Veterinary Hospital Chain Reports 39,000 Pets Were Sickened or Killed by Contaminated Food

FOX NEWS.COM ^ | April 09, 2007 | staff

[OldPossum]

Dear Lurker,

Your post on your beloved Basha was very touching. I, too, lost my best buddy not long ago. I had a beagle, Bradley, who lived to be 17 years old, 16 of those under my care. He died last February (2006) at a state veterinary hospital, after suffering complete loss of the use of his rear legs. That, combined with end-stage bladder cancer and encroaching kidney failure, made it necessary to say good-bye. It's probably painful to see a grown man cry but that's what the vets saw that day as one of them injected the drug which ended that precious life. I spent the rest of the day and most of the next sobbing in a nearby motel room. The pain of the loss was that much. I hadn't cried since childhood.

You will find that in time the very painful hurt you are experiencing now will end and be replaced with just quiet yet beautiful memories of your Basha's life with you. These memories of your beloved dog, if you're like me, stay with you. Every day (and especially at night) I think of Bradley and something he did or walks in the forest we took. Not a single day passes that I don't think of him. Most times there is no welling up of tears, just a smile or two associated with some experience. The severe pain has passed.

Your terrible loss is hurting you but I just wanted to assure you that the pain will ease and be replaced with soft memories.

Be thankful to God who gave you this wonderful creature to share your life with. In relative terms the association with Basha was short. Why this is remains a mystery to me but He must have His reasons.

God bless you.

[RepoGirl]

Thanks for the info -- this actually clears up some things that my trainer didn't cover. What you say about hounds makes sense. Our first dog, way back in the 70s, was part terrier, part hound -- and she was tenacious, strong willed and would take off for hours if she accidentally got let out of the house. My rott is so much more of a people oriented dog. Indeed, she does seem to look at me like, "what are we gonna do next, boss?" I sort of half jokingly call her my Major Domo or Number 1 (said like Patrick Stewart, too) because she's just that loyal and eager to please. Maybe eager to please isn't the correct term, because she's not slavish. She's got an uppity streak, but she really is sort of like a traffic cop or security guard. If the cats are on the counters, she lets them know. She's my enforcer. ;-)

Hard headed, bossy and confident to others, but I'm alpha. She even follows me from room to room -- which I like -- because she likes being with the pack.

And, to be honest, I'm embarrased to admit that I really did have the idea that since Ridgebacks were from Africa they were just naturally designed for hot weather and lots of running. Definitely, if I got a pup, we'd build up (and fluids are essential to workout performance, and I'm really a stickler about that in my own work) and work out smart. Come to think of it -- I did meet a gigantic Ridgeback named Mango one evening outside a cafe. Had to have been 150lbs, and was so fat and lazy he could barely stand. Hmmm... But -- for the time being, I'm still nuts about the Rotts. Check out my freep profile if you want to see a few pics of Ursa, you can tell what a spoiled baby she is.

Again, thanks for the info -- this is one reason why I love the Freep.

[BagCamAddict]

Good pics of your Rottie. Rotts are a good breed, and unfortunately they have a bad rap. Less so now than 20 years ago, thankfully. I almost got a Rott for my first personal dog, but I went with a Shepherd instead.

Yep, sounds like your terrier/hound was true to her group characteristics. I tell everyone, Ridgebacks are not Labs, they are not Shepherds, they want to please you, but you have to be smarter than they are to figure out how to make them please you when YOU want them to (and believe me, it’s hard to be smarter than a Ridgeback sometimes).

Your Rott following you around the house (we call that “velcro dog”) is also being true to her breed. She was bred as part herding, part guarding dog. A Guard dog can’t protect you if they aren’t WITH you, so it is their JOB to stay with you or the house at all times. That’s one reason Guarding breeds are much more reliable off leash, or hanging out in your front yard while you pull weeds in the flower bed. In fact, with an adult German Shepherd, it’s pretty hard to get a well-bred one to even leave the yard if you’re in it, because they need to stay with you to protect you.

So yes, Ursa has clearly matured into her role nicely, and she’s upholding Mom’s rules at all times. Good girl.

Ridgebacks are designed for hot weather and lots of running, so they do have fantastic endurance and they would be good for your runs (with proper conditioning; I always have to throw in that caveat for anyone else reading these posts). But unlike high-strung breeds, they can ALSO hang around on the couch all day and be happy just to be with you. Puppies, up until about age 2, will need some exercise because all puppies have puppy energy. But for the most part, after age 2, a soft couch or a warm window in the sun will suit them just fine until your next run.

They were bred for two purposes: (1) hunting with the master, and (2) protecting the homestead/family. But because they are Hounds, they will generally be happy to leave the yard to go hunting on their own. Exceptions to the rule always exist, but they should never be thought of as a dog that won’t leave the front porch or stray from home base.