BS: Our pets favorite things

Subject: Abrazos: China Cats and TP Rollss
From: wysiwyg
Date: 11 Apr 09 - 10:54 AM

A church lady who died several years ago left her house (and its contents) to the church. One of the many items not sold, but lovingly stashed in the church building, is a sleeping china cat, full-size.

I can tell the parish's "processing" of dear Louise's passing has evolved, because the cat has started to appear in interesting, small-movement spots.

So-- since the kitty had moved horizontally along the church hallway and had even turned around with her back facing out-- Thursday night, after the Maundy Thursday vigil service the cat moved up to the top shelf of a bookshelf, next to a figurine she is about to knock off next time she stretches, on top of a pile of papers that were sitting up there.


I cannot wait to see where someone else moves her next-- a real cat-lover will do it I am sure, who knows just where a cat would actually curl up for a nap. When I see her on the altar I'll get fingerprints-- I wanna know who's that relaxed about their worship! :~)


One of our kids used to play a related game here at home, during the years he was too mad to talk to us at all. The TP-roll tower in the loo would change shape very few days. I always responded to the change by modifying it just slightly. He later told us-- that one, single, not-quite daily game made for more trust that anything else we could have tried, and kept him steadied during some pretty bad nights-- just knowing that someone would always respond, and without getting into his face. It was only after his storms had passed that we all talked about who had been playing.... no one had really known, till then, but just kept a silent, responsive vigil that meant so much to us all.

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: wysiwyg
Date: 11 Jun 09 - 01:16 PM

Update-- the cat is, indeed, moving from place to place. I still do not know who my playmate(s) is/are.

===

One of Faulkner's favorite things is his LR dogbed. Of all his beds (he has many in this big house), he likes this one best because as each bed-sack has gotten dirty, I've just added another one on top of it. It holds every F smell he has ever put on it. We can't smell them, but HE can.

Apparently the cats love the smell of dog, too, because Atticus has been known to try to join the lap party. As of last week, F is almost up to letting Atticus groom him as he grooms any other mammal he contacts. Kitteh love that dog earz smellz!


But when F is outside, they jump in his BED, until further notice.

It easily holds the two of them, and they are such lazy-lovies that they just spend the day twisting into different positons, around and around in it. Even in hot weather. If he's not in it, they are.


Of course when he comes back inside, they don't give a damn, but HE's very distressed about this.

We have tried a variety of lazy-people (sore muscles) approaches to getting them out, for him, but this worries him because if I throw an empty pill bottle to startle them out, for him, he thinks that's MY bottle and therefore MY bed, unless I get up and show him otherwise by taking the bottle out. Squirting a little bottled water their way also worries him-- "What if they squirt ME," he's thinking-- "Maybe they don't want ANY animalz in there right now."

Hardi has the treats-can, and sometimes we oust the cats by lobbing treat-bombs, and F goes right in to get them and goes to sleep, but that's really counter-productive as a training method. All he gets out of it is US throwing treats for HIM! (Training US.)


So today I took him by the collar to SHOW him how to eject kittehs from HIS BED. "Nonono," he worried, "they KITTEHs, they has CLAWZ...." even tho neither of them have ever, ever scratched him nor would they even think of doing that. They just aren't scratchers, and they grew up with dogz.


Atticus is smart. As soon as I mock-bit him (with fingers), making the right growly noise, he vacated. F almost brought himself to LOOK at this ("Can't look kitteh in the eye, plz don't make me...."), but did observe out of his peripheral vision. He liked it. I taught him words to go with all this.

Isis, however didn't budge. She's the formerly-17-pounds big girl we're STILL reducing to her desired 5 pound weight. She dug in. F worried, while I hissed, bit, used my foot, the whole nine yards. She actually yowled a warning at us. I persisted, knowing she was bluffing.

As soon as she vacated (barely), I told F to get on in there. He went. And for the next 15 minutes, he got back out every time I looked at him-- "Are you SURE, iz MY bed? Iz me go in, NOW?" (More word-teaching.)

Gosh, I hope he's a fast learner on this as he has been on so many other things!

