K-9 Companions?

Parent Cafe
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<p>I just came upstairs from checking on our almost- 10 yr old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. A truly wonderful dog. Got him at age 4 1/2 as a rescue dog. Can’t for the life of me understand how anyone could give up one of these dogs, though the family that had him did it for him, as they were often not home. I grew up with several of a rather stubborn, high-energy breed (Basenji’s. If you said “sit”, their response was “thank you anyway, but I’d rather raid your laundry basket and eat the crotch out of your underwear”). Anyway, I was quite resistent to the “let’s get a dog” plea in 1999, but now wonder why I waited so long. He was crate-trained, housebroken, and perfectly well-behaved, until we spoiled him. </p>

<p>But, sadly, this breed is genetically prone to mitral valve disease which leads to congestive heart failure, which is where we are. The poor dog is on more cardiac meds and diuretics than most 80 year olds. We’ve even gotten an FDA waiver for a special med that we import from England. His multiple trips to the vets and the cardiologist at the university 90 minutes away probably cost as much as tuition at our in-state school. Too bad the dog doesn’t qualify for any scholarships…</p>

<p>Yesterday he had to have fluid tapped from his abdomen (he has ascites from his congestive heart failure) and today he didn’t wan’t to lay down. He did finally lay down and go to sleep… But, as long as he is happy and comfortable we will do what we can for him. He is “officially” our older s’s dog, and when he came home from college over the winter break, he took several photos of the dog with his camera phone so he has them to look at. If and when it comes time to make a difficult decision, we will do so with our s’s participation. For good or bad, he saw the dog at his best (happy, energetic, good appetite, etc) and at his worst (sluggish, apathetic, poor appetite) over the holiday, and we are all on the same page as to what to do when he is no longer comfortable. It is just so tough.</p>

<p>So while I am on my soapbox, please, for all you you dog-lovers, please buy dogs from reputable breeders, not pet shops or pupppy mills who are not interested in doing what is best for the breed, and seem to care more about the bottom line ($$$) than for their dogs. If any of you are pet shop owners, please buy from reputable breeders. If any of you are puppy mill-ers, I don’t want to know. OK, I’m done.</p>

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<p>jym626, I will echo you plea about buying from reputable breeders. There are several things to consider when buying a dog, First, everyone is concerned about cost. As a general rule, reputable breeders charge no more than most mall pet shops – and that is for show quality pups. Often companion quality pups are much less that pet store pups. </p>

<p>Second, reputable breeders health test before breeding. In my breed, The Great Dane, we test for hips, eyes, thyroid and heart at 2 years of age. A reputable breeder will health test their dogs and insist that the dog is being bred to is health tested as well. Moreover, a reputable breeder will be happy to show you the health testing certificates. ALL breeds have health concerns that are breed specific, and no breeder – no matter how diligent – can insure that a pup will not get sick. But, health testing up front and knowing the tendencies of different breeding lines, is a huge step forward in limiting disease. Most (if not all) reputable breeders guarantee the health of their pups with money back or replacement pup lasting several years. Pet stores do not offer those gguaranties, and puppy mills and those who buy from them, are buying genetic ticking time bombs. It is a sad and sordid business supplying puppies to retail stores. And, back-yard-breeders are no better. Often they never health test and only care about the cash.</p>

<p>Third, a reputable breeder will be a mentor and advisor for the life of the dog. A pet store clerk usually know little or nothing about a specific breed, and next week might be serving you your Orange Julius.</p>

<p>So, how do you find a reputable breeder? First, look up the breeds national club on the internet, they will usually have a list of breeders. Then, call a few and just talk to them. Also, go to local dog shows and talk to the breeders and handlers. Take your time and do your research. Unfortunately, not all dogs are “created” equally, and there is few things sadder for a family than having to prematurely say goodbye to a beloved pet.</p>

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<p>Well said, Concerneddad. One last thing reputable breeders will do is to be sure the pups are not separated from their moms prematurely. Many will have started the housebreaking before they are even released for sale, most will have tons of information to give you on how to handle these issues, and, as you said, will continue to be available for questions. They will also most likely have you fill out an application prior to your purchase, and will ask you a lot of questions to be sure you are (1) a good home for their pup and (2) that you understand the committment you are making. Many will want to follow up and visit, if they live nearby. You won’t get this from the puppy mills or the backyard breeders.</p>

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<p>Ahmen, in fact I do “home visits” in my area for many breeders and rescue organizations that I work with trying to insure good placemnet for pups.</p>

