BS: Our Amazing Dogs

Subject: RE: BS: Our Amazing Dogs
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 May 14 - 04:17 PM

We had a German shorthaired pointer who used to walk over and want to nuzzle at your lap when you were sitting on the couch reading. Upon being told "no," she would go quietly to the other end of the sofa, climb up very slowly, and creep down to where you were lost in your book. Suddenly you were aware of having a dog's head resting in your lap. Which was fine, but she also had the problem Musket describes - a fart was more often than not what got your attention, not her gentle breathing as she slept on your lap.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Our Amazing Dogs
From: Musket
Date: 04 May 14 - 05:27 AM

My bugger's too lazy to jump up even. He presumably holds his breath...

Subject: RE: BS: Our Amazing Dogs
From: eddie1
Date: 04 May 14 - 04:10 AM

When we had our beautiful Golden Lab, Sheba, I got a lot of laughs when she farted and then whirled around to see where the hell the terrible stench was coming from!
Didn't help the stink though!

Eddie

Subject: RE: BS: Our Amazing Dogs
From: GUEST,McMusket
Date: 04 May 14 - 03:06 AM

One thing I forgot to mention about our Rio. We love the little bugger to bits.

He comes and lies on the hearth rug in my study and let's me tell him all my problems. We agree on courses of action for everything from equitable access to cancer screening across England to whether to risk planting potatoes yet, in case we have more ground frost to come.

Yesterday he walked up two mountains, covering over 10 miles and to be fair, this morning we had to literally push him out for his morning piddle.

The farting is insignificant compared to everything else about him.





(His predecessors, mongrels, farted too. But trust me, they weren't in his league on that score.)

Subject: RE: BS: Our Amazing Dogs
From: Ebbie
Date: 04 May 14 - 03:01 AM

What a wonderful reunion! There is no doubt in Puddin's mind that she is home forever. Thanks for sharing the video, Stilly. Sweet, sweet.

Subject: RE: BS: Our Amazing Dogs
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 04 May 14 - 12:36 AM

My pitbull Cinnamon turned up as an injured stray nine years ago this month. The vet thought she was 1 to 2 years old and had been hit a glancing blow by a car that threw her face-first into the ground and broke her front teeth between the canines. She had been bitten by something, probably another dog, and she was covered with ticks and fleas. But she was so sweet and smart, and I kept her. Advertisements for an injured pit bull didn't bring any response, and in addition to the vet bill I had to replace the stockade portion of the fence on the property.

Our catahoula/blue heeler mix was also a rescue, from the Humane Society. Cinnamon craved other dogs to play with and would break out of the yard, or when we walked she would strain to meet other dogs being walked. In September, after Hurricane Katrina, the shelter put the "local" dogs on sale so they'd have room for some of the Katrina dogs. Cinnamon by then had learned to walk on a leash, and I picked a dog I thought would be good then took Cinnamon down to meet her. Cinnamon is a gorgeous red nose American Staffordshire Terrier, and I didn't leave her in the truck while I waited to sign the papers (it was 100^o that afternoon). The staff were making everyone who wanted to adopt answer questions - "do you really want a dog, or do you just feel sorry for the Katrina dogs?" "Do you have a yard for a dog?" "Do you know how to care for a dog?" etc. As I waited my turn Cinnamon lay quietly on the cool concrete floor and wagged at people who approached to pet her. Some people crept around the room, fearing she would be the pitbull on the news and tear them limb from limb, others asked if I was giving her up for adoption. There is such a range of feelings about these dogs, but for me, she is the smartest dog I've ever owned, and is a total sweetheart.

My turn came to talk to the volunteer and she could see that my dog was well-behaved and well-cared for, and I was looking for a companion. We filled out the papers without all of the questions. When Poppy finally came home (after they spayed her) she wasn't allowed to run around for an entire week. Cinnamon was outside and knew Poppy (originally named "Sister") was in the house and was dying to meet her. Poppy couldn't go race around, but I compromised - I got a folding kennel and at night I put Poppy in it and let Cinnamon in the house, and she would sleep leaning up against the wire to be next to Poppy.

Zeke, my big goofy lab, came to live with us because his original owner, my best friend Susie, was critically injured as a pedestrian struck by a car in a parking lot. She was four months in the hospital and rehab, and Zeke had been a handful before she was injured. We'd met every morning to walk for a year or more, and over time Poppy finally accepted Zeke as a friend (she used to snap at him). Cinnamon adored the big galoot. After a few months we formed a routine - Susie would walk to my house and we'd eat breakfast and drink tea while the dogs ran around like crazy in my 1/2 acre yard. He started coming to stay over the weekend with us when Susie took her husband down to Houston for his cancer threatments. And he stayed with us for 2 weeks when she took Ray on one last good family vacation. Ray died in October, and Susie was hurt in January.