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Bonzo3legs
Date: 11 Jun 09 - 02:21 PM

Bearing in mind Bonzo only has one front leg, he holds a soft ball in his mouth and lobs a second harder one with his front leg - dog football! He plays for hours on his own.

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: wysiwyg
Date: 29 Aug 09 - 09:29 AM

F's favorite thing at the moment is the portable dog bed that used to be a ladies' "mouton" coat, which is tossed to the floor for his convenience, when it's needed, with the arms inside out to create two ridges on the sides. (In the AM it is hung up on the nearest upright vacuum cleaner.) It gets washed twice a year whether it needs it or not. I was shocked to realize yesterday that his boarding kennel people had re-washed it before giving it back to me a few weeks ago! WITH fabric softener to make it smell.... nice to me, but pretty weird to F! But he wiggled quite happily when I started to lay it out for him last night: That's mine! I know what you're doing!"

GROSSOLOGY/SADOLOGY ALERT

S's current fave thing at the mo' is to crap on the floor of their shared dog corner, and then nudge her empty glass food bowl mashed on top of it so she doesn't step in it. From diarrhea in shocking quantities to firm double-poops overnight, she has not stepped in ONE of these accidents, so I believe the cause is beyond her solving and have taken action.

F concurs that the young hussy can have that cold, drafty corner all to herself this winter while his older bones loll around in front of the heat register on his cushy coat, food and water handy, while she must wait for AM food and water. "She'll grow up, " he sez, "and then SHE can have all the perks-- when I am long gone!"

~S~/

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: wysiwyg
Date: 03 Nov 09 - 12:15 PM

SQUEAM/GROSS ALERT ON-- really , now--

Basement employee-kitteh Sami has a favorite: running off any other cats that might encroach on her territory, and she is really ferally vicious about it. As regards neigbioionr marauders tryuing to set upa new breeding ground, that's fine ny us. There are lots of tastyy mice in the barn out back and she is not so territoiral out there; they're welcome to it.

But on the odd occasion one of our pampered house-employee-kittehs squeaks out for a bit of fresh air (despite our best efforts), Sami has been known to tear them up pretty badly before we can get out there to separate them. (We seem to prefer to get pause to get a pair of shoes on, go figure.)

Food always works-- a few Sami-kibbles rattled into the right place makes a safe path, back into the open door, for the escapee.


The thing is, sometimes the overweight kitteh we have been reducing for the last several years ends up totally beshatted, in panic. It makes it considerably less fun for me when I have to not only catch her when she's freaked out, but get low enough to scoop her huge self up in my arms (too near my nose!!!) and carry her squirming, slipery largeness to the door-- and the washing machine for whatever I may have been wearing at the time.


SQUEAM ALERT OFF.

Don't say I didn't warn ya's! :~!)

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Sooz
Date: 04 Nov 09 - 02:07 PM

I've just put a tiny clip of Meg and her favourite thing on YouTube
have a look

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: wysiwyg
Date: 07 Jan 10 - 02:59 PM

Sadie, stop chewing up all the Fels Naptha! That stuff is hard to find!

(She doesn't eat it, just gnaws briefly.)

Guess I need Office Bones.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: GUEST,manu
Date: 07 Jan 10 - 06:09 PM

listen i just want my phone (and my money) back

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: LilyFestre
Date: 07 Jan 10 - 06:19 PM

Dan, the one cat in the house that is MY cat, or rather I am HIS person, has taken to sleeping on the top of my new recliner where I have been sleeping frequently lately. He seems to know where my body is sore and so he just sleeps nearby and purrs in my ear.

Jack, on the other hand, is a large tiger kitty who is nothing BUT a snuggle bunny. He curls up beside me, arm and paw resting over my heart, purring away.

Those seem to be the favorite things for now...for Dan, Jack and myself.

:)

Michelle

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: wysiwyg
Date: 10 Jan 10 - 07:20 AM

The used rug Hardi laid in the office for me yesterday is providing HOURS of fun tfor doggie noses!

So funny to see Faulkner stop in his tracks on the way into one of "his" favorite places. "I smell my man! I smell his helper! But who is THAT I smell NOW and where the heck have all those feet traveled?"

