BS: Our pets favorite things

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: wysiwyg
Date: 13 Jan 08 - 05:50 PM

PS, she's short-haired, not as feathery as a GR.

Mutt for sure, but not a yellow lab!

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: wysiwyg
Date: 13 Jan 08 - 05:41 PM

Well, the pronged collar had exactly the effect I had hoped. Sadie respects my hand on her collar now-- even the narrower choke chain. She's not bright enough to realize the difference and has keyed onto the fact that it's ME, and I am HOLDing her. But she is much, much happier just loose in the house, and is beginning to show signs of settling down. I'll use the pronged collar if I have to take her out of the house on a lead, until I am confident in my ability to manage the Gentle Lead.

Looking through AKC breed pictures, I find the best match for her shape in a cross of Redbone Coonhound and Golden Retriever, though she may be neither. She sure acts like a Golden, though.

She and Faulkner are working out living room compromises, and the cats have begun her True Training from the chair they share.

I was so proud of Faulkner today-- he's clearly the better dog. If asked, he will actually stay settled into a lounging position while she tries to create havoc. He even shares his supper as long as his face isn't actually in it when she tries to get some. But the rawhide chew is HIS, snarl/growl/lunge. And that's OK with Sadie: "No sir, that's OK really-- I'll just curl up way over here instead of coming near you uintil you're finished with that...."

She sure is bouncy though. Hardi's opinion of F goes up by the hour! :~)

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: the lemonade lady
Date: 13 Jan 08 - 05:14 PM

my dog loves knotted old socks. He sucks them every time he feels a bit wound up about something.

Sal

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: wysiwyg
Date: 12 Jan 08 - 08:32 PM

Behavior, yes, but even her appearance is very juvenile.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Bee
Date: 12 Jan 08 - 05:33 PM

Our vet claims most dogs do not mature until about four years.She also said our girl was one of those dogs that retain puppy-like behaviour all their lives - and she was right.

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: wysiwyg
Date: 12 Jan 08 - 04:40 PM

That's how it was with Faulkner. One day he was a big puppy, the next he was a HUGE puppy, then he was a teenager. And then one day he just settled into early adulthood. He'd been neutered early, so it wasn't that which made the sudden change-- he just matured one day, almost overnight.

Actually, I'm not sold on Sadie being a Lab at all. The look, the head, the height, the coloring, the gait, the happyhappy dance seem much more Golden Retriever as her main component. I DO know that she is underweight, but I still cannot see her looking Lab even when she fills out. Golden and some kind of big hound, more like. If she's half Golden Retriever, she's horribly underweight. We'll get a worming check very, very soon.

It must be said that I do NOT believe her owners purposely mistreated, underfed, or misraised her. But she needs a serious upbringing. And it began (or resumed), today. She did about 10 minutes-- 2-3 of successful heeling around the kitchen, 2-3 successful sitting on command on a short lead in the LR, 2-3 successful lounging in the LR on the long lead, 2-3 successful LR/DR explore off lead, and successful heel back to the great outdors to romp with Jealous Faulkner (minus training collar of course).

It will take several days of short training sessions like that to get her attention focused on me securely enough to move to the Gentle Leader. And several days of feeding her up before I can expect her behavior to settle into a routine of non-desperation. But she IS highly motivated, she does like the cheap treats F already has in stock, and she is very, very interested in affection as well as mental and physical stimulation.

For a dog whopse main owner has been on and off deployments and who has been from farm to town with no more run space, she's not as messed up as she could have been, so I think there is a Good Dog in there.

She shows signs of having had some obedience training, so although that is not the approach that suited Faulkner, it is the approach Sadie will build upon. She seems to know what hand signals are, and to understand when her compliance efforts are rewarded.

All in all, she did well in the short time I had to give her on a day full of funerals, evening services, and so forth. I was at least able to make a number of important assessments (in addition to the above) without teaching her any bad tricks or letting her drag me around.

She seems happy for the work.

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Becca72
Date: 12 Jan 08 - 03:20 PM

In a Lab I think adolescence is about 8 or 9 years. :-)

Seriously, though, the rule of thumb I was always told is that "puppyhood" and "kittenhood" lasts until somewhere between 2 and 3 years...your mileage may vary.

