lessons learned from pets

Re: lessons learned

Nice!!!! I love dogs.

Re: lessons learned

Great

Re: lessons learned

My family's ol' weiner dog passed away a few years ago and I still miss her. Just can't
bring myself yet to get another dog. These Daschunds are the National Dog of Germany
but there are paintings on the walls in the Pyramids of dogs which look like Daschunds
which leaves one to wonder about their real origin. My old German friend Manfred explained
to me that in Gremany they have a saying, "no family owns a Daschund - the Daschund owns
the family". Yes they are strong willed and stuborn but then Daschund means Badger Hound
and anything that would go up against a Badger had better have some resolve.

But in the last year I've had this little white ferrell kitten that's moved in on me. I've never really
owned a cat before and it's been a learning experience. Amazing creatures they are it seems
and this one has put my patients to the test all winter. I can get her the finest cat food, with
gravy, (cats seem to like gravy) and if I feed her in the morning she will eat. Any other time
of the day she'll lick the gravy off the food and take off leaving the rest for the Rat Terrier across
the way. I'd noticed late at night when neighbors put their garbage out for the truck to pick up
that this cat would be diving on the goodies with her butt and tail up in the air with nothing else
of her visable. I've wondered why she would eat garbage and then get snooty about fancy cat
food ?

Well the other day the little minx wouldn't eat like I wanted her to so I brought her paper plate in
and placed it in the kitchen garbage can, figuring if she showed up hungry again I'd sit it back
out there on the deck and the heck with opening another can for her. Well, she jumped on it
and all but ate the paper plate it was on. Couldn't believe it ! There is something consistant
about this too. Just sit it in the garbage can for an hour and she'll eat like she's starved.

So as that beggin strips product was mentioned, I had this thought for an advertising slogan
for cat food. "Cats don't know it's not garbage" !

Now in earlier times an Englishman named Rudyard Kipling wrote these "just so" stories.
One of which was titled "The Cat that Walked by Himself" where he tried to explain the Cat
to those who don't know cats. So if you're a person like myself that never knew about Cat's
before you can read this and see how it rings with you.

Just So Stories, Rudyard Kipling

^ ^
> . <

Re: lessons learned

I knew there was a reason I loved bike people. It's because we get it on almost every level.

Re: lessons learned

Get what?





































JUST KIDDING!

Re: lessons learned

It seems people who ride motor bikes understand what is really important in life.

My Daddy would have loved you guys, and there is no bigger compliment.

Re: lessons learned

Well Dan, Herez yur Shirt !

Re: lessons learned

Sorry to hear about your loss EDJ. It's a tough thing to lose something that gets so close to you. They say the best thing to do is replace it and I for one know this works, however I'm in the same boat you are.

My last dog, a blue healer, died last August and I have still yet to "replace" him. In fact this is the first time I've been without a dog in almost 24 years! My first dog was a malamute/Newfoundland (160 lbs) and since then, my dogs got steadily smaller and already when I think of my next dog, I'm thinking fox terrier (at least he can ride on my MB)!

Cats on the other hand...forget it! My wife has 4 of those things and wants more! But she's nuts anyway (I can say that...she's sleeping...LOL)

Dogs come when you call them and cats take a message and get back to you!

Re: lessons learned

Thanks guys for the empathy. I do miss her yet but I'm kinda doing a time share with my
neighbors dogs. One has three goldens, one has the "rocket dog" rat terrier who can cover
200 feet in a couple bats of your eyes.

So, I'm buying Ol ' Roy's munchy bone mini's and cutting them into four pieces and everyday's
trick or treat for the dogs. They make their visits and make sure the Kat gets her exercise.
Kinda like being a Grandparent I guess, you can bounce them on your lap and enjoy them
and hand them back when they're wet.

Re: lessons learned

Had to put my last dog down in 1982. Like taking one of my kids in. It was that or watch her die of cancer slowly and after 15 years together I couldn't do it.
Skipper was a Border Collie-Lab X and as my Dad said so smart it was as if someone pulled a dogs skin over a human.
My kids memory of her is get close to the road and get herded back to safety like a sheep. Skippers idea of safety that is.

I agree eDJ that the best thing is to enjoy everyone elses dog. I live with my brother and family and they have a Newfoundland- Border-Collie cross. A 120 pounds of love. and looks like a bigger edition of Skip. She likes to pack as much petting time in as the day allows or until my arm wears out.

Have cats now myself and up until the three that I have now they were volunteer cats. They showed up at the door and volunteered to live with me.

Some left kittens and moved on and some stay till the end. One kitten born in the house got the name Zoffo from my son. Zoff turned out to be a 29 pound, 3 foot long {nose to tail tip} Maine Coon cat my buddy nick named Pork Chop. He was fron TN and the first time he saw Zoff he said 'that ain't no cat. That there's a walkin pork chop".

Can understand the kitten eating out of the garbage because that was where it's food had come from till it got lucky. My daughter had a kitten that ate out of a dish until it discovered the big bag of cat food. We knew it was time to buy more when Bixby's tail disappeared from sight.

We are so lucky that our pets love us like they do. They give so much and ask so little.

Steve.