I Miss My Dog

[FAX]

I had this awesome dog named Mack who was part something and part Chow. I met him in my office building one day. He was a hobo puppy that the girls who owned the advertising agency next door found somewhere and rescued by bringing him to their office. I was walking down the hall one day and he was staring at me through their glass door. He looked like a tiny, friendly, miniature bear. I introduced myself and he seemed to think I was okay. I later mentioned this encounter to the beautiful and witty Mrs. FAX and the next day she came sauntering into my office with the dog, a brand new leash, and a half-dozen or so milk bone biscuits.

Mack kept me around for about 10 years, I guess. Several years ago, he contracted thyroid cancer. He went through surgery okay and got better for a year or so, then he finally just succumbed to the disease ... couldn't eat, couldn't poop properly, in obvious pain ... after one particularly rough episode, I took him to the vet so he could get some relief. Bad day.

After that, I swore that Mack would be the last dog I would ever own. I suppose I got sort of attached to the little fella. Frankly, he was an awesome assistant. He helped me dig in the garden, rake leaves, and kept me company at the office. He was good with a frisbee and stick and ball and finding creative ways to escape the radio fence because he also liked the ladies. To be honest, I think if he had been trained properly, he would have made a fantastic circus dog ... the kind that walks on barrels and jumps through flaming circles and stuff. He was extraordinarily intelligent, nimble, and fleet of foot as many a dead squirrel can attest (if, of course, it were possible for dead squirrels to attest to much of anything ... besides, I'm not sure you can trust anything a squirrel says ... dead or otherwise).

He was independent, though. He had a mind of his own and his own way of doing things. I suppose that was a result of living on the streets as a young dog. He came up the hard way and developed survival skills out of necessity. It was pretty clear that he could live on squirrels and garbage if he needed to. He wouldn't have smelled all that great, but he would have been happy.

Anyhow, I caught myself sitting here in my home office just kind of staring at the space on the floor where he used to keep his rug and I suddenly realized how much I miss him. As I mentioned, I made a pretty firm declaration that I wasn't going to get another dog after Mack on account of the separation anxiety I experienced when leaving the vet's office on that last day. But now I think I'm changing my mind about that. Dogs are pretty cool ... if you can find the right one. Maybe I'll head down to the pound later this week.

FAX THE SENTIMENTAL

[FAX]

Originally Posted by bevischief

My other dog I got by while I just put my lab down and was calling the local rescues and getting my name on a list and back ground check from my vet. The local vet tech had a dog she needed to find a home for. She called and brought the dog over and the dog never left.

Hmmm ... that's an idea I'd never considered, Mr. bevischief. Our vet might be an interesting potential resource. Never would have thought of that.

FAX

[duncan_idaho]

I was not a big dog person for a LONG time... severe allergies made it pretty impossible. About 2 years ago, I started taking allergy shots. They have been remarkably effective, and a year ago in August, we adopted our Scott (my wife found pictures on him on the KC Humane Society website and we fell in love).

It's changed my life. My blood pressure has gone down 10 points since we got him. I chalk this up to working from home and having him around to calm me down periodically (nothing like getting off the phone after yelling at someone and being able to turn around, pet my dog, and relax for 5 minutes).

He went through a lot of trauma early on - he was found on the streets of Joplin after the tornado, and one of his eyes was infected/messed up - but you wouldn't know it from his demeanor. He's incredibly sweet, cuddly, and LOVES people. They ended up bringing him to KC, where they had to remove his eye. This handicap kept him from being adopted (because he's otherwise just a handsome guy).

Here's a pic (he's the one on the left)



FAX, I think if you find the RIGHT shelter and the RIGHT dog, it's not an problem. Most of them will give you a chance to meet/play with a dog before you adopt it, so that helps a lot.

As a fellow former "I don't need a dog" guy, what you said touched me. Hope you find another little guy or gal who can fill that spot in your life.

I hope you're not so damaged that a new dog will not select you to be their new friend, FAX. But you'll never know unless you try. Maybe there will be one willing to forgive your faults.

[DC.chief]

Losing a pet is tough. I had a red husky named chief for 17 years before I had to have him put down. I told myself the same thing you did, that I couldn't handle that sort of pain again and wouldn't get another dog.

That was a few years ago now and I just got a German Shepherd recently. She's 4.5 months old now. Over time I just started to forget the pain of the loss and remember the long happy life Chief shared with me. The bond some of us have with our pets is special.

So go for it Fax. htismage has a good point about rescuing a pup from the pound. You could get an emotionally damaged dog. I tried it but didn't have success. Ended up finding my German Shepherd from puppyfinder.com

[HemiEd]

Originally Posted by tooge

It's actually a pretty bad job market out there for dogs. Lots of dogs, many less positions. I'd create a job if I were you and help one of them out.

This. Sorry to hear about you losing your companion Fax.