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: wysiwyg
Date: 12 Jan 08 - 03:15 PM

Anybody know how long is typical adolescence in a Lab? I do not want to expect too much from her too soon, and she does seem like she is still in puppy bones and muscles.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Jan 08 - 01:44 PM

Poppy doesn't like it, she wants to rub her face on things because of the muzzle strap, but she walks well on it. I put a choke chain around her neck and then put the Gentle Leader on, and clip her into both. The plastic fastener isn't the strongest and she did pop it one time, so the choke chain is backup, but it hasn't happened again and she does walk better now than when that event happened. You can also clip into the regular collar as backup (the one I keep the name tag and rabies tag on); the main thing is that this harness controls the head from under the chin. The martingale one on Cinnamon is fine because she walks very well and doesn't need the face piece (she doesn't like it either), but I want something that is strong for just in case (if we meet other dogs, especially dogs off a leash it can get to be a tangle in a hurry, though we're getting better at ignoring other dogs and just continuing to walk past them.)

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Mooh
Date: 12 Jan 08 - 10:28 AM

SRS...I agree the Gentle Leader does the deed, though to varying degrees. Rosie (12 year old springer/collie/coyote) was completely reformed by it at a few months old, but Cosmo (lab/corgi) still likes to resist it sometimes at 2 years old. Nevertheless, neither dog will co-operate on a simple leash when walking. Cosmo also has a body harness but all it does is create sores. Sometimes I sort of forget the dogs are with me walking, the GL is that good.

Peace, Mooh.

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 12 Jan 08 - 01:52 AM

Those gripper type ("German") collars work once or twice, but if you have a really stubborn dog, they can hurt themselves pulling against them. Have you tried the Gentle Leader? It really does work. I use that on Poppy, and I use their martingale harness on Cinnamon.

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: wysiwyg
Date: 11 Jan 08 - 11:54 PM

Sadie is progressing.

Amazing that she can learn any new stuff at all, considering how nutso (distracted) she is with the pent-up energy. She and F shared a tight space (like 2 XL crates' worth) happily for several hours without accident or enmity.

She is learning that OUT is via the dog corner, not the door she came into the house through when she was brought in from the van.

Tomorrow she will have first lessons on No More Pulling Thank You Very Much. I have one no-fooling, metal collar and one gentler, soft nylon head-collar-- I've kept her out of lead-dependent situations until I could get these. Faulkner will show me, first, how they work on his calm self before I try Sadie on either of them.

Handling her with just a hand on the collar has been exactly like marshaling an unbroken colt to go in and out of stall/pasture-- patience, patience, patience. And brute strength.

Tomorrow, the living room. And a LOT of snuggling.

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Becca72
Date: 11 Jan 08 - 05:27 PM

I thought I had recovered my necklaces last night but I was mistaken. Sheldon started scratching around the vacuum cleaner, trying to get something underneath it. I went over thinking "aha, caught you, you little #$#!" but when I moved the vacuum the only thing under it was 6-8 treats he'd hidden away from his brothers. He's the only one who isn't afraid of the vacuum, so I guess this hiding spot was pretty well chosen. Still wish I knew were my necklaces were, though.

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Jan 08 - 03:06 PM

If I don't walk newcomers to the gate and introduce them to the dogs, the dogs will bark the entire time strangers are around. Cinnamon practically did cartwheels when a guy climbed on the roof to give me an estimate back in October. I was busy with someone else in the yard and he didn't wait for introductions. If I had, they'd have known he was okay once he was on the roof and we wouldn't have had the fuss.

You could get the impression from all of my photos that my dogs rarely walk. :)

Poppy and Cinnamon 1 (big pups--Poppy is taller and longer now, but still weighs less than the pit)
Poppy and Cinnamon 2 (Yin and Yang)

I'm sure I'm not the only dog lover here who has the pleasure of seeing their dog make what could be misconstrued as a "growl," but it's a playful sort of smile. Teeth slightly showing, and the nose is quite mobile with the lip action, with a wrinkled muzzle. No noise, but a wagging tail. If you have a dog that is characterized as being of a "dangerous breed" you have to be really good at reading the body language and recognizing the noises they make. But I think that adds to the richness of pet ownership and strengthens the bonds with the animal.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Becca72
Date: 11 Jan 08 - 02:37 PM

Every pit I've ever known has been nothing but a big marshmallow. She is lovely, Stilly.

