Our Pets....Again!

I am so glad I have this forum to vent.  I know we have discussed pets at nausem and there are so many of us who have lost our best friends.  But...I wish I hadn't told certain people that I have considered my friends, about Vesta.  Yesterday, after our trip to the vet the hubby's sister called.  Eric said we had just returned from the vet with Vesta and she is still with us.  'Oh God.." she says.  "I hope every day when I come home, Kramer will be dead.  I'm sick of the dog hair, sick of taking him for walks and sick of paying for kennels when we go away." Kramer is a beautiful, sweet, Golden Retriever and I'd take him in  a heart beat if we didn't already have two dogs and he didn't live 1000 miles away.  I also heard about Vesta and Dylan keeping us 'tied down'.  Neither one can go to a kennel...Dylan got hit by a car five years ago and suffered a broken hip and pelvis and has a metal plate.  Of course when that happened, we heard "how could you spend so much money on a dog?"  So, yes...we are tied down, as I will not put an 18 year old dog and Dylan with arthritis on a cold slab of cement.  Because Vesta is on a diuretic, she sometimes can't make it to the door.  Another relative said 'Geez...the first time a dog peed on my rug they'd be in doggie heaven."  My own grandchildren are horrified of dogs...any dog.  They climb me like a tree when they even hear my dogs...which I have to keep in the basement when they visit from NC.

We have many dog lover friends that understand completely.  But those who have never experienced the joy of a pet or perceive a dog or cat as a crimp in their lifestyle....Then don't get one and leave me alone with my love and devotion.  Yes..with fibro and all my other disorders, having two disabled pets is a chore.  But..I wouldn't change it for the world.  People don't 'get fibro'...my dogs do, as I sit here and Dylan is kissing my sore, aching knees!

We have a neighbor that pours Clorox down the chipmonk holes in his yard.  I can't stand it.  I know out door 'rodents' can be a pest.  But the older I get, the more respect I have for life...any life.  Oh yeah...and he tried to kill a ground hog with a hammer for about a week.

Many many wet sloppy dog kisses to all my fibro friends.  I am so happy I got a big kiss from Vesta last night...I'll take them whenever I can get them!

Donna

 

Donna- I too love animals dearly! I literally get sick to my stomach when people talk like that or I hear bad stories about pets and bad owners!! We "share" this planet with animals and they deserve respect and kindness just as humans do!

Sorry to hear about Vesta- enjoy every moment with her.

Jill

My pets are part of my family.  Just thinking of losing my dog brings tears...and she is only 12 years old and very healthy.  But, I was raised to have love and respect for our pets...actually for any animal.  I taught my children the same thing and they are wonderful pet owners, too.

My daughter has a friend that is Venezuelan and she just can't understand us having animals in the house!  She thinks it's gross and if one of them goes up to her, she screws her face up and backs up.  She just doesn't understand.  These, my dear, are the same ones that don't understand fibro, either!

I'm glad Vesta is with you and will bring you more kisses, love, and joy.  She is one v-e-r-y fortunate little girl!

Sherrine

Eric and I were talking about the Make a Wish Foundation and a couple of years ago this eight year old with terminal cancer's wish was to shoot a moose.  So they gave him a shot gun and let him blow the head off this poor animal then mounted it on his bedroom wall.  I am deeply sorry for his cancer but I don't know....seems like a pretty disturbing and cruel last wish.

My brother in law use to take both his sons to the railroad tracks,  stomp and the ground and when the ground hogs stuck their heads out of their holes, they would blow them to smithereens.  Then laugh about it.  What a fun way to spend a Saturday after noon!  Oh...and one day were were driving my mother to the doctor and I swerved to avoid hitting a cat.  He yells at the top of his voice..."If it's shorter than the top of your head lights, hit the darn thing...it's only an animal!"

Oh...I just don't get it. 

Huggies

Donna

Some people can be so cruel to animals.  I don't get it.  We have always had dogs.  My Golden is the only single dog we have had.   We always had multiple dogs that did take a lot of work, but so much fun.  My furry daughter has made my life more structured.  I have to get up at a certain time everyday and get moving even if I don't feel like it.  But after a quick walk I always feel better.  I spent a wonderful morning today at a beautiful dog park talking to lots of other 'dog' people.  If I didn't have my Maggie I might still be in bed.  Yeh, there is fur all over my house.  I don't think it will ever come completely out of the carpeting, but so what. 

