I don't usually like it when I get an overly sensitive person among my Facebook friends. Especially if it was someone I had hoped to learn from someday. I added this young lady some months ago, and she helped me learn a bit more about Ele's pedigree. I had plans to breed her. But now it seems I'm not sure I can trust her word. I won't say this person is a bad person, or incompetent as a breeder. I'm just a little disappointed finding out she's not the kind of person I thought she was. And to think I asked her to be my mentor.
It all started on a thread where someone was discussing bad breeding kennels. Apparently, she was looking over police files and found someone who had starving dogs, unhealthy dogs, and dirty. This is the woman I am talking about, Megan Berry. I thought she had it all together. But this was her response to this post...
It sounded like someone was picking on her for some reason, calling her a jerk or a bully. I do agree with what she said about "support everyone day and age". At least, I think I do. It's frustrating when someone labels you wrong sometimes. Her being a younger person, I don't think she's gotten the idea of how to just ignore people who label you wrong. I spoke a little in her defense...
If I see someone mistreating dogs, I'm gonna call them out, and I don't care what names they label me as! That's basically what I was trying to tell her. But I guess she didn't see it that way. This was her response to me...
I thought she just misunderstood me here. So, I clarified...
I was not saying "ignore the animal abuse". I thought her biggest complaint was people calling her a jerk or a bully. So, I was trying to tell her to ignore them. I thought I was assuring her by saying "That's not hard". I was not trying to be condescending at all. But I think that's how she took it. This was her response...
I kinda wanted to back off at this point a little. I did not want her to think I was downplaying her feelings if someone hurt her very bad. I was trying to cheer her up. But it seems she did not want cheering up at this moment. All I could say in response to this was...
I said this to kinda lighten the mood. Now that I am in my 50s, I often make "old woman" jokes. I thought it would at least fetch a smile from Megan. But no. She did not like it at all! This is what she had to say...
Well, I didn't mean to make it sound like I was belittling her. So, in the end, I just told her flat out...
But after finding out that she took what I was doing as trying to belittle her, I began to think that I don't think she would work out very much as my mentor for Australian shepherds. I started thinking, "I think I'd better find someone else. Someone stronger!" That's what I need. I don't want someone who is going to fall apart at every little thing. I hate to just flick her aside, because she did help me understand Ele's pedigree. But I need someone as a mentor who is stronger, and more assertive. Not someone whose feelings are gonna always be hurt. I need someone like a drill sergeant. Then I started to question whether I should keep Megan among my friends or not.
To tell the truth, I did have a bit of a falling-out before with her. She believes in abortion. I don't. Except in certain cases. But Megan is one of those that sees a baby in the womb as a "clump of cells". I was shocked to hear that coming from her! Someone who breeds dogs, and has 2 adorable kids of her own! How can she want to kill a living being in the womb!? It doesn't make sense to me. I told her I was shocked to hear that come from her! But I let her have her opinion. I should have sensed then that she was not whom I thought she was. Actually, I did. I just let it go because it was just that one disagreement.
Well, there are other aussie breeders out there I can rely on for mentorship. If not, well, I'll just keep doing what I've been doing. I just hope the next one I meet is not so depressed or too sensitive.
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