I will say, though, that my nephew has a pit/rottie mix called Bubba and while he is gentle as all get out once he remembers who you are, I will not walk up my sister's driveway if he is outside by himself. I don't see him often and he is very protective of his space. He has been known to bark and snarl at people until someone he knows reassures him that it's ok.

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Jan 08 - 02:22 PM

She has some of those characteristics--a strong prey drive (catches squirrels and possums on occasion) and does a pit bull "rooaaar!" at the catahoula if I were to give them both bones in the same space. (I separate them if I'm giving them durable chew treats.) But a lot of dogs will do that. You should see this dog hunt, though, it is a study in patience and strength. I've always interrupted and squirrels have gone free if I saw her doing it, but it is beautiful to watch. The catahoula caught a dove one day and was so proud of herself, but a bird is a lot different target than a speedy squirrel.

If I take her with me to the feed store people ask about her--the breed really is charismatic--and I usually tell them Am Staff as the breed, but I also use "pit bull" because I think it helps people understand that the generic name is problematic, and this splendid dog is an excellent example of why the stereotypes are unfair. (She has such a great memory--the first time she tried to stick her nose in the open box of dog treats at the feed store I told her "no," and directed her to poke around on the floor behind the boxes--she can have those. If I go in now, she goes straight to that space behind the boxes to see if she will get lucky!)

I meant to ask about the greyhounds--how much do they weigh, and how old are they? Did they come through a rescue group? (I haven't the whole thread for a while, it just caught my eye again the other day.)

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: wysiwyg
Date: 11 Jan 08 - 02:03 PM

A lot of people who want to avoid their dogs' being identified with the horrors of dog fighting just never call their dogs "Pit Bulls" because the American Staffordshire Terrier has a different reputation that deserves to be highlighted and can carry the freight on their record. My hot clue was the fineness of her coat and skin, which come through clearly in the photo and which are much more than your excellent care and feeding-- that skin and the sweet tempearment are bred and have nothing in common with fighting dogs.

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Bee
Date: 11 Jan 08 - 01:11 PM

Pretty hounds, BiLL. Friends of ours work with greyhound rescue here, and have the prettiest fawn coloured girl I've ever seen. She looks more like a skinny deer than a dog, and is fond of doing 'rounds' when visiting, laying her head on one person's knee after the other until she's sampled all the patting techniques present.

SRS, that's a good story. Poor puppy! Makes me feel ill when I come across a hurting animal (or human, don't get me wrong!), but animals have a harder time explaining where and why they're hurting.

Dave's Wife, if I do change his name, it's gonna be Pigpen for sure, so don't wish too hard for a name change!

He's an amazingly well behaved cat indoors - one 'no' is enough to make him stop doing something, and he rarely repeats an offense. Whereas Tommy will look you straight in the eye while trying to shred the rug. He was a demon kitten, was Tommy, took ages to stop his habit of biting your hands and feet, and he'll still sometimes grab on pretty hard - out of love, I'm sure - maybe.

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Jan 08 - 12:41 PM

Oops--I didn't realize I saved the large photo of Cinnamon (the third one). It may take a while to load. I usually make a smaller web version for links.

She is a gorgeous dog, I'm sure she's purebred. She may have papers, but I don't have them. She's as smart as any dog I've ever owned (or met). I've told this story (probably in this thread) several times, so those know know it can skip to the next post. She dragged up my driveway about three years ago, and I saw her from the kitchen window and went out to take a look. I called her, she limped over, I patted her head, she licked my hand, and we had a contract. I'm convinced of it. Neighbors later told me that they'd seen this dog living in the prairie across the road from my house, and she'd been there for weeks, at least. They used to chase her off, being afraid of pits. The vet thought she'd been hit a glancing blow by a car, because she had a lot of cuts and abrasions, but she also had broken teeth in the very front of her mouth from where she probably bounced off of the concrete after she was hit. Poor girl was also dirty and greasy and covered with ticks. That day she arrived I left her be, she slept in the sunny corner near the garage all day and I put out water and kept an eye on her. By about 6pm when I was finishing the yard work I'd done all day she came limping around the house to see what I was doing. A companionable dog, she limped over and nudged my shoulder, kind of asking "what'chu doing?" She followed me with my wheelbarrow into the back yard, and that is where she has lived ever since. I do have a gate, and we do have a companion now and Invisible Fence, because she's smart and does like to visit the neighbors, but it isn't safe for her. Someone afraid of a pit bull might harm her, even as sweet as she is.

