Rant

Some Companies Shipping Policies

I really don’t like to sound like a nit-picky person or a complainer, but I get really frustrated with some companies concerning their shipping policies or lack there of.

I order stuff on-line all the time. I don’t get to Greensburg much and dread the trip. Then, they usually don’t have what I need anyway.

Maybe I should order things well in advance of needing them, but I suppose I am spoiled with so many good companies that I procrastinate, forget (I do that all the time, lately), or think I have something and don’t… or can’t find it…. Whatever, the point is–I am used to ordering items and receiving them rather  quickly–within a few days.

Rather I order again from a company frankly depends on their shipping service. There are enough companies selling the same products. I recently decided to order something I need rather quickly from a new company (new to me). They had several items that I needed, so instead of  ordering from a few different companies, I placed the order with the new one….

That was Sunday night. Wednesday, since I hadn’t received a tracking number or anything from them, I thought I would inquire as to the status. I received a friendly reply that my order had just shipped…

Just shipped? Two business days after I place the order? I very much expected to be receiving it by now! GRRRRRR!!!!!

I see nothing on their site saying they will ship the same day an order is placed–or two days–for that matter. I chose the least expensive shipping option, yes, I always do. And I always receive my orders from other companies within 4 days at the very most from the day I place the order. The tracking number I finally received says I will receive my order next Monday. I find this quite upsetting! Had I known, I would have ordered elsewhere. I need one item now–Monday is much too late. I am rather upset.

I suppose I should have inquired. I suppose I should have picked a faster shipping option if I needed it so badly, eh? I wish they would have had options as to how quickly I needed them to pack my order! Geesh.

I don’t know that I am being that unreasonable–I had a retail business and sold tons of items online. When sales were made, I would scramble and stay up all night if I had to in order to get the items packaged and ready to ship. I don’t know, maybe I was crazy, maybe I expect too much, maybe I am spoiled by ordering from companies on the other side of the country that care about my lowly business and get my orders to me within a few days!  One thing I do know is that I will not be ordering from this company again–at least not when I really need something!!!

Another product I ordered from another company did arrive yesterday–excellent service — thank you!

A Good Bird Dog is Always the Right Color

I have another rant… I am sure this will get me into trouble, but I frankly don’t care. There has been a rash of contacts lately from folks wanting a particular color puppy. Okay, okay, I understand we all want a certain thing. There are colors we all have in our mind that we want our perfect Llew to be, I guess. Okay not “we” because this does not include me. I was trying to be nice. But, I could care less about the color. The thing is, the color should be , fourth, fifth, …. tenth on the list–not first! I have had several contacts and the first thing they ask… well, actually, this is another rant and if anyone reads these dumb posts of mine, you know how I feel about “picks” of the litter and such, but I won’t get into that here, so okay the first thing is what “pick” would they have and second what color will it be? Now, this doesn’t seem too bad except they asked nothing about the sire or the dam. They didn’t mention at all what characteristics they are looking for in their bird dog. Nope, all they asked is what pick they have and what color that will be. huh? Oh, and then there was the person that said they don’t care about hunting ability at all because the pup will be a companion only… gee, you’ve come to the wrong place! Sorry–you were a very nice fellow and I am sure the pup would have a very loving, wonderful home–but these dogs live to hunt!  I don’t know, I suppose I am the bad guy, but I just do not for the life of me understand why folks look for a hunting breed–and not just any hunting breed–but this hunting breed when they have absolutely no plans to hunt? This breed has always been bred to hunt or trial… How can anyone take that away from them? I don’t get it one bit. It’s like buying a lawn mower and not having a lawn to mow. It’s like buying a race car and never taking it over 35 mph. Like, why would you do that? What’s the sense in that?

So, I could go on and on, here. And I’m sure I’ve upset some folks lately with my responses. They will probably have a lot to say about me and it won’t be nice. When it comes to these dogs, it matters a lot to me the kind of person the dog is going to and if they are more concerned about their number in line or the color of the dog, then I don’t want one of these pups going there! Look, pick your breeder, pick your breeding pair, then you should be able to close your eyes, reach in and pick a pup. If it is a good breeder, and a good breeding pair with the characteristics you desire in your pup, what pup you pick from that litter should not matter. Each should possess the same potential.

Okay, okay, I understand folks are spending good money on a pup. I understand if they are spending the money, they may as well get the whole package–everything they dream their bird dog should be.  But, does the color really matter? Doesn’t conformation, intelligence, health, style, class, nose, bird-sense, demeanor, range…. all of that matter way more than the color?

And, after all, isn’t a good dog always the right color? (Richard Purcell Llewellin said that.)

Alright, enough.

On the brighter side of things (I really am a cup half-full person), it is spring, it’s time to get out, breathe the fresh air, run the bird dogs, get back into shape, and look forward to our new bird dog puppies and the promise of Autumn!