Archive through September 17, 2003
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TV ClubHouse: Archive: Dogs (ARCHIVES): Archive through September 17, 2003

Whoami

Monday, September 15, 2003 - 02:45 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
{{{{Bobbie}}}}

Try e-mailing the pic to me (addy in profile). I'll try to size it down for you.

Whoami

Monday, September 15, 2003 - 08:07 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
On behalf of Bobbie. Here's the very sweet pic of Alex.

Alex

You must tell us about his cute friends! That kitty cuddling is too cute!

Mom came in and saw this pic as I was editing it down. She also sends her sympathies and hugs.

Theowl

Monday, September 15, 2003 - 08:22 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Bobbie, I missed your earlier post, and I'm so sorry about Alex!! He is a beautiful dog!! I love his smile!! You didn't say how he died, but I hope he didn't suffer. Everytime I read about something like this, I just cry my eyes out!! I really hate loving dogs so much. Sometimes more than people. I volunteer at the humane society here, and I do love those dogs more than people. Is your daughter going to get another dog? Shelter dogs need people so bad. {{{Bobbie and daughter}}}

edited to add:

Nightcrawler, I hope your dogs are better. My dogs get tape worms (I think that's what they are. Little white rice lookng things on their butt) quite a bit. We live on 40 acres in the country and they eat all kinds of dead stuff. The vet kept telling me they are from a mosquito, but finally I convinced him that they are from dead animals when they also got them in the winter. The pills are very expensive!! 1 pill for every 10 lbs. at $5 a pill for 5 dogs ranging from 32 lbs. to 75. When you find out something, please let us know.

Kstme, what ever happened with the dog you almost made friends with? Did you ever contact the people? Please Keep us posted on that situation, too!

Bobbie_552001

Monday, September 15, 2003 - 08:24 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Thanks Who ...and again what a sweet thing to do for me. The black puppy was just over to play...and the kitten was a stray that my ex husband and his wife had dropped off in their yard. Alex protected that kitty from day one. We will all miss him terribly.

Bobbie_552001

Monday, September 15, 2003 - 08:27 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Theowl....thanks so much. He had sinus cancer that caused him to go blind, and he actually died when he wandered out into the path of a truck. My daughter is away at college and Dad was keeping Alex for her....

Squaredsc

Monday, September 15, 2003 - 08:31 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
((((Bobbie))))

Theowl

Monday, September 15, 2003 - 08:34 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
OMG Bobbie!! That's the worse possible case!! I'm really sorry!!

Whoami

Monday, September 15, 2003 - 08:52 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
{{{Bobbie}}} No problem at all to edit the pic for you. I was happy to help.

I'm so sorry to hear how poor Alex died. But, I hope it was quick for him. It sounds like he didn't have time to suffer.

I want to share a beautiful (though sad) story of a friend of mine on another board. It talks of their family dog's passing last year summer (2002), when her son was on tour as a member with the Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps from CA (referred to as BD in her posts). How she came to the board for advice, and the subsequent support, and how she ended up handling the loss is just worthy of sharing.

Her son Craig was "aging out" that summer (his final eligible year in junior corps). Members aging out each year have a tradition of leaving a token of their memories on the field after Finals at the end of the season.

In Memory of Harley

Kstme

Monday, September 15, 2003 - 10:28 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Bobbie, Alex was BEAUTIFUL! I am so sorry he had to end his life that way.

Owl, we're seeing the vet tomorrow. The pups need their shots and I am going to ask her about Jackson. The consensus at the Sussex Board is to notify the breeder 'when' I find out what our vet thinks of the pup.

An interesting thing happened. Quite a few breeders sent me notes, but the breeder, from whom the lady bought Jackson, did NOT! hmmmm... The moderator is going nuts trying to figure out who the breeder is, but I refused to give out that information. It really wouldn't take a rocket scientist to figure out either. There are only about 30 breeders in the US.

I'll keep you posted. I have a plan if the vet thinks he is underweight.

Kstme

Tuesday, September 16, 2003 - 03:49 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
After a VERY disturbing visit with our vet today, I emailed the breeder. I have not heard back from her and I don't know if I will. I guess I've done all I can, but Jackson is NOT in a good situation!

