If that's a touching animal video, I am not even going to try to cut and paste the link. Too heart-wrenching. (Yeah, I know--pathetic. But especially since I got Bandit, I'm sensitive about stuff like that.)
Sorry if it offended anyone,but I had to put my old lab down a short time ago and it meant a lot to me,my late wife lived for her lab and vise versa,the lab helped us get thru the Alzheimer struggle,so when I held the old dog while she slipped away all I could think of was i held my wife hand as she took her last breath,the circle is almost complete,feel free to delete,it means more to me than anyone here,sorry
Don, no-one was offended, far from it. I am so sorry that you lost your beloved dog, I know very well how much she has meant to you, it must feel as if you have lost your wife all over again. Take care, we all love you on this site.
Don, nobody was offended, I'm sure. I just can't look at anything too touching and poignant these days--still fragile emotionally from the AD years. (Sounds whiny, but what can I say.)
Thank you for posting this incredible video. It was beautiful and yes, I cried. I have Goldie, a 7yr old Aussie, who will probably not live to 20. So I better enjoy extra walks, extra cuddles, extra ball throwing fun. I am so blessed to have her. Thank you for the reminder...
Just so you all know,it broke me up also,but I was so thankful to be able to hold her and look in to her eyes as she went to slept,you see when my wife passed she was comatose for a week,eyes closed no movement, and I laid next to her in a recliner and held her hand,never any movement for over a week,went home one day to take a shower and my daugthers called and said Dad get back here Margie is waiting for you,I walked in the room and she opened one eye and reached to grip my hand took a breathe and went to sleep,so I was lucky to be there for both of them when they passed,sad but I'm so thankful I was there when they passed,three years ago for my wife but I live with that moment daily
It was meant to be, that you were there for both of them Don. But as you say, good and bad together. And may I say that perhaps your "half of the dog" is now with your dear wifes' "half," together with her again as one whole loved dog.
I've been there Don too often. And my cats are getting old. My wife knew those cats and they went through times around here I have no understanding of how I managed to feed them and change their litter box. One got sick last year and I remember scolding her not to die on me. I'm sorry Don. I can tell that animals in your life are family which they are in mine too and I feel your pain.
Here's a short video I posted once years ago. No dogs are in it. No one gets hurt. It's about a bear and a crow.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJ_3BN0m7S8
What the heck are we doing in the Budapest Zoo? Learning about animals with 20,000,000 other people.
And here's one I won't explain except to say those damned foreigners are all terrorists.
Don, in time perhaps consider rescuing a dog no one else wants. I may take an old mangy cat or two and put up with their miserable souls and perhaps find some better times together. Any of that for all of us is more than we would have had.
My cat is whole. She was an abused rescue and in the first year did little but pee in fear. I took her when she was 2 which was also the time my wife began showing real signs. It took years to get her to stop shaking and settle down a bit. She was very thin and didn't gain weight for years. She was completely silent and never looked into your eyes. She did very strange things in the litter box. No one ever saw her and it became a joke in the years we were still socializing that we had one cat not two.
Tahia is now 11 going on 12. I didn't change her name from the one she had.
Gradually she stopped shaking when I touched her. Gradually she let me pat her a bit. Gradually she stopped racing away at every sound. Gradually she gained weight. Gradually her poops became more normal. Gradually she learned to like being patted. Gradually she stopped shivering, and became less fearful, and became more trusting.
And almost two years ago she made a sound for the first time. A tiny squeak. Now she talks and likes talking back. She is finally up to a good weight. Her poops are normal. She doesn't run away when I make a loud noise. She comes for her pats and loves having her head scratched. She plays with the other cat. She's even thinking of joining us on the bed. Dianne never heard her speak and never knew that while our lives were being abused, Tahia came out of that.
Wolf,I'm trying to talk myself into a rescue lab but trying to find one about 6-8 years old,don't want to leave one for someone else to take care of when I complete the circle,would love a puppy again but time is against me,gets mighty lonely,never been without a dog since a little kid.
Talk to the local animal shelter(s) and give them your situation. Do the same with local pet specialty stores. Look at bulletin boards at the supermarket (do they still do that or am I dating myself?).
I can't speak about dogs, but I know that if I leave it to the shelter, it will not take long before I have rescued kittens that would otherwise have had to be put down. There are few animal shelters for cats that can keep up with supply no matter how hard they work at it. You might also try the local paper. People are moving in their situations all the time.
I feel the same. I may need to know that whatever happens, we all had more then otherwise. I'll tell you what I know. In dog years, I was married about 6 years and then my owner died on me. I may be just a mangy mutt, but I had it pretty good there for a while.
Here's a different slant on it:
"This week, Mick Jagger has a new baby boy. The 73-year-old rock legend and ballerina Melanie Hamrick, 29, welcomed a son Thursday in New York." - The Associated Press
(There's an owner not worried about past expiry dates)
EDIT - Actually he's a beacon of hope. If one microgram of his entitlement could rub off on me, I'd be feeling great about everything and get pretty much what I want (and can afford).
Wolf & Mick Jagger reminds me of this.. The doctor asked the man how he was feeling, and the 86-year-old said, "things are great, and I've never felt better! I now have a 20-year-old bride who is pregnant with my child. What do you think about that, doc?"
The doctor considered the question for a minute, and then began to tell a story.
"I have an older friend, much like you, who is an avid hunter and never misses a season. One day he was setting off to go hunting. In a bit of a hurry, he accidentally picked up his walking cane instead of his gun."
