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Slow Democracy: An Antidote to Today's Money-Corrupted, Corporate-Dominated Politics
The following is an excerpt from Slow Democracy: Rediscovering Community, Bringing Decision Making Back Home by Susan Clark and Woden Teachout (Chelsea Green, 2012):
Over the past twenty years, scholars and practitioners in the emerging field of dialogue and deliberation have discovered a pent-up demand for authentic community interaction, in which citizens can have their voices heard locally and make a difference. Americans are eager for a return to community service; in one recent poll, nearly 90% of respondents said that they valued being involved in their communities. And with a new generation of technological tools at our command, we are more skilled in self-organizing than at any other point in our past. We have the ability to make choices that are more ecologically, economically, and socially sustainable, and the will to implement them. The message from slow democracy's grassroots is clear: it may take time, but it's worth it.
If we're going to take the time to slow down, we want quality. Slow democracy doesn't mean we have to attend every poorly advertised, badly run city council meeting. What slow democracy can help us do is learn to identify authentic, healthy processes; participate judiciously and with the patient confidence that real change takes time; and support the people who engage us in meaningful decision making, so they'll do it some more. Inclusive, well-run deliberations with effective follow-through can make an enormous difference in the life of a community.
Slow food advocates know that a sustainable food system must offer healthy food in an ecologically viable way, but there's more. As journalist Ben Hewitt describes in The Town That Food Saved, "It must feed the locals." Just as slow food cannot only feed the rich and elite, slow democracy must be open to all. The people, or demos in Greek, are at the heart of the word "democracy."
Finding a place in the life of the already overburdened and underprivileged—such as single working parents, or low-wage workers who string together two or three jobs—is one of the greatest challenges of slow democracy. But these are the populations most often shut out of the democratic process, and most in need of what it has to offer. Slow democracy incorporates people from all walks of life and the full range of the human condition: from talkers to doers, from those who value charts and graphs to those who love chatting over coffee. It makes room for those who like to talk at microphones but also celebrates the vast majority of us who would, frankly, rather die than make a speech. It builds on the already-existing web of relationships that form a community, recognizing that some of our best ideas come while taking a walk with a neighbor. And it forges new relationships, introducing us to people we might have avoided but come to appreciate.
Slow democracy says to parents who want to understand local school spending and be able to influence it: we need your expertise. Slow democracy says to landowners who care about their property values and the decisions that affect them: you are not alone.
Slow democracy gives a vocabulary to people who would like more decisions to be made with, not by, their leaders. It gives confidence to policy makers who have a hunch that citizens have valuable wisdom and skills to share. And it offers a checklist to those who wonder whether their community's democratic process is all it should be.
Slow Is on the Rise
The slow food movement has spawned slow movements of other kinds. Most notably, the "slow money" movement urges economic support for local, sustainable endeavors and an understanding that quick profit should not be the only criterion for investment. Slow democracy takes its inspiration from these other movements. They are invigorating citizens to take back power from centralized institutions, and we seek a parallel understanding for our towns, schools, and communities.
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DO NOT buy from Omega Shepherds
Posted by
CLANCY, MONTANTA -- I purchased my German shepherd from Omega Shepherds In February 2009. Within the first few days I noticed my puppy would make a very odd gurgly noise in her throat, it sounded as though she was preparing to vomit. When my puppy was making this noise her throat also would appear to be extending out, it reminded me of a frog when they puff out their throat. I contacted the breeder and explained my observations and inquired as to whether there were any issues with other littermates or the mother or father of my puppy. They denied any health issues with their puppies.
In the coming weeks the issue became more apparent and would cause my puppy more issues after she was eating. After several tests (to include x-rays and a barium swallow test I was informed my puppy had a severe case of esophageal dysphagia. The veterinarian explained that this issues was sometimes seen in a much older dog but had never been observed in a puppy. The vet further explained the concerns I noted (the throaty, extending throat, and issues after eating) was a result of this condition. In essence my puppy had a lack esophagus muscle which is what allows a dog to push their food down from their mouth to the stomach. This also leads to issue with digestion, vomiting, possible choking on food, and bloat issues. Because that we were dealing with such a young puppy the prognosis was not good. I was informed in older dogs a surgery can be done which is basically a surgical scraping of the dogs esophagus which then forms scar tissue and helps tighten up and decreases the looseness of the esophagus. This procedure was not an easy fix as in older dogs it sometimes has to be repeated after time. I was informed a dog suffering from this condition will require lifelong care to help in the ingestion and proper digestion of food and water. (such care was needed to help make up for what the esophagus was not doing which was pushing down and holding down the food, elevated feedings, soft food, and limited amounts of food and water at a time.)
The veterinarian informed me the puppy would have a very poor quality of life and could likely choke on its own food and water if not always supervised. I called the breeder after learning such terrible news and after she adamantly denied any health issues with her dogs her answer was to have the puppy put down. My daughter had already begun to bond with the dog and I could not bring myself to euthanize such a young puppy that could have a chance at life. The next night I was up all night with my puppy and realized the condition she was suffering from was not only problematic but caused her to suffer. I came to this realization after she was done eating and she was having difficulty getting the food down. You could see a bulge in her esophagus where the food was stuck and would not push down into her stomach. She appeared to be in pain and was restless and uncomfortable. She was pacing uncontrollably, panting, and attempting to vomit repeatedly. I frantically called the vet and was informed this was to be expected due to her diagnosis and if the puppy was having such difficulties the incidents and issues would only increase with time. When I spoke to the breeder her answer was again to euthanize the dog and she would "replace" her with a new puppy. I consulted with my vet the following day and determined the puppy had such a severe case of dysphagia that euthanasia was the "best option." (This was a traumatic and emotional decision but it was either this or allow the puppy to suffer and possibly die from choking at anytime.)
Although the breeder did "replace" my puppy with one from another litter she was difficult to work with. It was obvious the recent events had caused me and my daughter to be emotionally drained and she still refused to bring the new puppy to me (approximately 4 hours away). I explained I did not believe I should have to drive the 4 hours again since I had just made the trip less than 3 weeks prior to pick up my sick and now euthanized puppy. I explained I had a young child and was unable to make another trip to pick up the puppy. She refused to make the trip. .
After receiving my new puppy I immediately took her to the vet for a check. At the check-up I was informed the puppy had a severe overbite which would cause her issues in the future. The vet informed me this was a major defect and would require her bottom canines to be shaved down to prevent them from protruding into the roof of her mouth.
When I called the breeder to explain the recent discovery at my vet she again denied any such issues with her puppies. I asked what the odds were that I would have gotten the only 2 puppies with health issues.....of which were from 2 separate litters. The breederâs only answer to this was to offer to exchange my puppy for yet another. I explained this was the 2nd puppy I had received from her with health issues and was certain another puppy would only have further issues. She refused to return my money. I further explained that the recent veterinarian visits with the previous sick puppy had cost me over $500 on top of the $1500 I had just paid for the puppy. The breeder eventually agreed to return $500 of my money but under the agreement that my new puppy would not be allowed to be registered and would have to be spayed. As I was only interested in a family pet this was easy for me to agree to. I had to make other arrangements for the puppy to be brought back to me as the breeder still refused to bring her to me.
My "puppy" is now 2 years old is a part of family and is very much loved but there are ongoing issues. Her bottom canines were shaved down and are approximately half the size they should be. She has difficulty eating and drinking due to the gap between her upper and lower jaw. She also has a significant limp in her right front leg, which started over 6months ago and will continue to cause her pain and issues throughout the rest of her life. At times she carries the leg as though it is broken and is unwilling/unable to bear any weight on the leg. At such a young age she should not be suffering from any such ailments and I only hope she will not have further health issues to endure.
When I decided to purchase a german shepherd, it was becaue I was looking for a breed of dog with the protective and guard characteristics of a shepherd. I was living on my own with my young daughter and was looking for a dog that would be a good guard dog and protetcive of not only my daughter and myslef but our home. I felt a purebred german shepherd would have the "truest" temperament and characteristics of the breed without making the characteristics I was searching for "overemphasized." I really thought a purebred shepherd would help ensure the temperament was truest to the breed and did not consider the additional health issues that often accompany purebreds due to the breeding process and limited gene pool which often only empahsizes and exaggerates the health conditions and issues of the breed. I do understand purebreds also have the higher likelihood of health issues associated with their breed but not to the extent, variation, and severity as I have had with my 2 puppies from Omega Shepherds. Like my vet said an 8-10 week old puppy with Esophageal dysphagia has never been observed by him and is only a condition he has only seen in a much older dog. And the issues with my second puppy from Omega had the issue of the overbite (which is not at all a characteristic common with the breed but is a result of 'overbreeding' and the issues with her front right shoulder is very severe and she is just over 2 years old....not an issue a young 2 year shepherd should be struggling with!!