A few minutes later, Sadie: "I smell her man! I smell #1 dog! (I taste his rug; I smell his treats! I eat my rawhide!) I smell the stranger that came over today! But who is THAT I smell NOW, and where the heck have all those feet traveled?"

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: wysiwyg
Date: 08 May 10 - 11:07 AM

Something has shifted with Faulkner. He used to drop me like a hot potato when Hardi came in. Now.... I'm sure I do not deserve it, but somehow I have been promoted. I used to be "she who makes sure I am cared for but I want to be #2 and dammit, it seems that SHE is."

Now.... it's hard to describe. But I suspect I have become one of his favorite things, even as Hardi becomes more precious to him as Hardi learns how to have a dog who adores him.

It's a bit unsettling, really! :~)

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 08 May 10 - 06:10 PM

Poppy is on the injured list. No blood, no protruding bones, and can't even detect where the injury actually is, but she's not putting one back foot down much. Thing is, this dog squeals if you look at her cross-eyed, so the volume of complaints if you touch it doesn't really tell you much. I'm giving her the weekend to see how she's doing before considering a trip to the vet, and already she's putting a little more weight on it. Better if it will heal and she doesn't do whatever she did again. I have a piece of furniture out there she might have tried to jump on, and fallen through, so I'm going to move that.

Oh--as to their favorite things--last week (before the injury) I put Poppy in the kennel and left Cinnamon in the yard and let them each have a joint of beef soup bone. After about 90 minutes I took them away again because they were getting them down to sharp bits and I didn't want any injuries. They love those bones, but I always have to separate them or Cinnamon would take Poppy's from her.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: wysiwyg
Date: 10 Jul 10 - 04:33 PM

Two kitteh
One empty bogzfan bogz
+Yin/Yang kitteh mindmeldz
========================
Kitteh Hevenz

Subject: BIRDEH VISIT
From: wysiwyg
Date: 16 Jul 10 - 08:22 AM

Kitteh A: BIRDIE! BIRDIE! INNA MAH HOUSE O JOY! KILLKILLKILL!

Kitteh B: [snore.....]

Mommeh: OK, a bird flew in. Faulkner, KITCHEN! [slam] Birdeh, OUT! [opening front door screen and closing lower half of inner dutch door to keep kittehs IN] Hardi sleep, too bad, he miss all this....

Kitteh A: BIRDIE ON WALL DECOR! U COME DOWN! KILLKILLKILL! I SMELL YOU! I HEAR YOU! I SEE YOU! KILLKILLKILL!!!

Kitteh B: Oh, izzat a bird? OK... I go see... Kitteh A, whatchoo DOIN'?

Mommeh: Dumb bird. Gotta wait for east sun to stop lighting window I can't open (painted shut). Turn on all lights by open door. May be awhile-- maybe Hardi NOT miss all.... not like last time....

Birdeh: [pantpantpant] I smell real AIR. Must find..... SWOOP!

Kittehs A & B, and Mommeh: Did you see the TURN that birdeh made in mid-air!?!?!?!

Faulkner: What did I miss? Kittehs all excited but washing?

Hardi: 'Morning dear, sleep well? Where mah coffeh?

Mommeh: I'M TAKING THE DAY OFF! o, f, F!

Hardi: What I do?

Faulkner: Bes' let mommeh be. I dunno what wuz but I hear mommeh gettin' bizzeh with kittehs. We'uns doggehs bes' jes' set a bit.

Hardi: Oh, I get it, thanks Dawg.

Mommeh: I not mommeh any more today. You be dawg Daddeh today.

Hardi: I kin do dat.

Mommeh: Good, cuz I's be kitteh todeh.


~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: LadyJean
Date: 17 Jul 10 - 12:29 AM

My tabby cat, Grace O'Malley likes cream cheese. For breakfast I have toast with cream cheese on it. I sit down to eat and read my paper, then I scrape some cream cheese onto one of my fingers, and Gracie licks it off. I've tried a plate, but it tastes better on my finger, she says. When she's done one finger, I scrape more off with another finger and let her lick that one too.
I've been out of cream cheese this week, and she's been giving me the dirtiest looks!
I don't spoil my cats. Of course I don't spoil my cats. Yeah right, I don't spoil my cats.

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: kendall
Date: 17 Jul 10 - 12:42 PM

We have the world's best dog. He has never given us any trouble at all, but his favorite thing is sleeping on Sinsull's couch!

All you folks with unruly pets might try what Utah Phillips told me about his cats and his dog to keep them in line, he said "I show them a Viet Namese cook book".

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: wysiwyg
Date: 11 Jan 11 - 09:18 PM

Faulkner (F) and Sadie (S) each have some new faves.

S first because hers came first. She LOVES romping like crazy all around my path while I do the fast AM housechores, eating ANYthing left on the floor, in high spirits. So of course before this begins an intelligent person first clears up the floor of inedibles!

F has long had carsickness/fretfulness in any car in any position and on any therapy/training one can imagine. But he has made some great strides and the credit is all his-- I'd begun to suspect that if he can't SEE things whiz by he may not get so dizzy and thus carsick... had some limited success with a few new tricks of my own there. Anyway he was so bored that he demanded one day to be taken along on a car ride so I took him, and he taught me quite a few new things about how to let him do it his way-- of course we had tried THAT, but we're all older and wiser now. So he's been re-learning the "No Jumping Out When Susan Goes into the Store" skills and today he really amped it up a notch-- "OK then I think I'll leave this nice front seat where I can watch for you, where I've been so much calmer... I'm gonna wait in the van's back end for you." When I came out of the store he came back up front to greet me and then hopped back into the back. While there he repeated all the great cooperative things I've asked up front, that I'd noticed helped him stay calmer. In baby terms, we would say that he "self-soothed." More car trips planned! Last week he got a LONG ride on a FreeCycle I needed to do without my usual security partner-- and served in his place quite handsomely.

Go Faulkner! Thank you Sadie!

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Donuel
Date: 12 Jan 11 - 12:10 AM

I know what you are doing susan, and bless you for it.

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: GUEST,Patsy
Date: 12 Jan 11 - 04:28 AM

My three animals used to sleep for a while on my bed every morning each of them Misty the oldest cat, Misha the Siamese Cross and my Cavalier Spaniel puppy all trying to get as close to me as possible but at the same time trying to avoid each other so Misty would snuggle into my neck, Misha on my left side and Bonnie on my right and then they would all move around one more time still avoiding touching each other. It was funny to watch especially if sometimes they woke up to find that they had got into each others space, they didn't fight just looks of distain.

Subject: Peter's Passing
From: wysiwyg
Date: 07 Feb 11 - 04:58 PM

F's new fave is His Own Couch. It's really our "company" couch, a very nice one given to us almost new several years ago. It's not comfy for TV watching or hoomin-napping, so it usually sits swathed in protective blankies to be saved for the day we move to a house with a real "company-parlor;" several other chairs on hold will go there, with it. But since we recently acquired a used sectional recliner (LOVE it), and since the LR re-arrange and the cold winter sent F's dog bed to his sleeping corner-- he gained Couch Status.

"His" couch is a repository the cats appreciate for the lap-rugs we toss on there when we exit our own warm nest. This Dog Sofa adjoins ours, in a huge L that takes up most of the LR seating space.... F gets to snuggle inches from o Hardi's Nuzzling Hand. F's aging bones appreciate the promotion, but we are having a heck of a time teaching him that if he is called over to us he must first hit the floor and not just ooze across Hardi's Recliner Armrest onto OUR couch. (I do not care; Hardi does.) Faulkner and the cats, tho, sleep together quite happily on that Dog Couch. (They used to sleep in his dog bed when they could, and he was afraid to eject them from it.) So really (it USED to be called the Kittteh Kouch), it's a Critter Couch.

The kittehs also are enjoying the two used Kitteh Kondos we acquired last week. I set one under a lamp, nuff said.


A friend of ours lost a grand dog this week. His obit was so eloquent that I wanted to share it with fellow Dog Lovers:

===

Peter's Passing
1/03/2000 to 2/07/2011

It will come as a shock to most reading this letter that Peter, our beloved Irish Water Spaniel, was humanely put to sleep this morning. We learned about ten days ago that he had inoperable abdominal cancer. The veterinarians at Cornell told us to take him home to enjoy his final days. The three of us did enjoy his last days just as we had enjoyed every one of his eleven years. He was a wonderful dog and he had a wonderful life.

