The Dogs Above

[Quick Steel]

A very fine story LJ and well told. Pepper must have been beautiful to watch.

[carrmillus]

.........great story!!!................ .................

[KLJ77]

Thanks, Garry, for your kind words. And yes, it was great to watch Pepper in action. While he was with me, he never lost a bird.

Carrmillus...Thank You.

[carrmillus]

........my first dog was given to my dad by the guy who picked up our trash during ww2(1942), he died when I was in service in 1960.(18+ yrs.) the day he died my wife went to the dog pound at scott afb and got snoopy #2. he died in 1978.(18+ yrs.) when you have pets that are with you that long, it's the same as losing a family member!!!................ ..............

[Quick Steel]

Absolutely. And it can also reflect the excellent care they received.

[KLJ77]

........my first dog was given to my dad by the guy who picked up our trash during ww2(1942), he died when I was in service in 1960.(18+ yrs.) the day he died my wife went to the dog pound at scott afb and got snoopy #2. he died in 1978.(18+ yrs.) when you have pets that are with you that long, it's the same as losing a family member!!!................ ..............

You're absolutely right about our pets...no matter how long we have them, they are such a blessing to us and provide a companionship that is so much different than on the human level.

Here's my Shadow Boy I had the most awesome pleasure and honor to have with me for a bit over 7 years. I had a friend who worked at a boarding kennel who called me up on a Thursday, knowing that I had always wanted a GSD, and said...if you want this one, come and get him, for they are turning him over to Animal Control in the morning, Friday. They are going to euthanize him. Within the hour, I was bringing him home. Shadow was a mess. He had been at this boarding kennel for over 4 months due to an Officer in the Navy was deployed and had not paid the boarding fees in over three months. The owner of the kennel contacted him, and the guy said..."do what you have to do." This guy had paid $700.00 for this dog, and was willing to forego his wellbeing and life. He was approximately 4 years old already and was way underweight at 63 lbs, ribs showing, pads of his feet raw due to the concrete flooring of the kennel and was very anxious. I couldn't touch his feet or his tail due to sensitivity. It took 6 months for me to 'earn his trust'...after that, I could wrestle with him, comb his fur, including his tail and trim his nails. We became the best of buds.

The first time I took him in for a vet check up shortly after I got him, I told the techs that I needed to be in the room with him because of his physical issues and I didn't know how he was going to respond to strangers. Well, they wouldn't allow me in the room with them, and when they gave him his shots, he 'snapped' at the tech girl, and because of that, the vet logged him in under a "red flag" note as an aggressive dog. This report is filed with the city. This really irritated me and I told them I would never be back to this clinic...and I would tell others not to patronize their clinic if this is the way you treat customers. From that day forward, due to this incident, whenever I took Shadow to the vet, I had to muzzle him out of precaution because that first visit to a vet was a bad experience for him...and he didn't forget it. That is the only time I had to muzzle him, for he was NOT aggressive with me or the neighborhood kids and another dogs. Of course, he was alway on leash when out and about, and he responded to my commands very well.

Shadow went to the Rainbow Bridge in 2011 due to advanced arthritis in his spine and hips. He could no longer run, and would hop like a rabbit just to move around, albeit, his quality of life was still very good. Then, one day he just laid down on the floor and couldn't get up on his own...and I knew something serious was wrong. The emergency vet I took him to conducted x-rays and said one of his kidneys was enlarged and his liver was in bad shape and shutting down. Unbeknownst to me at the time, this was a result of the pain meds I had allowed the vet to put him on, which was Rimadyl for arthritis pain. I will NEVER put an animal on this pain med ever again. From the day I started Shadow on it, until this particular day was 18 days. That is how fast the side effects of this drug affected Shadow and damaged his internal organs. Sadly, I didn't research this medication prior to having him take it. I found out too late that there are other horror stories out there about animals being put on this pain med. I sure do miss my Shadow.

This may sound like a very sad story...which in the end, it was. But I had the most wonderful 7 years with Shadow and was one of the best dogs I'd ever had the pleasure of companionship.