As I started to post in OTWP58s thread yesterday, we are very attached to our 12 year old world record sized Yorkie. (16 pounds) We got him as a 6 week old pup, and my wife took him to obedience classes early on.

A year and a half ago now, we decided that we wanted to hedge our bet, and get another one to learn from Toto, and also avoid the complete void and heartache that would be left when we lose him.

Many years ago, our 12 year old German Shepard passed on Fathers day, and it still bothers me to this day. We tried numerous dogs to replace him, but none could measure up.

My older sister, has been a volunteer at the Humane Society since she retired, so we had her keep an eye out. She found Coco for us, a 4 pound female 3 years old, that was just too much trouble for the daughter of the previous owner who had passed away. We are so glad.

At first, they didn't get along at all, and Toto was very jealous.

But now, since Toto has never been a barker, she is his steward. She lets us know when he needs to go out, and when he is ready to come back in. She smells his butt, and will also make sure he knows it is time for him to do his business.

They are quite the pair, and I think he has forgotten about the time when he was an "only dog."

So in a long winded way, that is my recommendation, get two, especially if it will provide a new home for an abandoned dog.

[Frosty]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

I love the idea of rescuing a dog from the pound.

But I wouldn't recommend it at this point.

I got a 7-month old Catahoula in Maryville MO last summer.

He digs, he chews, he tries to bite, he hides under the porch whenever you get close...

He's mentally damaged and despite professional training and a lot of one-on-one time, he's nearly impossible to manage.

I had the same experience. I just didn't have the experience or patience to deal with it so we had to take him back (fortunately, someone else adopted him). I ended up buying a purebred Aussie from a local breeder and she has been an awesome dog. Unfortunately, she's over 14 years old now so we'll probably be facing this sooner rather than later. Other than being deaf now, though, she's in great shape.

Aussies are "dogs for dummies" as they are so smart and easy to train. They are also active, so you have to have a decent sized yard. I would like another one when she's gone but may go with a different breed so we can get something smaller.

Originally Posted by HemiEd

This. Sorry to hear about you losing your companion Fax.


As I started to post in OTWP58s thread yesterday, we are very attached to our 12 year old world record sized Yorkie. (16 pounds) We got him as a 6 week old pup, and my wife took him to obedience classes early on.

A year and a half ago now, we decided that we wanted to hedge our bet, and get another one to learn from Toto, and also avoid the complete void and heartache that would be left when we lose him.

Many years ago, our 12 year old German Shepard passed on Fathers day, and it still bothers me to this day. We tried numerous dogs to replace him, but none could measure up.

My older sister, has been a volunteer at the Humane Society since she retired, so we had her keep an eye out. She found Coco for us, a 4 pound female 3 years old, that was just too much trouble for the daughter of the previous owner who had passed away. We are so glad.

At first, they didn't get along at all, and Toto was very jealous.

But now, since Toto has never been a barker, she is his steward. She lets us know when he needs to go out, and when he is ready to come back in. She smells his butt, and will also make sure he knows it is time for him to do his business.

They are quite the pair, and I think he has forgotten about the time when he was an "only dog."

So in a long winded way, that is my recommendation, get two, especially if it will provide a new home for an abandoned dog.

I had that way of thinking when we got our Morkie companion for our old Maltese almost 3 years ago. But the Morkie never seemed to learn anything from the older dog. He seemed to be so stupid that the wife tried to give him away several months ago. I stopped that because I figured we had already suffered through the worst of it. Shortly after the old Maltese died, Oliver started communicating with us, his affection increased, and he hasn't shit or pissed in the house at all. I can't explain it. He's awesome now but for the first 2.5 years he was a handful.

[HemiEd]

Originally Posted by Phobia

I had that way of thinking when we got our Morkie companion for our old Maltese almost 3 years ago. But the Morkie never seemed to learn anything from the older dog. He seemed to be so stupid that the wife tried to give him away several months ago. I stopped that because I figured we had already suffered through the worst of it. Shortly after the old Maltese died, Oliver started communicating with us, his affection increased, and he hasn't shit or pissed in the house at all. I can't explain it. He's awesome now but for the first 2.5 years he was a handful.

I am glad to hear Oliver got better when it was his time to shine. I am convinced that dogs are very much like humans, and each have a personality of their own.

It would seem that Oliver respected the seniority of your Maltese, or the Maltese was dominant and made Oliver miserable.

We probably just got lucky, but it hilarious just how dominate the little gal Coco is. All the toys are hers, as are all three of the dog beds, and Toto seems to have accepted it. He draws the line at the chow bowl though, she keeps her distance until he is through.

Old Bogey was the most docile creature ever. But he communicated well and I guess the younger Oliver just depended on him to tell us when they needed something. I figure the puppy added a couple years of life to Bogey as well. He was almost 13 but showing some warning signs of impending death when we purchased the new dog. But dog behavior is something that never ceases to amaze me. Dogs do the strangest things but when you look back on their behavior, it usually makes sense in some way even if you were befuddled at the time.

