Ta-Daa! Bonus points for guessing why JD is glowering at me from behind the mag 🙂
Couple months ago I started receiving emails from a reader I don’t know, asking me to post some of JD’s appearances in Pet Pet Magazine and looking for some copies for a magazine collection. The conversation progressed eventually to the reader offering me up to USD 100 for a back copy of Pet Pet Magazine, because they are quite serious about the collection.
Now, the whole exchange was very polite and respectful, and I had initially hoped to surprise them with something I could find for the HKD 15 newsstand cost (or whatever it sells for nowadays) – and so for the next few weeks I looked out for Pet Pet at local newsstands. This turned up nothing, and I figured the magazine must be out of print, goodness knows since when, and promptly gave up.
Fast forward to spring cleaning, and now a copy turns up. I can’t read the Chinese, but I don’t think this one is reporting JD’s biggest win (which was, if I recall correctly, the first HK International Agility Competition (she and two other dogs – a lab named Choco and the top dog in her school Katie were the others I think – shared the team advanced event top position) – which then dragged on into the freezing night. Very un-glamorous ending. I got so sick after. In fact, I don’t even know if I saved that magazine, we came by the one I’m posting because a bunch of local dog-lover friends had found it and given it to us.)
So anyway here’s some of what’s inside this one..
From the names of the other contestants, I think this is one of our first competitions…
(Someone correct me if I’m wrong – I can’t read any of the Chinese – there’s a small dog – Shih Tsu I think – named “Cotton Candy” (Mien Fah Tong) in the placings? Cos I vaguely remember hearing the owner yelling “Fah Tong, Fah Tong!” at him around the pitch :D)
Anyway here’s the rest of the magazine. Cover story:
I. KNOW.
So… the dog’s name is “Hold Your Horses Of Whiteville”? What do they call him, “Horsie”? Miss would TOTALLY call him that…
Yeah he’s a centrefold too! (And below the poster, some adoption ads I think)
ps: And then some more pages… Cats, turtles, fish, stories, ads…
You’re right about Fah Tong 🙂 – he was placed third.
The Alsatian has a very odd name though, 王下胃’s direct translation is “King Below Stomach”?
Thanks thanks 🙂
I don’t know what her name translates to, I thought it sounded like “Wong Har Wai” or something in Canton – the reason I vaguely remember that is because each time they called out the name some of the dog owners would chuckle/snigger – apparently it’s the same name as some actress and they thought that was funny (whereas no one blinks at “Fah Tong” and “Po-ta-to”)
The Alsatian’s handler was viewed as slightly odd, in that unlike the other dog owners who are usually chatty, he’s polite but mostly keeps to himself.. He’s small, lean and muscle-y guy who in later competitions would dress up in army fatigues/ camo print gear. He had a fairly attractive wife/ gf who always came along, and (sorry to say) the Alsatian while well trained appeared a bit scared of him (but like other handlers he pampers her with good food, toys etc)… Guess he was a bit of a Tiger Dad 😀
Wow that’s a training academy named after her??? Well he’s got the camo fatigues on, I went to look at some of the pics which show his face and yes I think that’s him (them)… Thank you so much for posting this!