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jktshff1 on 07/21/2011:
Well written review, thanks
Kurizumaru on 07/22/2011:
Sounds like this place you bought your dog from is a puppy mill. Might want to report that to any local agencies you can find. This is why people are against puppy mills. The dogs never have a quality of life and they 'breeders' are only interested in money.
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Omega Shepherds is Wonderful !
Posted by
DENVER, COLORADO -- I have been watching Omega Shepherds site for years and was finally ready to purchase a puppy from them when I saw some of these complaints on line about them. I became nervous and almost didn't buy a puppy, but I was so in love with their dogs that I decided to research some of these comments about them. After reading many of the posts I started to realize that so many of them sound like they are posted by the same person with different user names - the more I read the stranger they sounded. I read all of Omega Shepherds references on their site and didn't see how all these comments on line could be true. I decided to see what would happen if I put in other reputable breeders like - Fleisherheim and Mittelwest who are always in the tops at the Sieger Shows - and I was shocked that ALL of them have the same type of complaints - and ALL of them sound exactly the same, bad hips, bad health, dogs died, etc. etc. etc.
I have a hard time believing ALL of these breeders are producing "Bad" dogs and treating everyone badly and it sounds like someone has a problem with "Breeders" per se, or maybe it is smaller breeders - I don't know.
I went ahead and purchased a female puppy. She has been the most wonderful pup from day one. The first night she wanted to be cuddled several times - the next night she slept clean through! She is my 18 month old sons shadow. She doesn't let him out of her site and she is just 9 weeks old! We just came from the vet shwere she got a clean bill of health and he proceeded to say that this was one of the best mannered and well adjusted german Shepherds he has seen in years.
I am glad I did my research and didn't let the internet stop my wonderful decision to buy the most wonderful - well adjusted - well socialized - puppy I could imagine.
Omega Shepherds is wonderful!
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jktshff1 on 10/03/2012:
1satisfied customer will tell 2 people. 1 dissatisfied customer will tell 10 people. That's just how it works. People are more inclined to share bad experiences than good.
another happy customer on 11/13/2012:
I too have obtained a GSD from Omega shepherds and I have been so happy to have her. I also get a ton of compliments on her every time we are out and about. I too find the "upset customers" to be maybe the same person trying to bash them because of intimidation. my GSD had received a clean bill of health from 3 separate vets and has been an absolute joy for my child and I. I will be one of many happy Furbaby parents that have received GSD's from Omega shepherds that would proudly stand up for them!!
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BEWARE--Irresponsible Breeder Selling Compromised German Shepherd Dogs
Posted by
CLANCY, MONTANTA -- We purchased our German Shepherd puppy in May 2007 from Omega Shepherds, without reviewing prior online complaints. I should have known there was a problem from the beginning when the contract stated there was only a guarantee IF we purchased an expensive vitamin supplement for one year that Omega Shepherds is the distributor for! This is not stated on the website.
When our new puppy had blood in her first stool with us, I called Julie of Omega Shepherds and incredibly she claimed there were no parasites in Montana so our puppy had not received the typical dewormers. Our puppy DID have parasites and was treated appropriately by our vet.
Our dog was also diagnosed with HIP DYSPLASIA at 3 years of age when she started limping. I was naïve and did not realize I needed to view X-rays and that Julie had lied about the hip dysplasia certification. Her back legs also point outward in an abnormal position. I recently found online another Omega Shepherd dog with this "frenchy" position of the fore legs.
She was also diagnosed with PANNUS when my son noted a growth on her eyeball and requires daily steroid eye drops. I have since noted online that many Omega Shepherds develop this debilitating eye disease.
Starting at around 9 months of age she developed SEVERE ALLERGIES. Even with a grain-free diet, multiple dietary elimination trials and environmental allergy shots she continued to gnaw mercilessly at her anus and lick her paws until they were raw and bleeding or infected. We are unable to lower her daily steroid medication so she is STEROID DEPENDENT and she subsequently became HYPOTHYROID requiring daily thyroid medication.
Earlier this year she developed SKIN CANCER on her tail.
Our vet calls her our "million dollar dog" for the cost of all of her ailments which we recognize is due to the IRRESPONSIBLE BREEDING PRACTICES of Omega Shepherds.
We love our dog but it is heart-breaking that this breeder is producing such sick, compromised dogs. I hope this review helps someone else avoid Omega Shepherds like the plague. More than the financial aspect, their irresponsible breeding and selling practices have caused us tremendous heartache with what our wonderful dog has had to endure.
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pulkpull on 08/06/2013:
It sounds like you bought a german shepard.
These are pretty much everything that german shepards get.
Pure breed dogs are kind of cruelity to animals.
trmn8r on 08/07/2013:
I don't agree with the comment of "pulkpull" above. First, this breeder has numerous complaints against it online. I own a purebred dog from a breeder who has been actively breeding and showing dogs for 20 years - she has zero (0) complaints against her.
Secondly, if this sequence of diseases was typical, nobody would own a shepard. As the author of the complaint notes, the fact that buying a vitamin supplement for a year was required in exchange for a health guarantee was a huge red flag, and the breeder should have been avoided.
Breeding pure bred dogs properly often results in exemplary and healthy examples of the breed. When done poorly it results in sales for breeders and heartache and huge bills for the buyer.
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Irresponsible breeding
Posted by
I am a trainer/breeder of gsd's/writer and expert in dog psychology and dog behavior. 27 years experience and counting. I run a small training and kenneling facility in Kalispell, MT. I am very, very familiar with gsd's, being my own breed of choice. I have recently had the (mis)fortune to work with 2 dogs from Omega kennels. I cannot say there is anything "physically" wrong with these dogs, and they are, by any standards, beautiful in markings, pigmentation and conformation. HOWEVER, I would seriously caution anyone from buying one of these dogs. In my opinion, Omega Shepherds is guilty of gross over and in breeding, producing dogs who are so high strung, hyperactive, stressed and tense as that only a VERY small portion of the population could even remotely begin to control or train them. I've seen many examples of irresponsible breeding in my days, and Omega Shepherds would be listed up with the top 10. German Shepherds are NOT supposed to be that high strung. Too much focus on conformation and looks to the detriment of the breed overall. Anyone reading this, please! DO NOT purchase one of these dogs. It's really sad to see what some people have done to such a magnificent breed.
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Anonymous on 10/07/2011:
This isn't the first complaint about Omega Shepherds that's been posted here, although I believe most (all) others have been about physical deficiencies.
I don't know that I think it's fair to post a negative review based on a dog's hyperactivity or to make a statement that only a small percentage of Omega's dogs can be trained when you've only had experience with two. JMHO.
At Your Service on 10/07/2011:
IMHO, the breading and selling of dogs is simply wrong. There are wonderful dogs available at most shelters that absolutely love and need a good home.
Skye on 10/07/2011:
I concur with j/c.
I've never owned any other dogs, but German Shepherds, and have many years of experience with them, as well as working in the animal care medical field.
Like people dogs all are different with different personalities, and I've seen my share over the years of high strung German Shepherds. Love, patience, persistence and kindness is what works best, which I'm sure you know, since you are so very experienced with the breed.
I don't think it's fair blaming Omega, unless you have absolute proof they did something to cause the issues these dogs are having, which I'm just going by what you said.
There is no such thing as a pure bred German Shepherd not being that high strung. They are all different, some mellow, some wilder. It all comes down to how you treat them. They need to be taught their place in their human pack, and this is a breed that will dominate you if you allow them.
Just my opinion.
Skye on 10/07/2011:
All my German Shepherds are all rescues from German Shepherd rescue facilities.
You can find so many pure bred rescue's out there. It's true, they never forget they were rescued.
And I'm also a firm believer and have it on my blog regarding the importance of spaying and neutering, but it's never going to stop, unfortunately.
lexophiliac on 10/07/2011:
The behaviors you have described OP are but a few that are not uncommon in purebreds of any breed.
Anonymous on 10/07/2011:
Great responses, Skye.
MDSasquatch on 10/07/2011:
Considering all of the shelters that are being overrun with dogs and cats, most commercial breeding is irresponsible and should be banned.
Skye on 10/07/2011:
It will never be banned. The sad truth is, for very animal someone buys, another shelter animal will die.
This is why if someone prefers a pure breed, look for a pure breed rescue for the particular breed you are looking for.
The worst of the worst are puppy mills, but that's another story all together.
Churro on 10/07/2011:
Why should commercial breeding be banned when it's the irresponsible behavior of pet owners that is filling the pet shelters?
Skye on 10/07/2011:
It's not just irresponsible behavior that lands animals in shelters. Now there are so many animals being surrounded where I volunteer, due to financial hardships. They cannot feed their family, and the pet is usually the first to go.
It's a sad state all the way around. But it also can help be alleviated if people would take responsibility and spay and neuter their pets more often.
Nohandle on 10/07/2011:
I don't know about other areas but in mine just a call to the shelter will put you on the list for a specific breed of animal if they don't already have one there. Responsible pet owners have to give up their pets on occasion. These are not feeble, elderly animals with multiple health issues. Give your local shelter a call to inquire. No cost, no obligation.
Brianna on 10/02/2012:
I was gifted with two beautiful dogs from Omega Shephergs in clancy, Montana last year. My Shepherds are beautiful, smart and a joy to behold...they are my babies. I am reading these reviews and can only think that that are either from other dog breeders or just from people who know nothing about rearing dogs...love my dogs from Omega Shepherds!
Happy OMEGA shepherd MOMMA!!! on 11/12/2012:
I will give my opinion to the Omega shepherds In Clancy, Montana. I was blessed with a shepherd from Leah and Julie. She has been the most amazing dog, Easy to train, (only took me 3 days to potty train, at 8 weeks old) I have taken her to various places and have had compliments from everyone that sees her. Including trainers of all backgrounds, people that have had many shepherds, and no it was not just on her beauty but on her amazing manners as well. yes she is only 8 months old and she has a bit more learning to do. however I have committed to MAKING TIME and the COMMITMENT to train her from day one!in the first training session at 8 weeks old I spent 15 minutes with her and she picked up 8 commands and has retained them. I live in an apartment,(she gets regular exercise) I have a disablity, yet still find the ways of working with her and giving her a loving home and chance to exercise on a regular basis. she is my child's best friend, our protector, and a blessing in our life. I now have a trainer who has worked with many a shepherds that I will be working with to train our shepherd to become a "service/mobility dog" and they were amazed at how smart and trainable she is picking up on commands and tricks so quickly. I fully stand behind Julie and Leah at Omega shepherds. (also if you say breeders are the reason so many pets are in shelters) In my contract with Omega shepherds they say that if I am no longer able to take care of my furbaby, for any reason I must return her to them to find her a new home... a responsible breeder will 1.) make a contract, 2)do an investigation of living conditions and the family BEFORE selling an animal 3) make sure that the furbaby will ALWAYS be in a loving home and that if they find abuse, the animal will be given back to them WITHOUT REPAYMENT!!! I have done my research and I have owned many "mutts" and "shelter animals" but before I obtained my furbaby I did my research and visited many shelters, breeders, and really did my homework before choosing Omega Shepherds. I think it is unfair to base an opinion off only a "few shepherds" from Omega Shepherds. my questions are for you... 1) how old were they? 2) were the owners committed to training with them? 3) were they exercised well on a regular basis? I believe to base an opinion off of just a "few" shepherds from Omega, (without truly knowing backgrounds) and to come to a public forum and to bash them is wrong. I truly believe that after speaking with the breeder, working with Omega Shepherds, I can honestly and from experience say they are wonderful ladies, take love and care with all their animals, they follow up with families, enjoy the updates and pictures, are available at ANY hour with questions and concerns from puppy and adult dog owners. I will highly recommend contacting Leah and Julie for a dog or puppy.
ananomous on 10/16/2013:
my puppy was really hyper when I got her too but she's the love of my life and I don't care if anything is wrong with her. She was probably the easiest dog I've ever trained in my life. Now she's gentle and calm.
Lived in Helena on 01/06/2014:
I have experience with these people. They are insane. Do not trust just this site, but do research. There are literally hundreds of complaints about these people and their dogs. They WILL NOT stand behind their guarantee at all. Their dogs are not raised inside they are in small kennels. This is nothing more than an overpriced puppy mill.
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German Shepherd Puppy with Severe Hip Dysplasia
Posted by
CLANCY, MT, MONTANTA -- We recently purchased a German Shepherd for $1,500 from Omega Shepherds. We were looking for a good pet, not a dog to breed, but would possibly perform Rally or Agility. We were told they have very good quality companion/ working dogs. Unfortunately, at 6 months old, this supposedly well-bred dog has been found to have SEVERE bilateral hip dysplasia and will most likely need surgery before she is 10 months old. This problem was found because she started limping. We contacted the owner of Omega who said she was shocked to hear this news and wanted to know if we were going to put the dog down. Of course we are not going to put her down as she is now part of our family. We asked if we could have some of our money back to help pay for her surgery, but she said she was not able to do that but could send us another puppy. We already have one dog with a crippling genetic disease, which is very costly, so why would we want another one. We are very disappointed with this breeder and feel they need to have their dogs evaluated for this problem and stop breeding dogs who have hip dysplasia. I guess we were stupid to purchase a dog knowing that it was not OFA certified but we were assured by Omega that none of their dogs have had hip problems. Upon searching for complaints regarding Omega Shepherds, we have found that there have been several complaints regarding dogs from Omega with hip dysplasia, so apparently they know they are breeding dogs with bad hips but obviously they do not care. How sad!
I wish I had thought to search the Internet for complaints before buying from Omega. I did check with the Better Business Bureau before purchasing a dog from Omega but no complaints had been filed against them.
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madconsumer on 02/11/2010:
this condition id found in pure breds. next time look for a mixed bred shepard.
Anonymous on 02/11/2010:
"In dogs, it is primarily a disease of large and giant breeds. German Shepherds, Labrador Retrievers, Rottweilers, Great Danes, Golden Retrievers, and Saint Bernards."
"This disease can occur in medium-sized breeds and rarely in small breeds. It is primarily a disease of purebreds although it can happen in mixed breeds, particularly if it is a cross of two dogs that are prone to developing the disease."
Critical_level2 on 02/11/2010:
I agree with mad, it is an inherent trait of Germans Shepards. I had a pure bred from certified breeder and it developed the disease around 12-13 months old. It just happens with this breed.
momsey on 02/11/2010:
And this is why you should not encourage the irresponsible breeding of dogs for profit. There are millions of wonderful dogs in shelters and pounds right now, why not give one of them a chance next time?
jktshff1 on 02/11/2010:
Voted this VH, just another example of what NOT to do.
Best bet, go to a Humane Society rescue shelter for your pet. If I am not mistaken, there is a class for dogs that are not pedigreed in the rally and agility classes. Good Luck.
Ytropious on 02/11/2010:
You know this isn't the first time I've seen a complaint about this specific breeder, yet I almost never see other breeder complaints. That must mean this one is really that bad.
ExtremelyDisappointed on 02/12/2010:
I chose not to go to a shelter because you don't know the background of the dog or the dog's parents and never know what kind of temperament you might end up with. Having three small children under the age of 6, I wanted to be careful in choosing a well-bred dog whose parents had a good temperament and a dog that was not going to be prone to medical problems. I got fooled! I also wanted a protective dog. Maybe next time I will choose a shelter dog. After this experience, it would probably be a better choice!
goduke on 02/12/2010:
That is disappointing. Unfortunately, except in a couple very "progressive" areas, dogs are seen as property by the law, not as members of the family. Consequently, you don't get the option of "fix it", but only get the option of "bring it back and I'll give you another."
I got a welsh corgi/beagle mix from the local SPCA. He's a pretty good little guy.
momsey on 02/12/2010:
To the OP, you don't need to know a dog's breeding line to know whether they are going to be good with kids. A dog with great breeding lines can still be a menace. I have two shelter dogs and a toddler. I made sure the dogs we adopted had fostered in homes with kids and I pretty much knew their temperament. Our dogs and toddler get along very well, although we are always very careful not to let our son get too rough with the dogs. And they're never alone together.
Most mixed breed dogs have fewer health problems than the terribly inbred "purebreed" dogs you'll find from breeders. Did you know that even "responsible" breeders who supposedly do it for the love of the breed feel it's OK to mate close relatives? Things that are against the law for humans are perfectly fine for dogs. And people pay thousands of dollars for these dogs.
jktshff1 on 02/12/2010:
Knowing the breed and knowing what you want in a dog are critical to your choices. Great blood line and papers just guarantee you have an expensive pet.
luvsGSD on 02/21/2010:
So sorry to read this sad story. Just hope and pray that your only problem is hip related and surgery fixes it. Unfortunately for me and my Omega shepherd, she developed Pannus (blindness) at age 3 and then cancer in her lymph glands at age 4. I just wished I had caught the cancer sooner as chemo therapy does work with this particular type of cancer. I am devastated at losing her when she was just maturing into such a great dog. I hope the best for you and your shepherd....they are such a wonderful breed.
ExtremelyDisappointed on 02/22/2010:
To luvsGSD, I'm so sorry to hear about your shepherd. Do you know which dogs were the parents of the German Shepherd that you bought from Omega?
Anonymous on 07/19/2010:
We have a pet overpopulation problem as it is. Adopt a rescue dog and boycott breeders:
Nikki on 04/27/2012:
ExtremelyDisappoited, can you tell me the parents of your dog? I have a deposit on a puppy right now and I just saw all of these comments and complaints.
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My Omega Shepherd; the good news/bad news
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CLANCY, MT, MISSOURI -- My Omega Shepherd; the good news/bad news version:
I purchased my German shepherd puppy from Omega Shepherds located in Clancy, Montana approx. 4 yrs. ago. I spoke to the breeder, via telephone, and she was pleasant and patient in listening to my requests and answering questions. They requested $2500 up front and I agreed. My pup became the love of my life and one of the most gorgeous shepherds I have raised to date. Unfortunately, for me and my best companion, yesterday was one of the saddest days of my life as she was euthanized in my arms just as she was settling down into her 4th year with a vocabulary of about 50 words/commands. She was the smartest/quickest study of a dog, she was obedient, eager to please, social towards people and other dogs and yet protective of me and extremely watchful of my every move. I adored her as she did me and in these short 4 years we became the very best of pals. I will miss her forever and still cannot imagine how I will get through these days and months ahead of me.
The bad news: my Omega shepherd developed Pannus (chronic superficial keratitis, is a condition and ongoing inflammation of the cornea - the surface of the eye) that eventually leads to blindness if not treated with eye drops/ointment every single day of the dogâs life. Pannus is exacerbated by constant exposure to living in areas of snow, bright sunlight, high altitude areas and exposure to ultra violet sun rays. I do believe she was born with this auto-immune disease but it cannot be confirmed. She lived with me inside the home, slept in my bed and was only outside to watch me garden and for her beloved âfetchingâ sessions with the tennis balls. She developed Pannus about a year ago and we had it under control with daily eye drops (actually the ointment worked better for us) but it is expensive and treatment is a life-long process but one that I was more than happy to accommodate. I live in a desert climate at about sea level with no snow whatsoever. About 3 weeks ago she was diagnosed with Lymphoma (cancer of the lymph system) and unfortunately we did not discover this sooner as I was willing to treat her w/chemo therapy. It became apparent to me and my vet, after 3 treatments of chemo, that her âbadâ days were out-weighing her âgoodâ days and it was inhumane to continue this process at her Stage 5 level of prognosis. Lymphoma can be successfully treated with chemotherapy but it is a very fast growing cancer in dogs and we did not discover it soon enough.
The good news: my Omega shepherd was stunning in all respects, otherwise. Her markings and coloring were remarkable and everyone commented on her beauty. Her coat was as soft as cashmere and her energy level was almost over the top. She pranced around the perimeter of my large back yard like a 1st class stallion. I have never seen a dog so alert and beautiful in confirmation. Her bark was like a machine gun battalion and she was everything I have ever wanted or expected from a GSD. No one ever entered my yard when we were working in the garden because of the respect she commanded. I felt so safe and secure taking her with me in the car or wherever we traveled together. She was highly trainable and learned commands with not much effort on my part. Potty training her as a pup was instant. She was very âvocalâ and learned to say, âI woof youâ. She did numerous tricks and was motivated by praise rather than by treats.
With all of the above medical problems (I think I have invested over 10K in my beloved Omega shepherd), I would have paid twice that amount to keep her alive if it was possible. I loved her so much and am writing this so that others will know that there is good news/bad news as it relates to this kennel. In all fairness to the folks at Omega Shepherds, I did not contact them to discuss any of her medical conditions because I was not willing to âtrade her inâ if that was even offered. My focus and goal was to help my beloved girl stay as healthy as possible and continue our lives together for as long as possible. I am devastated by her loss. I can be reached at email@example.com for any questions or comments regarding my experience with Omega Shepherds or general questions about my dogâs medical experiences as related above.
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jktshff1 on 12/19/2009:
Sorry for your loss, I've been there.
Might I suggest you check your local rescue shelters for another friend. Also, I would recommend checking out the Anatolian Shepard line.
Good luck.
hunterspop on 12/19/2009:
Very sorry for your loss. Our 6 year old German Shepherd Ozzy also has lymphoma. Luckily we caught it early. He is currently in his second remission. It will be one year in January. So far it has cost us about 5K. I took a second job delivering papers in the morning to pay for it. I tell him I would get up at 3am everyday fot the rest of my life if it would keep him with us. He is a great friend.
Again I am so sorry.
Connoisseur on 02/14/2010:
If no one bought from breeders, they would die out. Which they should. ALL of my dogs Rottie/Shep/Pit/ were abandoned shelter dogs. ALL of them purebreds. That should say something about breeders glutting the market. These are live creatures they should not be a money producing commodity. ALL of my dogs had major problems, which I dealt with as they were family members.
Breeders cannot guarantee anything. It is hit or miss. Buying from breeders just perpetuates the unsavory industry. Get your family member from the pound. Most of them come from breeders anyway.
PepperElf on 02/14/2010:
I think it depends on the breeder too
one might want to ensure the breeder they go to has certifications of quality.
doing a quick search I found mention of the AKC
AKC is the American Kennel Club, and they inspect dog kennels and breeders to ensure the animals receive proper care, for compliance etc.
also the individual breed may have its own organization
the troublemakers are the puppymills which shouldn't be confused with true breeders.
I would recommend seriously investigating a breeder's reputation before purchasing. a true breeder will not mind this and will be proud of the reputation.
luvsGSD on 02/20/2010:
I appreciate the kind words from hunterspop and the advice from PepperELF. Looking for more and better ways to qualify a breeder other than visiting the kennel and using instincts. Doesn't it seem archaic that we do not have regulations and codes in this country as it relates to breeding pet animals that we bring into our lives, hearts and homes? I have had enough of the many people that post on these sites bringing up the rescue and shelter dogs when someone is trying to warn others about a horribly painful experience as it relates to a specific breeder. Isn't it enough that we have all gone through such pain and anguish w/the loss of a beloved family member only to have enumerable fingers pointed at us for not rescuing a dog or cat from a shelter? Have some decency and respect for the subject at hand and if you cannot add something constructive or informative than have the courtesy to refrain.
Anonymous on 02/21/2010:
First, I truly am sorry for your experience. Our pets don't know where they come from. They don't know if they're from a puppy mill or from a shelter. All they know is that they love us, and I'm sorry you had to go through what you've shared with us.
To answer your question about whether it's archaic that we don't have regulations, we do have regulations. They vary from state to state, but the issue is often with the inspectors. They rarely seem to evaluate things according to the code, and they let too many things slide. The regulations that exist need to be tighter and better enforced.
Speaking from the point of view of a person who would always encourage adoption from a shelter before any type of purchase when it comes to our pets, I don't think, (at least I hope), that people are "pointing fingers" at you for not rescuing. I understand many animal people can have the potential to be extreme. But my hope is that they're simply encouraging you to join the movement to put breeders and puppy mills out of business by refusing to give them your money again in the future.
I simply don't buy the "it depends on the breeder" argument. The breeder could be so great that the puppies sleep in bed with them, and I'd still say always adopt. That's because there are too many unwanted cats and dogs out there to keep bringing them into the world for a selfish profit. There are other ways to make money. I say get a real job and stop wasting lives because for every one that they sell, five are executed in a shelter.
Also, way too many puppy mills register themselves as "breeders" with the AKC, (whose "inspections" often pass in horrid conditions).
While not all breeders are puppy mills, all breeders and puppy mills are making profit on animal lives when we could just drop by the local shelter and save one.
Just like I said in my opening, our pets do not know from where they come.
Anonymous on 02/21/2010:
Oh, and a WARM hello to jkt and PepperElf, two old friends! We go way back. Great to see you!
Kathy Hampton on 11/14/2011:
wow I stumbled upon this site today. I still grieve the loss of my shepherd from Omega. This was about 13 years ago. She was a beautiful 3 year old....bred from Yana and I believe Jason. She was beautiful..perfect temperament..great drive. Sadly we found out she had hip displasia at around 2 years old. Even more sad...at 3 years old she died from hermangiocarcoma (cancer of the blood vessels). She had a tumor on her spleen which ruptured overnight and was dead by morning. Sadly the breeder didn't seem concerned by either the hips or her early death. Was heartbreaking for us. I am curious if other people had the same fate with their dog from Omega!
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Omega Shepherds ARE Liars & Cheats
Posted by
CLANCY, MONTANTA -- This is a dog breeder from Montana. My mum, and I tried to purchase a German Shepherd puppy from this breeder to train as a service dog.
We ran into nothing but problems!
I picked out my $1,000 puppy, and he was supposed to be "smart", and friendly with perfect markings.
She told me she was training him, and he was learning all the basics. He was 6 months old at this time, but since we wanted to train him as a service dog that is what we wanted.
We had never bought a purebred dog before, and had No experience in this area! Now I know I will never search the internet for a breeder. Not ever!
Right before he was supposed to be shipped, we got this call. The breeder was really upset, and said she was horrified to discover that the pup had a "slight heart murmur".
He shouldn't have any problems, and would still be a perfect "pet" but shouldn't be breed. (We were never going to breed him anyway.)
The breeder said she would sell him to us at $500 because she just KNEW he would be perfect for me, and "he was meant to be your's".
I didn't know what to do.
So I did the dumbest thing in the world. I said, yes.
Now I see we were suckered by that famous, "Appeal to their heartstrings," type of Sales Pitch!
Our pup was shipped out, and we picked him up. He was beautiful, but didn't listen to a word we said. Wouldn't walk on a leash, and seemed to have never beed walked on a leash ever!
I didn't know what to do.
We called the breeder because this was a German Shepherd, but his ears were NOT standing at SIX-Month-Old!
She told us that it was "normal", and to feed him gelatine.
At this point we knew something was up. (We should have known Way before, but we were naive!)
Then I complained that he didn't walk on a leash, and I couldn't handle him. He also WASN'T housebroken at 6-months.
We called the breeder two more times, and wanted to send him back she tried to refuse, and we told her THAT wasn't an option at this point.
We shipped him back, and guess what?
A call came from the airport at her end, she refused to pick him up! Would we surrender him to their local animal shelter? NO!
Then we got a bombshell :: The airport told us, "This is normal for this breeder. They buyer's send these pups back, and she refuses them so she can say she doesn't have to refund the money. Then she pickes them up at the animal shelter."
"This is what she used to try. But most shelter's had caught on to her." The man still wanted to warn us anyway.
We were heartbroken!
Needless to say we shipped the pup back, and found him a good home for free on our end! (It was to a professional dog trainer who thought she could work with him.) There was NO way we were letting this innocent pup back to That horrible woman! He didn't need to be in her "care" anymore.
This was more than 10 years ago now. But I'm horrified that this person is Still in business. So I need to get this information out there about my experience. STAY AWAY FROM OMEGA SHEPHERDS IN MONTANA!
The breeder is a liar, and a cheat.
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Sparticus on 07/29/2009:
Pure breads of any kind are known to be more likely to have health issues. So the heart murmur is not uncommon. I don't think it is fair to assume a 6 month puppy is house and walk trained. As the new owner it is your responsibility to train the dog in your new home. And walking can take months to train properly. Dogs that young cannot come packaged and fully trained.
Lastly, shepards ears may not go up in all cases, and it is common for owners to have to pin them up to get them to stay up. Our shepard's ears never went up either.
I am glad you found a suitable home for the dog, but honestly I don't see anything wrong with the dog from what you have described. Seems very normal behaviour for a puppy.
