0
wmw999

Pets?

Recommended Posts

I had a red eared slider too! Super sweet little guy. Did he get really big? I knew they lived a long time, but 50 years, wow!

I have a cat. She's 17 and in early-stage kidney failure. She's healthy and happy (although it kinda seems like her bones hurt her sometimes--she groans when she's getting settled). But she jumps on the bed and dresser with no problems, and eats like a pig. She's losing hair (but not so much that her hair is really thinning), and gets a little wobbly from time to time, but for now my old girl is doing great. I've had her for her whole life and I hope I get to keep her for several more good years.
I'm not a lady, I'm a skydiver.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
BillyVance

*********here's the other one :)



Is that Samuel Jackson?:o

she does use the f word a lot :D

Like FARK FARK FARK FARK? :D

Not that you would know what that sounds like - but that still made me laugh.:D:D:D
I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama
BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

My skydiving and non-skydiving years, I have always had cat. They seem to share the same introspective mindset as so many of us, while being social:D

One of my DZ's even had a "DZ-cat" that used to chase jumpers as they came down. Maybe that would be the next kick for the BASE jumpers, land in an African lion preserve and try swooping away. Don't pack a 7-celler, LOL.


There is still lots of time to learn it..

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Adorable, the both of them. :)
I grew up with dogs, but living on my own and traveling a lot, having a cat is just much more appropriate. I do, however, treat him like a dog -- and have done so all of his life (he's 12 now). He runs to greet me at the door, knows how to ask for what he wants (food, treats, toys), and does plenty of tricks (sit, lay down, play dead, etc). I haven't been able to get him to "stay" or "fetch," but we've started working on "catch."

He is, after all, Captain Jack Sparrow. B|

See the upside, and always wear your parachute! -- Christopher Titus

Shut Up & Jump!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
TriGirl

Adorable, the both of them. :)
I grew up with dogs, but living on my own and traveling a lot, having a cat is just much more appropriate. I do, however, treat him like a dog -- and have done so all of his life (he's 12 now). He runs to greet me at the door, knows how to ask for what he wants (food, treats, toys), and does plenty of tricks (sit, lay down, play dead, etc). I haven't been able to get him to "stay" or "fetch," but we've started working on "catch."

He is, after all, Captain Jack Sparrow. B|




Hi T :) dogs are definitely higher maintenance than cats. We are thinking when the 2 dogs we have now are gone we will be done with pets. Let's see how that works out :)
edited because Billy made fun of me :P
You can't be drunk all day if you don't start early!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Do

Rick

***Adorable, the both of them. :)
I grew up with dogs, but living on my own and traveling a lot, having a cat is just much more appropriate. I do, however, treat him like a dog -- and have done so all of his life (he's 12 now). He runs to greet me at the door, knows how to ask for what he wants (food, treats, toys), and does plenty of tricks (sit, lay down, play dead, etc). I haven't been able to get him to "stay" or "fetch," but we've started working on "catch."

He is, after all, Captain Jack Sparrow. B|




Hi T :) dogs are definitely higher maintenance than dogs. We are thinking when the 2 dogs we have now are gone we will be done with pets. Let's see how that works out :)
Yeah lets see how that works out for you. ;)
"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

We are thinking when the 2 dogs we have now are gone we will be done with pets. Let's see how that works out Smile



We lost our last dog a couple months ago. I'd been pushing for us to take a year off after she died. My wife doesn't think I'll make it.

- Dan G

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
BillyVance

Do******Adorable, the both of them. :)
I grew up with dogs, but living on my own and traveling a lot, having a cat is just much more appropriate. I do, however, treat him like a dog -- and have done so all of his life (he's 12 now). He runs to greet me at the door, knows how to ask for what he wants (food, treats, toys), and does plenty of tricks (sit, lay down, play dead, etc). I haven't been able to get him to "stay" or "fetch," but we've started working on "catch."

He is, after all, Captain Jack Sparrow. B|




Hi T :) dogs are definitely higher maintenance than dogs. We are thinking when the 2 dogs we have now are gone we will be done with pets. Let's see how that works out :)
Yeah lets see how that works out for you. ;)

:$ oops thanks for pointing that out
You can't be drunk all day if you don't start early!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Rick

We are thinking when the 2 dogs we have now are gone we will be done with pets. Let's see how that works out :)



I have a theory that when my two cats are gone, I'll be a full time foster mama for a while - the idea being that I'll have more flexibility, etc. I have a feeling that it won't take long for me to "foster fail" and have a new cat(s) again. :D:D
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
NWFlyer

*** We are thinking when the 2 dogs we have now are gone we will be done with pets. Let's see how that works out :)



I have a theory that when my two cats are gone, I'll be a full time foster mama for a while - the idea being that I'll have more flexibility, etc. I have a feeling that it won't take long for me to "foster fail" and have a new cat(s) again. :D:D

yeah that fostering is dangerous you get to love them and then don't want to give them up. I guess some of us are just meant to have animals around.
You can't be drunk all day if you don't start early!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Always been a dog person... had a family cat growing up but mostly gravitate to female dogs.