Peter was born in Canada. He had fine breeding and breeders. We were in touch with his breeders throughout his life and their help was greatly appreciated. As you know, he was a happy, sweet and healthy dog. He brought great joy to his parents. He was our workmate at [my] dental office for his entire life. Peter was rarely apart from his parents. He was only boarded at one kennel and they took special care of him so we could go away without worry. He had a caring veterinarian who took care of him his whole life. Peter and groomers did not always get along, and after the five who did their best for him, Peter had his parents groom him for his final year. Peter had a way of making friends and getting attention his whole life. I cannot remember how many people, seeing him for the first time, said the same thing. "What a beautiful dog!" He also had a special student friend at Cornell.

Neither Joan nor I can believe that these eleven years have ended so soon. Both Joan and I have had many special dogs in our lives, but without any doubt Peter was the one most special dog in our lives. My mother once told me that he was the perfect dog. She was not one easily snookered by canines, but he got to her too. Joan and I have a big hole in our hearts that could only have been filled by him.

Irish Water Spaniels are often referred to as the "clowns of the spaniel world." Without spending as much time with him as we did, it would be hard to understand just how funny he could be. It was not just that great face, those knowing brown eyes and that crazy topknot. He did great physical comedy. If you don't believe he was an acrobat, just ask those five rejected groomers what he put them through. Until just a few years ago he would stand on his head on the sofa.

He was able to balance whimsy with dignity. He had definite ideas about how the world should be. His Canadian breeder told us that his was a noble breed. He lived up to those princely standards. He could live a dog's life of running, swimming and hunting. However, he expected pillows on the sofa, blankets on the furniture, cushions on the rugs and plenty of good home-cooked food. It is easier to be a great dog when you have a great mom. If there was anything he needed from Joan in eleven years, she gave it to him with a joyful heart. He was great; Joan was better.

Peter was blessed in church nearly every year of his life at the "blessing of the animals" service. Five different priests blessed him and in his final hour another priest prayed for him over the telephone. He always went to church with us except for unusually frigid weather. During my years as senior warden that meant a lot of trips to church. He was happy to go there, just as he was happy to go anywhere with us. We planned vacations only to places that took dogs.

Unfortunately, dogs do not live as long as they should. We are much richer for his life. He taught us much more that we taught him. Even in this time of sorrow, Joan and I are thankful and grateful to God for having had him. We gave him all we could and he returned that by giving us much more. May angels surround him, and welcome him in peace.

(From Steve Sampson, by permission)
===

Good ole Peter. Bye, Peter!

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: eddie1
Date: 07 Feb 11 - 05:41 PM

It's fate that this thread has just appeared!
Suzie - our cat who only ever answered to Wooz, has lived here longer than I have. A cat who hated all other animals except humans who she loved dearly.
Her favourite things? Food, my lap and more food (including custard!!).
Sadly, at the ripe old age of 20, she's off tomorrow to take that long sleep. Mostly blind, decidedly deaf, somewhat arthritic and finally, a facial tumour which is inoperable. I know it's the best thing for her but.....
In the supermarket yesterday I bought a couple of tins of outrageously expensive food as a final present and I, 6'7" built like a brick outhouse, burst into tears at the check-out as I picked them out of my basket.
This evening she's been lying on my lap with whiskers full of cuatard and purring loudly.

Bye darling, I'll miss you.

Eddie

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: wysiwyg
Date: 07 Feb 11 - 05:52 PM

(((Eddie)))

In my lap. It's big enough. Have a tissue.

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: GUEST,999
Date: 08 Feb 11 - 01:48 PM

My pet is a dog. His favourite things seem to be his nuts.

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Becca72
Date: 08 Feb 11 - 02:29 PM

Thinking of you today, Eddie. I'll give my 3 boys an extra scratch behind the ears tonight.

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Ebbie
Date: 09 Feb 11 - 12:27 AM

My new dog, Ellery, is a rescued Chinese Crested Hairless, now 2 1/2 years old. He had major surgery about four months ago and is finally feeling well - loves to leap and run with a big grin on his face.