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<p>Jym’s advice is good for those who want puppies, or want to breed and show dogs themselves… but my soapbox is this:</p>

<p>Get an adult dog from an animal rescue group or the local dog pound. These are dogs in desperate need of good homes; and you will be able to “meet” the dog and get a sense of its personality before taking it home. If you want a specific breed, contact a rescue group for that breed. Usually the breed rescue dog has been in a foster home of an experienced dog person for at least several weeks – the foster caretaker will be able to tell you all about the dogs quirks (housebroken? barker? etc.) </p>

<p>Jym’s own post shows that she got her wonderful spaniel via that route; like Jym, we got a dog that was exceptionally well trained and well behaved until we set about spoiling her, and she’s still pretty good. Our dog is a mix, but she is so pretty and friendly that people are always asking what kind of dog she is… I’m sorry to have to tell them that she’s one of a kind. For a $40 adoption fee paid to the pound, we got an already-spayed dog with an imbedded microchip ID - plus they gave us a starter pack of various dog supplies, and of course she had a clean bill of health from the pound before she could be adopted. </p>

<p>Puppies are cute, but the world is full of wonderful adult dogs who really need homes… and an adult dog is generally much easier to handle - the one’s that aren’t are generally not considered adoptable. So that’s MY soapbox: save a dog’s life - ADOPT.</p>

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<p>Calmom, I agree that adoption – whether through the local animal shelter or breed specific rescue – of an adult dog is a wonderful thing to do. Of course the problem is a bit of the chicken and the egg: if there was more responsible dog ownership and breeding practices, there would not be as many dogs in need of rescue.</p>

<p>If is so discouraging to me, as a dog lover, to hear reasonably intelligent people say things like “we will just let her have one litter, the kids would love to see puppies born,” or “you dog is so nice, can we breed out [fill in the blank] to him.” There is really only ONE reason to breed a dog, and that is to further the development of the breed.</p>

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<p>I am in total agreement with all of you, having gone the puppy route–unless you have GOBS of time, universal household commitment, AND experience, it is just really fairly difficult to properly raise and train a dog from puppyhood. From now on (except I don’t think there will be a “from now on” for me) I would absolutely go the pound/rescue route. In fact, my childhood dogs, both collies (more common in the days of Lassie :slight_smile: ), were pound dogs and they were both angels, really. I would dearly love to have calmom’s dog’s sibling :). </p>

<p>We got our dog from an excellent breeder, and in fact he is a great springer–it is just that we never did him justice. I should have done a lot more research, both on breeds and on getting an adult dog. Then, of course, you do need to be careful not to get one that has been abused and gotten aggressive tendencies. </p>

<p>Jym626, LOL about the description of the Basenji–that has been a common scenario in our house too. When I give mine a command and he doesn’t feel like doing it, I swear this is true, he looks at me quite politely and shakes, not just his head, but his entire body!</p>

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<p>While I totally agree that rescue is a wonderful way to get a dog (which of course is why I did it), I also realize that getting an older dog puts me at risk for going through this heartbreak again all too soon with another dog. I think that at either end of the age spectrum, the carpets are, unfortunately, targets for the dogs with poor bladder control. I must admit though, that I have found myself purposely making trips to the local Petsmart to buy doggie diapers, training pads and carpet deoderizer on Saturdays, when they “conveniently” have all the adoption folks there with all their dogs and cats. I’ve spent a lot of time with these dogs. What I may do next is get a dog from one of the breeders that I know who is taking a dog out of their breeding stock. That is sort of another way of doing “rescue”. </p>

<p>Oh, and to be fair to the Basenjis, though that was a true story about the undies (they did it with socks and the trash too), they are also pretty smart. We had one who jumped up and rang the doorbell to be let in, and one who answered the telephone by jumping on the couch and knocking it off the receiver to make it stop ringing. All our friends thought there was something wrong with the phone 'til we caught her in the act !! As a kid, having Basenjis was a hoot, but as an adult, I’d probably tear my hair out. I’ll stick with ones a little lower in the brain power, who think their only job is to wag their tail at you, snuggle with you and play catch. Wait, maybe that is my husband…</p>

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<p>Jym, our pound dog was still very young when we got her – she had been picked up as a stray, so we don’t know exact age, but from her teeth they estimated that she was only a year old. So we’re still a number of years away from heartbreak. </p>

