Dogs, again!

[In the Kitchen]

Please tell me if you think I AM crazy? I have been looking for another dog as friend to my puppy. 3 months old and he won't let my old dog alone, wants to play. Old dog going through acupuncture and doesn't need teasing right now. (I wouldn't) So anyway, been searching on Petfinder for months and never getting accepted. Not easy! One woman told me I was too old and dogs would outlive me. Who knows how long we will be here? I was stunned but kept my mouth shut. She didn't sound like young person to me herself. She must be thinking of herself. I am not worrying about tomorrow. Just have to accept disappointments or otherwise.

Now I have two dogs about one year old that look perfect. Trouble is different locations of the US. One east other west. I do want both of them since I have looked for so long and I am crazy about dogs. Beside this is Easter weekend too and my family wants leg of lamb for dinner? What would you do? I want to rent car for weekend one is over 7 hours away. Is this crazy? Used to be I could just find dog at Humane Society. Trouble I can't go over there and see those dogs and not take all of them. Who could do that to the rest who want homes too? Only if you really care about dogs could you relate. I just wonder if i am going too far?

Thanks for your time and opinions. Dogs do give me such happiness.

 

[pacanis]

Please tell me if you think I AM crazy?

Beside this is Easter weekend too and my family wants leg of lamb for dinner? What would you do?

Yes, you are crazy. You should be having ham.


Personally, if you are into rescuing your next dog, I would keep it local and go into the shelter with the thought that you are at least saving one and someone else will take the others.

 

[Barb L.]

I agree with pancanis, go local - you can do it - there will be that special one waiting for you.

 

[babetoo]

Please tell me if you think I AM crazy? I have been looking for another dog as friend to my puppy. 3 months old and he won't let my old dog alone, wants to play. Old dog going through acupuncture and doesn't need teasing right now. (I wouldn't) So anyway, been searching on Petfinder for months and never getting accepted. Not easy! One woman told me I was too old and dogs would outlive me. Who knows how long we will be here? I was stunned but kept my mouth shut. She didn't sound like young person to me herself. She must be thinking of herself. I am not worrying about tomorrow. Just have to accept disappointments or otherwise.

Now I have two dogs about one year old that look perfect. Trouble is different locations of the US. One east other west. I do want both of them since I have looked for so long and I am crazy about dogs. Beside this is Easter weekend too and my family wants leg of lamb for dinner? What would you do? I want to rent car for weekend one is over 7 hours away. Is this crazy? Used to be I could just find dog at Humane Society. Trouble I can't go over there and see those dogs and not take all of them. Who could do that to the rest who want homes too? Only if you really care about dogs could you relate. I just wonder if i am going too far?

Thanks for your time and opinions. Dogs do give me such happiness.

this is what led to my friend having six cats. i can't imagine that much cat litter.

do u have room for them all?

don't think it is crazy but would be an awful lot of work.


babe

 

[Bilby]

I ask at my local vets as well as they are often being approached with unwanted litters. Often signs up as well. Well there are here!! Local newspapers also have ads for unwanted pets. Can you get someone else to go into the shelter for you, knowing the sort of dog you would want, or ask the shelter to take some digital photos of dogs while you wait out the front?

Oh and I wouldn't get too young a second dog. Let the puppy have a couple of grown ups to learn from, but the new one can still be young enough to be fun.

 

[Fisher's Mom]

This is a great idea, Bilby. Almost all vet clinics know of or even have in the clinic a dog that needs a good home. They may even throw in the vaccinations, too!

 

[Maverick2272]

Not sure where you live, but craigslist classifieds: jobs, housing, personals, for sale, services, community, events, forums also has listings for pets needing a good home. Most are free, some owners ask for a token (like $25) just to be sure the person taking their dog is serious about owning it.
Otherwise go with the local shelter as others have said.

 

[In the Kitchen]

Arrangements

Well, I have done my time going to shelters and looking for dog. It is too hard to choose one over another. Then to see how some of them have been abused. I can't take that every time. I figure I am too weak to make a choice. My friend recently got puppy and that dog won't let anyone pet it much. Seems to not want to bond with anyone. Must have been taken from his mother too soon. Who knows what happened? Now she has it and tells me if she returns it someone else will have same problem. She doesn't even like the dog anymore. At least these dogs have some kind of reference I can have from the fosters. I have been looking for dog since my two girls passed away last year in August. Now my old dog that was buddy to them is getting arthritis and acupuncture treatments but is starting to bite us. Must be having lot of pain and can't tell us. I love dogs but why does it have to hurt so much? Thankfully I can replace two I lost and start all over again. I am grateful to have dogs. They really are 'man's best friend'.

