[fbkeays]

I have been showing dogs for a dozen years. I never felt the need to match a dog until last year. I did a road trip up to Canada and was already three weeks from home. We were staying in a hotel that the neighborhood gave me the creeps. It was very dark, out of the way area. Fizbin hadn't pooped since the day before and it was after 11pm.
I had been out walking him for an hour. I was with a friend who is a smoker. I finally was at my wits end and I could tell that Fizbin wanted to go, but wasn't or couldn't. Fizbin has always been pretty good about going on command too.
I asked my friend if she had matches, she did. I had never matched a dog before. As soon as I did it, Fizbin pooped a big pile. He was very happy to be about 5 pounds lighter. I was happy because now I could go and get some sleep. The night before Fizbin was very restless.
I now keep a book of matches in the car. For emergancies- pooping and stuck out in the middle of nowhere. I have matched one of my dogs perhaps two more times in the past year under similar situations.
I don't think it is cruel or abusive if done once in a great while. If a dog should be going poop, given ample time to do so and isn't, and there are good reasons (not just for personal convience)for having the dog be empty, then matching is a fairly bengin way of getting it done.