I got a call from Susie's daughter on January 12, 2012, around noon, telling me that Susie had been hurt, and would I mind going up and getting Zeke? They'd arrange for a kennel for him, but for now, could he stay with me? Of course! We all loved Zeke, and after a couple of weeks her son apologetically said he'd make arrangements to board Zeke. I told him there was absolutely no need, he was happy with the girls and he wasn't too much for me to handle (he used to break out of Susie's yard and go looking for dogs to play with, he wandered into my yard when I originally met him, and through him, Susie). I got a Gentle Leader head collar for Zeke and he walks perfectly with us now.

I took Zeke down to see Susie when she was able, but she is kind of like a stroke victim, weak on the left side (they did a craniotomy on the right and she wore a rubber helmet for months until they put the bone flap back in May of that year). Zeke knocks people over in his enthusiasm, and there came a day when Susie called and tearfully said that she was going to have to find a new home for this dog. I told her that if it was anywhere else than my house everyone would be very unhappy. So Zeke lives with us, and Susie's grandson makes play dates - he comes to get Zeke and they go play in Susie's pool.

Susie still wanted a big dog, she just couldn't have a young big strong pushy dog. A co-worker of mine with inoperable cervical cancer had three dogs and was in hospice when she finally announced that she needed to find them homes. I'd told Susie about them because I knew they would need a home, and because they were sedate dogs. Susie had expressed interest in at least one, though it turned out that she ended up with all three, plus her daughter just had given her a little King Charles Spaniel rescued from a ranch where a horse took exception to the dog and kicked her.

Someone spoke for the golden retriever, so Susie and I picked up Bug and Piper at my friend's house. Puddin' wanted to get in the truck also and didn't understand why she wasn't going also. That home for Puddin (the charismatic golden) fell through and she was so unhappy in a foster situation that she made herself sick. The friend who was managing the adoptions asked if Puddin could visit the other two, and I spoke to Susie about it. We decided that Puddin needed to come to stay, that if she just visited they'd all be unhappy. So she came to live with the others. Facebook video of Puddin reunited with Piper and Bug. At the time they met, none of the dogs had ever been around a big swimming pool, only a child's wading pool. Sorry for the noise and the chatter on the video. :)

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Our Amazing Dogs
From: Janie
Date: 03 May 14 - 11:23 PM

WE just lost our darling old girl 3 days ago. A rescue mutt who came into our lives just over 12 years ago. Every dog we have ever had has always been the best dog we ever had. Her included.

Subject: RE: BS: Our Amazing Dogs
From: Rapparee
Date: 03 May 14 - 09:36 PM

I see lots of Service Dogs, both doing their job and in training. The most recent was Raven, who was in training -- a Great Dane, and I mean Raven is BIG.

Always ask before you touch someone's dog. It might be working.

Subject: RE: BS: Our Amazing Dogs
From: Ebbie
Date: 03 May 14 - 09:03 PM

Ellery, too, is a rescued dog, Wesley. Probably due to the fact that he needed expensive surgery, he was in the Humane Society for more than 8 weeks, until I just couldn't stand it any more.

(Thanks, Eliza and JennieG, I'm fine now. Just this week I got my energy back.)

Subject: RE: BS: Our Amazing Dogs
From: Wesley S
Date: 03 May 14 - 06:07 PM

We have a rescue dog. A little 12 pound chiweenie. That half chihuahua and half dachshund. He came to us with the name Oompa but we quickly changed it to Buster. Mostly back with some white spots ob his toes and his chest. He's the fastest little dog I've owned. He sleeps in his own bed most of the night and then slips under the covers about 4 in the morning. The first time I reached over for my wife and got Busters paw instead was a bit of a shock. And he loves bananas.

Subject: RE: BS: Our Amazing Dogs
From: JennieG
Date: 03 May 14 - 05:42 PM

Ebbie, just as well you have Ellery to keep an eye on you!

Subject: RE: BS: Our Amazing Dogs
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 03 May 14 - 04:49 PM

Hope you're feeling much better now Ebbie. Pneumonia isn't good!

Subject: RE: BS: Our Amazing Dogs
From: Ebbie
Date: 03 May 14 - 04:20 PM

Last month I had a bout of pneumonia which put me in the hospital for a few days. For 10 days or so before I was diagnosed, well before I felt really sick, my little dog walked right by my feet, rather than frolicking about as usual. The night that my friends took me to the ER, Ellery took one step at a time down the stairs just as I did.