I know someone on this site told me they found dog on internet also. She did make the comment you will know which dog you want as soon as you see it. Dog I am getting is only 7 lbs.

 

[Bilby]

The dog your friend has may not have been treated well, may have been tricked. That takes a lot of time to correct. Time, patience and a lot of love. She may not be suited to that dog or vice versa. So it may not be true that the dog will be the same with someone else. She may be well advised to seek a behaviourist's opinion of the dog and how she handles it.

Some of the cats I have taken in have been biters of the first degree. I used to have to take a spray bottle of water with me each time I left the house cos they would come up behind me and bite me. I have eventually brought every single one of them around to being affectionate, at least in their varying ways. None were quick processes and my tetanus injections have always been up to date!!! LOL One of the biters now has to be in close contact with me when I go to bed. If one of the other cats is too close to me, he gives them a slap so that he can get hold my 'paw'. (Needless to say, he gets pushed off the bed until he is prepared to be nice!!! Then when he comes back he gets his cuddle. But not until the other one has had his/hers!)

And I hate the idea of going to a shelter too. I would want to leave with everyone of the animals. I have been lucky that animals have always chosen me, not the other way around.

 

[In the Kitchen]

Great

Bilby, isn't that great to have your animals choose you? How beautiful. You sure go through something painful to get the cats to stop biting. I would be so fearful if anything bit me. After all what did you do to them that would make them bite? You sure are persistent and know not to run away from problem. Else what would the cats do if you didn't straighten them out? May be end to their biting would be to put them away.

I will mention about behaviorist to my friend about her dog. Just feels she got the dog now has to work it out. She doesn't mind the shelter. Not me I want to stay away, thankfully you feel the same way. I wanted to volunteer so often but just seeing what happens to them sure bothered me. People! Real mystery to figure out why someone would torment or abuse animal. People! Some are real creeps.

Always appreciate your posts no matter what you write about. Sure is insightful and educational. Thanks for being here and the time to respond.

 

[Bilby]

You say the lovliest things ITK!! Need to widen the doorways so I can get to bed!! LOL

The cat that hugs me at night, he was run over two or three times and "lost" the tip of his tail before I got him. His people went away and "supposedly" someone was meant to be looking after him (Kimba) and his brother (Simba), but they came around to my place instead to be fed and cared for. When the people came back, Kimba didn't want to return. Simba was happy to see them though. Kimba actually broke into my house while I was in hospital for a week cos he couldn't find me. My neighbour was feeding my other cats while I was away and she had a real shock to find two black cats instead of just one! She didn't know which one to get out of the house!! LOL Anyway, the people ended up relocating to the country and decided to give me Kimba as he seemed to want to be with me more - for which I think both he and I are very grateful for. The night I took him on, he ripped his pupil running into my house, so the next morning was a trip to the vet for eye surgery, desexing and while he was under I got them to do some xrays. He had a broken pelvis and hip in addition to his tail being shattered and then fused. You couldn't touch his back area without him getting stroppy. His tail now drags but the sensitivity over the rear hip area is greatly decreased. He suffers from incontinence and has some trouble with his bowels as well. Oh, and he has a slanty pupil! But every night that he gets up on the bed for his cuddle, I know that he has a better life than he did and that these past four years have been much more theraputic for him than retiring to the country would have been, and I know that he knows it too. If you met him today, you would not recognise his personality from when I first met him. His original owners were not right for that cat, ignoring the "accidents". Too this day, if he hears a truck go by, he wets himself (or me if I am holding him at the time). Fireworks at least don't freak him out like they did. And he isn't comfortable with anyone other than my mum or I touching him. If I annoy him, his first instinct is still to bite but instead of really taking a nip, he just puts his mouth around my hand or arm to let me know he is annoyed. Doesn't even leave a pressure mark.

Now to work on his jealousy.....

 

[In the Kitchen]

Truly amazing how our pets affect us. Really bring out the love we have inside us. Would be the same way if we could only care for people the same way. Animals really are a blessing.

