Tuba Player's Pets

[Joe Baker]

We've got 4 dogs, each a great animal in its own way, but this guy has become my favorite:

Snickers, AKA Mr. Big Stuff


My sister has 5 Chihuahas, my mother-in-law has 2. They are all either yippy little things or else barely conscious. This guy has pretty much the personality of a "real" dog, even if he is 7 inches tall and about 4 pounds.

My other dogs (no pictures): a shih-tzu, a rat terrier, and "Anna the Big Dumb Dog", whose breed is - er - a mystery.
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Joe Baker, who cringed when he learned his daughter was getting a chihuaha, but (10 years later) really likes this one!

[Highams]

Used to have 3 dogs, Goldie (golden labrador), Ben (black labrador) and Bess (collie).

Now there's just one, Bella;

http://www.euph9.freeserve.co.uk/Dogs.htm

CB

[Chuck(G)]

I'm kind of curious how folks came by their dogs. Pet store, breeder, Humane Society, city pound, rescue group?

All of ours have been rescues from this organization:

http://www.goldenbondrescue.com/

My wife and I have been volunteering with them for the last 14 years.

[ThomasDodd]

I'm kind of curious how folks came by their dogs. Pet store, breeder, Humane Society, city pound, rescue group?

Jack, the sheltie, from a breeder. He was ggoing to keep by the breeder for show, but he's just under the standard, height wise. So she sold him, and was waiting on the next litter for a show dog.



Frodo, the bassett, from a friend's litter. Not really a breder. Neither parent was very dark, and had typical, blotchy coats:?: I wish his ears were longer...



Both could have been registered, but I didn't see the need. What's really fun is watching the 15 lbs sheltie wrestle the 55+ lbs basset. Jack manages a really cool body slam. And he's much more nimble, so he nearly always wins:)

[Joe Baker]

I'm kind of curious how folks came by their dogs. Pet store, breeder, Humane Society, city pound, rescue group?

• Jasmine (Shih-Tzu) -- rescue
  
  Anna the Big Dumb Dog* (mostly dog) -- freebie "fence jumper special" through newspaper ad
  
  Snickers (Chihuahua) -- gift (but bought for us from a breeder)
  
  Phoebe (Rat Terrier) -- breeder

*Anastasia (her real name) isn't really big, except compared to the rest of our diminutive doggies. She's about the size of an average cocker spaniel.
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Joe Baker, whose next dog will probably be a larger breed (vey likely a golden, btw, Chuck), probably from a rescue, and probably several years hence.

[Mark]

I'm kind of curious how folks came by their dogs. Pet store, breeder, Humane Society, city pound, rescue group?

All of ours have been rescues from this organization:

http://www.goldenbondrescue.com/

My wife and I have been volunteering with them for the last 14 years.

Both of our dogs are "show" dogs, so they are both from reputable breeders and both have very impressive pedigrees.



Chuck and his wife must be better people than I. I know several folks who work with rescue groups and I know if I did I would end up beating someone to a pulp. It is disgusting and unforgivable what some people do to their dogs.

[Chuck(G)]

Chuck and his wife must be better people than I. I know several folks who work with rescue groups and I know if I did I would end up beating someone to a pulp. It is disgusting and unforgivable what some people do to their dogs.

Believe me, it can get tough. Yeah, there are times that I've wanted to come after some idiot with the same "training aid" that he used on his own dog.

But far more stressful to pick up a surrendered dog from a divorce-in-process, or from someone being evicted, or from a senior citizen entering a nursing home. It feels like you're taking children away from parents. It does help if you just keep thinking about a happy outcome for the animal..

A couple of years ago, we adopted this boy, who had been locked in a 10x8 side yard all of his life:



Having absolutely no social skills, Luke started things off by biting my wife, necessitating stitches. But with discipline and care, he came around and was my constant companion. Sadly, we lost him last year to pancreatic cancer. Losing a close pet is always very difficult. On the other hand, there's nothing like a dog's ethusiasm in greeting every new day or ball or food dish to inspire one.

[Jeffrey Hicks]

There ARE a few folks around here who will have cattle for pets.
There's one guy just northeast of town who has a longhorn steer that's saddlebroke. You'll see him on occaision riding his bull on the side of Highway 136. The bull has two horns and neither of them honk.

does it look as stupid as this? (no alchohol was involved and no animals were hurt in this moment of zaniness

[Mark E. Chachich]

Chinese Mantids (and occasional other types of mantids).

Mark

[Mark]

Believe it or not, the bull in the photo ...

Bull or steer?

[TubaTodd]

re: Harold

Question

I know I haven't met your dogs, nor am I a vet, but I would be worried about my vet telling me NOT to bring the dog in for regular stuff. It may seem selfish, but I plan on keeping my dog as healthy as possible for as long as possible. His health depends on checkups and heartworm medication among other regular maintanance. Don't tell me NOT to take care of my bud!!!! The vets that I have been using have been outstanding.

I will step off my soap box now.

[Chuck(G)]

I think that she just figures that routine maintenance (i.e. vaccinations) is probably a waste of time. Both of them have basically turned into my grandfather - tend to sleep a lot and don't like to be bothered - except to be notified when dinner is ready.

If it is true that dogs age approximately 7 times faster than humans, then he is over a hundred and she is in her late 80's.

I have made some pretty good deals in my day, but the $50 that I spent to purchase the pit bull was the best money I ever spent and I'm really going to miss him when he's gone.

Probably the biggest mistake we ever made with regards to vet care was to have an 11-year old Golden operated on for laryngeal paresis. It was expensive, the dog was already arthritic and it only gave him less than a year of life and didn't give him many days of quality life. Most of the time, he was just plain uncomfortable. I felt guilty as hell during his final days.

If your 11-year old is aching because of arthritis, you migh try adding a little MSM to his/her feed. We do this on the advice of some of our horse-raising friends; it seems to help keep them flexible. OTOH, we never found that Rimadyl made much of a difference to our dogs.

[ThomasDodd]

She says:"This dog is at least 16, which is extremely old for this breed."

I tell her: "I have had her 11 years and I got her as a puppy."

Find a new vet. NOW
I had an 11+ year old Border Collie survive heart worms. She survived toi 16, with bad joint problems, but finally died from renal (kifneys) failure. I S[pent several huindred getting her through heartworms, even though the vet said it was less than 50/50 she'd make it. Another $1500+ during the kidney failure.

Sure either one could go this year, but they could both luive another 3-4 years with proper care. That vet doesn't sound willing to give them that. Find one that will.