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I Want A Puppy For Christmas!
Flyer and Gilligan ^ | December 13, 2001 | From the heart

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


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial
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To: johniegrad
We had a cat that used to like to sleep up on top of the back tires of my son's truck in the wheel well. One day, my son didn't realize that the cat was there and backed up.

Yeah, I love it when people talk about how smart cats are. I had a one ton Ford pickup and in the winter the tires would warm up when I drove around. The cat would perch on top of the rear wheels and go to sleep. One day he didn't wake up - for good. The neighbor also had one that would climb inside the engine compartment and sleep somewhere in there. It was warm I guess. He made a lot of noise rattling around under the hood when I started my truck up. It didn't kill him. He'd run away anytime I pulled into the driveway after that. Hmmm, maybe they are somewhat smart.

41 posted on 12/13/2001 12:27:47 PM PST by thatsnotnice
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To: Cagey
Yikes. A spoiled Lab!

Is there any other kind?

42 posted on 12/13/2001 12:28:08 PM PST by Ward Smythe
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To: riley1992
I'm a mutt kind of girl myself

The two dogs other than my Goldens were mutts, uh. . . mixed breed. Wouldn't have traded them for the world.

43 posted on 12/13/2001 12:28:22 PM PST by Flyer
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To: Flyer
I just gave away a darling Dalmation pup my daughter found running down the highway. We had her about one month. I tried - honest, I did - but the little dickens dug up the whole backyard and ate everything in sight, including the cushions to my patio chairs, my patio chairs, and all my shrubs and flowers. At least I secured her a wonderful home with a loving family.

I guess I'll stick to cats. :-)

44 posted on 12/13/2001 12:28:33 PM PST by truthkeeper
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To: Flyer
MERRY CHRISTMAS!


45 posted on 12/13/2001 12:28:42 PM PST by sweetliberty
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To: Lurking Libertarian
"I own a labradoodle" is it a cross with a standard poodle?
46 posted on 12/13/2001 12:28:53 PM PST by Rustynailww
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To: Flyer
I have a wonderful dog named Sweet Liza Jane. She came to us as a puppy the month my Grandmother passed away. She was such good theraphy for the family in our time of grief. She is 5yrs old now and I like her better than the rest of my family. (almost kidding) Merry Christmas All. richandfamous and Liza
47 posted on 12/13/2001 12:29:04 PM PST by richandfamous
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To: Flyer
Here's something to p*ss off Tabitha.

I just spent around $400 having my dogs' knee rebuilt.

Shadow is worth every penny of it. She's an 8 year old, 100 lb. Black Lab/Norwegian Elkhound mix and recovering very nicely. You couldn't ask for a more friendly and laid back dog.

48 posted on 12/13/2001 12:29:35 PM PST by SAMWolf
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To: Flyer
All my dogs were "rescued" from the humane society. Then came Rosebud. We went into a pet shop to get some lizards for the son's middle school science project, and walked out with an adorable, 4 lb. chocolate female mini-beagle. She is still adorable and is now 7 years old. Training her was time consuming and I wouldn't recommend it for anyone unless you are at home for a few months to be with them. She chewed everything (my kitchen cabinets, the stairwell, the table legs, and, finally, my beautiful rocking chair. Then we got smart and bought a mansion size crate for her to reside in when we weren't home.) Beagles make wonderful, intelligent, loving pets.
49 posted on 12/13/2001 12:30:07 PM PST by NewHampshireDuo
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To: johniegrad
And then there was the time I had a dog that would not use the heavy dog door, so I'd have to lift if up for her to exit/enter. All was well and good until the day she stopped with about 6 inches of her tail still in the door when I let the door go.

After the initial howling, she became quite happy again. Its amazing how artisitic a dog can be when blood flys out of the chopped off end of its happily wagging tail.

50 posted on 12/13/2001 12:30:16 PM PST by Rebelbase
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To: Flyer
I'm getting a serious attraction to German shorthairs, for a woods buddy and bird hunting. My buddy (human type) has a German wirehair, but it is too hyper for me.

Anyone here know a little about the shorthairs?

prambo

51 posted on 12/13/2001 12:30:58 PM PST by prambo
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Comment #52 Removed by Moderator

To: Cagey
Read about Labradoodles here.
53 posted on 12/13/2001 12:31:44 PM PST by Lurking Libertarian
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To: BibChr
"I want a laptop for Christmas."

Now you're talkin'!

54 posted on 12/13/2001 12:32:01 PM PST by sweetliberty
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To: SAMWolf
Goldens are the best!
55 posted on 12/13/2001 12:32:08 PM PST by dixie267
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To: SAMWolf
Oh my GOSH that is so sweet I'm going into a diabetic coma. STAT!!
56 posted on 12/13/2001 12:32:15 PM PST by dandelion
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To: Flyer
I really want a male and female Serval Cat but will never have them in this lifetime, oh well, better luck next lifetime. ;)
57 posted on 12/13/2001 12:32:16 PM PST by DeckTheHallsHolly
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To: shaggy eel
I never thought much of Standard Poodles until I spent a lot of time with them. They are smart and a lot of fun.
58 posted on 12/13/2001 12:33:07 PM PST by Flyer
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To: innocentbystander
Cairo is beautiful!!
59 posted on 12/13/2001 12:33:09 PM PST by dixie267
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To: Rustynailww

Labrapoodle. (A Lab with an Identity crisis)

60 posted on 12/13/2001 12:33:18 PM PST by Cagey
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