 

I hope everyone has a great day.

Puppylover

My two babies are Goldens, two boys, but we've had many others in the past, mainly Goldens, one Bichon and a beautiful mutt Cassidy, who we just recently had to let go...she was around 17 years old. We have also had cats.
We have never wanted to board our animals, just couldn't stand to think of them being in a crate while we are off to somewhere, so for a couple of times, we boarded them at a doggie day care that will take in overnight boarders, but they send them home with their workers, so the dogs are actually staying with someone in their home! We then found a girl, well I know her mom, her daughter is in college, a local college and she ADORES Golden Retrievers, so she comes and stays at our house when we are away. That way, our boys can stay home and have someone here with them. The last time she was here, her mom told me she is so nuts about our boys, she wants to pay us!!! Course, that didn't happen!
Miriam

Rubylucy, my 8 mo old is a bichon and our beloved Brandy was a bichon. Tiquey is a shih tzu. They will be 37 wks and 9 wks tomorrow, yes I keep track of my babies age like human babies. Oh yeah, great grandson will be 6 wks tomorrow.

 

I must say I like the no shedding dogs and with my allergies it is probably a good idea. I pay for it in grooming bills and keeping them brushed though.

 

How big is your bichon??? Brandy was 10 lbs but I know Krissy is bigger. I take her to the vet Thurs for heart worm test and I'm anxious to see how much she does weigh. Her parents were 10 and 12 lbs.

 

To me someone that would mistreat a helpless animal is not someone I would want in my life.

 

luv and hugs

Marlee

Jill,

you ask how can someone do that? One of our Goldens is a rescue. We adopted him a year ago, he was 6 at the time. We have since become members of the rescue organization (As Good as Gold), they rescue Golden Retrievers. In five years, they have found homes for over 900 Goldens, most of the time, the reason is owner relinquisment and a lot of these dogs are over the age of 6 and some over 10. No, I can't wrap my head around it either. Some of these dogs have illnesses that the owners can't, or aren't willing to pay for. I won't even go into it all, just too darn sad. and this is only ONE rescue group. Of course there are times when people have no other choice. Some seniors end up going into nursing homes and have to relinquish their pets. Thank goodness for these rescue groups and shelters.

Our Benji, the one we adopted, is such a good boy. I've always gotten my dogs as very young puppies, but now that we've adopted an older dog, I think I like this much better, at least at this point in my life, not having to go through the puppy stage, the razor sharp teeth! But of course there is a lot I miss, like puppy breath. But I do get such a warm feeling knowing we helped to save Benji. He had a very sad life before coming to us and now, well, he is spoiled rotten!

Miriam

it's a wonderful organization. We have gotten involved in some fund raising with them...not much, but a little. I have gotten to know Benji's foster parents very well, and a few of the volunteers. We keep in touch. They want to know how Benji's doing. From what we know, Benji came from a home of neglect. His owner was an alcoholic and Benji was known in the neighborhood for running away. The last time he ran, he was found in a field playing with a soccer ball! When the authorities (can't think of the name of the group right now) picked him up, the owner got there, drunk, and began yelling and screaming, saying the dog was no good, always ran away, and they could keep him, so they had him sign papers to relinquish him. As Good As Gold put him into a foster home, where they had two other Goldens and he was immediately neutered (yes 6 years old and NOT neutered!) Something happened with the surgery, a suture inside did not hold, and he began bleeding internally. While at the foster house, he was getting sick and no one knew why. They took him into the vet ER and he had emergency surgery, opened from his throat to his groin, and then found the open suture He ended up with 55 staples to close him up and spent two weeks not being able to do anything but lie still to have the sutures heal. He was with his foster mother and she told me how she mothered him back This woman has three young children and two other dogs and yet, for 9 months, she cared for Benji. He was on massive doses of antibiotics and that caused an imbalance in his system and he began to have a yeast problem, requiring bathing once a week She was taking him to a holistic vet 75 miles away! They got the yeast under control, and then felt he was ready for his forever home. It was then that we heard of the organization and decided to check into adoption. It was meant to be.
Benji is truly a wonderful dog, but he is a Golden, even at 6 or 7, not sure, he is high energy and needs his exercise, so I can see why he was running away, he wasn't getting the exercise! His been here over a year and only once he got out of the yard, but my grandson was here and accidentally held the gate door ajar and with all the excitement, Benji ran, but when he got to the front of the house, he just stopped and we brought him back. I think he realized, hey, where am I going? I got it good here!
Even on my bad pain days, I am able to throw tennis balls in the yard or give him a raw bone to chew, which is amazingly strenuous for them, if you watch a dog get into a raw knuckle bone, they use a lot of muscle.
Gosh, I really rambled..I'm sorry...you can delete if need be
Miriam

