Yeah, I did. I got a new baby. She's 5 years old, and a total love. The shelter was going to put her down. I talked them out of it, and she's safe now. It's so wonderful to be owned by a dog again!! I feel my stress level go down when I pet her. I took her to doggie daycare yesterday, so she got to run and play. She loved it. She sleeps with dh. Her choice. Maybe she senses something with him.
Aren't you going to tell us what she looks like? What kind of mommy are you! It is a wonderful thing to save a pet's life. While I would love another Maine Coon cat I will save a cat's life and get another from a shelter.
Aw, okay. I'll go ahead and brag. She's a purebred English Pointer, black and white. She was skin over bones when I got her, but she's gained 10 lbs already. I have another 5 to go. She had been used as a puppy factory, with litter after litter, the vet thinks. She had mammary tumors. Had those removed, and the vet sent in 4 for biopsy. Three were ok, one had some cancer. But the vet did an xray of her lungs, and the tumors had not spread. So I'm hoping there will be NO mestatisis (spelling?), and I'll have another 5 to 10 years with her. Either way, her last part of her life will be wonderful, and will make up for what she didn't get prior. Someone back there obviously loved her at one point, because she knows some obedience training. But it appears someone probably threw her out, due to her being emaciated and a stray before she showed up at someone's door looking for help. She weighed 39 lbs after the spay at the shelter, and is now 49.1 lbs. I'm going to take her to 55 lbs, and see if that will do it. Don't want her to get fat. Just don't want to see the ribs and back bone. She already looks wonderful, though, with that 10 lbs on her. She's so funny and silly. Jumps in the air, starts the wriggle at one end, and it finishes at the other end. She loves everyone, and gets along really well with other dogs.
Bludaze, I recently adopted a true Maine Coon (rather, he adopted me) and I am AMAZED at my baby! I never have seen such an intelligent animal and she acts just like a puppy! Please give me any stories you have about your coon cat. Gypsy
Hanging On! Congratulation on your baby, how old is she? We are going to start a search for small dog. Dylan is so broken hearted over losing Holly in July. We told him that when he comes home from the hospital and we are back in our house we will start looking. That brought a smile to his face. Then we had to reassure him that loving a new dog would make his heart bigger, and he would still love Holly Berry. That made him happy. We took that opportunity to explain that when Dee came to live with us we still loved him the same, our hearts just grew bigger to love Dee too. I think he got it!
We had a gorgeous Maine Coon Cat for 12 loveable years. We lost him to a broken heart after his "brother" died of cardiomyopathy a year ago. Peanut Butter and Jelly have brought much joy to our hearts.
I can't wait to bring a new dog into our crazy home!
Oh, just reading your post brought a smile to my face and tears to my eyes. I LOVE dogs. LOVE LOVE LOVE them. We have been dogless now for 3 years and 2 months (after 32 years of never being without at least one or two) Congratulations - Whatever years your new baby has will be wonderful ones.
Hanging On, that's great news. I'm a true believer in pet therapy. There's something special about rescue animals. They seem to have an extra sense of gratitude. Enjoy!
How wonderful, we have a new dog in the family! Congrats to you and ear scritches to her.
P.S. An ear scritch is when you put a hand behind each ear and gently scratch while looking in their eyes saying what a goooooood boy (or girl) you are....
We rescued Sophie, a big yellow lab mix, she was simply wonderful and so good for DH. Right now I only have Nueve, the French cat, but there are times my arms just ache for a big dog with soft brown eyes full of love.
A funny story about Emma. Pointers point, so she points. Particularly birds. The other night I was in my bathroom. She came in and started pointing the corner of the flap of the doggie door out into her dog yard. It was dark out there. I watched her point and point, not moving. Suddenly she made a lunge through the flap, grabbed a bird, and backed back into the bathroom. The bird was going "Squawk! Squawk! Squawk!" It was a little wren. I yelled, "No!" Emma dropped the bird and split. The bird flew up on the vanity. I grabbed the bird, and began rushing clear through the length of the house, to the patio door. I went out into the dark yard, chose a safe place, and set the bird down. It took off, flying off into the dark. So, the bird had a happy ending. Bird dogs are trained to grab their prey with soft mouths, so she didn't hurt the bird. Thank Heaven.
Hanging On, loved your bird story about Emma. Have to share one of my Golden Retriever, Hopi (named for the indians). He discovered a little nest of baby rabbits and promptly selected one for himself. It was squeaking up a storm, sounded just like one of his toys. When I realized what he had I took it from his mouth -- not a mark on it! I nestled bunny in with litter mates and promptly fenced off the area until they were ready to move on.
That's a great story, Weejun. Hopi had a soft mouth, too. I'm glad you got the bunny back with it's litter mates. Animals are all so wonderful.
Another story, but not an animal story. But this man's dry sense of humor was so funny. I heard him tell this story in a restaurant a couple of days ago. He said his youngest son was hobbling around on crutches. That was because this kid had climbed up on a roof and jumped, thinking he could fly. The dad told him, "The reason you got injured was because you weren't wearing a cape. Next time wear a cape." Now, I'm assuming the boy was old enough to appreciate his dad's dry humor. Anyway, it struck my funny bone.