Tagurit

Tuesday, September 16, 2003 - 04:00 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Bobbie I am sorry for the loss of your beautiful dog. ((Hugs))

Kstme - It has to be a bit of a hard and frustrating position for you to be in. I hope something works out for Jackson. It is a shame.

Kstme

Tuesday, September 16, 2003 - 04:57 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Tag, thanks! I was physically ill when I came home from seeing the vet.

Maggie, our small female, was 29 lbs at 11 months. Ollie was 36, the weight a healthy Sussex should be. Jackson is 27 lbs. The vet said you can feel and see his ribs and he's smaller than Mags. Her problems were a result of malnutrition and worms going unchecked. Guess I am still so dang upset by this I can hardly stand it!

Hopefully, between the vet and the breeder, something good will happen! Of course, Jackson's owner could get pretty po'd at our interference and change vets, which I'm hoping doesn't happen.

Juju2bigdog

Tuesday, September 16, 2003 - 10:47 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Kstme, please keep us updated on the situation. I bet there are a lot of people like me who don't normally post in this thread who nevertheless are following the story and hoping Jackson comes out okay.

Kstme

Wednesday, September 17, 2003 - 07:05 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Juju, here's the latest.

The breeder, at first, wasn't too receptive to my intervention. Some take it VERY personally when they don't place a dog in a proper environment. We emailed back and forth 3 times last night and she FINALLY understood where I was coming from.

She is going to write a letter to the owner in, hopefully, such a way, the owner will open up to her and tell her what's going on. The breeder has asked me to reaffirm with the vet that she will try her best to get the owner to FEED Jackson. Explaining to the owner that sometimes you just have to get on your hands and knees and place those kibbles in the mouth one at a time.

The breeder has also asked me to keep a dialog with the vet regarding Jackson's progress. Soooo, I would say, Jackson should be getting the help he needs soon IF we can get this owner to understand. She's an extremely intelligent person, but lacks in the common sense dept.

And, yes, I will keep Jackson's progress updated.

Theowl

Wednesday, September 17, 2003 - 07:47 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Thanks for the update, Kstme!! At first I was thinking that you've now done your part, it's up to the vet and breeder to make sure that Jackson is taken care of, but then I thought NO WAY!! You're doing the right thing by getting involved because Jackson can't do it for himself. You are a DOGGY ANGEL!! Keep pushing, and I'm sure Jackson will be just fine!!

Juju2bigdog

Wednesday, September 17, 2003 - 10:06 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Kstme, if you can, don't want to overtax you, explain again what it is about this breed and not eating enough. That is something I would not know either, and I just like to know stuff. I think of pets as naturally eating enough to sustain themselves as long as you make it available.

Kstme

Wednesday, September 17, 2003 - 01:13 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Owl and Juju,

Thanks so much for you too kind words, Owl. I'm certainly NO angel! lol I am EXTREMELY passionate about these dogs, though.

Juju, the Sussex Spaniel is the anorexic of the doggy world. When they decide not too eat, it will stretch into two days, then three, then four and so on. They will eat VERY little on the days they chose to snack. Eventually, they will just simply shut down and not eat at all. If an owner doesn't take care of the situation immediately, a huge number of health issues can arise and often the dog will have to be put to sleep. There have been documented cases of the Sussex dying from starvation.

Maggie is our 'problem' dog. I will let her go 1 day without eating, then it's a doggy vitamin the morning of the second day. She will be hand-fed that evening if she's still not interested. Ollie will occasionally skip a meal or a day, but, after hand-feeding two bites, he's into his bowl.

They've got enough quirks to make a sober person drink! Maggie won't eat if she thinks you're watching her. Ollie won't eat if you're not. Maggie won't eat in the designated food area, Ollie will. Maggie won't eat if Ollie goes to his bowl first. She'll plop herself down in front of her bowl and watch it...for HOURS if we let her. We keep the food bowls out for about an hour and a half before we pick it up.

These are HIGH maintenance dogs, but they are so worth it...really...I think...yea, they are!

Now, Juju, aren't you glad you asked??

Juju2bigdog

Wednesday, September 17, 2003 - 01:46 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Oh good grief! Thanks, Kstme, I've never heard of a dog voluntarily starving itself if there is food available.

