Are you a dog person or a cat person?

[ReFur]

If you want a heart tugging story about a dog, here is one:

 

http://www.clevelandseniors.com/forever/funkiss.htm

[Guest]

Quote Ravens:

 

God its a sad world where we have to write disclaimers about everything we do and say

 

End quote

 

Amen to that

[Ravens8]

If you want a heart tugging story about a dog, here is one:

 

He's a dog Linda - they lick everything!! I reckon he just likes the taste of salt and soot.

 

Always the cynic eh?

[Worker 11811]

When I was a baby, my father was the keeper for the animal farm at a local amusement park. My mother tells me that I used to have to fight for my baby bottle with a leopard cub!

 

He also bred hunting dogs. When I was a kid, I used to have to help take care of the dogs. We had 5 or 6 at a time. Over the years, there were probably more than a dozen dogs if you don't count the pups.

 

Right about this time of year, the new litters were whelped. My father encouraged us kids to play with the puppies as much as possible when they were young because dogs which are acclimated to humans at an early age are better adjusted when they grow up. We used to sleep in the puppy box with the mother and the young'uns.

 

As a kid, I remember all sorts of animals in the house. I have dawning recollection of an 8 foot python, my father named "Sam". We had a red tailed hawk, a budgie, a chameleon, a guinea pig and some hamsters. We kept the lawn trimmed by staking a billy goat out in the front yard. There was also a shetland pony. (We got free lawn mowing AND free fertilizer! ) I also kept two tanks full of tropical fish in my bedroom.

 

When I went away to college, I had three different cats. One of them was a "rescue cat"... born feral and brought indoors. Me and my roommate were the only ones who could even get near it, let alone pet it! As much as "Jerry" pretended to hate people, I would often wake up on cold winter mornings to find him snuggled up in my bed, next to my feet. Jerry was also the first one to come a-running when he heard the can opener crack open a can of cat food! (He knew which side of the bread had the jam on it! )

 

With all those animals, which do I like best?

 

(Click the pic!)

 

L. to R.: "Max" (Eng. Pointer), "Rex" (Eng. Pointer), "Dutch" (Eng. Setter), "Penny" (Brittany Spaniel), "Toby" (Brittaly Spaniel).

[Guest]

My mother tells me that I used to have to fight for my baby bottle with a leopard cub!

 

 

Beautiful.

 

 

TOS, Go back and look at your post under edit. I used the code in brackets to do this. Thought you might find it interesting. Linda

[Guest]

Worker;

 

Looks like an 1840's vintage brick ender across the street?

 

Nice farm house.

 

 

 

OFF

[Worker 11811]

There are two buildings in that picture. One is the farmhouse. The other is an old, brick schoolhouse.

 

The farmhouse was my neighbor's house. My house would be out of the frame, about 45

[Unclejoe420]

Well, I have grown up around cats, and they have helped keep me going, as it were. Unfortunately, one of our cats (a large ginger male, called Sandy) was recently put to sleep due ot severe ill health, as he had problems with his liver AND kidneys. So, that sucked..

 

As for dogs, I do get on ok with them; if I had my own place I would probably get a dog

[Worker 11811]

I know it's sad to put a pet to sleep but take solace in the fact that you did the right thing.

 

I believe it is the owner's responsibility to take care of their pets in all phases of their lives, including their death.

 

We domesticated these animals. We made them dependant on us. If it wasn't for us, they wouldn't be alive in the first place. Therefore, it is OUR responsibility to be sure they don't suffer at the end of their life.

 

I really HATE it when people who try to keep animals alive for their own emotional benefit when they KNOW they are sick and in pain.

 

I'm sorry to hear you lost your pet but let me give you a quick bit of applause for doing the right thing. " title="Applause" />

[Unclejoe420]

Thanks for that bit of support, Worker - appreciate it!! At least ol' Sandy had a good life while he was here; a nice old moggie he was..

[ReFur]

UncleJoe, putting down a pet is lossing a best friend, one that is always there with unconditional love. ..Well, as long as you have treats!

 

I agree with Worker, putting a pet down is a great act of love.

 

But, pure-and-simple: It still hurts.

 

Linda

[Guest]

I lost a great friend at the races. He had fallen and couldn't get up; but the four vets on duty couldn't find anything wrong; so we had to give him half an hour. He didn't seem distressed, and as he laid his instincts were to pick the grass. Adrenalin had completely shut off pain. But eventually they found he had broken his hip. We had to say goodbye, and he died in my arms. I was crying, but comforted him as best I could. He did not suffer, and he died as a result of what he loved to do. He was challenging for the lead when he fell, and would have won easily.