If you invest in another dog I would recommend adopting from a shelter, and hiring a dog trainer to assist you. Also, mixed breeds are the healthiest dogs since you avoid much of the problems found when inter-breeding is done with pure breds.
A&W2009 on 10/18/2009:
A six month old dog should be leashed trained, house broken, and follow Basic commands! My aunt's dog could do all of this at 2 MONTHS OLD!
So I Should Have NOT Tried To Purchase a 6 MONTH Old Dog To Be Trained As A Service Dog? Are you kidding me!?
Ytropious on 10/18/2009:
A&W a 2 months old dog being house trained and everything is NOT typical. Anyway why did the OP buy a pure bred dog to train for service if it seems they've never had experience with large dogs before? You, as the owner and master of this dog have to take the reins and be firm with your training, especially with a dog as large as a German Shepard. They are not for novice pet owners who want them to come "pretrained", which if you ask me is a crock in itself. As soon as that dog comes to it's new home it's got to learn a new set of rules. How did you intend to train it for service if you can't even teach it to walk on a leash?
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Omega is in it for the money and the 100% satisfaction is a scam!!!
Posted by
Do not believe the good posts you see about Omega Shepherds. It is them posting lies trying to salvage their name.
First off, the 100% satisfaction contract is a scam. They do not ensure the dogs ears will go up, if the dogs ears do not go up the contract is void!!! What kind of 100% satisfaction is that? They also require you to keep the dog on NUvet and Nujoiunt by Nulabs. A supplement company. That is because Omega make 1/2 of the money you send to Nulabs. If you do not keep them on it which will be an additional $130 a month... the contract is void!!! Supplements are bad and a healthy puppy should and does not need them!!!
Secondly, they lied about the parents of a puppy I was going to buy. The pictures of the father was not the same dog they showed me. The dog they showed me did not look like a german shepherd. He looked like some kind of medium size mix breed. I could not believe they had a dog like him in their breeding stock!!! He was only about 50lbs full size, almost all black, he had long curly tufts of hair behind his ears!!! The mother was spastic and out of control. She had a bad personality. She whined out of control, and jumped up and down on the kennel door and ran is circles around the kennel trying to get to the breeder. Even though her supposed puppies were only 5 weeks old she did not even recognize them at all. It was very weird!!! You could tell by the condition of the kennels and the behavior of the 20 dogs on site that they were not well cared for and hardly let out. It was very sad. They were all either whimpering and crying or barking.
They seem nice on the phone but act weird in person. Like they can't get their story straight and the niceness was only a show on the phone. Once you but the puppy they are nasty and ignore your calls!
My males ears did not go up, he is not a standard german shepherd. People always think he is a mix breed. His coat and color is not like good quality german shepherds should be.
They also breed dogs with bad personalities. They are either fearful or too friendly. They act like a crazy out of control like they are nervous. Or they are mean and do not bond with their owner. I have had a breeder and several people tell me this. One breeder told me they saw 2 females from Omega and they were squirrel like in personality. And the breeding did not take.
My shepherd whom I love to death looks and acts more like some kind of mix breed. Not standard at all!!!
Beware, they are in it for the money!!!!
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Justusryan on 05/27/2008:
I think that goes without saying... they are a business, so of course they are in it only for the money.
Anonymous on 05/27/2008:
It seems that many of the issues raised would have tipped a dog lover off that this place was not a quality breeder. It is understandable, though, that the breeder would not guarantee that the ears would stand up. The ear cartilage can be broken by rough handling (as with a loving, exuberant child playing with the dog) and the ears may not stand. Thanks for the post. It was interesting.
jim2008 on 06/28/2008:
Yes, everyone wants to make money, but at what cost? To cause suffering and to destroy a WONDERFUL breed, the GSD? A good breeder would breed to carry on and preserve the legacy of a cherished breed. So that others can share in the joy of owning a good GSD. NOT To cause pain, suffering and health problems in these poor dogs. To put people through the trauma and grief of having to watch their beloved dog suffer with the reported spinal deformities and joint problems and health issues.
They are cunning and good at lying, they fool you with their lies and fake references. If you read through other posts these people run some kind of a cult and speak of beatings and abuse to gain submission and respect from a dog.
Yes a business
can want to make money and there is nothing wrong with that. But the business also must provide a good and valuable service to be able to make money in a respectable way, especially when it involves living beings. Not to be money hungry and exploit those poor dogs and breeding unhealthy, deformed dogs with behaviour problems and charging $3,000 for them.
And as for the ears, a good GSD ears should go up, that is a breed standard and they claim to sell dogs that are of breed standards and show quality. If they claim to sell dogs that are of breed standard and show quality than why is their contract void if they do not turn out to be of show quality and breed standard? A GSD with flat ears would be excluded from the AKC and not be a GSD.
A&W2009 on 10/18/2009:
It is True :: Omega Shepherds are Liars, and will Cheat a person out of their money!
Anonymous on 10/18/2009:
Now you tell me!
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Beware of Omega Shepherds in Clancy, Montana
Posted by
CLANCY, MONTANTA -- I bought a puppy from Omega Shepherds and had it shipped to me. It came with Giardia, coccisida, and diarrhea. I took it to the vet and the vet said he had never seen such a bad case of diarrhea. He was a really sick puppy.
I called Julie of Omega Shepherds to tell her about the puppy, and how sick he was. I barely got started in the conversation and she hung up on me. Thinking we surely must have gotten disconnected, I called back and she screamed in the phone not to call her back.
Rocky had a lot of trouble with his stomach, and one or two days out of the week he would have diarrhea, and this went on his for a very long time. I paid $2,500 plus shipping for this puppy, and can say that he was never healthy. After Julie received my money she would never return my phone calls. She is a very rude person. I would certainly not recommend her to anyone. She has a lot of complaints from buyers for a reason. I am writing this to hopefully help someone else not to have to go through what I went through.
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trmn8r on 04/11/2013:
I would not buy a puppy unless it is in person, AT the breeder's site. Good breeders will want to meet you and have you see the sire and dam of the puppy as well as the kennel conditions. I drove 2 hours each way to get my puppy, and it was well worth the trip.
There are many many bad breeders out there, so it is critical to research HOW to buy a puppy before you start shopping. I didn't see any pictures of the puppy I went to buy ahead of time - I chose the breeder based on a phone interview, her reputation in the show community, and her status as head of the local club of that breed.
I'm sorry about what happened to you, but it is very far from a unique circumstance. Choosing the wrong breeder can result in thousands in vet bills, chronically sick or poorly tempered dogs and then there are genetic defects.
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Stung by Omega Shepherds
Posted by
CLANCY, MONTANTA -- Bought a German Shepherd puppy from Omega Shepherds March 2011 & I had to take a bus from Fargo, ND to Helena, MT March 2011 & got taken to the woodshed by Julie & Leah. It was hard for me to make the trip because I had Back Surgery & I got several Doctor's letters & RX Prescriptions for a medical alert, mobility service dog. The Puppy was a nightmare after getting back to Fargo the puppy would not bark & was scared to death when I had to leave her home alone when I went to get my medications or go see a doctor the puppy chewed through the sheet rock on the walls plus chewed through a door & destroyed the carpeting she was terrified even leaving for 5-minutes.
It was over $1,500.00 I got stiffed out of one of the worst dog breeders ever out there fraud & liars ever seen. Also taken advantage of the disabled. Shame on Omega Shepherds.
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fast327 on 03/09/2013:
I don't understand a point you made. If this is a "mobility service dog", then why would she be left alone so much? Does not such a dog accompany you when you leave home?
trmn8r on 03/09/2013:
This breeder has just a few complaints against them on the internet, but they are indeed there. I recognized the name immediately, because I had previously seen the complaints.
Susan on 03/09/2013:
Service dogs have to be trained as such and it is unreasonable to think that a puppy will somehow not act like a puppy. Dogs all have different personalities and cannot be evaluated or certified as a service dog until they are at least one year old.
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Flag as inappropriate Posted by llzzmm9 on 3rd September 2011
I believe that cleaning up your diet is a great way to lose weight. I have always had a clean diet and worked out, my boyfriend is a personal trainer and he says this is key.
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Thanks, i thought I am one of those few strange women who find it tough to lose weight. I have also started a diet regime to keep off the high cal food...its been almost 10 -15 days now and my weighing scale only has shifted by 2 pounds!
Flag as inappropriate Posted by early_quick on 8th September 2009
Thanks for this. I am going back to Basic myself - I get up at 4am every morning and do PT (even don my Army PT uniform to do it) outside in the early morning darkness. I'm sure my neighbors think I'm nuts. That being said, my approach to a basic training diet was way more stringent than what you've outlined. Given that most hot, military food is inedible at best, I survived off of cereal (three bowls a day) and salad. Cereal for breakfast and then add a salad for lunch and dinner using the safest looking items on the salad bar.
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When hes not traveling the world in search of inspiration for his textile designs, John Robshaw heads home to a haven of exotic treasures in Manhattan
By Ingrid Abramovitch
Designer John Robshaw's New York Home
Seven years ago, Robshaw finally felt financially secure enough to purchase his own home, but was faced with sticker shock. Priced out of most of Manhattan, he was considering Brooklyn when two architect friends invited him to see their apartment in a high rise on the Lower East Side. Robshaw discovered a vibrant enclave of kosher bakeries, Latino grocery stores, and Asian restaurants. Uptown, the view of the East River from the couple's apartment would have commanded a fortune. But here, apartments were selling for half the price of comparable spaces in the East Village.


