living room wall is covered in ribbons, rosettes, certificates, and awards... and framed photos of our wins, and action shots from competition. That makes a great conversation starter and somewhat of a bragging right lol, but people who don't know me very well or are friends of friends visiting for the first time (who probably already thought I was weird before seeing that) are really put off by it sometimes. Because it seems... well... extremely obsessive.
I don't even like to think of my interests as "obsessive," even though I kind of know that they are... I tend to think of myself as being really passionate and dedicated to what I do, which has gotten me to where I am right now and I'm proud of that. It's a testament to my training as well as my dogs' intellect, obedience and willingness to please, and a testament to our unbreakable bond as working partners.
So I don't think anyone should be ashamed of having an "obsession" or a Special Interest. Even if you feel like no one else finds it interesting, it's important to YOU. And it brings joy into your life, which is what matters.

Something tells me I'd like your house.

Yeah, total dog-lover here. I have 2 dogs myself, a Wheaten and a tornado. I mean, another smaller Wheaten (who is out of her mind).

They wouldnt exactly be competition material though. The big guy is a master of selective hearing, and the small one is completely insane and would probably jump-kick everyone in range (yes, she actually does that).

 

[Suzette]

Something tells me I'd like your house.

Yeah, total dog-lover here. I have 2 dogs myself, a Wheaten and a tornado. I mean, another smaller Wheaten (who is out of her mind).

They wouldnt exactly be competition material though. The big guy is a master of selective hearing, and the small one is completely insane and would probably jump-kick everyone in range (yes, she actually does that).

I stayed at my brother inlaws house a few days ago. He has 2 scotties. They are really sweet but terrier nuts. My BIL kept yelling at them to settle down but they ignored him. Once I convinced him that I wasn't bothered by them I got both dogs to lay next to me and be quiet and still inside of 2 or 3 minutes. I learned how from my former SIL who raised Jack Russells.

 

[Luca]

Something tells me I'd like your house.

Yeah, total dog-lover here. I have 2 dogs myself, a Wheaten and a tornado. I mean, another smaller Wheaten (who is out of her mind).

They wouldnt exactly be competition material though. The big guy is a master of selective hearing, and the small one is completely insane and would probably jump-kick everyone in range (yes, she actually does that).

I love Wheatens! But I don't think there's any dog I don't like, lol.
I'll try to upload some photos of my house at some point... some people are really horrified when they see it lol. But I think you would like it!
I think I would love your dogs, they sound like they have a lot of personality! And I've met a lot of Wheatens who are like that... that's a Terrier personality. They are extremely high-energy, and yes, can have selective hearing. And can be stubborn. The jump-kicking is hilarious though lol. My best friend breeds Pointers, and his six-month-old male plays with other dogs by jumping on their heads! They usually bite him to get him to stop

 

[Luca]

I stayed at my brother inlaws house a few days ago. He has 2 scotties. They are really sweet but terrier nuts. My BIL kept yelling at them to settle down but they ignored him. Once I convinced him that I wasn't bothered by them I got both dogs to lay next to me and be quiet and still inside of 2 or 3 minutes. I learned how from my former SIL who raised Jack Russells.

Scotties! Yup, sounds like Terrier behavior, lol.
Sounds like you're really good with dogs... and Jack Russells are a good example of a high-energy dog that can be difficult to get to settle down. I'm impressed!!
If I put all of my dogs in a down-stay they will usually stay like that for a few minutes until I tell them to get up... extremely useful when I'm eating dinner!
My youngest will steal socks tho... still working on reacting quick enough to catch her going into the laundry basket. No dog is perfect lol, I've especially learned this with this particular dog!
Every dog comes with training challenges and has their own quirks- it's up to you to figure out how to eliminate the behavior, or manage it if it can be channeled into another outlet

 

[Suzette]

Scotties! Yup, sounds like Terrier behavior, lol.
Sounds like you're really good with dogs... and Jack Russells are a good example of a high-energy dog that can be difficult to get to settle down. I'm impressed!!
If I put all of my dogs in a down-stay they will usually stay like that for a few minutes until I tell them to get up... extremely useful when I'm eating dinner!
My youngest will steal socks tho... still working on reacting quick enough to catch her going into the laundry basket. No dog is perfect lol, I've especially learned this with this particular dog!
Every dog comes with training challenges and has their own quirks- it's up to you to figure out how to eliminate the behavior, or manage it if it can be channeled into another outlet

Oh no, I could not do the Jacks! That is expert level stuff! The scotties were better behaved in general and, really, just want to please you.

My former SIL is great at training Jacks though. She does "Go to Ground" and belongs to an international badger hunting club. Her dogs are trophy winners in competition and her pubs have been shipped world wide. I really don't know what she sees in Jack Russells though. They are little devil dogs, too much energy and far too smart for me!

 

[Gerald Wilgus]

My biggest interest is a pretty niche thing (dog training/behavior and competition sports for dogs and handlers- not just what you think of as a dog show, but actual high-action sports), so usually the only people who can relate to that are people I meet at dog shows and competitions. Most other people either don't care about it at all or find it boring, and non-dog people tend to find it really eccentric (there are also a lot of really harmful stereotypes about people who show dogs, and about the dogs too).
One of the first things that people notice when entering my house though (aside from the fact that LITERALLY EVERYTHING is dog themed in some way ) is that my living room wall is covered in ribbons, rosettes, certificates, and awards... and framed photos of our wins, and action shots from competition. That makes a great conversation starter and somewhat of a bragging right lol, but people who don't know me very well or are friends of friends visiting for the first time (who probably already thought I was weird before seeing that) are really put off by it sometimes. Because it seems... well... extremely obsessive.
I don't even like to think of my interests as "obsessive," even though I kind of know that they are... I tend to think of myself as being really passionate and dedicated to what I do, which has gotten me to where I am right now and I'm proud of that. It's a testament to my training as well as my dogs' intellect, obedience and willingness to please, and a testament to our unbreakable bond as working partners.
So I don't think anyone should be ashamed of having an "obsession" or a Special Interest. Even if you feel like no one else finds it interesting, it's important to YOU. And it brings joy into your life, which is what matters.

