UPM Dogathon 2010

The month of the doggies has arrived once more (In addition to Merdeka), and the vet students  of UPM have once again carried out their annual Dogathon in great Egyptian mythical style.

In case you didn’t know, they had various themes throughout the few years it has been held, starting off with Aerospace in 2008, followed by Carnivale Canine in 2009 and Ancient Egypt this year.

Their sub-caption for the Egyptian theme was ‘Celebration of the Timeless Guardians’. I found this quite meaningful since dogs have been ‘Man’s best friend’ ever since anyone could remember. Do a quick search on Wiki and you will find a few articles on notable ‘Man’s best friend’ throughout the ages. There’s Bobbie, the Wonder Dog who travelled 2800 miles to return to his owners, Greyfriars Bobby who guarded the grave of his owner who passed on for 14 years until he died, and Hachiko who waited at the train station his owner normally got off (at the precise moment the train was due at the station) for 9 years not knowing that his owner had passed away. Another notable story was George Graham Vest’s ‘Eulogy on the Dog’.

Sadly only part of the transcript survived

Gentlemen of the jury: The best friend a man has in this world may turn against him and become his enemy. His son or daughter that he has reared with loving care may prove ungrateful. Those who are nearest and dearest to us, those whom we trust with our happiness and our good name, may become traitors to their faith. The money that a man has, he may lose. It flies away from him, perhaps when he needs it the most. A man’s reputation may be sacrificed in a moment of ill-considered action. The people who are prone to fall on their knees to do us honor when success is with us may be the first to throw the stone of malice when failure settles its cloud upon our heads. The one absolutely unselfish friend that a man can have in this selfish world, the one that never deserts him and the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous is his dog.

Gentlemen of the jury: A man’s dog stands by him in prosperity and in poverty, in health and in sickness. He will sleep on the cold ground, where the wintry winds blow and the snow drives fiercely, if only he may be near his master’s side. He will kiss the hand that has no food to offer, he will lick the wounds and sores that come in encounters with the roughness of the world. He guards the sleep of his pauper master as if he were a prince. When all other friends desert, he remains. When riches take wings and reputation falls to pieces, he is as constant in his love as the sun in its journey through the heavens.

If fortune drives the master forth an outcast in the world, friendless and homeless, the faithful dog asks no higher privilege than that of accompanying him to guard against danger, to fight against his enemies, and when the last scene of all comes, and death takes the master in its embrace and his body is laid away in the cold ground, no matter if all other friends pursue their way, there by his graveside will the noble dog be found, his head between his paws, his eyes sad but open in alert watchfulness, faithful and true even to death. (Source)

It’s really a beautiful eulogy which describes our timeless guardians.

The annual event managed to make it into the Malaysian Book of Records for the largest gathering of dogs (around 1100 dogs) but I think that pales compare to it being a celebrative tribute to our timeless friends worldwide.

That said, here are some photos of the dogs (I brushed up on my knowledge on dogs’ breeds but do correct me if I get the names wrong)

~Baby poodle in a cute red outfit~

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~HUSKIES!!!!~

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~A Pomeranian~

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~A Rottweiler~

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~A Schnauzer~

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~A Shih Tzu (one of the many you will see at the event)~

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~The cutest Shih Tzu puppy I’ve ever seen ~

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~This beagle is a winner~

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~A huge Bernese mountain dog~

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~Border Collie, if there’s a dog I would want to take as a pet, it’ll be a border collie~

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~A border collie participating in one of the events~

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~This little Chihuahua seemed a bit intimidated by the other larger dogs~

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~A lion-like Chow Chow~

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~Shih-Tzu with a make-over~

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~ A Dashund staring curiously at its owner~

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~This little one managed to fetch the Frisbee~

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~A tired looking German Shepherd~

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~A beautiful Golden Retriever (just look at the fur, tempted to touch)

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  ~Wishfully looking at something, possibly food?~

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~There’s this jogging event where dogs and owners can take part in. But this doggie just look worn out after the jog~

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~A beginning of a beautiful friendship~

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~Husky with heterochromia, different coloured eyes~

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~A maltese~

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~Three poodles in a stroller (one is hidden)~

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~There is some flirting going on between the dogs as well, especially this horse-looking-like Schnauzer. The poodle seemed uninterested though~

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~Beautiful Spaniel woof-ing~

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~St Bernard (reminds me of Marley & Me)

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I was walking around the event area when I noticed this man sitting down by the pond. His golden retriever was not on a leash and was standing right beside him. After a while it sat down next to its owner, patiently waiting for him. The bond between the man and the dog was just amazing, and it simply shows how a dog really is ‘Man’s best friend’.

 

~The bond between man and dog are just beautiful at times~

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But this also applies the woman…

~This little one shows us that they can also be ‘Women’s best friend’~ 

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After the event, I’m really considering getting a dog as a pet in the not-so distant future.

And I’m really in love with the Border Collie!!!

 

~WOOF WOOF!!!~