[HemiEd]

I agree, dogs are a marvel.

It sounds like you agree though, that having Oliver helped both Bogey and your family when it came time to deal with the loss?

[Rausch]

Amazing how they become a part of you.

When I lost my place and scratched out a GoChiefs living in Mom's downstairs her lab pissed on the corner of the couch where my head was for the first week.

EVERY SINGLE DAY woke up with the strong smell of about 2 gallons of dog urine right below me.

He never did that before. Apparently he did not approve of the new male (his old master, my mom's fiance had recently passed) and he displayed as much.

I lost my temper one night and punched the $3it out of him while he was marking his territory by my face.

That night I came home and sat in the garage having a beer or 12 and a smoke. Apparently the dog loved to go down there in the summer and lay on the cold concrete.

That night we "bonded" and he never pissed in the house again. Every time I came home he'd come down and scratch at the door if I didn't let him in the garage. I'd come home from the factory smelling like bigfoot's d!ck but as soon as he heard me pop a top he was at the door.

There was many a night I sat there and drank with him before I showered up while me and the Mrs. were separated.

I miss that dog...

Originally Posted by HemiEd

I agree, dogs are a marvel.

It sounds like you agree though, that having Oliver helped both Bogey and your family when it came time to deal with the loss?

There's no doubt. Another dynamic is that my boy, Zane was about a month old when the old dog died. The emotional people in the house were too busy with other, more important issues than an extended grief period over a dog we've suspected could die any day for years.

[Radar Chief]

Nothing, not losing friends or family, hurt as bad as putting down Phoebe the Jeep dog.



Afterwards I didn’t want another dog, thought it would be kind of nice living without one for a while but Mrs. Radar had other plans.
About 8 months later she took me to a local charity dog rescue to introduce me to a Catahoula they had there. I wasn’t interested but decided I’d better humor her and went.
When I reached down and scratched the Catahoula behind the ears she leaned on my leg and looked up at me with big ole puppy dog eyes and I thought, “Shit! I’ve got dog.”
At first I was a bit pissed at Mrs. Radar for shoving Rhetta, that’s what we named her, off on me because whenever I looked at her all I saw was having to put her down in 10 years or so, but she very quickly worked her way into my heart. Since I’ve learned that as dog owners we can’t dwell on how they will end, just enjoy their time with us. It may sound a bit simplistic but that is what dogs are here for, to teach our young’uns about the cycle of life and to enjoy their childlike exuberance while they’re with us.

[seclark]

Originally Posted by Rausch

Amazing how they become a part of you.

When I lost my place and scratched out a GoChiefs living in Mom's downstairs her lab pissed on the corner of the couch where my head was for the first week.

EVERY SINGLE DAY woke up with the strong smell of about 2 gallons of dog urine right below me.

He never did that before. Apparently he did not approve of the new male (his old master, my mom's fiance had recently passed) and he displayed as much.

I lost my temper one night and punched the $3it out of him while he was marking his territory by my face.

That night I came home and sat in the garage having a beer or 12 and a smoke. Apparently the dog loved to go down there in the summer and lay on the cold concrete.

That night we "bonded" and he never pissed in the house again. Every time I came home he'd come down and scratch at the door if I didn't let him in the garage. I'd come home from the factory smelling like bigfoot's d!ck but as soon as he heard me pop a top he was at the door.

There was many a night I sat there and drank with him before I showered up while me and the Mrs. were separated.

I miss that dog...

mil had a wiener dog that she'd bring to our house every time we had a family dinner. ****in thing'd piss or shit right in front of the kitchen sink every single time. hated that dog. when it got old, mil asked if i'd take it to the vet to be put down for her. wife picked it up and brought it home. the dog just laid in her lap while she was driving, and it got to the wife...started bawling(ffs). then the dog cut a raunchy fart on her that was so bad she had to roll the windows down.
can't tell me they don't know what's going on.
sec

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by FAX

You have to be careful, that's for sure.

It's funny, though ... I've owned or been around a lot of pure-bred dogs in my life ... labs, setters, pugs, pointers, etc. ... but of all the dogs I've owned, the two that were the best (by far and away) were mutts. One was a German Shepherd mix when I was a kid and the other was Mack. I think there's something to the idea that too much in-breeding creates a dumbass dog.

I understand and appreciate your words of wisdom and caution, Mr. htismaqe, but Mack set a pretty high bar and I'm going to be very selective if I decide to get a new one.

FAX

It's not the genes with my dog. It's the fact that he spent the first 4 weeks of his life under a deck, with mange so bad that one of his siblings died from it, and then spent 7 more months in a 3x3 cage with another dog.

For the first week I had him, he went under the porch and never came out, at least not while we were around.