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<ac:macro ac:name="unmigrated-inline-wiki-markup"><ac:plain-text-body><![CDATA[
<ac:macro ac:name="unmigrated-inline-wiki-markup"><ac:plain-text-body><![CDATA[
Zend_Service_Audioscrobbler provides a simple API to access Audioscrobbler's web services
Zend Framework: Zend_Service_Audioscrobbler Component Proposal
Proposed Component Name
Developer Notes
Chris Hartjes
Derek Martin
1.0 - 1 July 2006 (wiki revision: 21)
Table of Contents
1. Overview
2. References
3. Component Requirements, Constraints, and Acceptance Criteria
<ac:macro ac:name="unmigrated-inline-wiki-markup"><ac:plain-text-body><![CDATA[
Zend_Service_Audioscrobbler provides a simple API to access Audioscrobbler's web services
Zend_Service_Audioscrobbler provides a simple API to access Audioscrobbler's web services
4. Dependencies on Other Framework Components
- Zend_Service_Rest
- Zend_Service_Exception
5. Theory of Operation
Results from Audioscrobbler's REST services are returned as SimpleXML objects, otherwise a Zend_Service_Exception is thrown containing an informative error message.
6. Milestones / Tasks
alpha 0.01 released November 15th, 2006
7. Class Index
- Zend_Service_Audioscrobbler
8. Use Cases
9. Class Skeletons
Zend_Service_Audioscrobbler __construct ()
void albumGetInfo ()
SimpleXML artistGetRelatedArtists ()
SimpleXML artistGetTopAlbums ()
SimpleXML artistGetTopFans ()
SimpleXML artistGetTopTags ()
SimpleXML artistGetTopTracks ()
void get ( $field, string $key)
void group ()
void groupGetWeeklyArtistChartList ()
void groupGetWeeklyChartList ()
void set (string $field, $value, string $val)
void tagGetTopArtists ()
void tagGetTopTags ()
void tagGetTopTracks ()
void trackGetTopFans ()
void trackGetTopTags ()
SimpleXML userGetFriends ()
SimpleXML userGetNeighbours ()
array userGetProfileInformation ()
SimpleXML userGetRecentBannedTracks ()
SimpleXML userGetRecentLovedTracks ()
SimpleXML userGetRecentTracks ()
SimpleXML userGetTopAlbums ()
array userGetTopArtists ()
SimpleXML userGetTopTags ()
SimpleXML userGetTopTagsForAlbum ()
SimpleXML userGetTopTagsForArtist ()
SimpleXML userGetTopTagsForTrack ()
SimpleXML userGetTopTracks ()
SimpleXML userGetWeeklyAlbumChart ($from, $to)
SimpleXML userGetWeeklyArtistChart ($from, $to)
SimpleXML userGetWeeklyChartList ()
SimpleXML userGetWeeklyTrackChart ($from, $to)
Jul 11, 2006