<p>For those that envy my dog – I absolutely adore her and she is tremendously well-behaved, but she’s not perfect. Her biggest flaw seems that she can’t seem to learn the skunk lesson … we live in an area where skunks are very common, and if she sees one she goes after it, despite the fact that every skunk so far has let her have it. So we have to keep the dog in after dark to avoid possible confrontations… and I have to keep a de-skunking kit on hand for ready use. </p>

<p>She also is very fond of raiding the kitchen trash can when everyone is out. So it’s important to remember to empty the trash regularly. For reasons I don’t quite understand, when she does raid the trash, she leaves a trail of garbage leading from the trash can through the living room. My last trash-raiding dog was smarter, and had a special room in the house for “hiding” all her prizes … we’d never know until the day we stumbled on the pile. </p>

<p>I used to own a Rottweiler and absolutely adored the dog. Rotties will forever be my favorite, but I would never own another one – they are a handful. They are smart and loyal, but they have a mind of their own and they think they are people. Rottie owners trade tales about dogs that ate the tires off their car (I never made the mistake of locking mine in the garage!), and my Rottie was also an underwear-eater. Once she got excited about something in front of our house and smashed right through the front window! (No, the Rottie wasn’t hurt - they are impervious to pain and virtually indestructible). But I really loved that dog … she was the most loving and patient dog I ever had, even my vet was telling me that I ought to breed her because she had such a good temperament. (I didn’t breed her because she was too small for a Rottie – “small” meaning about 95lb. - but breed standard is larger - I purchased her from a breeder as a “pet” quality rather than “show” quality dog)</p>

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<p>Calmom, I can relate to your sentiments about Rotties. This past September I had to say goodbye to my Rottie girl of 13 years. How she made it to 13 was a miracle because before she turned a year old she ate: a wooded gate, the wood shingles off the house, a stair, a window sill, and a couch. Each time I promised to kill her!! Of course I did not, and after that rough start she became the most wonderful dog imaginable. Sweet, loyal and well behaved. But, her love of wood never left her. Even at 13, I would catch her just taking a quick lick of the oak coffee table – no crumbs on it – she just wanted the wood. I hope in her next life she is living in a lumber yard.</p>

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<p>We have two Bedlington Terriers. What great dogs! We have always owned terriers, but Bedlingtons are new to us. One is 1 1/2 yrs old, the other is 7 mos. They don’t shed and don’t cause allergies. But, they do require a lot of grooming. I had to learn how to do dog grooming as going to the groomers so often was just too expensive. Anyway, I’m glad I did, as they can always (well, usually) look presentable. The BIG problem at the moment is that the puppy is obsessed with eating dog poop, and needs constant vigilance outside. Well, at least there’s snow on the ground and it is easier to locate to clean up (if I can beat him to it)! YUK.</p>

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<p>Family has a lab/shepard from the animal shelter. She’s 11 now, getting old - but I’m working on finagling permission to take her down to school with me for a few weeks. Poor thing can’t walk outside anymore - snow is too deep. Any other New England dogs having that problem?</p>

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<p>All of our animals (too embarassed to say how many) are rescues. The latest is a Norwegian elkhound whose owner died suddenly. She was in a cage at the vet’s office for a couple weeks and my wife couldn’t stand it any more. So now she’s just more fur running around our house. Any one out there from Colorado looking for a beautiful elkhound?</p>

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<p>Abbie - Whippet mix, our “problem child” who has nervous reactions to just about any stimulus but all is forgiven when she curls up next to you on the couch.</p>

<p>Rosie - German Shepard/Chow mix - the sweetest dog we’ve ever had, a true companion who is always surprising us with her intelligence.</p>

<p>I’m sure we’ll have a third dog before my oldest goes off to college - this is the longest we’ve ever gone with just two. :)</p>

<p>Non k-9’s who act as if they were:</p>

<p>Harley - our pot-belly pig. Loves my husband, disdains me. </p>

<p>Dusty, aka Almighty Sanction (his registered name), our Morgan horse. A true gentleman who loves applause and attention.</p>

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<p>Concerneddad - my Rottie was also fond of wood - she ate a leg off the piano bench and chewed up the wainscot on the wall in the living room. She also chewed the gearshift knob off my car. I honestly don’t know what it is about Rotties – why we put up with them. But I definitely loved that dog like no other.</p>

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<p>calmom, that is funny. My guess is that there must be some nutritional deficiency in the Rottie that has them seeking out wood – that is usally the case when a dog eats “unnatural” thing. Or, Rotties could just have pica!</p>

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<p>My old rottie/bullmastiff mix inflicted much damage with his chewing. He chewed up a step on our front stair case!!!</p>