Kstme

Wednesday, September 17, 2003 - 01:56 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Juju, I know of no other breed like this one. They aren't stupid...slow sometimes, but not stupid. It is because of their quirks, that breeders REALLY have to be careful when placing them. Because the owner of Jackson had owned a retriever/cocker mix, she felt qualified to take on a Sussex! grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Calamity

Wednesday, September 17, 2003 - 02:13 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Kstme: I don't even know what to say about your situation but hope that everything works out okay! Bless you and bless those doggies too!

Nightcrawler: I had never heard of wipeworm before either. I hope your dogs are getting and feeling better!

Bobbie: I'm so sorry you lost your friend, Alex. He looks so sweet in that picture. I think your story got to me especially because my funny, gentle dog passed away this May and his name was also Alex.

I so miss having a dog. I saw a Mickey Mouse and Pluto cartoon this morning and I actually got all wistful watching it! I love my cats but a cat's just not a dog, you know what I mean? (Don't tell them I said that!)

P.S. I enjoyed your lists, Whoami and Grooch. Thanks for the laughs.

Whoami

Wednesday, September 17, 2003 - 02:16 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Wow! What an interesting breed! I wonder how/why this starvation trait ended up coming out in the Sussex?

Theowl

Wednesday, September 17, 2003 - 02:47 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Geez, those quirks kinda sound like my "kids"!! Shannon wouldn't eat her food until I put alittle on the floor first. Suzie has to have a little cat food sprinkled on top. I have to rub Spirits nose before he'll eat. BUT in the end,they would NEVER miss a meal. I broke them of the quirks when I went away and Tom had to feed them. He refused to do those things, but Spirit and Suzie do still get nose rubbies before they eat.
Another quirk that I was wondering if anyone else has this problem is Suzie does the "Toot, Scoot, Boogie. She farts, then RUNS (and on hard wood floors she can't get any traction). She scares the heck out of the other kids, so they all growl at her. She does it mostly in the middle of the night. I don't think I've slept through a whole night for years. I've tried GasX, changed foods, changed eating times and she still waits until I'm asleep. Has anyone else had this problem?

Kstme

Wednesday, September 17, 2003 - 03:04 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Whoami, are you ready???

The Sussex was bred for hunting. In England a man named Fuller wanted a low to the ground, but large boned, hunting dog for rabbits, badgers and birds. The Sussex began from about 4 other types of dog breeds...3 of those are now extinct. He worked for almost 45 years to 'perfect' his dream dog. The Sussex was first recognized as a 'breed' in 1835. It is the 4th oldest breed on the AKC registry.

The breed was taught to 'hunt' not kill or put it's mouth through ANY part of the retrieved animal it brought back. The Sussex has one of the softest mouths of any dog I've ever come in contact with. The breed was also ALWAYS kept on Mr. Fuller's property until he eventually fulfilled his dream. The dog never had to 'forge' for food. Somewhere on the road to where they are now, they developed this quirk. My Sussex, I had as a child, was the same way and that was over 40+++ years ago.

Most of the current breeders feel because the breed is so rare and most are so pampered and protected, the trait of anorexia continues.

These dogs do not like to be left alone for long lengths of time, either. Another trait that is believed to go back to Mr. Fuller's dogs. They need human companionship as much as a small child, which is probably why they don't, as a rule, like children. They, also, do not care for any other breed but their own.

Hope this answered your question. The Sussex is an amazing dog, but patience is first and foremost in dealing with them.

Kstme

Wednesday, September 17, 2003 - 03:07 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Owl! TOO FUNNY! Suzi must be a crack-up! Ollie tries to find out where his came from...goes in circles until he falls down...lol

Whoami

Wednesday, September 17, 2003 - 03:24 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Thanks for the explanation Kstme!

My sweet Boomer was so cute just now. Both boys were outside, and Boomer came limping back towards the house holding his hind leg up, and shaking it around. It almost looked like he was getting a cramp or something.

So, he came in, I check out his leg, and then on down to his foot. I found a large splinter in the pad of his foot. I then asked if he was okay, and he got up and stood on his foot. Then he trotted around in a little circle right in front of me, looking up at me the whole time. He was saying, "Yup! See Mom! It's all better now!" Then he jumped up on me and gave me a big thank you kiss!