I ran an ad, but who was going to respond to a "found: injured pit bull" ad? And if I turned her over to animal control in Fort Worth, they would have destroyed her. It was at least $1000 before she was over her injuries, spayed, dental work, etc., but she is a great dog.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: number 6
Date: 11 Jan 08 - 12:21 PM

Regarding the flash .... I never shoot in automatic, I make full use of natural lighting (non-flash) even at night, by using the appropriate f-stops, shutter speed, and film speed ... Of course all of this is easier done when using a DSLR camera.

Just some of my 2 cents worth.

biLL

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Mooh
Date: 11 Jan 08 - 12:18 PM

Rosie The Wonder Dog likes her spot beside my bed, her Kong toy, and heavy petting.

Cosmo The Other Dog likes his spot on the couch, his flying disc toy, and heavy petting.

They both have the usual fondness for the toilet, freshly flushed, and their stainless steel food bowls.

Treats are good too, especially the salmon ones.

It's a dog's life.

Peace, Mooh.

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: number 6
Date: 11 Jan 08 - 11:59 AM

O well ... might as well showoff our 2 hounds.

Heidi, Otis (together shot)

Heidi in her NorEaster

Goodnite Otis

biLL

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Dave'sWife
Date: 11 Jan 08 - 11:58 AM

I cam over here to see how SOUSER is doing. Some insit on calling him Snowball but I know his true name is SOUSER. Glad to hear he's been worming his way inside for longer and longer periods of time. Tommy better be careful - the big pawed kitten may grow up to be the size of a small collie and then beat the snot out of him for a change!

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: wysiwyg
Date: 11 Jan 08 - 11:44 AM

SRS, is that a papered Staffordshire Terrier?

Big creampuff, all the Staffs I've known.

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Becca72
Date: 11 Jan 08 - 10:23 AM

Stilly, those pics are great! What a cutie

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Bee
Date: 11 Jan 08 - 07:12 AM

Thanks, guys - all advice cheerfully accepted!

That third photo is a great picture of doggy's face, SRS.

Tommy, the tabby, is very difficult to photograph even by himself. The black fur he has, especially on his rear half, is so shiny it will actually reflect my hand like a mirror if I place my hand close enough. I've never had such a shiny kitty.

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 11 Jan 08 - 01:03 AM

Bee,

Use a background that contrasts with the cats (you may have to photograph them separately, but I think you'll be able to work something out). And use your flash. The shadow that creates will help outline the lighter cat and bring the darker cat into view.

I sold an old digital camera on eBay this week and dug out a couple of photos I took to post as examples. And have been enjoying the "old home week" aspect of revisiting those photos. For example:

Yeah, this pit bull will tear your leg off. . . as soon as she's finished hanging out with her best friend, the sprinkler.

That tug-toy won't be bothering you any more, I've got it under control. . ."

and the heartbreaker,
Will You Love Me and Keep Me???

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: number 6
Date: 10 Jan 08 - 10:16 PM

That's a tuff shot Bee .... I find the same problem when trying to photograph our 2 hounds ... Heidi is mainly white, while Otis is a dark brindle .... I wouldn't use the flash and try shooting them when the lighting is more filtered ... the other problem is having them stay still enough in a position that complements the 2 of them.

biLL

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Bee
Date: 10 Jan 08 - 08:57 PM

Bill, No.6 - I apologise for calling you gnu - I was very tired! I hope you decide to give the metacam a trial - it takes a while to kick in. Our dog also had skin allergies in the pollen season, so we had to give her another medication which contained steroids, and balance the dosages out, plus watch her carefully for gastrointestinal distress. A funny side effect of the summer steroids was that she would act like a male dog for a week or two at the start - cocking her leg and other 'male-ish' behaviours.