Growing up, my Dad had a German Shorthair Pointer. Everyday us kids would feed her. Make her Sit, then set the dish down and tell her to "Get it!" Hunting season rolled around and Dad took Lady out on some friends property. She came to a perfect point, and held it. He tried every classic release word, she held the point. Finally, he said,"Get it!" She released, walked over, put her foot down on a half grown Pheasant, then looked back at him with a look that said, "You want me to take it to the car too?" They brought the Pheasant home alive. It had been injured on some barbed wire-damaged some wing feathers and a laid open cut on the side of the breast. Once us kids saw it,"You can't kill it!" So, 11:30 at night my Dad held the bird, while my Mom stitched up the cut with pink cotton thread and put salve on it. We kept it under an orange crate with corn and water, for 2 weeks until it was healed and hunting season was over, then took it back out to the friend's farm and turned it loose.
Carol, that's such a great story. Thanks for sharing it. What a great heart you have, and your family. I couldn't get Emma to break the point either. I finally asked someone who had Pointers. She said she touches the dog on the head and says, "Let's go." That works.
Dogs, especially from the Animal Shelter are usually great pets. They seem to know that they have been rescued from worst times. They seem to show more love quickly than those from a breeder or pet store.
Thankis to all for the great stories. all I have are our two cats but they are doing a good job of companionship. bill
Can't wait to get home, get Dylan home, and head to the shelter. I miss Holly, but like I told Dylan, your heart grows bigger every time you love someone/something else. :o)
Years ago, a carrier pigeon w/a broken wing walked into DH's office. He brought it home, nursed it and when it was strong, let it go with w/DH phone # in the message capsule. Some time later he got a phone call from the owner who was really surprised to get the bird back, it had been gone so long he thought it had died. We live in Los Angeles not far from the ocean, the bird had flown all the way back to somewhere in the Mojave Desert. DH was especially great w/animals, always so gentle.
On a more recent note, our French cat Nueve keeps getting fatter altho I really don't overfeed her. Recently my G'son said he thought she was getting food from a neighbor and then the next day I found feathers on our patio--she'd eaten a bird--yuck! I know it's nature, but still...anyway, now I don't feel so bad that she didn't lose weight when I kept her on a diet. And you know how they say someone looked satisfied as a cat that had just eaten a bird? I swear that's the expression she had, sitting back on her haunches like Buddah with a really full stomach watching me clean up.
Our last dog - a Cavalier KC Spaniel died after 16 years. I could not have another dog for about 6 years. When AD started seeping into our lives, I missed so much of touch, closeness, tenderness, love - you know the drill.
I researched and decided on a 6 pound poodle. He is my major coping tool. We talk, he is such a good listener, never argues. He loves to cuddle and play. I honestly don't think I could walk this AD path without him. He is much smarter than either one of us.
I named him Hustler - that was the movie that my husband and I saw on our first date. Goodness that was a LONG time ago.
He loves my husband as he knows he can get by with anything with him. My husband holds him in his arms and talks to him like he is a baby. It is very touching to see.
I guess I just need to lose a lot of weight and grow hair all over my body for get that type of attention from husband :-)
Yes, we got Frankie 2 1/2 yrs ago, he was 6 months old, a black and white 10 lb havanese. what a joy. He gives my DH happiness and me too, although wen I first got him, I thought I had to be crazy to get yet another being in the house who needed me, but he lifts my spirits, and gets me out of the house 4 times a day for a nice healthy walk. more than I was doing before him.
Chris, our Havanese turned 5 on September 10. He is the joy of our lives. So cute and funny. I love the way he plays..and when he kneels down with his toy with his rump up in the air. DH was against getting a dog..absolutely NOT, he'd say. The day we got Tigger, he wouldn't put him down. I wasn't sure the dog could WALK!... Tigger is by his side in the recliner all day..or at his feet. He's a bossy little boy, and insists on having his way, but all in all, he is a treasure. Happy we have another Havanese lover in our group. One of our members is a breeder in the PNW.
Nancy, that kneeling down with rump in air is known as a "play bow." My 9 year old lab mix is still playful as a puppy, and regularly does a play bow with a toy in his mouth. I'm supposed to wrestle the toy away from him and then throw it. I'm a believer in pet therapy.
my 13yr old chihuahua bennie does the play bow EVERY nite. right after supper. i get on the floor and imitate him doing it. his rump looks much cute in the air than mine does but he gets the message loud and clear -divvi
I got a new dog too! She is a mid size, mixed breed shelter rescue also and her name is Grace. But, she came with strings attached. My 24 year old grand daughter came with her! I love them both, but my cat is not real happy with the new roommate.
Geez, divvi on the floor doing a play bow. Imagine that. Ehamilton, shelter dogs are the way to go. All my critters are rescues. They have a sense of gratitude. The cat will learn to live with it. (-: