Archive through January 19, 2003
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Dogs (ARCHIVE):
Archive through January 19, 2003
Sabbatia | Thursday, January 16, 2003 - 05:42 pm     The short hairy one is an overweight sheltie. The big one is a mutt that the dogcatcher picked up as a little bitty puppy. The hubby, being a cop, saw it before they could take him to the humane society and brought him home. The vet guesses he's a lab/shephard mix. |
Zachsmom | Thursday, January 16, 2003 - 05:47 pm     they're sweet .. I am going to get mine from either shelter or rescue.. won't be doing this until a move into a house with a big yard though..going to get two so they'll have each other to play with.. |
Sabbatia | Thursday, January 16, 2003 - 05:48 pm     Cmore, I just read your post. I'm really sorry to hear about Zeke. I know how hard it is to lose a dog...especially one you've had for a long time. (((((cmore))))) |
Sabbatia | Thursday, January 16, 2003 - 05:53 pm     Zacksmom, they are sweet, and wonderful to have around. I'm all about rescue animals, but you always have the problem of not knowing what kind of genepool they come from. I spent two grand last yr on the big dog's knees...he had ACL surgery. Obviously, that tells you how much I love the big guy, and I wouldn't change a thing, but we had no clue when we got him that he would be prone to that kind of thing. If we had, I'm sure we STILL would have kept him though. What can I say, he's my baby. |
Squaredsc | Friday, January 17, 2003 - 09:58 am     sabb, they are adorable. is the sheltie a boy too? |
Julieboo | Friday, January 17, 2003 - 04:40 pm     Good for you ZM on adopting from a shelter or rescue. Have you checked out petfinder.com? So sad that there are so many unwanted animals out there. And the ones on that website is just a small percentage of all that are out there. I heard a shelter/rescue place had this thing called the Happy Birthday Program where, on your pet's birthday, you donate $5.00 to a shelter. The hope is to raise a lot of $$ to help homeless animals. |
Sabbatia | Friday, January 17, 2003 - 05:26 pm     LOL Square, the sheltie USED to be a boy...but we took care of that! He's a neuter now. When the little guy would get in trouble, he would pee on my husband's side of the bed. After about three times, he got neutered. |
Northstar | Saturday, January 18, 2003 - 06:23 am     {{Wargod)) I know how you feel. I have neighbors who put out cat traps baited with poison laced tuna. I just can't understand the mentality. A weird thing happened to my 12 year old Golden and I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced this...I had her groomed last Friday. She was really sick all day Saturday, i.e. didn't eat, laid in the same spot for 6 hours, glossy eyes, etc. On Sunday she was a little better and by Monday night she had these **warning, gross description ahead***..crusty, oozy spots all over her neck, shoulders, back. We saw the vet on Wednesday and he said she had bacterial dermititis (or something like that). Now she's on two weeks of antibiotics. Anyone heard of such a thing? My poor baby, she's such a trooper. |
Squaredsc | Saturday, January 18, 2003 - 10:16 am     lol sabb. my angel does that too, but dh was against neutering when angel was 5-6 months, said it wasn't natural, men. now he marks everywhere and dh now wants him neutered. the husky i had for a moment, simba, has gone back to his original family. so basically i was dogsitting. he is happy now and so am i. whenever i get my computer fixed(how many times have i said that,lol.) i will post the story. |
Sia | Saturday, January 18, 2003 - 10:27 am     Northstar, I hate it that your doggy's sick. Have you called the groomer to ask if anyone else had a dog in there with something contagious? It doesn't matter to me if the owner thinks the dog s/he brought in has something that is just skin-related or an infectious disease, it should be reported to the groomer so that other customers can be warned of what to look out for and get their pets to the vet if necessary. Could the groomer have used improperly-disinfected combs on your dog that had been used on a sick/infected animal? That's what it sounds like to me, and it sounds serious. I hope your Golden recovers quickly and completely. Our Golden died last year at age 10. He was my husband's dog that he'd had when we met. (Squared, I have a story about that dog, so get your story together when you have time and post it!) |
Northstar | Saturday, January 18, 2003 - 11:46 am     Sia, I called the groomer Tuesday morning and let them know what was happening. I hadn't had a diagnosis at that time, but they hadn't heard from any other clients with this problem. She's feeling better, and the gunk is clearing up. It's healing and she's super itchy, so now she gets to wear her neoprene booties inside too. And she hates them! |