After losing my 10ish year old Catahoula/Lab mix last year due to a pancreatic insulinoma (pancreatic cancer). My wife and I adopted a pit mix from a local rescue organization.

Her name is Izzy (Isabelle) and she can be a challenge at times (due to being aggressive towards other dogs) but she does really well with us and we have probably the perfect environment for her to be happy.

In the attached photo she is watching us get ready for work on a Monday morning and really doesn't want to get out of bed.
Livin' on the Edge... sleeping with my rigger's wife...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Looks like a sweetie. I had a Rottie for a few years. Not a starter dog (like a pit), but such a sweetie. For people.

Wendy P.
There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
wmw999

Looks like a sweetie. I had a Rottie for a few years. Not a starter dog (like a pit), but such a sweetie. For people.

Wendy P.



Her aggression is confidence driven (lack of) or so we have been told.

Thankfully we have been and are working with one on one training to hopefully improve her confidence and teach her appropriate behavior... she isn't so bright however and it sometimes takes a while for things to sink in... she is a sweetie however at least with people... and in a comfortable environment (such as at home...)
Livin' on the Edge... sleeping with my rigger's wife...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Quote

...yeah that fostering is dangerous you get to love them and then don't want to give them up. I guess some of us are just meant to have animals around.



My dog started as a foster. He was old and deaf and in the shelter for almost a year. He was considered "un-adoptable" and being so long in the shelter was loosing the "people skills" needed to attract an adoption.

I was walking him at the shelter already (along with other dogs), so agreed to take him in for a while to get him use to being around people again, to train him and hopefully he would get adopted. He was a small dog (chihuahua-terrier mix) about 10 lbs., and I’m more of a “big dog” person, so I didn’t think the fostering would last very long.

But what I discovered was, he had a incredible personality. Old, deaf, and a level of confidence that made him as stubborn as a donkey. He didn’t have any of the “yappie-ness” that some small dogs have. In fact he was very quite. He had a big dog personality stuffed into a small dog body.

Our walks always started with him walking up to the door then planting his feet, and giving some token resistance to the idea of going for a walk. He’d look at me with a “I’m not really into to this walking thing”, and I’d look back at him with a “your not pooping in my house” look so with a quick tug of the leash off we would go. Once we were on the walk, there was never any question which way he wanted to go. He mostly wanted to go the “pet store” about 4 blocks away, and I usually wanted to go to the “park”, so at this on intersection we always had a bit of a “negotiation” about which way to go. Are we going to the pet store today, or to the park? If you closed your eyes and just felt the amount of tug he would give, it felt like 20 lbs of pull coming from a 10 lbs dog.

Then at some point during the walk, he would just stop, plant his feet and refuse to go further. He was done with the walk, and in full donkey mode. At this point I’d pick him up and carry him back home. I was “walking" my dog, but he was an old so got what he wanted.

Another thing I discovered, was he liked people food. Really, really liked it. That year in the shelter must have been torture. Anything I was eating he would want, and eventually got the role of dish cleaner. (At least before I put them in the dishwasher.) He really liked to clean ice cream bowls, and I taught him trick a to get ice cream. He’d bark once, spin once and then put up one paw. When he did that he'd get to finish the bowl on ice cream. Eventually, doing the “bark, spin, paw” became the way he said - “I want ice cream”.

But the best example how confident he was happened on Thanksgivings about two years ago. We visited friend and someone else brought their dog, a 50 lbs. Great Dane. Both dogs were under the table during dinner. Then some turkey fell on the floor under the table near both of them. This was Ralph’s chance to nab some good human food, and he went for it. A 10 lb. old and deaf dog in one corner, and 50 lb. teenage normally sweet (except when food was involved) Great Dane in the other corner. In the ensuring flight, the table lifted off the floor and both of us owners had to separate the dogs. Ralph got some of the food, but a 10 lbs dog isn’t going to beat a 50 pounder, and he also got a bit on his back leg with light bleeding, and a trip to the hospital where they shaved all the fur off his back leg, and side. It was a nasty wound, but in Ralph’s mind I’m sure he thought is was worth it to grab some premium people food. Of one thing I’m certain, if a similar opportunity happened again, he wouldn’t hesitate for a moment to go for it.

In his final year, he had the dog equivalent of a heart attack and was on medicine. I’d have to administer three medicines from a tube twice a day and despite it likely tasting nasty he never put up any resistance to taking it. It’s almost like he knew he needed it.

