Posted on 11/26/2009 8:22:58 AM PST by nickcarraway
IT was a dark and stormy night — actually four stormy nights — when Jayme Otto, 31, and her husband, Ryan Otto, 33, drove 1,200 miles from their home in Boulder,Colo., to her parents’ house in Cleveland for Christmas.
“We traveled all this way to bring our yellow Labrador, Cody Bear, home to spend time with his grandparents,” Ms. Otto said, “grandparents” being dog-person-speak for her parents.
Besides wanting Cody Bear “to participate in his favorite yearly activity of unwrapping gifts and destroying all the boxes,” as Ms. Otto put it, they wanted the dog to meet her brother’s fiancée.
But on Christmas morning, a commotion ensued: the fiancée was allergic to dogs and broke out in hives.
“The dog was banished to the guest bedroom and we were unable to share our Christmas morning with Cody Bear,” Ms. Otto said bitterly. “The family blowup between my brother and I over the dog resulted in my mother not speaking to me for two months and my brother for four.” This Christmas will mark the first time that the Ottos will not be returning home.
Where, one might ask at times like these, are the elegantly embossed cards people really need, ones reading: “I can’t believe I could have been so insensitive.” Or better yet, “I can’t believe you could have been so insensitive.”
They might also include a sketch of a sophisticated, well-traveledpet. Something for an animal that understands, even if others do not, that it is a valued family member. And of course a handwritten note, the tone bemused but firm.
“Rex is truly sorry he sent Granny to the emergency room with the oxygen mask, but it isn’t like anyone told me she was allergic. All is forgiven, see you next New Year’s. Leaps and Gloppy Drooly Kisses—R.”
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
When the cat became an extended houseguest at the home of good friends, Mr. Barnes found it stressful, because despite his wishes, the cat was allowed outside. “I think anybody who is taking care of someone else’s child or pet, they should protect the parent’s wishes.”
I've had a COUPLE of dogs I really really liked, mostly because they were extremely intelligent, protective of the children, understood a few words, etc. Cats I DO NOT like, I find them sneaky, and they don't like me either, I think.
But animals are animals, not people. I have a relative who allowed a house to become so unpleasant with more and more animals that no one visited anymore, which created more loneliness, which created a felt need for more pets to fill the void, which created a house that was almost unlivable, but because of the condition of the house no one wanted to go fix anything, even repairmen.
So I have a bit of an issue with pets becoming all in all to people. I've spent a few years dealing with this problem in this situation and when it was over I felt like I had PTSD.
Love me, love my dog. Period.
Shipped my wife over to the in-laws for the day while I stay with the cats...better to spend time with cats instead of democrat in-laws. I’ll get my dinner tomorrow... :-)
And then there are the people who bring their human children, and allow them to behave in ways that make everyone else wish they’d brought an untrained hyperactive Great Dane instead.
LOL!!!
The only reason I’m leaving the dogs at home is to avoid stressing them.
Our three dogs will be traveling up to Thanksgiving dinner today with us, but they probably will not come inside. I think there will just be too many people, too many mixed groups today.
They’ll get to stay dry and sleep it off in the back of our truck with the canopy and their dog beds, where at least they’ll get walked a few times, better than being stuck inside at home.
And they’re a great excuse to take a break from all the commotion in the house anyhow.
At Christmas that is usually just immediate family, the dogs are welcome and come inside. Dog owners need to be sensitive to others when it comes to their dogs... if they want the dogs to be welcome, they have to set the dogs up for success. Don’t bring them into situations where they will cause problems.
...and they say there aren’t any thoughtful pet owners out there...
Couldn't they have sent the fiancee to the guest bedroom? Win-win.
No reason to expose smart dogs to a whole housefull of stupid.
If the smitten fiancé can't see past this unnecessary and divisive event, to recognize the opportunity to dodge a major future bullet, then he deserves the misery and alimony to come.
Ditch her. Welcome the dog, who has been a joyous part of Christmas in that household for years, and is a loyal and loved family member.
Dogs just have a way of bringing out the basic truth of new people on the scene. I know I trust the instincts of mine, instincts that are in some instances truer than my own. If they dislike a stranger, I've learned to be wary myself.
woof
I had to win the heart of my girlfriend’s dog first. I was OK with it.
Every dog we've ever had, we've brought with us on vacation almost everywhere. The one exception was Disney, and that's only because we didn't know Disney had day kennels when we went.
This Thanksgiving like most others, we're at Grandma and Grandpa's and of course or dog is with us. Grandma and Grandpa expect that we're bringing him, he's part of the family too. ("Teddy" always comes with us up here, we think he loves it as much if not more than we do.)
I had a year old Golden Retriever when my wife and I got married almost 24 years ago. Yes he's in our wedding pictures with us.
People who aren’t really dog people don’t get it. They’re in many ways extensions of ourselves, especially those raised from puppyhood, but even powerfully grateful pound rescues can develop this almost psychic bond.
Reject my dogs, and you’re rejecting me in several respects. Some breeds are more immediately welcoming to strangers, and some aren’t. Such breeds need wooing, as you mention. Your girlfriend is filtering her relationships through her dog, which is not necessarily a bad approach. They pick up on things on an animal level, of which most of us are either unaware, or only vaguely aware, that sort of hair on the back of your neck thing. Dogs live it every moment, in the moment. They’re almost like a radar for their people. Quite the complementary pair, a good person and a good dog.
My newest dog wasn’t a rescue pup but the last 3 were and all 3 of those were considered “problem” dogs. Funny thing is that once they were settled and trusted me they became some of the best behaved dogs I’ve ever had.
The boys are staying home today rather than going to Thanksgiving dinner at relatives a couple of miles away. They'd be welcome, but my youngest is only 5 months old, and the temptation of large platters of unguarded food might be too great. :) Don't want to see a repeat of the Bumpass disaster in "A Christmas Story".
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.