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Tales of Taboo

How we got our name and motto

If you've ever watched the National Geographic Channel you've probably seen the show Taboo advertised. The show covers things that are normal for some people or other cultures, but are viewed as "not normal" by many others.

What is "normal" any way right?

Taboo crew, getting strange looks since 2008 fits us pretty well.

If I had nickel for every strange look we got everyday, I'd be rich.

Here are some of things people here find strange:

I have two large dogs in the house. While others do to, big dogs are very commonly kept on chains or in kennels in the backyard. "Big dogs don't belong in houses."

I'm a pretty petite person, when I walk both of my dogs together with them at heel on loose leashes, you'd think a meteor had dropped from the sky and taken our place or something. This elicits many odd looks from people driving by, especially men.

I feed prey model raw. I get strange looks at the grocery stores, negative comments from family, and looks of horror from others. Much time is spent explaining the diet and the many myths surrounding it.

When the dogs go out to play people walking by the yard need their eyes put back in. My dogs play rough. Wrestling, pinning, chasing, head butting etc. I had a good laugh earlier this week. The dogs were in the yard wrestling and a lady came walking by with a stroller and a little white dog. She glanced toward our yard, did a double take, tightened the leash and walked faster. Apparently she had to get away from the "viscious beasts" quickly. Keep in mind there is a HUGE lot between my fence and the sidewalk she was on, the dogs didn't even notice her.

My only worry with the dogs playing like that is I now live nearby the police station. Its what I see when I look out my kitchen window, well that and some National Guard equipment. With some of the cop stupidity that's happened around here, I worry that the police will see the dogs playing and think "OMG dangerous dogs, must kill". Needless to say if the dogs are out, I'm out, or next to a window to watch them. Plus if the dogs thought for a second I wasn't watching them, they might decide the yard isn't big enough and hop the fence.

I enjoy training, showing, and spending time with my dogs in general. I prefer there company to that of most people. People know how important my dogs, and dogs in general are to me. They find this strange.

My bookshelf gets strange looks. There are a couple shelves full of dog related books on all sorts of topics, a couple with books for the kids, and then a couple empty ones that contain dog equipment at the moment. As I gather even more dog books the equipment will get moved somewhere else.

I took a lot of crap from family and co-workers (now former) for boarding Max and Bindi several months ago. Everyone thought I should "just get rid of" them. They weren't happy when I told them that wasn't an option, and it was my money not theirs.

I could go on, but you get the idea. In general where I live, we're viewed as "odd", people probably look at me like the crazy dog lady.

Oh well, that's why we come here. Dogster is our second family.