Susan, sounds like a successful transition indeed.

Becca: I'm laughing at you, not with you. No more kittens, Ha!

Anyone here knowledgeable about photography (of course someone is)? I'm having trouble taking photos in which both a mostly white cat and a mostly dark cat appear. Either the white cat is a brilliant blaze or the dark one's a muted dark spot. I've tried (available on my simple digital camera) messing with white balance, the snow/beach setting, and the portrait option with little success. If I aim the shutter slightly above or below or to the side on a neutral object, might that help? It's the only thought I've had that I haven't tried.

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Becca72
Date: 10 Jan 08 - 07:20 PM

Over the last few days Sheldon's favorite thing has been my jewelry box. He dumped it the other day and made off with about 10 necklaces that I have yet to locate. I just know the little shit is going to pull them out, one at a time, and play with them in front of me over the course of the next few weeks. I found about 5 of them, 2 of which he bit through and destroyed.

Next time please remind me that I have sworn off kittens (they'll be 2 next month and should start to slow down!) and will be adopting only older cats from this point forward (yeah right).

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: wysiwyg
Date: 10 Jan 08 - 07:15 PM

Poor Sadie. Lonely, intelligent, energetic and sweet dog longing for the opportunity to exercise a natural-born calmness and playfulness.

Peachy on the pickup, even though her people were not home (by advance arrangement).... Her Peke was tied out in the back yard as well, so first I fussed over the Peke with a McDonald's burger redolent in the breeze, and by the time I had collected and loaded Sadie's dogfood she was VERY happy to see me, sit for me, and try very hard to coooperate with being "led" to the car with many, many, MANY patient "sit"s interrupting her explosions. She's been taught to use her pent-up, youthful energy in a knock-down, drag-out tug of war for a run, by a slight and very pregnant owner, so she was very surprised to be held firmly and made to sit every time she went nutso. Loved going for a ride (unlike poor Faulkner), loved snuggling into my hands as I drove, and has been doing well at meeting the household critters one controlled, careful encounter at a time.

Just now she's napping all the excitement off in the dog corner ("Doggie Smell! Doggie Smell!"), having tanked up on a huge amount of water first.... thus the small corner begins her introduction to the Pee Outside Only Policy. (P.O.O.P.)

And for the moment, all dogs are quiet in their respective separate domains. Ruby, bless her, showed Sadie all the ropes. Sadie, bless her, had the brains to respect both Ruby and Faulkner and offered (submissively, yieldingly) to play. Faulkner, bless him, paw-dominated while playing but was satisfied with Sadie's fawning response.

Next trick-- small suppers for the over-excited, and a hockey game for F to have with me all to himself (and for Sadie to overhear from her corner so she can start learning about Hound Hockey).

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: number 6
Date: 10 Jan 08 - 06:50 PM

Much Thanks Bee ... I'll look into Metacam.

biLL (the other guy from N.B.) :)

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Bee
Date: 10 Jan 08 - 12:09 AM

METACAM! Brain just kicked in - the stuff was called Metacam, gnu.

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Bee
Date: 10 Jan 08 - 12:06 AM

Gnu, I will try to remember and will search tomorrow morning to see if I have an old prescription paper. It was a steroidal compound mixed in a honey-flavoured base. Steroids aren't great but if the alternative is death... well. The vet said it also could reverse some of the damage. She had it so badly in spine, hips and right hind leg that she would just lay down and not move for hours, and cry terribly if forced to get up - heart-rending.

Once on the medication, with no pain and light exercise, she improved enormously, was her happy old self again. She was a seventy five pound mixed breed, started on the medication at eight and died of a common canine cancer at thirteen.

Your vet should know of it, anyway. It is expensive, but I reasoned it was a couple two-fours a month, eh?