I'll confess that I don't know what Audioscrobbler is, but surely there is a better way to implement an interface to it than a class with almost 60 methods. <ac:emoticon ac:name="wink" /> Isn't it possible to split it up somehow?

Jul 29, 2006

Hi Matthew.

Audioscrobbler is a site that tracks what you listen to via their iTunes/Winamp/etc plug-in installed, or via streaming audio at http://www.last.fm

Our goal was to simply provide a php interface to Audioscrobbler's existing web service. There is a 1:1 correlation between our methods and their service URLs, right down to the method naming.

We would have loved not to have 60 methods, but then our API wouldn't correlate to theirs. Plus, that would have meant more thinking for us <ac:emoticon ac:name="wink" />

Aug 28, 2006

Perhaps you could use __call to transparently pass methods to the Audioscrobbler object and then throw an error only if the Audioscrobbler method is non-existent? It would mean a much leaner component and probably a lot less work to maintain it whenever the service is upgraded.

Sep 28, 2006

I haven't used __call much so I'll take a look at that. If it makes for a better component, I'm definitely in favour of it.

Sep 28, 2006

Yeah, I've been doing a bunch of work on this lately and have simplified a lot of the function calls to minimize duplication. Check out the latest in SVN in the incubator

Jul 30, 2006

I use Last.fm and I love it, but I must ask, is the framework a good place to have this? I see uses for the Amazon, Flickr and Yahoo! service implementations, but how would this one be beneficial to the framework apart from providing some interaction with the framework?