My son just adopted a dog from Labs for Love (I think that's the name of it).  It cost them $400 but they deliver the dog to your house by airplane or car no matter where you live,  give you food I think for six months and the dog has had all its shots and neutering.  Franklin is the sweetest chocolate lab and when you look at him you wonder how someone could just drop him off along side the road and drive off!

There are such wonderful stories on this forum about saving helpless animals.  It makes me happy.  Fibromites Rock!

Huggies

Donna

Marlee, if I remember right your Tiquey is a shih tzu? My shih tzu is about to turn five and it's only been in the past few months that she goes to the door to tell me she needs to go out. Shih tzus are headstrong and bossy and have really strong, protective, loyal personalities - sometimes they would rather pee and poo in the house than bother us to go out. It took me the longest time to discover what worked with my dog. At first I would yell and get upset and she would sit there defensively and grin at me, wagging her tail - not effective. I decided to be more of a pack leader with her and have finally made her aware of her responsbilities by acting sad and disappointed in her for not being a good girl with her pee and poo. When she did start letting me know she had to go, she was well rewarded. It was like night and day once I started trying to understand her needs as well as mine, and I regret the time I underestimated her feelings. I am more enamored of her than ever. Little dogs but esp. shih tzus like protected areas outside to do their business, so mine goes uder the raspberry bushes.

As far as people saying something mean and hurtful about my animals, I treat them the same way as if they had said something about my momma. They are GONE. My animals are as important as my blood relatives, and I will only be around people who are the same way or at least recognize the sense of that. If we tolerate unacceptable behavior (for whatever reason) it is the same as giving permission for people to continue. And we all know that people who treat their animals carelessly treat their human friends and family the same way, so who needs 'em? Period.

Growing up, I had cats and dogs instead of brothers and sisters. Now as an adult, and after having my tubes tied at the birth of my son, my 2 cats and dog are my furry babies. I saved each of my animals from death, the first cat was in line to be put to sleep at a humane society, nothing wrong with her, she'd just been there too long. The second was a 6 wk old kitten I found in the middle of a snow storm, that had gotten trapped under a tree branch and then buried under snow, I brought him in, thawed him and bottle fed him. The last was my Zeusy, my 120 lbs puppy, I had got to a convience store at 3 am to get cigs and he jumped in my car, and I couldn't get him out LOL He only weighed 75 lbs then still too much to pick up and move LOL
I was taught that every living thing, human, animal or plant, deserves compassion and respect and honestly, there are days I like animals better than people. Zeusy will never tell my secrets, the cats will never try to seduce my husband or lie to me. Sometimes, animals are more humane than humans.

I've never been a big fan of dogs as far as having them for pets myself, I'm very much a cat person. But I have a respect and love for dogs just the same as any other animal, simply because they are our companions.

My cats to me are so much more than just furry buddies. They come and act as bed warmers. They are my alarm clock. They let me vent to them and they don't interrupt me to tell me how my pain could be improved if I just walked more/changed my diet/tried a different vitamin supplement/etc. They're easier to raise than children. I don't have to worry about them getting into drugs. The only thing that I have to worry about is them getting into the cupboards - and even that's not too risky since they don't have thumbs. They don't need a college fund. Since they don't outgrow their fur I don't need to get new clothes every school year. They won't wreck my car. They don't care if I've had a shower, or if I even bothered to get dressed at all during the weekend. They also are able to determine who it is that I'm most likely to be friends with. It's not necessary that my cats love someone...but if none of them will have anything to do with a new person, then I know that there's usually trouble ahead.

When I was at my absolute lowest during my depression, they were the thing that kept me going. I felt that I couldn't leave them like that. I knew no one that was in my immediate day to day life would give them the quality of life I wanted them to have. And I really wasn't willing to take the gamble that they would find good humans again if they were taken to a shelter.

They truly are my companions and friends. I'm sure, after reading several other responses here, that I'm not the only one who loves and cherishes their pets.