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<p>We have 3 “pupppies” and 2 mean ole’ nasty vicious I-can’t-stand-them cats.</p>

<p>Sugar and Spot AKA Booger and Snot, the two most evil critters… Spot is now 11+ years (rescue) and 23 lbs., and Sugar 9 years (rescue) hates everyone except her “boy” who is away at college- they run the house, wait by the door, knock glasses out of cupboards, knock phones off ringers, jump all over keyboards, scratch the walls and YOWL for hours inside a suken tub just to hear the echos…evil, villainous creatures</p>

<p>My “puppies” my babies, are:</p>

<p>Dolly- (rescue) a Bouvier des Flanders, given to our family by our vet who had picked her up from a breeder who just didn’t think she would sell, so we have our very own herding “nannny”, she’s big, all black and my family’s protector, she is 8</p>

<p>Bandit- (rescue) a border collie, so smart I swear he can talk and smile, he is 3</p>

<p>and, last but not least</p>

<p>my very dim-witted but lovable blue roan cocker, Roosevelt. He is 2, was a gift from my significant other 2 Christmases ago. He is sooooooooo dumb but very loving and affectionate and absolutely terrified of the cats. Heck, everyone is terrified of the cats! Bandit is smart enough to leave them alone and stay far, far away from them and Dolly was a puppy when they were also younger so they tolerate each other. Spotty has been known to curl up and sleep with Dolly in her crate. She likes to sleep in her crate with the door open when the house gets too loud and crazy.</p>

<p>Spot, the fat old thing just sleeps right on top of Dolly and puts her paws over Dolly’s nose. It has to be one of the funniest sights ever. So between the 3 dogs, 5 kiddos and 2 cats, and one very spoiled Mr. Rabbit (poor thing is a girl, real name Dusty, dwarf lop, but everyone calls her Mr. Rabbit), my house is nuts. Just nuts.</p>

<p>The kids laugh so hard when I put yellow rain slickers on the dogs, and am out there chasing them to come in!! Oh yeah, they just love laughing at me!</p>

<p>Nasty Spot sits on Mr. Rabbit’s cage and yowls at her to make her squeak, just the meanest. She just sits there if I go to chase her. She just doesn’t care. only thing that makes her move is opening a tuna can or having Dolly nudge her out of the room.</p>

<p>My DS, the one away at college, calls just to listen to the mayhem. He says just put down the phone and it will sound like home! He says he can hear all his sibs and all their friends and teammates, all the creatures and all the chaos. Then he remembers why he isn’t really homesick. He says it cures him everytime. I sure do miss him.</p>

<p>Kat</p>

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<p>Stacy- lab, border collie, corgie mix. (adopted her from the North Shore Animal League when she was 10 months old,already house broken). We have had her for 3 years. She thinks that she is people, so we never went through the chewing furniture, rummaging through the garbage. Daughter used to feed the dog, from a spoon (hey, she must have forgotten who she was leaving the dog with). </p>

<p>She is a real people person, really smart, loves kids, but has abandonment issues (I believe that she was abandoned before she got to north shore) follows me everywhere when I am home. I keep her because she loves my singing, okay some days she does give me a strange look. She sleeps evey night under my desk or on the floor at the foot of my bed, hates to be left down stairs alone. When the door is open, she sleeps on the foot of my daughter’s bed, round up like a sausage. Cant walk around bare foot because she likes to sit on my feet (urgghhh)</p>

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<p>Doggie update:</p>

<p>Took our fella back to the vet today, so he could see his “regular” vet. She had an emergency Fri. morning (a true tragedy- 2 of her dear friends were killed in an auto accident on the highway Thurs. night-- she had to meet the police at their house to rescue the cats on Fri. morning). Anyway, we saw someone on Fri. who was not one of their regular vets. and Nik had a tough weekend. He couldn’t seem to get very comfortable and often slept sitting up, with his head hanging down. He looked like a cross between a vulture and my Uncle Sidney, who used to fall asleep sitting up all the time. I would have taken him in on Saturday, but we were “iced in” and the city was pretty much shut down.</p>

<p>His regular vet wanted to take a look at him today. She pulled a lot more fluid from his abdomen, and when we got home, he slept like a baby for almost 4 hours!! Woke up only when he smelled dinner preparations. He seems so much more comfortable, which is a great relief. We will still take one day at a time. But, I am being optimistic. I’ve refilled many of his meds with a 4 month supply!</p>