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: number 6
Date: 09 Jan 08 - 11:49 PM

Bee ... if you can remember what that medication was I'd appreciate knowing what it is. Our female grey has arthritis due to her ligaments on her right leg rupturing on her 98th race. Poor hound, she was scheduled to be put down 'til we took her in. Glucosamine doesn't seem to make any difference. These cold winter days just causes her more discomfort.

biLL

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Bee
Date: 09 Jan 08 - 11:34 PM

I'm sorry to hear it, Susan. Our old girl was gifted with probably four extra years of painfree life by a prescription arthritis medication (which I cannot remember the name of now, for some reason). Glucosamine did nothing for her at all. The medication worked fantastically well, and had only a few serious side effects to be watched for, none of which she had, fortunately. It ran us about fifty dollars a month, but well worth it to us.

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: wysiwyg
Date: 09 Jan 08 - 06:28 PM

Oh, she's a little TOO perky still, incuding peeing all over the rugs when she gets excited which is new, uncontrollable, and very much a sign of her decline because if you look up "fastidious" in the dictionary, you'll see her picture there. Other issues I have not written about with her... a tremendously painful spine and hips with arthritis advancing, a combativeness that just isn't her, cataracts, days she skips food entirely-- aging very fast now.

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Bee
Date: 09 Jan 08 - 12:29 PM

Good luck with the new doggie. Might perk Ruby up some, too.

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: wysiwyg
Date: 09 Jan 08 - 10:47 AM

Faulkner is about to get what we hope will be a new favorite-- a foster dog has come up that I will pick up tomorrow afternoon, who has the youthful energy Ruby used to have to romp and exercise in the house and in the dog yard, and who is a good size/weight match for full-grown Faulkner.

Sadie is a yellow lab whose daddie is headed for an overseas deployment and whose mommie is about to complete a difficult pregnancy in a small house with several other little kids. Sadie misses the great big rural property she used to run on, and can no longer be safely walked in town.

We don't know if she will be a brief visitor or a longterm fixture of the household, but Ruby has been going downhill fast in the last several months so-- There Is A Dog.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: ranger1
Date: 03 Dec 07 - 03:00 PM

LOL, Bee! Gives a new meaning to "the cat came back" doesn't it?

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Bee
Date: 03 Dec 07 - 02:58 PM

Cats do have a 'sticky' quality. When I was a student, I arrived in Halifax on the train in pouring rain, and had to walk some twelve blocks to my apartment with all my baggage. On the way, a tiny orange kitten, soaked and dirty and skinny and crying, began to follow me. Couldn't discourage it. Wouldn't go away. Had two cats at home. Didn't know what to do. Just then I passed a house I recognised as belonging to a well off local television personality. I knew she liked cats. As luck would have it, her porch door was open a crack. Aha! thought I, this woman will deal with a kitty! And at that, I stuffed it in the door and ran. Yes I did.

A year later, I moved into a room in a very nice home, other side of town. Very nice people. Lotsa cats. Talking with my very dear landlady about cats one day. That orange one? Got him from TV personality lady. Someone left it in her porch.

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: ranger1
Date: 03 Dec 07 - 02:43 PM

Bee, I don't think that kitty's going anywhere. I, too, once brought an abandoned cat home "just for the night." that was over eight years ago and she's still there.

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Bee
Date: 03 Dec 07 - 02:34 PM

That is one comfy lookin' greyhound, Bill.

To those who disdained Snowball's plebian moniker: you should see him now. This is his very first snow ever. He went out reluctantly, wandered around looking distressed and shaking his paws, then disappeared under the deck. I let him in, meowing piteously. It's wet, sticky snow, he's fluffy, and his entire belly and 'pyjamas' are hung with dozens of half-inch diametre balls of snow.

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: number 6
Date: 03 Dec 07 - 02:16 PM

A dog bed by the fireside ... out hound Heidi has made this her permanent spot now untill May.

by the fireside

biLL

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: wysiwyg
Date: 03 Dec 07 - 12:57 PM

But don't kid yerself, I am still looking for a permanent home for the sneaky little freeloader!

Oh I know-- I have a dog that's been here 9 years on that plan! :~)

Me, I think Snowball's got a lock on this one. Go Snowball! :~)

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Bee
Date: 03 Dec 07 - 12:54 PM

"It's cold outside!"