But as I said, he is hairless so he loves to be toasty. In the apartment his sweater keeps him warm enough but not toasty so the 'royal robe' I drape over him is a favorite thing of his. He is careful not to shake it off as he trots around.

He loves to go to bed- it is the toastiest place he knows. He sleeps inside the sheets, starting down by my feet and then sometime during the night he shimmies on his belly up to my pillow and there he is when morning comes: the covers around his shoulders but his tiny face on my pillow.

But I think his very favorite thing in the world is when he first wakes up. He has trained me to give him a complete rub down every morning - from massaging his feet and working the muscles in the upper legs to the special scratch just above his tail and the next most important spot on his long neck. In between those points all he asks is a full body massage. He can hardly contain himself; his eyes are dreamy, his mouth chews on my arm as though he thought I too needed a massage. Reminds me of the reciprocal attention that horses give each other.

I have read that the Crested is considered the Clown of the Dog World- I can see why.

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: J-boy
Date: 09 Feb 11 - 02:23 AM

Tami and I lost our stupid and beautiful cat on saturday. The hardest part is that I keep seeing and hearing her everywhere.

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: eddie1
Date: 09 Feb 11 - 02:47 AM

Susan & Becca
Thanks for the messages of comfort.
Was cleaning up yesterday after it was all over. Never thought I would cry over dumping a trayful of poop?
Got up during the night and was convinced I heard her objecting to havingn her sleep interrupted.

Eddie

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: wysiwyg
Date: 09 Feb 11 - 08:11 AM

(((Eddie)))

(((J-Boy & Tami)))

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Becca72
Date: 09 Feb 11 - 08:57 AM

Eddie,
After my calico Mara passed a few years back I heard her in the apartment for quite awhile afterward. It wasn't just me, either. My other cat Madmardigan would hear it, too. Once I brought home the new kittens 8-10 weeks later I stopped hearing her.

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: GUEST,999
Date: 09 Feb 11 - 02:08 PM

I had a German Shepherd named Tamar. When she had to be put down I was crying for about three days. Best dog I ever had and I still, decades later, think of he at least once a week. Best to those of you who`ve lost a pet. I know they are just dogs or cats or, or, or, but man it still hurts like hell.

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Ebbie
Date: 09 Feb 11 - 03:00 PM

I know what you mean, Bruce. I lost a dog more than 30 years ago, and I still miss her.

As for the one I lost this summer, I still bleed...

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: GUEST,Patsy
Date: 10 Feb 11 - 07:59 AM

It still hurts losing the 3 of mine 2 cats and a dog. The youngest cat was killed in tragic circumstances and my older cat was always constantly looking out for her not knowing she wasn't going to come back it was just too much to bear. The older cat some years later watched my youngest pet dog pass away, this time she was more aware that there was a problem with the dog. The cat held on for a few years later and on until 18 years old she was tiny but so strong not wanting to go and give up her life until it got to the point that she could hardly stand, eat or drink. She died more or less the same month as we got her. They were 3 good natured animals best companions I've ever had but somehow I don't think I will ever be that lucky to find anything like that again.

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Ebbie
Date: 10 Feb 11 - 12:43 PM

Every time that I've gotten a new animal I am aware that they cannot take the place of the one I've lost. However, the new one can fill the space, and in time they make their own place. My new dog is just beginning to make his place; it is not his fault that he's not Meggie.

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: wysiwyg
Date: 25 Jun 11 - 02:47 PM

So proud of our doggehs.

Sadie is now scooter-safe on the local rail-trails, with my scooter and her short leash, and is learning voice cues to go around the back when asked to change sides. She is also quite smart about moving on voice request to initiate a turn (so her toes stay safe), when we must turn. I'm using a combo of dog and horse languages. She figured out the program very quickly.