Sabbatia | Saturday, January 18, 2003 - 05:53 pm     LOL Square, we didn't get Eli Neutered until he was 3. We got him from a breeder. Someone had bought him, and decided he was going to be oversized. They kept him caged for six months and then gave him back. When my dog died and this one showed back up, the breeder thought of me. He's a strange little guy because he didn't have any attention for those first few months of his life. Anyway, the breeder kept breed rights for three yrs, so we had to live with him peeing on the bed and marking the hubby's recliner for a long time before we got it done. Northstar, my sheltie also had a skin infection. We had a terrible time getting it cleared up. I swear it even smelled badly. The vet finally "gave" us some stuff called Genta-Spray that cleared it up really fast. Hope yours gets better soon!! |
Sia | Saturday, January 18, 2003 - 08:19 pm     Northstar, I am glad that your doggy is feeling better! Sabbatia, I'm glad that neutering helped your dog. We have two outdoor dogs, one of whom is ready to be neutered because we think it will help him to be less "jumpy." He's a mini Aussie shepherd, and he is so flighty. He is big for a "miniature" dog, and the woman who gave him to me brought one of her girls to be bred by him only once because the pups he threw were almost too big to be registered as minis! They just squeaked in under the wire in terms of their height. It's the country air that has done our Aussie good; he's grown really large for a mini! We also have a neutered Brittany, and I'd let him loose except for the fact that he chases all my cats up trees. I am afraid that if he caught one of the cats he'd kill it; I'm not willing to take the chance. |
Julieboo | Sunday, January 19, 2003 - 05:21 am     Sia, why not keep your kitties inside? |
Julieboo | Sunday, January 19, 2003 - 07:13 am     Stepping on soapbox... (and nervously so, cuz i don't want to offend anyone) But...keeping a dog chained up outside his whole life is cruel. Dogs are very social and keeping them chained up is a life sentence with no parole. (So is keeping them in a garge or a basement.) I think dogs should be kept inside (except for walks, potty breaks, romps in the yard, etc.) or at least have access to a heated garage. I also think cats should be kept indoors for safety. Okay, I just had to say that. |
Squaredsc | Sunday, January 19, 2003 - 09:03 am     julieboo, you did that very well. i happen to agree with you. im thinking that maybe if some folks don't have a fenced yard that maybe thats why they keep the dogs chained? esp if they have acres or if their dog can jump the fence. i have an aunt/uncle who have always had huge dogs, saint bernards, german shepards, and rotties. they lived in a very small 1st floor apartment in a townhouse that was converted to apts, but had a yard, which was small though. but they love their big dogs. they live in a sfh now with a nice size yard and they have a rottie but the rottie doesn't like to stay outside for long. i also wouldn't leave my dog in the yard while i was at work 'cause anything can happen to them, like war mentioned above with poisoning or if someone stole them, or if they got out. i wouldn't be able to forgive myself if something happened to my Angel that i could have prevented. |
Sia | Sunday, January 19, 2003 - 09:48 am     Well, Julie, we do like to let the dogs run, but we live out in the country on a county road that gets moderately heavy traffic, including lots of Amish buggies in addition to log-carrying semi-trucks (our closest neighbor on one side owns a small trucking business). Our Golden just hated horses or their wagons (metal rims on the wheels, we assumed, was the noise that provoked him) and he would chase the Amish people's horses. He never caused one of them to spook a horse and start it running at full-speed, but we were afraid to take that chance. Our nearest Amish neighbors live about a mile from our house. As for the big trucks, my husband never knew what sort of vehicle ran over his shepherd-mix Cody or his Black Lab Max, both of whom he had--and lost--before we met. I'm allergic to dogs, and break out in big itchy hives when they touch me, so when I moved to my husband's house from my cat-filled home, I insisted that he put the Golden outdoors. The Golden has since died, at age 10 of natural causes. We have a small Australian shepherd and a Brittany spaniel outdoors. The Aussie has his papers and the Brittany was a stray. I knew the pound would have the Brittany destroyed, so we kept him. As for indoor cats, when I moved here, I brought three house cats and two outdoor cats. We have lost one house cat to old age and now have one 17 1/2-year-old house cat and have two that come into the house when it's cold. That leaves three kitties who live outdoors full-time. They have a barn, a garage, and a shed to sleep in so they can keep