 

Now here is the thing. When they shot him; I saw this look in his eye like he had seen something. He was for a split second elated. Then his legs started to move; beautifully ad gracefully, for a full twenty seconds. He was gone, and gradually they came to a gentle stop.

 

His spirit had galloped off. I saw it. I saw it.

Okay you can say that it was just reflex. But it wasn't. I know the chicken running without its head and the cow with its throat slit tremoring. This was different. When death came, he was able to continue his run unburdened by his injured body.

There is no death.

 

"Cowards die many times before their deaths

the Valiant never taste of death but once" (Shakespeare Juius Caesar)

 

You did the right thing Uncle Joe; and your cat is not dead; he is back in the circle of life. There is finite energy flowing in living things; so that to be new life for others there must be death. They are joined. Remember that when you see a new kitten play. Maybe some of the energy trapped by your cats failing body has found its way into a new life.

[Unclejoe420]

Thanks for all the support folks, really appreciate it! I guess he isn't really gone; he's just gone to Heaven to harrass God for food / a nap, etc..

[FrBrGr]

When I was younger, I often participated in forensic tournaments. That started in high school and continued into my college years when I was a member of my university's forensic and debate teams, and even into graduate school when I served as a forensics and debate coach. I can't remember which tournament, or even what competition, but I do remember winning my category when I read the following poem entitled, "One Man's Special Tribute To A Dog." It is from a speech that was given by former US Senator George Graham Vest of Missouri. He delivered it in 1870 when he was acting as a lawyer in a suit against a man who had killed the dog of his client. He won the case. You dog lovers are going to love this!

 

 

The one absolutely unselfish friend that

a man can have in this selfish world,

the one that never deserts him,

the one that never proves ungrateful

or treacherous, is his dog.

 

A man's dog stands by him in prosperity

and in poverty,

in health and in sickness.

He will sleep on the cold ground where

the wintery winds blow,

and the snow drives fiercely,

if only he may be near his master's

side. He will kiss the hand that has no

food to offer, he will lick the sores

and wounds that come in encounter with

the roughness of the world. He guards

the sleep of his Pauper master as if he

were a prince.

 

When all other friends desert,

he remains.

When riches take wings and reputation

falls to pieces, he is as constant in

his love as the sun in it's journey

through the heavens.

If misfortune drives the master forth

an outcast in the world, friendless

and homeless, the faithful dog asks

no higher privilege than that of

accompanying him to guard against

danger, to fight against his enemies.

 

And when the last scene of all comes,

and death takes the master in it's

embrace, and his body is laid away in

the cold ground, no matter if all other

friends pursue their way, there by the

graveside will the noble dog be found,

his head between his paws, his eyes sad,

but open in alert watchfulness,

faithful and true, even in death.

[Guest]

Stop it frbrgr you are ruining my yoghurt joke!

 

No seriously that is beautiful.

[Chubby]

CATS!

 

Chubby

[ReFur]

No matter which we prefer, ...we are truly blessed to share this earth with them.

 

I cannot imagine a life without pets to share it.

 

Linda

[Guest]

PETA can help you share their vision of that with you.

[ReFur]

TOS,

 

I will not empower them to acknowledge they exist. You feed them with your energy and attention.

 

If those of us who know them to be the blood-sucking, hate-group they are, would ignored them, they would loss much of their clout.

 

By using their name you give them validity and it allows them to continue their propaganda. This fight is what allows them to receive money, which is their real goal.

 

Linda

[wallee]

102 things you may not have known about dogs.

[Velvet_Tigress]

I own, by accident through misfortune, two cats and a dog.

 

I'm allergic to the cats (though I'm not seriously allergic to them) and the dog doesn't get as much attention from me as I'd like to give him (though the neighbor kid's spoil him whenever he goes outside, and he plays with the cats like they were his puppies!), but I like them both equally.

 

At such time when they go, I will be said that they're gone but I think that they won't be replaced.

[FurLoverinFL]

Dog person - nothing better than a big, overly affectionate, playful golden retriever (or any other similar blonde - for that matter!!! ).

 

FLinFL

[Guest]

A Tigress will always appreciate a kitten Kate.