I've decided that I need to look at my dog to see how I am. :)

Subject: RE: BS: Our Amazing Dogs
From: Rapparee
Date: 03 May 14 - 04:03 PM

We used to have a dog named Scrapper. Great little dog -- whenever he felt that my brothers or I needed "female companionship" (beyond that of my mother, my sister, my grandmother, or my twice-great aunt) he'd run right over to the neighbors and fetch us some. Of course, at 9, 8 and 6 we just played tag or something with the neighbor girls.

Subject: RE: BS: Our Amazing Dogs
From: Ebbie
Date: 03 May 14 - 03:55 PM

I was playing cutthroat pinochle one day. As usual, my dog lay obediently at my side- one could not ask for a better dog in public.

I became aware of an odorous substance wafting among us three at the table. Mind you, I like the two gentlemen with whom I was playing cards but I don't know them well enough to joke around with either of them about their personal habits. Besides I could not tell from which of them came the smoggy blanket. So I kept my face straight and said nothing and so did they.

That evening I was in my apartment reading on the couch with Ellery at my side when here came the same aroma. Horrors. They probably thought it was I.

Subject: RE: BS: Our Amazing Dogs
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 03 May 14 - 02:13 PM

Joe, your Ralph looks absolutely adorable.
Musket, I think nearly all dogs have a wind problem. We have a very respectable Ladies Group in our village, and we meet round people's houses in turn. We were at a Scots couple's place, and they had a beautiful old and fat pale golden retriever bitch called Isla. As we took our seats she made a tour of everyone to be patted. I thought I could smell something, but most of us are ancient and have uncontrollable wind from time to time. A woman was giving us a talk about Reflexology, and my goodness that dog let rip almost constantly. Like an Airwick-from-hell the smell kept coming. The owners didn't seem to notice, but we surreptitiously protected our noses with our hands. The air seemed to turn a yellowish colour like a London smog. I didn't even fancy a scone afterwards, and we all made our excuses sharpish and rushed for the open air.
But she was a very bonnie dog.

Subject: RE: BS: Our Amazing Dogs
From: Ebbie
Date: 03 May 14 - 02:07 PM

My Ellery could use a bit of your Ralph's hair, Joe.

Subject: RE: BS: Our Amazing Dogs
From: Musket
Date: 03 May 14 - 04:05 AM

When you get an ex racer from a greyhound sanctuary, they waffle on endlessly about how little exercise they actually need, how placid and quiet they are etc etc.

They never mention how much or how often they fart.

Yesterday, as part of our touring holiday in Scotland, we went from East Fife to Aviemore, a distance of 130 miles or so, and only the last bit on what you might call a fast road. The windows were being wound down on average every 10 mins.....

The charcoal based treats that are supposed to help don't work. They are a con.

And whilst I am on my soapbox, a word about dog ice cream.... Non dairy, etc. Honey and carrot flavour we bought him. Which sadistic swine of a chemist decided to put aloe vera in it? Also known under it's other name, senna.

I had a full pocket of poop bags when we started that walk.......

Subject: RE: BS: Our Amazing Dogs
From: Joe Offer
Date: 03 May 14 - 03:47 AM

Now, my Shih Tzu, Ralph, is very good at sleeping and eating. He was named after Jackie Gleason's character, Ralph Cramden, from The Honeymooners. Need I say more?

Oh, yes, and he knows how to look cute when he wants food....

-Joe-

Subject: RE: BS: Our Amazing Dogs
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 03 May 14 - 03:12 AM

How fascinating Ebbie! He'd obviously taken the wolves programme into his mind enough to make a dream out of it. Our cats differ. Only one watches TV and reacts to it, the other two don't seem able to see it.
We clean a holiday barn near the Norfolk coast, and yesterday two couples arrived with FIVE dogs. They were gorgeous, two Labradors, a golden retriever and two Jack Russells. I adore all animals, and they came flying over to greet me as they were let out of the two cars. My husband was a bit scared, but patted them as best he could. But our groundsman who mows all the lawns and tends to the big pond was there. He's a real Norfolk chap, very dour. He sighed, looked up to heaven and muttered, "Bloody shit machines!"

Subject: BS: Our Amazing Dogs
From: Ebbie
Date: 03 May 14 - 03:03 AM

I found lots and lots of lovely threads about dogs but I decided a more current one would not come amiss.

My little Chinese Crested Hairless dog watches television actively. (For that matter, he even reacts to a still picture of a dog)

Anyway, evening before last we watched a Nature about how different species interact with each other and with other species. In the process they followed a pack of wolves and as wolves do, from time to time they howled. Sometimes a whole cacophony of howls.

Now, Ellery does not howl. I didn't even know that he could. But that night he had a dream.

I woke to the lamest howl ever emanating from the little guy. I even put my hand on him to see if it was really coming from him, and it was. Two howls and he was finished. He never even woke.