Posted on 12/13/2001 12:07:14 PM PST by Flyer
I want a puppy for Christmas!
Okay, I don't really want a puppy for Christmas. Yes, I do want a puppy, but not quite yet. My last three dogs have come into my life as adults. I haven't had the joy (and aggravation) of raising a puppy since 1986.
I had four dogs until just a couple of years ago.I had to put one to sleep due to trauma injuries, and another that was old with failing health. A third I put to sleep just about six weeks ago. She had severe spondylosis, but lived 3 - 4 years longer than the vets had expected. I cherished every extra day we had together.
I have mentioned here before that I used to work with dogs (and cats), up until a year ago. I worked at an animal shelter for 3 years, a veterinarian for 6 years and 2 years at a first class boarding kennel. During those eleven years I touched the lives of about 10,000 different dogs. That's not an exaggeration. I crossed paths with about 100,000 dogs, but I'm just counting ones I, in some way, have touched their lives. (yes, much of this was from the work at the shelter. We took in 35 - 40,000 animals a year) Of the ten thousand there were probably 500 that I knew very well from seeing them over and over at the vet and the boarding kennel. I loved them as my own dogs and they loved me as their own 'person'.
My new puppy will be a Golden Retriever named Re-Boot, in hopes of filling the shoes (paws?) of the Golden I recently lost. My remaining dog is a Golden and yes, they are my favorite breed. There any many other breeds I like, though. Border Collies are very smart and I will probably have one some day. Corgi's have taken a piece of my heart, too. I will probably never own a Standard Poodle but they are very fun dogs once you get to know them. Over the years it was quite an experience spotting the common traits in the different breeds.
I want a puppy for Christmas. So why don't I get one?? Raising a puppy properly requires time and money. The time I have now. The money - I don't. So I will wait. My puppy will be there when I am ready. (and please reconsider if you are thinking of giving a pet as a Christmas gift - but that's a chapter in itself)
So why am I posting this frivolous little story? Because I hope to get the attention of all of you that read these animal threads and ask a favor of you. Lately Tabitha Soren has been a pest on these innocent, "G" rated animal threads. I want to ask you to join me and just ignore her and not give her the dignity of a reply. I know, she gets us all PO'ed, but if we just ignore her she will lose the satisfaction of the attention she gets, and she won't have replies to reply to.
BTW. . . post your pet stories here and we won't let this warm and fuzzy thread get hijacked!
Merry Christmas,
Flyer and Gilligan
Gotta love those Goldens!
And all my hair back.
Dan
Oh my gosh. . . HANG ON! You are in for quite a ride.
Sorry about your dog. I know the feeling, I had to put down my dog this year(16 years old) and am, believe it or not, going "down to the pound and find something that looks like it chases deer."
You realize, of course, that Bichon puppyhood lasts THREE YEARS!
Our female, age 3, just stopped chewing on the floor moulding this past year.
But, the way I look at it, she didn't break windows or wreck cars like my two boys did!
Who wants a Shih Tsu for free?
When I read that, I sang it to the tune of, "I Want To Be A Producer" (Of A Great Big Broadway Show) from The Producers.
The melody matches the lyrics exactly!
My sister also took one of the male pups. She named hers RUSH LIMBARK.
Oh, forgot to mention that just last week we bought four horses. We've never owned horses but have always wanted some and a good deal on the horses and a 12-acre pasture with barn popped up, so we took the plunge. Boy are we ever on a learning curve!
MM
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