In his last week he had an episode (maybe a heart attack) was on his side and couldn’t get up. He had no control over he legs, this was the only time in three years I saw fear in his eyes. He went to the hospital again and stayed in a oxygen tent, but this time wasn’t going to get better. On his last day I brought him his favorite blanket and stayed with him until he was gone. I did my best to make sure the last three years of his life were the best three years of his life.

I doubt anyone will read this far, but I wrote this to make sure he wasn’t forgotten.

He was a foster fail and only with me for three years, but I still miss that dog. It only occurred to me while writing this that I haven’t had ice cream since he passed. I guess, what’s the point if you don’t have anyone to share it with.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Currently have 3 cats. The first cat was my ex-ex's idea... For a whole host of reasons I was against it but I ended up caving. I absolutely insisted we rescue an adult cat because they are the forgotten ones... As expected, he was not exactly a walk in the park. He had health problems that took quite some time to resolve and also lasting trust issues. Once he warmed to us, he was lonely and he feared being abandoned. He would spend all day wailing when we were not home, but refused to go outside under any circumstances. He would attack guests and/or hide any time he heard any kind of commotion. He got better and better but I worried about him - I felt he would never be comfortable being left alone, ever, even for short periods of time.

After much soul-searching, I explored many different options and decided to go for broke and get 2 more cats. Kittens, this time, and purebreds. Again, this went wholly against many of my values, but what convinced me in the end was that I needed to be very very careful about selecting appropriate companions for my abused/traumatised rescue and one advantage of careful selective breeding is that certain character traits can be reliably predicted within the breed. I needed upbeat, cheerful, playful, non-dominent/aggressive cats and that is exactly what I got. Sadly, one of my two babies was also born with a heart murmur, one of the downsides of too many years of inbreeding... :(

At one point, I got "suckered" into "temporarily" looking after another rescue - a very very old cat, also with severe health problems. I ended up keeping her and putting her down after a couple of surgeries didn't rid her of cancerous tumours - it became clear that the was no more hope for her to live a good, pain-free life. The vet estimated she was probably more than 20 years old... She had a comfortable "retirement" with us for the last several months of her life. But she did disrupt the great balance that had existed with my 3 other cats, so I will no longer be taking in more fur-babies.

It's a constant joy and I am happy I have them. My first cat has turned into an absolute sweetheart. He seems to consider the other two to be his little babies and despite being a castrated male takes on a very motherly role!! It's a beautiful thing to see how happy and confident he has become. That particular ex-boyfriend has been out of my life for almost exactly 2 years now, but getting this cat has changed my life for the better - it was a great idea I don't think I would have arrived at by myself. I am grateful to him for having convinced me to do it :)

"There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse."
- Chris Hadfield
« Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. »
- my boss

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
AlanS

Quote

...yeah that fostering is dangerous you get to love them and then don't want to give them up. I guess some of us are just meant to have animals around.



My dog started as a foster. He was old and deaf and in the shelter for almost a year. He was considered "un-adoptable" and being so long in the shelter was loosing the "people skills" needed to attract an adoption.

I was walking him at the shelter already (along with other dogs), so agreed to take him in for a while to get him use to being around people again, to train him and hopefully he would get adopted. He was a small dog (chihuahua-terrier mix) about 10 lbs., and I’m more of a “big dog” person, so I didn’t think the fostering would last very long.

But what I discovered was, he had a incredible personality. Old, deaf, and a level of confidence that made him as stubborn as a donkey. He didn’t have any of the “yappie-ness” that some small dogs have. In fact he was very quite. He had a big dog personality stuffed into a small dog body.

Our walks always started with him walking up to the door then planting his feet, and giving some token resistance to the idea of going for a walk. He’d look at me with a “I’m not really into to this walking thing”, and I’d look back at him with a “your not pooping in my house” look so with a quick tug of the leash off we would go. Once we were on the walk, there was never any question which way he wanted to go. He mostly wanted to go the “pet store” about 4 blocks away, and I usually wanted to go to the “park”, so at this on intersection we always had a bit of a “negotiation” about which way to go. Are we going to the pet store today, or to the park? If you closed your eyes and just felt the amount of tug he would give, it felt like 20 lbs of pull coming from a 10 lbs dog.

Then at some point during the walk, he would just stop, plant his feet and refuse to go further. He was done with the walk, and in full donkey mode. At this point I’d pick him up and carry him back home. I was “walking" my dog, but he was an old so got what he wanted.

Another thing I discovered, was he liked people food. Really, really liked it. That year in the shelter must have been torture. Anything I was eating he would want, and eventually got the role of dish cleaner. (At least before I put them in the dishwasher.) He really liked to clean ice cream bowls, and I taught him trick a to get ice cream. He’d bark once, spin once and then put up one paw. When he did that he'd get to finish the bowl on ice cream. Eventually, doing the “bark, spin, paw” became the way he said - “I want ice cream”.