Aug 28, 2006

Subject: RE: <ac:link><ri:page ri:content-title="fw-general" /></ac:link> MIA – orm & acl?

Date: Tue, 11 Jul 2006 16:08:23 -0700

From: Andi Gutmans <firstname.lastname@example.com>

Well I don't know about AudioScrobbler specifically as I haven't reviewed it

yet, but all Zend_Service_* contributions are very important IMO. We are

planning to review them very soon and we'd definitely like the amount of

out-of-the-box sevices in Zend Framework grow rapidly. We think although it

might not be difficult to consume many of these services with standard PHP,

having concrete implementations in the Zend Framework will make them even

easier to use.

It'd be extremely cool if this would become the best place to use any of the

popular Web Services on the Internet.

Aug 29, 2006
<ac:macro ac:name="note"><ac:parameter ac:name="title">Zend Comments</ac:parameter><ac:rich-text-body>

The proposal is approved on the condition that the following issues are addressed by the proposal author.

Public properties make the set* methods redundant. Ideas for resolution:

Change the properties to be protected and using the existing set* methods along with new corresponding get* methods.

Override _get() and _set(), storing properties in a protected array.

Another option would be to pass the "properties" as method arguments:

<ac:macro ac:name="code"><ac:plain-text-body><![CDATA[
$as = new Zend_Service_Audioscrobbler();
$profileInfo = $as->userGetProfileInformation('BigDaddy71');
$relatedArtists = $as->artistGetRelatedArtists('LCD Soundsystem');
// ...

No underscores within variable names and compliance with other coding standards.

What is the reason that setDate() and getInfo() methods are designated private? Should they not be inherited and accessible by subclasses, and if so, why not?

We should leverage Zend_Date as it becomes available for date-specific operations.

How do Zend_Service_Audioscrobbler and the Audioscrobbler web services support limiting the number of records returned by a request?

The API presented causes extra effort to programmatically select functionality, due to the practice of essentially embedding options into the method names. Usually function names accept parameters to select between different, related behaviors. For example, the proposal shows:

<ac:macro ac:name="code"><ac:plain-text-body><![CDATA[
public function userGetRecentWeeklyArtistChart()
public function userGetRecentWeeklyAlbumChart()
public function userGetRecentWeeklyTrackChart()
public function userGetPreviousWeeklyArtistChart()
public function userGetPreviousWeeklyAlbumChart()
public function userGetPreviousWeeklyTrackChart()

Using class constants having string values we could nicely refactor the above list of methods to something like:

<ac:macro ac:name="code"><ac:plain-text-body><![CDATA[
getChart($type, $recent = true)

Similarly, what about:

<ac:macro ac:name="code"><ac:plain-text-body><![CDATA[
// source = 'user' | 'artist'
// type = 'artists' | 'albums' | 'tracks' | etc.
getTop($source, $type)
Sep 28, 2006

Hi Darby,

I've finally managed to set some time aside to address these issues. Here are my thoughts:

I'll make the variables protected and user get and set methods as appropriate

That really does make sense and is consistent

I'll remove the underscores to make it compliant with coding standards

Zend_Date is a good idea for the time stamp parameters, but Audioscrobbler currently only accepts timestamps so the ability to convert would be ok

I'm not sure if Audioscrobbler limits the result sets it sends out, I will ask them

I've massively simplified the API to reduce the number of functions

That was just silly on our part in the first place <ac:emoticon ac:name="wink" />

I will investigate how I might make something work like your suggestion on an API with calls like getTop($source, $type, $params = NULL) to make it look really slick.

Thanks again for all the great suggestions.

Mar 30, 2007

Thank you for implementing the interface to the Audioscrobbler web service in Zend Framework! Currently, there is an annoying bug in the private getInfo() method, though. The following code example:

<ac:macro ac:name="code"><ac:plain-text-body><![CDATA[
$as = new Zend_Service_Audioscrobbler();
$as->set('artist', 'This is an unknown artist.');
$as->set('track', 'Track does not matter.');
$tags = $as->trackGetTopTags();

results in a PHP Fatal error:

PHP Fatal error: Call to a member function getStatus() on a non-object in /var/httpd/servers/noise.graefe.net/lib/ZendFramework-0.9.1-Beta/library/Zend/Service/Audioscrobbler.php on line 165

My suggestion is to change the error handling in getInfo() to something like this:

<ac:macro ac:name="code"><ac:plain-text-body><![CDATA[
if ($response == 'No such path') {
throw new Zend_Http_Client_Exception('Could not find: ' . $this->_client->getUri());
} else if ($request->isError()) {
if (is_object($response))Unknown macro: { throw new Zend_Http_Client_Exception('The web service ' . $this->_client->getUri() . ' returned the following status code}
elseUnknown macro: { throw new Zend_Http_Client_Exception( $response ); }
} else {
return simplexml_load_string($response);

I would have opened an issue in the tracker but either I'm to blind to find the button to do so, or I'm not allowed to. <ac:emoticon ac:name="smile" />


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text:
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AP Sports Writer
SAO PAULO (AP) - Sebastian Vettel found himself spinning around on the track just after the start, watching helplessly as other cars whizzed past him. His Formula One title hopes seemed to be drifting away with them.
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good but not for short people
By animal
from virginia
Best Uses
Comments about Venum Competitor 2.0 Standup Shinguards:
excellent pair of shin guards but unfortunately for me im a little short so the straps dig in the back of my knee, i stand about 5'6 so if your about 5'8 or up youll fall in love with them im selling mine to a good friend
Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend this to a friend
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No complaints
By Xena
from Niagara, Ontario
These shinguards fit well, are not bulky, have good straps, and have good coverage. Besides, they look awesome :)
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Got a question about the Easton XL3 Junior Big Barrel Baseball Bat: JBB13X3? Ask our team of experts, and they will respond within 24 hours.Ask A Question
My son is moving up from tee ball to modified coach pitch. I want to get him a big barrel bat, which bat would you recommend for him. He is 5 playing 6U.
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Easton believes that every player should have the opportunity to hit for power, no matter what age or skill level. That's why they've brought back their groundbreaking Power Brigade line of bats for a second season. The concept behind the Power Brigade is simple: Help players hit for power. However, Easton realizes that different players achieve a powerful swing in different ways. That's why the Power Brigade is divided into two distinct series - the XL Series and the Speed Series. This junior big barrel bat is part of the XL Series and focuses on building power by increasing the mass behind each swing. This is accomplished by creating a bat with a slightly heavier length to weight ratio, and an extra-long barrel with a massive sweet spot. This one-piece design is made from Easton's game-changing THT100 Scandium Alloy for unrivaled durability and an expanded sweet spot. If you want to generate more power with every swing, it's time to join the POWER BRIGADE! Easton: Personalize Your Power! The XL3 features the new USSSA 1.15 BPF Stamp. It is backed by Easton's Exclusive 400 Day Manufacturer's Warranty. Free Shpping!
About Easton
I would like to let your company know that for three years I have been ordering bats from you and I have always had a young man named Clint help me and put my orders in through him. I just wanted to let you know how nice, helpful and sweet he is. He has always treated me with the utmost respect, always called me back if needed, and always given me a lot of helpful information on my orders. He is just a wonderful representative of your company. I will continue to order for your company as long as he is working for you. Thanks you.
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