warm, and there are trees that they use for escape when the dogs are loose if they can't make it under the garage door in time. We take the dogs for exercise when we can, using a four-wheeler or our golf cart, depending on the weather and the running condition of the "toys," but let the dogs run on their own at times when we aren't able to accompany them. Understand, the dogs are my husband's pets (again, I am severely ALLERGIC to dogs, and we consider the cats to be mine) and my husband's responsibility, and he works six days per week, eight hour shifts with an hour-and-a-half commute EACH way. The big Brittany is a pain in the neck, Julie. No matter how long or short a time he's loose, he terrorizes all the cats in sight and then runs to the picnic table where I keep all the cat bowls and he scatters all the dry cat food and then carries all the bowls to the garden. I get tired of picking up the bowls and replacing the ones he cracks or chews. In summertime we keep a kiddie wading-pool in the back yard for our two children. Both those dogs just glory in "bathing" in my kids' clean swimming pool water--even if they've just returned from one of three ponds on our property, covered with algae (we call it "duck-weed," but I don't know what it really is). How can I get rid of my outside cats, knowing the pound would probably put them to sleep? One of them used to belong to my oldest foster daughter, who brought him to me when she had to move. I promised to keep her old tom-kitty for all his natural life; I won't break that promise. One tomcat was dumped here when he was a kitten; he's never known another home. The indoor/outdoor tom is my kids' special pet. He has to stay. The enclosed porch/outdoor female cat is chronically sick (she's a carrier for rhinotrachaeitis) and would be put to death at the pound. Her littermate is outdoors all the time and was one of the house cats I brought here; I can't get rid of her. Should I send the mini Aussie back to the breeder who gave me him, Julie? She lives in a duplex in a city 100 miles from here and has about 8 other dogs in her house already, and she keeps them in crates most of the time. About the Brittany, I called the animal shelters in two counties and called all the Brittany breeders in the phone book to try to find his owner, but to no avail. Should I send the poor dear dog to the pound where he can live in a chain-link-fence enclosure until they decide to put him to death by lethal injection? Yes, it's awful to live on the end of a chain and I would hate to live that way, but it's not like the dog never gets loose to run free. He's destructive, mean to my cats, but otherwise a really nice, affectionate dog. Maybe I should get him some psychotherapy and tranquilizers or put him on doggy-downers to calm him down. Maybe he could take an anger-management course while we try to sort out his hostile feelings towards cats, but this is a rural county that doesn't have many services for people, let alone animals. I'm open to suggestions and will consider any advice that would realistically work for us. Maybe we just shouldn't have dogs. If we give back the dog that my friend (the Aussie breeder) gave to my son when he was almost a year old, it would seem wrong to me. I wouldn't know who was getting the dog, and I'm afraid it would upset my son if we "got rid of" HIS dog. Sending the stray Brittany to the pound would really nag at my conscience, since all the animal shelters around here are not the type that promise to keep all animals alive and never euthanize them. That stupid, annoying, beautiful, friendly big dog--who, by the way, KNOWS I'm allergic to him and who jumps on me anyway to love me up when I turn him loose--would haunt my dreams. When I turn "my dog" (the Brittany) loose, I do pet and love him--with just my hands and arms; I can't get him near my face at all, or my neck gets red and splotchy and extremely itchy. Then I go into the house and wash my hands and arms thoroughly with soap and warm water. I'm not a mean person, and I have a real soft-spot for animals, especially cats. Please tell me how you think I can solve the pet issue here. |
Sia | Sunday, January 19, 2003 - 09:57 am     Oh, and should anyone here WANT my two outside dogs in order to turn them into house-pets to keep them from suffering inhumane treatment at my hands, I will be happy to transport them to you. We keep them vetted, licensed, and fed and watered. Grooming is done sporadically, and by my husband, not by a professional groomer. If anyone is interested in a healthy, happy five-year-old non-neutered male miniature Australian shepherd (retail value $500) and a neutered male Brittany spaniel (age unknown, value indeterminate), please let me know. I will be happy to make arrangements to get the dogs to you. All I ask is that you send a yearly picture of the Australian shepherd on my son's birthday, since he was my son's first-birthday present from my girlfriend. Thanks so much. |