Faulkner continues to amaze me. On the one had he actually thought he could nose my fingers off his food bowl one day (NO!), but OTOH he is getting more and more responsive to eye-fingerpoint cues to go where I ask him to go. Today the complex task was to run up and get Sadie off whatever she was nosing into or chewing, upstairs, and get her to follow him down. He knows that no GOOD dog goes up there w/o our permission, so he asked with his eyes to be sure I DID really want him to run up there... his usual stair-safety procedure is to stay at least 4 steps behind me so he doesn't knock me downstairs, so he thought that he could certainly not go first!!! He went, albeit a tad slowly to be SURE.... But by the third time we did this, there was just my eyes and finger, and a little "go on" of murmured encouragement from me. Up he went, so happily and freely that Sadie was attracted to the fun she saw him having, and did follow him back down, and they then happily romped back to the respective places where they belonged, having had that good, strenuous stair-climb/roam.

Treats for all, YAY!

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: wysiwyg
Date: 26 Jun 11 - 09:21 PM

Sadie just logged an hour-plus, most of it at a good clip, with the scooter. First time I have ever seen her tired enough to flop. BTW there is nothing funnier than a dog trying to do what a horse does easily on a trail ride, without even stopping-- unless it's when they do it on a treadmill.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: wysiwyg
Date: 11 Jul 11 - 10:46 AM

Faulkner had a thorough romp with the scooter last night. TBTG I had a portable water-bowl on board because the old boy got totally panted out! I thought for a minute he'd have to ride the scooter back to the car-- no cell on board to call Hardi-- but altho he got on it, he declined to ride, LOL. He strolled happily back all 3.5 miles, asked for a few more runs, climbed up into the car with no issue, had no car jitters as he usually does, slept hard all night-- and is his usual playful seff this AM (tho starving!).

Funny how he and Sadie handle scooter-runs so differently. She's happy just to slog along. He wants to choose whether he's on grass or asphalt, and not all grass will suit, BTW! She's more like ponying a horse; he's more like driving one. She comes along; he partners. She pulls bad on a leash and he does not; but with the scooter he wants to pull it and she wants to be beside me.

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: wysiwyg
Date: 06 Jan 12 - 10:57 PM

FROM EMAIL:

===

One day, an older, tired-looking dog wandered into my yard. I could tell from his collar and well-fed belly that he had a home, and was well taken care of.

He calmly came over to me. I gave him a few pats on his head; he then followed me into my house, slowly walked down the hall, curled up in the corner and fell asleep.

An hour later, he went to the door, and I let him out.

The next day he was back, greeted me in my yard, walked inside, resumed his spot in the hall-- and again slept for about an hour.

This continued off and on for several weeks.

Curious, I pinned a note to his collar: 'I would like to find out who the owner of this wonderful sweet dog is, and ask if you are aware that almost every afternoon your dog comes to my house for a nap.'

The next day, he arrived for his nap with a different note pinned to his collar: 'He lives in a home with 6 children, 2 under the age of 3.
He's trying to catch up on his sleep. Can I come with him tomorrow?'

===

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: ranger1
Date: 30 Jan 12 - 07:39 PM

Our "new" kitty Kaylee's current favorite things are slightly too small paper bags.

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Becca72
Date: 31 Jan 12 - 08:47 AM

Since my niece with the huge knockers moved in, Sheldon's new favorite thing is sleeping in her bra (while she's not wearing it - just cuz someone's gonna ask!)...I have started referring to it as the "bucket seat hammock".

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: ranger1
Date: 31 Jan 12 - 11:30 AM

So has Sheldon decided that she and the dog are part of the family yet? And when will she wake up to find Sheldon in one cup and either Mikey or Madmardigan in the other?

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Becca72
Date: 31 Jan 12 - 12:58 PM

Sheldon is OK with Meghan again and often snuggles beside her on the futon. The dog on the other hand...they will never be friends but Sheldon has, for the moment, stopped openly stalking her

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: Crowhugger
Date: 01 Feb 12 - 02:22 PM

Our 3 dogs favourite things:
In winter Kay's is to run through fresh snow skimming mouthfuls off the top. Without fresh snow, just running is tops in her book. I think Mulligan can outrun her but he chooses not to, rank ordering behaviour I guess.

In summer she and Missy play hidey ball in the creek, both pushing their balls under the bank into the cutaways made by currents below surface level. And both dive or reach to get the balls back, then repeat forever or until it's time to play fetch or go home. Both are blonde and both finish this game looking like blackface sheep.