"As he neared a lake, he came across a very large male beaver sitting at the water's edge. He realized he left his gun at home, and so, he couldn't shoot the magnificent creature. Out of habit he raised his cane, aimed it at the animal as if it was his favorite hunting rifle, and yelled 'bang bang'. Miraculously, two shots rang out and the beaver fell dead."
"Now, what do you think of that?" asked the doctor.
The 86-year-old replied, "logic would strongly suggest that somebody else pumped a few rounds into that beaver."
Ol Don, thanks for the post. Really made me laugh... Myrtle, good article from Georgetown U. Makes sense that is not just the egg that ages... And as for dogs, it does take a very long time to lose the sadness of their passing.
It makes sense that, having proved beyond a doubt that women's lifestyles and habits affect the egg that is manufactured at the time, it's the same for the other half of that duet - the male's contribution. It wasn't just that, but the fact that women are advised not to have children too late in life where having your first in your forties is linked with a much higher incident of problems. That's not just about her body and womb but focuses on the higher incident of gene issues.
Now take a 73 year old who's done god knows what all and who isn't troubled about being around to raise the child to adulthood (he'll be 91), and despite the life of luxury this kid fell into, I hope he comes out clear of issues to enjoy it.
On the other hand, my sister burst out laughing when I told her my own kids are really thankful that I didn't have them.
So,
A comedian (Ron White) tells this joke in his stand up routine:
"That reminds me of a story I heard about Katrina. The authorities were advising people to leave the area but this one older male in great shape said he wasn't going to leave and instead was going to tie himself to a tree and test his strength against the hurricane.
Now let me explain something about a force five hurricane. It doesn't matter THAT the wind is blowing, it's WHAT the wind is blowing. If you get hit by a Volvo, it doesn't really matter how many sit ups you did that morning."
I think that's funny. Even funnier is the running joke that if there was a real nuclear war the only things that would survive are cockroaches. And of course Keith Richards.
This is a ridiculous planet. On the other hand there are dogs. So...
This is from google, but is close to what I was taught in nursing school:
The cell you came from was once inside of your mother's fetus in her mother's womb. Although I was born in 1976, [not me, but the writer of this article)] the egg that I came from was created in my grandmother’s womb– somewhere in Georgia, in 1946.
Want to calculate the vintage of the egg you came from? Take your mother’s date of birth and subtract about 20 weeks.
That’s true because unlike males, who constantly generate sperm after they hit puberty, girls are born with their one and only lifetime supply of eggs. Around the 20th week of gestation, a female fetus has developed a reproductive system, including 6 to 7 million eggs in her ovaries.
The matrilineal line looks much like a nested Russian doll.
The egg that created you was formed inside of your mother’s fetus while she was inside of your grandmother’s womb.
UPDATE: A few comments have pointed to a recent study in mice that suggests the possibility that a woman’s supply of eggs might be replenished. Questions remain about this controversial finding that scientists are working to understand, verify and replicate. We think it’s premature to revise the textbooks, but it’s exciting to consider new possibilities in science and to follow how they are validated or refuted by the scientific process. This finding, if true, could have implications for fertility treatment, so we’ll stay tuned!
Very interesting mary75, thanks for posting. Think we need to really teach our young women to take very good care of themselves. Okay, our young men too. And as for the original post, dogs are awesome. They make our lives so much better... I wonder how many of our dogs have gifts waiting under the tree too...
Willy is getting a figure eight rope pull toy, a new Kong toy, some treats and because he has gained weight a new harness for his car seat and a new coat with flease lining. It's also water repellant. Yes he is spoiled but his coats are to small and his car seat harness is to tight with a coat or sweater on. Fat little Yorkie!! LOL
Got my Granddog Grace, a year old Lab, a Squeaky -toy Squirrel and a container of treats. Wrapped, of course. Thinking a TBone Steak (with bone) with most meat trimmed off (for later treats) for my Aussie Goldie. Grilled well done.
MsAbby,I have a bag full of "toys" from the old girl,a young lab can go thru lots of toys,their yours if you want them,she didn't play with them much the last year or so but she did have a red blanket that she carried around the house right up til the end
Wonder if Kroger's will adapt this idea? Will be interesting to see!
A new supermarket that opened in Wichita, Kansas has an automatic water mister to keep the produce fresh. Just before it goes on, you hear the sound of distant thunder and the smell of fresh rain.
When you pass the milk cases, you hear cows mooing, and there is the scent of freshly mowed hay.
In the meat department, there is the aroma of charcoal grilled steaks with onions.
When you approach the egg case, you hear hens clucking and cackling, and the air is filled with the pleasing aroma of bacon and eggs frying.
The bread department features the tantalizing smell of fresh baked bread and cookies.
I just found this post. My husband is very dependent upon our two 200lb English Mastiffs. They sleep with him, he walks them every day, and they spend the day together. I have found it a blessing that we have them. I have no idea how I will manage when something happens to them because it is just my husband and myself, we have no family and our friends are older than we are. The irony is that we rescued one of these big guys and trained him to be a therapy dog. He is a therapy dog...for my husband. Guess we were the ones who were rescued.
Found this thread back in the older posts. My daughter moved in with us 5 1/2 years ago with her 7 lb toy poodle. He just adopted DH and spent most of his day on his lap. I had DD to help me get through the next 2 years and DH had the dog!