But the best example how confident he was happened on Thanksgivings about two years ago. We visited friend and someone else brought their dog, a 50 lbs. Great Dane. Both dogs were under the table during dinner. Then some turkey fell on the floor under the table near both of them. This was Ralph’s chance to nab some good human food, and he went for it. A 10 lb. old and deaf dog in one corner, and 50 lb. teenage normally sweet (except when food was involved) Great Dane in the other corner. In the ensuring flight, the table lifted off the floor and both of us owners had to separate the dogs. Ralph got some of the food, but a 10 lbs dog isn’t going to beat a 50 pounder, and he also got a bit on his back leg with light bleeding, and a trip to the hospital where they shaved all the fur off his back leg, and side. It was a nasty wound, but in Ralph’s mind I’m sure he thought is was worth it to grab some premium people food. Of one thing I’m certain, if a similar opportunity happened again, he wouldn’t hesitate for a moment to go for it.

In his final year, he had the dog equivalent of a heart attack and was on medicine. I’d have to administer three medicines from a tube twice a day and despite it likely tasting nasty he never put up any resistance to taking it. It’s almost like he knew he needed it.

In his last week he had an episode (maybe a heart attack) was on his side and couldn’t get up. He had no control over he legs, this was the only time in three years I saw fear in his eyes. He went to the hospital again and stayed in a oxygen tent, but this time wasn’t going to get better. On his last day I brought him his favorite blanket and stayed with him until he was gone. I did my best to make sure the last three years of his life were the best three years of his life.

I doubt anyone will read this far, but I wrote this to make sure he wasn’t forgotten.

He was a foster fail and only with me for three years, but I still miss that dog. It only occurred to me while writing this that I haven’t had ice cream since he passed. I guess, what’s the point if you don’t have anyone to share it with.


I'm sorry for your loss.
I'm not sure which one of you was more lucky to have met. Not gonna lie, I cried (well not cry, teared up a lot) reading your post. Thank you.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Rick

***Adorable, the both of them. :)
I grew up with dogs, but living on my own and traveling a lot, having a cat is just much more appropriate. I do, however, treat him like a dog -- and have done so all of his life (he's 12 now). He runs to greet me at the door, knows how to ask for what he wants (food, treats, toys), and does plenty of tricks (sit, lay down, play dead, etc). I haven't been able to get him to "stay" or "fetch," but we've started working on "catch."

He is, after all, Captain Jack Sparrow. B|




Hi T :) dogs are definitely higher maintenance than cats. We are thinking when the 2 dogs we have now are gone we will be done with pets. Let's see how that works out :)
edited because Billy made fun of me :P

:D:D

I'm thinking that once I'm fully retired back in Florida I will rescue a former racing dog. We seem to have plenty of tracks in Florida, and I know greyhounds sometimes are hard to place in forever homes once their racing careers are over (I imagine there are a lot of them). I'd be willing to bet I could find one that appreciates a quiet, spacious home!
See the upside, and always wear your parachute! -- Christopher Titus

Shut Up & Jump!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
AlanS


I doubt anyone will read this far, but I wrote this to make sure he wasn’t forgotten.

He was a foster fail and only with me for three years, but I still miss that dog. It only occurred to me while writing this that I haven’t had ice cream since he passed. I guess, what’s the point if you don’t have anyone to share it with.



I read the whole thing :)
We started fostering dogs a few years ago - it's been very rewarding and very challenging at the same time. Sometimes I think I'm too softhearted to keep letting them go, but then I see how happy they are in their new homes, and I get to save another one, so we keep going.

Last year we were asked to foster an old "beagle cross" (we foster for a beagle rescue) from Yellowknife. Well, when she go to our house, it took me no time at all to realize there was no beagle in this dog. We figure she was a husky chow, but we aren't sure.

We had her for 9 months, adopted her on April 1 (our "april fool's beagle"). She passed in June, after taking a very quick turn for the worse an discovering she had very advanced cancer. I was shattered.

There was something about this dog. She charmed everyone she ever met, and had me absolutely in love with her from the moment I met her. I love my two dogs more than most people love dogs I suspect, but this dog had my heart from day one.

I totally get what you mean about the ice cream.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Yes the 4 day weekend is now coming with a Kennel Bill. Its like having a child that poops random places. Not everyone appreciates that. I love jumping at Crosskeys NJ but that means on day kennel (cant leave him in the crate for 10 hours) cooled down now. id love to take him with me have a water and food dish sunroof open and baggies to walk him at the woods edge. 16lbs of love. :) my whacky little guy is so scared of much n(SPCA)

_______________________________
If I could be a Super Hero,
I chose to be: "GRANT-A-CLAUS". and work 365 days a Year.
http://www.hangout.no/speednews/

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

0