Missy's favourite thing outside the creek: Owning every ball in the known universe. So far, everyone who told me their dog is the One True Master Ball-owner has been mistaken, yet never a woof spoken or a hair ruffled. The longest effort took her 20 patient minutes. Usually 30 seconds of hovering and then they yield to her calm demand.

M's favourite thing is food. 2nd fave is whatever lives under the neighbour's garden shed. We've never seen it but it occupies his attention at length. When those aren't on, he'll do minor gymnastics to get any other dog to chase him. Lately he also enjoys keeping balls away from Missy. He may end up being the spoiler to her clear title as One True Master Ball-owner, the irony being that she taught him to do it so well.

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: wysiwyg
Date: 07 Feb 12 - 10:51 PM

Oh dear! Faulkner missed the PUPPY BOWL!

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 08 Feb 12 - 04:15 AM

About 65 years ago we had a cat who would sleep nowhere but on a 3"-wide ledge by the fanlight above the kitchen door in our ordinary N London suburban semi, which she would access by climbing up my mother's overalls and aprons hung from hooks on the back of the doors.

Not sure where our present cat Cleo sleeps; she is always there in the morning, outside our bedroom door when one of us emerges, waiting for her Felix jellymeat breakfast: but where she has actually spent the night we have not yet managed to establish. The other evening I thought she had absolutely disappeared ~ knew she was in the house but couldn't find her anywhere. Suddenly she came strolling into the room where I was, having presumably been napping wherever-it-is...

~M~

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 09 Feb 12 - 12:54 AM

BTW, just for the record, Cleo lives on Felix meat/fish in jelly pax, & Wiskas bix. Emma tried her on Sainsbury's own-brand catfood, but she turned her nose up & wouldn't touch it.

Little Madam!

〠☺〠~M~〠☺〠

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: wysiwyg
Date: 05 Mar 12 - 11:52 AM

Cats and dogs in pools of sunshine on the floor on a cold day? Yes... and F just discovered that the hot oil rad I needed to run by my feet is a GREAT alternative when the kittehs have taken over his dogbed and Mommie does not want his muddy butt on the good rug where the sun temporarily is. Plus the oil rad doesn't move across the floor requiring him to move with it. It's all good! This offers a great winter nighttime alternative to his "cold" corner bed, too.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: wysiwyg
Date: 16 Mar 12 - 06:36 PM

Faulkner was presented today with his Service Dog (trainee) patch!

~Susan

Subject: RIP Katy
From: wysiwyg
Date: 12 Apr 12 - 06:58 PM

SQUEAM ALERT or bite me (whole post)

RIP Katy Kat, who had to be put down this afternoon; a trip I had planned got called of just intime to find her in trouble and yet not in pain.

Katy was a ripe-old-aged kitteh who had been starting the Long Sleeps, amidst other health problems too numerous to katalog. She went to the vet today following a nice porch lap-visit, listening to birdehs and wishing I'd let her get down to get just ONE more birdeh in a long life of birdeh-presenting; first tho she kicked the porch kitteh's ass just kuz she kould.

This was a kat about whom we had kollected many Katy Kronikles, after we'd rescued her some years ago from a FreeCycler who turned out to be a very good friend... whose wife kould no longer tolerate Kat Allergies.

How we knew it was indeed the right time I am not prepared to describe further than to say: KATY failed to howl and projektile-poop her karrier-kennel in her usual fashion, despite the lack of Kalm-Down meds. Not a howl, bless her little kitteh soul.

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 13 Apr 12 - 10:19 AM

Further to my last post about 2 months ago: Cleo has now changed without demurral to Tesco jellymeat pieces.

I know all readers of this thread have been positively AGOG for this information [no ref intended to Agag, who, because he trod quietly, was the cat of Lord Peter Wimsey's mother, the Dowager Duchess of Denver]. We are not after ball called Catters for nothing!

~M~

Subject: RE: BS: Our pets favorite things
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 13 Apr 12 - 10:22 AM

After ALL, sodit! Nothing to do with After The Ball Was Over...