[Quick Steel]

Thanks for the fine recounting of your time with Shadow. And what a beauty he was. Your photo captures the nobility of the breed.

Most people are unaware of the drug situation in the U.S. whether for humans or animals. For example, tho it varies somewhat from year to year, the 3rd to 4th leading cause of death for humans is properly prescribed medications. The classic example: Viox killed over 60 thousand people. So too with pets; drugs can be high risk.

LJ, You obviously have had the privilege of enjoying several remarkably fine canine companions.

[Sharpnshinyknives]

LJ, I feel for you about what happened w/ Shadow. As Caesar Milan says, “dogs live in the now”, which is good to know when it comes to giving a dog a second chance. A dog can be rehabilitated. My Girl Scout, her name is Scout but I call her Girl Scout, came to us a little over a year ago. In the first 2 days she bit me badly on my arm. I put myself between her and my other Golden Retriever, Kobi. She had some major toy aggression and Kobi loved his toys. She latched onto a toy while Kobi had it and I tried to get her mouth open to force her to let go. She growled and lunged at Kobi, I put myself between her and him and she nailed me. My wife was ready to send her back, but I wouldn’t hear of it. I knew she just needed more time to adjust and we didn’t know what her back story was, but suspected that she was crated all day and never walked. Most likely she was not use to other dogs either.
She is my sweet girl now. We lost Kobi in Oct of last year. He got to where he was unable to get up anymore and we knew it was time.
We lost another dog last year, Maddie. We strongly suspect that the medicine the vet prescribed for her slight bladder leakage destroyed her kidneys. We didn’t figure it out until too late, she was only 5 years old. When it comes to vets, you better ask questions and don’t trust everything they tell you. We learned that the hard way too.
Here is my Girl Scout after a bout of ball play, she has her “happy dog” pant on. That’s what I call it when a dog is tired from play or a walk.
Last photo is my pack last year before we lost Kobi, he is the old Golden Retriever in the picture.

[carrmillus]

..about the time the pandemic started we buried Ellie Mae, our oldest cat, we don't know exactly how old she was , she showed up on the woodpile in 2000, nearly full grown, so she had to be 20 years old at least!!.....

[KLJ77]

LJ, You obviously have had the privilege of enjoying several remarkably fine canine companions.

Thanks again, Garry. And yes, I've had many very fine canine companions over my years. Pepper was the only one given to me from a litter...all my other companions were rescued ones. During my time at the shipyard, I was on patrol one night and came across a young lab/chow mix, maybe about 6 months old. But that's a story for another time. I don't want to hog this thread.

You're right about the meds. Sometimes we learn the hard way about them...that's why I do my research, especially regarding the side effects. Most of the time, they're worse than the reason why a doctor wants you to be on them.

[KLJ77]

Mark,

I feel for you in your loss of Maddie and Kobi. They're like children to us.

Your love and kindness toward Scout brought her out of her aggressions. She realized you were her Alpha, and that's what dogs need in their live...appropriate structure, proper discipline and much caring. Once that is established, they naturally tend to know their place and are happy and content. I'm glad you didn't give up on her.

A wonderful 'Pack' you have. They look so happy and ready to please...or get a treat.

[KLJ77]

..about the time the pandemic started we buried Ellie Mae, our oldest cat, we don't know exactly how old she was , she showed up on the woodpile in 2000, nearly full grown, so she had to be 20 years old at least!!.....

Sorry for the loss of Ellie Mae. We get attached to them too, just as easily as dogs.

I was never a cat person until I met my wife...now, well...I'll just say, we have a herd. One of them is "my" special boy, Bryce. (named after Bryce Harper of the Nationals MLB team at the time he was playing for them) And...we have one named Harper. My wife is quite the "Cat Lady"...and I've told her, no more. Everyone one of them were feral cats we took in from outside. That's another story for another time.