Squaredsc | Sunday, January 19, 2003 - 09:59 am     sia, im sorry but parts of your post had me lol. if i was in your shoes i wouldn't get rid of your aussie since he was given to your son. but your brittany, and i think this was mentioned a long while ago on the old dog thread, is a hunting dog and doing what may come naturally. have you tried a brittany rescue group? they don't destroy their dogs (had to call a husky rescue group just this past week). and i figured you had an open huge yard and fencing wouldn't be pratical. and then there is your allergies and i don't know what to tell you that wouldn't seem critical and i don't want to do that. you're in a tough position. the outdoor kitties are fine 'cause its not like you are in the innercity with outdoor kitties, im sure. i guess its a matter of what's best for the dogs and not necessarily whats best for you, i know that seems harsh. but it was what i had to do with my rottie who i miss everyday. but you definately can't have the dogs in the house due to allergies and the brittany using the kitties as prey. im sorry. but i guess i have no useful advice to give.  |
Sia | Sunday, January 19, 2003 - 10:23 am     Thanks, Squared, at least you see the problem here: there just isn't an easy answer! You're right about the Brittany being a hunter. I have never considered a Brittany rescue league. I WILL check into that on the web. (But I would cry my eyes out if he left here, because Dan is supposed to be "my" dog, and despite the itchy arms and everything, I do love that dog--and I'm not even a "dog-person," LOL! Go figure! Speaking of big yards, there are over 120 acres on this farm; we have no desire to fence it! |
Julieboo | Sunday, January 19, 2003 - 10:42 am     Squared-excellent post! I agree, country cats with access to some indoor protection is doable. City cats (or even suburban) though--forget it. Sia, I am not trying to upset you either. But if you can't give the dog a happy life, then I would consider the rescue group. They would be able ot help you. Maybe just call them and see what they have to say. That aussie breeder should be reported. He sounds pretty bad. But you could bring the dog to a rescue group or humane society. People with allergies just cannot have dogs. It's as simple as that. Sad but true. I know you are doing the best you can for the dogs, Sia, but it is not enough for them. Especially if your husband is gone that long every single week. It is not fair to the dogs. Put them first. Sorry if I sound harsh. I really do not mean to offend you Sia. I enjoy many of your posts. Sounds like you are a great mommy to your kids. But I hope you think aboutthe dogs and see what you can do to give them a better quality of life. |
Babyruth | Sunday, January 19, 2003 - 10:54 am     Great idea, finding a rescue group for the brittany. He sounds like a sweet dog but quite a mismatch with this environment. Giving him a chance at a home without allergies, where he can be brought indoors, would be a very compassionate, kind thing to do. (((Sia))) |
Squaredsc | Sunday, January 19, 2003 - 02:34 pm     wow 120 acres. my dh would love that. he talks sporadically about getting a "spread" but im not an outdoorsy girl. i just want an acre or two for my animals and me. sia, plz don't ask for homes for your babies here, 'cause im a sucker and will take all pets, lol. and dh said no more, and i really don't want to pull out the uncomfortable jammies again, its too soon, lol.  |
Sia | Sunday, January 19, 2003 - 04:13 pm     I don't know how this will sound, but I will go ahead and say it: probably every third yard over in town has at least one dog chained in the back yard where I live. There is a village of a couple of hundred people 1/4 mile from my house, and it is quite, quite common for people to keep dogs on chains, tethered to warm, comfortable doghouses. My husband buys bales of hay/straw to put in their boxes to make them even more comfy. When the Golden was alive, hubby even bought bales of cedar chips for him. Not everyone keeps their dogs in the house, for a variety of reasons. There are millions and millions of unwanted dogs and cats in the U.S. Those who have homes--whether they live indoors or out--are far happier, in my opinion, than those who shiver at the local animal shelter, waiting for volunteers to walk them, feed them, or to lead them away to be euthanized. My two ignorant dogs are blissfully happy to be living on a big farm and are either contented enough--or stupid enough--to come back to their boxes to be chained up again after they go for a run. If they were absolutely miserable, I'd think they would just run away when they're loose. |
Fanny | Sunday, January 19, 2003 - 04:15 pm     ((((Sia)))) LOL |
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