That, Susan, is why Snowball is spending more time inside. (Could you look at that little face pressed against the patio door glass while cold rain slashes down?) And why his house has moved into our unheated, but certainly windproof and rain proof garage. And why he is getting fed as much as his little heart desires, to keep the calories up.

I'm trying to give Tommy tons of extra attention, especially when Snowball is in the house. At least the beatings-up are so far bloodless, for all the pitiful noises out of Snowball - he really is mostly fluff, there isn't a lot of cat under that fur... but it slightly worries me that he has ginormous paws, compared to Tommy's neat little feet.

And (sigh!) it has just started snowing quite heavily, ice has formed a skim on the North side of the lake. Tommy's curled up asleep on the couch, and Snowball... is curled up asleep on the foot of the bed upstairs.

But don't kid yerself, I am still looking for a permanent home for the sneaky little freeloader!

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: wysiwyg
Date: 03 Dec 07 - 11:33 AM

BSEG-- and LOL--

Snowball comes inside? Did I miss something? Naw.....

GinormousSEG! :~)


Tommy, it'll be OK, I promise....

Bee, can Tommy learn to associate Snowball-gets-petted time with Tommy-special-tuna-treat time?

It's cold outside!

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Bee
Date: 03 Dec 07 - 11:11 AM

Ah, yes, the joys of rival pet interactions! Tommy (my cat) and Snowball (trying to be my cat) love each other outside, and never fight. Inside, Snowball still loves Tommy, but Tommy is conflicted. On the one hand, it is sometimes fun to have Snowball inside to play with. On the other hand, Tommy's servants have been caught PETTING Snowball - he doesn't care that his food is sometimes stolen - there's more where that came from. So at least a couple times a day, if Snowball is in for a warm up and a learning session in being a tame cat, Tommy takes it into his head to beat the snot out of the smaller cat, and won't stop until I intervene or Snowball starts crying. Worse'n kids.

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: wysiwyg
Date: 03 Dec 07 - 09:44 AM

The next-door beagle moved, and has been replaced by a Pitiful Dog.

Monday morning started with Hardi calling from the cellphone as his car departed, to report the neighbor's sad outside dog had broken the chain and was in our yard. We're right on the road, so I collared Faulkner and went out with him on the leash to see if I could entice their dog away from the road.

I'd not met this dog; we just hear him crying all the time out on his chain. Pitiful. (He does have shelter and is fed, cared for, etc.)

Thought it would be your average mutt, and caught up with it in the neighbors' front yard. Saw tracks in our yard indicating it had made at least one round around our place looking for our dogs, before Hardi saw him.

Next door, I thought I'd nab him-- step on the long, trailing chain at least-- until I saw the jaws. F dropped the gloves and offered to fight, but the pit/lab was only interested in play and ran off to the back of his own yard, scared, much to MY relief.... I nab strays all the time, but this one was better left loose (and yes I was prepared in case a fight broke out, and can gauge the "safe distance" on any animal's behavior..

Neighbors were home when I knocked and got him secured shortly after I arrived back in the my house. On their porch, as I waited for them to answer my knock, I saw the carseats and baby toys-- oh, THIS is why a dog not used to being an outside dog has been banished, for now, to the chain.

F is kicking himself now, wanting to go back out and play.

So I've had my AM exercise time (rehabbing bad knee, fun) and F almost broke my hand, holding him.

But here's why I HAD to post-- he is a good dog nevertheless, because when we came back in, the front door had not latched in my hurry to go out. Faulkner sat when I told him to SIT (yelling from the next room and hoping he'd obey), instead of nosing it open to fly next door as he noses his dog door open. He'd love to escape for a hill run, but he goes out into the road and we've lost too many that way.

Nice dog, but Mr. Pitibull will have to stay at home, thanks, and not visit here anymore. I don't want our dear, sweet Faulkner to teach him to fight!

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: wysiwyg
Date: 25 Nov 07 - 09:39 PM

Dog beds are rendered inedible by a cheap bitter-apple spray. (Pet store, Agway, Tractor Supply.) Doesn't hurt they noses, but they mouths no like.

~S~