Love to hear your story about your cats and such unusual names. My dogs are so common. I just keep the names the dogs were given from previous owner. I am very thankful you take such care for your cats. Really experience to try to go to bed at night. How many do you have now? What better life could you have than living it with your cats? They wouldn't be happy if you gave them up. Not as much time and attention they get from you. My brother had 6 baby kittens in his garage cause mother gave birth there and t he woman who owned the mother kept her in house after they were born. Would not let the mother come and nurse them. Now the are still around and over 6 years old but very pretty and wild. Will not come around people only my brother. Took them to get them fixed and paid for it too. After his dog died didn't want any pets but look what happened? When I come over to his house they will run up his pants to try to get away from me. He is always scratched from the cats. don't know what kind they are but really big and beautiful fur. He gets liver and special meat from butcher for them. I wouldn't want to live without my pets. Now my family thinks I am nuts to find more work. I don't consider it work when the animals are as loving as they are.

Thanks for sharing your story Bilby. I like what you are doing. I know your cats feel the same way. If only they could talk.

 

[B'sgirl]

Some of the cats I have taken in have been biters of the first degree. I used to have to take a spray bottle of water with me each time I left the house cos they would come up behind me and bite me. I have eventually brought every single one of them around to being affectionate, at least in their varying ways. None were quick processes and my tetanus injections have always been up to date!!! LOL One of the biters now has to be in close contact with me when I go to bed. If one of the other cats is too close to me, he gives them a slap so that he can get hold my 'paw'. (Needless to say, he gets pushed off the bed until he is prepared to be nice!!! Then when he comes back he gets his cuddle. But not until the other one has had his/hers!)

You should write a manual about that for a friend of mine. She has 8 cats and takes in every stray. She's had 3 cat bites that required the emergency room and antibiotics in the past 2 months and last week one scratched her niece who was staying with her and she had to go get vaccinations (the cat and the child). She can't bear to give up any of her cats though--I guess they fill in the void for losing her husband and having no children.

 

[sattie]

ITK, I don't think you are crazy at all... I have considered adding a 3rd companion to my family. Just the right opportunity has not come yet. Like you, I have an older dog that is not much into playing and prefers to rest. My younger boy Binks is constantly bouncing off the walls wanting someone to give chase to him... this is why I considered adding to the family. I think it is a great idea ITK!

 

[In the Kitchen]

sattie

sattie, I can always count on you to find some good in my plans. The woman who is giving the dog up is sure concerned about how things will be. She already told me I can be sure she will call to find out how the dog is doing. She wanted to keep her but she has 3 dogs of her own already plus I think 3 cats. She said I seemed like person she could trust. They do background check which I feel good about cause I have never abused animal nor could I ever mistreat an animal. She already told me what kind of food to give her. Something natural without any thing artificial. Now if she eats the food I will be grateful. This one store I go to tries to encourage people to buy the natural products for the dogs. Guess like people dogs need right diet too.

Thanks sattie. I think dogs or cats really make difference in people's lives. If they only knew I replaced my ex husband for these dogs.

 

[Toots]

Guys, I saw an article about this in People magazine. It is a website that posts dogs that are on their last gasps at the animal shelters. Check this out if you considering adopting a dog, you could truly save a life.

Dogs In Danger

 

[fireweaver]

ITK, you're not alone with your old girl there...mine is the same way. had miss sheba for over 12 years now, and she was no pup when i got her from the shelter. arthritis, snapping at you when you touch the wrong spots, yep. i'd never understood until this year why so many of my older colleagues (i'm a veterinarian) don't have pets at home anymore...after dealing with the pain of my geriatric dog-daughter, i now totally understand not wanting to go through it again.

as far as your new household friends, definitely try to go local. dogs in your area are used to the seasons and the weather and the temperatures and the "bugs" in your local area...much like you can get sick as you're coming home from a trip, a cross-country shipment can make this potential new dog ill for a little while, too. vet offices are a good place to start, and i'll heartily second the craigslist suggestion.

 

[Maverick2272]

Reminds me of my uncles cat. He used to sit on top of the china cabinet and hiss at you. Wouldn't bite or jump down at you, just sit up there and hiss at you all day...

 

[In the Kitchen]

Disappointment

All this excitement and the woman called me just this morning and said she is going to keep her. I can't believe it! So disappointed too. Sure hope I can find dog without abuse or obvious bad habits. Would be good just to go ahead and buy one. I am truly downhearted.

 

[sattie]

AWE!!! ITK... that stinks!!! ITK... that dog was not meant to be for you. So that means that there is another little doggie out there waiting for you to find them, or they may find you! I'm sorry ITK, that would bum me out as well. I am sure you will find the right companion if they don't find you first! Chin up ITK.... there is a little guy out there for you!