I am fascinated with what I have seen of those competitions. The bond between the humans and their dogs is palpable, just watching the teams! BRAVO!

 

[Luca]

Oh no, I could not do the Jacks! That is expert level stuff! The scotties were better behaved in general and, really, just want to please you.

My former SIL is great at training Jacks though. She does "Go to Ground" and belongs to an international badger hunting club. Her dogs are trophy winners in competition and her pubs have been shipped world wide. I really don't know what she sees in Jack Russells though. They are little devil dogs, too much energy and far too smart for me!

That is amazing!!! They are devil dogs lol... One of my dogs is a Rat Terrier mix and she can be pretty demonic too.
I've mentioned that my two best friends breed Pointers; their dogs have done very, very well in all types of competitions and my dogs are not nearly as decorated lol, even though mine are all titled in various fields.

 

[Gerald Wilgus]

I wish I had ONE special interest. Those of you who do develop amazing skills!
I am much too curious to choose just one. On the other hand, I am never bored.

But you do sailmaking, I thought? That, there, I think as practical magic.

 

[Suzette]

But you do sailmaking, I thought? That, there, I think as practical magic.

Not sail making. That is deffinately an engineering skill. These days sails are all designed with autocad.
I do sew for my boat. Yes, this takes skill too. But I have many interests so my expertise is slow growing in anyone area. My end results, in anyone thing, never quite progresses to expert or master level. I fit "jack of all trades, master of none" perfectly.

 

[Luca]

@Suzette , @Gerald Wilgus , @Misery ... thought you might like to see these photos I took the other day of my friend's six-month-old Pointer doing field work... I have photos here of him on point, and flushing birds! I meant to upload these a few days ago and totally forgot.
This dog is a relative of some of the top-ranked Pointers in the country, and he is as much a true working dog as he is a show dog.
I am so passionate about seeing dogs perform the tasks that they were bred to do, and they sure love doing it!! Most of you have probably heard the saying that certain breeds "need to have a job" or they're not happy... Pointers are one of them. Definitely not a dog for everyone but they really excel at what they do and are one of the most versatile and decorated breeds.
They're also referred to as "English Pointers" to differentiate between them and the German Pointer varieties (completely separate breeds), but in the US their proper name is just "Pointer."

 

[Luca]

Sorry for taking up so much space in this thread... I hope I'm not intruding on anyone. I like to share my interests but I strongly encourage others to do the same!! I'm not only interested in my own obsessions, I like seeing what everyone else is into as well!
Last thing, I promise...
Here is said dog being "stacked"- the position dogs are set up in to present to the judge in Conformation shows. Every breed has its own stack- the most famous one being the German Shepherd Dog, which has a three-point stack: the legs are positioned asymmetrically, with one extended behind.
The Pointer is stacked more traditionally, with the tail held out straight when put in position. My dogs, since they are Dogo Argentinos, are stacked with the tail between the legs or hanging down (I'll post some photos of myself stacking my dogs at some point). Every breed standard is distinctly different.
These photos show my friend stacking his dog at 8 weeks, 3 months, 4 months, 5 months, and 6 months, to show progression of physical development and structure.
The dog's head is held around the muzzle in the absence of a show lead; if he had a lead on in most of these pictures, his head would be held upright by the lead. You will commonly see Pointers and Setters stacked with the handler holding the muzzle though.
I've seen a lot of dogs lol but this Pointer is an exceptionally good-looking dog. I might post some photos of the whole litter at some point to show that he was clearly the right pick (nothing wrong with any of the other puppies of course, but this one is pretty unique).
I cropped out my friend's face lol because I'm not sure he would appreciate me posting photos of him to be displayed in front of people he doesn't know. These photos are from his kennel's Facebook page so probably okay to post as long as the face is cropped out. This dog is being campaigned everywhere so I don't think he'd mind.

 

[clg114]

I wish I had ONE special interest. Those of you who do develop amazing skills!
I am much too curious to choose just one. On the other hand, I am never bored.

I have one main special interest that never goes away, but there are other interests that get my attention. I will research them until something else gets my attention. Like you, I am very curious and never bored. How can you be in a world full of wonders?

 

[Luca]

Here are some shots of my friend's dog that he had taken for a magazine:
This one has an effect on it that I'm not crazy about, but it's meant to look artistic... this is what a lot of photos in dog show magazines look like now... if it were my dogs, I'd want the background more in focus, and less of the smoky effect. But editing aside, this dog is absolutely breathtaking

His tail isn't being held out in this one, but this was meant to be more of a free stack, and you can see that structure... gorgeous!

And here's my behind-the-scenes shot from my phone lol... mine isn't edited, and he had his leash and collar on, but still... I really think he is going to be one of the top dogs in the country in a year or so.

 

[Suzette]

I have one main special interest that never goes away, but there are other interests that get my attention. I will research them until something else gets my attention. Like you, I am very curious and never bored. How can you be in a world full of wonders?

Yes! "Learning new skills" might be considered my special interest.

 

[Gerald Wilgus]

Yes! "Learning new skills" might be considered my special interest.

So right. While hesitant about trying new things when younger (my mother was fearful of so much) that now I am always gaining new experiences and continue to learn. I won't stop until I die.