Posted on 12/25/2013 5:04:44 PM PST by US Navy Vet
Dear Santa Claws,
Some people don’t believe in you, but I do, because last year you brought me a tube of tennis balls, some yummy treats, a new dog sweater, and a plush, fleecy blue sheep that goes “Baaa-aaa-aaa” when I squeeze and chew on him. I stayed awake a long time next to the fireplace on Christmas Eve, waiting for you to come down, but I never did see you. Just my human Mom and Dad putting some packages under the tree. Thank you for those nice gifts last year! You are pretty special if you can sneak in past me!
This year I only want one thing for me for Christmas, and I promise, promise, promise that I’ve been good. My human Mom and Dad and sister and brother need your help a lot more than I do. See, Santa, my Dad lost something that was important to him this summer… something called a “job.” I looked for it all over the house and yard, but I don’t know what a job looks or smells like, so I couldn’t find it. He stayed upset for a very long time, and Mom got upset too, and they yelled at each other, and my brother and sister cried, and I don’t really understand.
(Excerpt) Read more at dogheirs.com ...
They came from a small breed of Terrier and are now 7 months old and weigh about 40 pounds, probably about as big as they will get and are laying on the couch with my wife right now, helping to keep her warm. They have the run of an acre of a chain link fenced yard and the house. They have full belly’s right now. They are Happy Happy Happy Pups. It is good to have them around.
My mom won’t come to visit because my house is dog-centric.
There’s no “good sofas”, just This End Up twin beds so they have room to stretch.
No floors you can “eat off of”.
You sit down, you *will* take home souvenir dog hairs.
She gripes because I’m always in t shirts, sneaks and jeans.
$100+ month that could go to ‘nicer clothes’ goes to good dog food.
The yard doesn’t look like a golf course.
There’s ruts where they run.
Can’t have a conversation because they all go off [like they’re supposed to] when the neighbor goes up the lane.
We don’t go out for long trips or vacations because the dogs need taken care of and I don’t trust *anybody* with them.
They’re my life, just like I’m theirs.
She thinks this is “horrible”.
I think it’s heaven.
But both Dobes have connived their way up here with me now and 180 pounds of hot bodies are slowly shoving me off onto the floor. ;D
[OTOH, if she knew about the Boas]....LOL
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God Bless you.
I’m having difficulty reading my monitor for some reason.
Merry Christmas Salamander... Your Mom don’t know what she’s missing. Mine would probably adopt you ‘cause she doesn’t have a daughter appreciates odd folks.
Unfortunately she’s a bit wary of snakes. ;)
Dogs know more about life and death,suffering and loneliness than most people do.
When you bring a shelter dog home,I think they know that you just gave them their life back.Same thing for horses and cats too.I had a rescue horse save MY life in return once.
How does she feel about goats?
:)
[Pinky would change her mind...she does not consider herself a snake at all..more like a long, skinny puppy]
I would starve before I took my dog to the pound. He’s as much a member of my family as is my wife.
It would never come to that because I would move the Earth to make ends meet. I’ve spent my entire life preparing, part of which means I work like I want to make my employers happy...they always are. I realize sometimes circumstances go beyond that and I got caught there once. My division closed. I was “out on the streets”. I cut my expenses to the bone and spent every waking hour making people want my services. It wasn’t long until I was working again.
The dog? He will eat before me.
It makes me want to go rescue one now though.
Kind of how my wife and I think about the dogs that have adopted us over the years.
The end of the story...
So Santa came and found good homes for all the animals in all of the shelters and they all lived happily ever after. The End.
(O.K....I know this is total pie in the sky, but the story made my heart hurt.)
The lab seemed to be bleeding from the rear (not in heat) so I came in and called the local PD. Nope, no one had reported her missing, try Animal Control. I called them and since the one seemed injured they came and collected both dogs (was taking the known one home and hopefully reading the owner the riot act).
Anyway, the lab was posted on the AC website for the required 8 days and I felt so guilty for turning her in. No one claimed her so I went in and adopted her. She is an old girl but so sweet.
Vet visit showed she had a tumor in her rectum (the bleeding) and she is also heartworm positive. The vet cut out the tumor, stitched her up and sent her home with me. We will not treat for heartworm since she is about 10 years old and probably also has cancer.
But, she has a home with us for however long she lives. A wonderful dog and my 6 year old Shepherd accepts her.
The only thing that I am angry about (yes, angry) is that she was obviously "dumped" by her owners. Even if they could not afford treatment, they could have taken her to our no-kill shelter (who is also Animal Control for the county) and while they have a $25 fee for owner surrender, if things were that tight I am sure they would have waived that.
There are some bittersweet but happy endings for these guys. I can't help but feel that she was given to me for a reason and I will do the best that I can for her.
I’ve had labs. They are without doubt one of the most loyal dogs that exist. That someone could dump one is incomprehensible to me. It’s not in me to understand it. I could no more dump a dog than I could cut off my leg.
It lightens my heart that you’ve given succor to a dog that others have abandoned. It seems that there is a plan and both you and the dog are the better for it.
No idea about goats... probably the animus towards snakes is due to the blacksnakes that get into her bluebird house and eat all the babies.
Back in 2000 we rescued a nine month old Husky/Aussie Sheppard mix. She is the kindest and most gentle dog I have met.
This past October we rescued a 1 1/2 year old German Sheppard/Aussie Sheppard mix. She was taken by the local court from a very bad situation.
This new dog is just as kind and laid back as our Husky gal. She always has a smile on her face and has settled in with the rest of our family.
These two shelter dogs have shown us how smart they are as they both are happy, gentle, and carefree. We thank God every day that we were able to make a loving home for these two wonderful pups.
"Can’t have a conversation because they all go off [like they’re supposed to] when the neighbor goes up the lane."
Well, they do quiet down eventually, so what's the problem? My sister-in-law used to have a big German Shepherd...he was trained for protection. It's a German word; I can't think of it at the moment but I know you know it. When the dog visited with her, he would react the same way to strangers. But he was being a good boy by doing so. I loved that dog.....it's been four years, and I miss him still.
"[OTOH, if she knew about the Boas]....LOL"
LOL!
She'd never survive the 10 minute pre-bark/bark/post-bark Intruder Routine they have perfected.
Yeah, then there's those Boas.
;D
*My* only “regret” would be that I would've saved more critters, if I could've.
I like my dog-centric life just fine.
She is lonely since dad died and I've suggested she get a dog a hundred times.
She won't.
The loneliness is less than the loathing, I reckon.
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