[Madmarco]

I don't usually read this thread, but now that I have I'll be a regular! I want to say, bless all of your hearts for the way you treat your pets, and in all likely hood, any animal. It use to kindda bother me to make this next statement, but seeing as people don't seem to be getting any kinder toward each other, I'll say it again now, I like animals far more than I like most people. Animals want nothing more than our love, a warm place to sleep, and a bowl of food a day. People on the other hand, demand we act a certain way, are usually unforgiving of mistakes, and are basically all about me, me, me! Of course this isn't everyone, but unfortunately, many of us. I can't recall an animal that I don't care for, not one! As it was stated previously, I wasn't a "cat person", until I met my current best buddy, Elvis. As I was growing up we always had a dog as a pet, and each and everyone of them ultimately became valued members of the family. Having lived in apartment buildings all my adult life, the opportunities to have a pet have been few and far between, but right around the time I met Elvis, my landlords gave notice that we could now have small pets, even dogs and cats, and it was very shortly after this that I met Elvis. When I met him he was about 4 months old and living in squalid conditions along with his mother and sister. I was visiting his owner one day and right out of the blue he said to me, "you live all alone in that empty apartment and could use a companion, why don't you take this white kitten and give him a good home". Something in me came alive and I accepted his offer immediately. His owner had been struggling with a drug problem, and is now dead, so his idea of caring for a pet was to put out a dirty bowl of food, when he remembered to do so, and not much else, certainly no love and attention. I saw this as an opportunity to improve the life of one of God's creatures, and at the same time improve the quality of my own. This all came about in 2008, nearly 13 years ago, and I can now say that this was one of the best things that has ever happened to me. Elvis has gone from a withdrawn bag of bones, to a happy contented partner weighing the better part of 20 lbs! We very fortunately have only had to visit the vet once in all that time, and that was simply because he had developed "cat acne" on his chin from drinking out of a plastic bowl, and as soon as I was advised about this and switched to a metal one, his ailment cleared right up and hasn't returned. Who'd a thunk! He has provided me with many good times, not to mention his unconditional love. I've learned much over the years about our feline friends, and can now proudly say, "I am a cat/dog person"! I've always been leery about all the high-priced meds that the vets try to push on you, and other than an initial distemper shot have not subjected my buddy to any of them, and he's as healthy as he can be. It's a very tough spot to be in when a so-called professional tells you this is what your pet needs, but I believe utmost research should be conducted before taking a vet's word as gospel. I really enjoyed your stories guys, and it's good to know there are many other dedicated pet owners out there! P.S.-I wanted to include a picture of him, but he wasn't having it, so you'll have imagine an all-white bundle of fir with sometimes blue, sometimes green, sometimes hazel eyes, waddling down the road contentedly, kindda like a white Garfield!

[Quick Steel]

Thanks very much for sharing your experience with us Marco. And thank you for rescuing Elvis.

[Sharpnshinyknives]

Mark, it’s good to read your story of Elvis. It breaks my heart to see or hear of an animal being neglected or abused. I have to turn the channel when one of those commercials come on television from ASPCA. All 6 dogs and all 3 cats we have had since we started having pets have all been rescued or were homeless. It’s a pleasure inviting them to share your life with you. As you said they don’t make a lot of demands on you and honestly I relate better to my dogs than almost anyone else. Plus I love the greeting I get when I come home. I wish my wife jumped up and down and ran around all excited when she sees me. Oh well, I guess the honeymoon is over after 40 years.
A friend asked me once this question: if you put your wife in the trunk of your car and drove around for an hour and let her out what would her reaction be? If you put your dog in the trunk and drove around for an hour and let them out, what would their reaction be? The answer to those questions might be part of the reason some of us prefer animals sometimes over people.

[Madmarco]

Thank you Garry for starting this thread, I'm so glad you did! And thank you for being one of the good ones!

[Madmarco]

I absolutely love your "pack" pic Mark, not to mention Girl Scout's pic, and your touching story! I'm the same way when it comes to seeing animals in distress, if I can't intervene then I can't watch. My older brother has been extremely touched regarding any kind of animal cruelty his entire life, and I'm ashamed to say that I didn't always understand his anguish, at least not until I was a bit older. It fills my heart with good feelings when I see or hear of a human being's kindness towards our best friends, who can't speak for themselves. I'm generally a calm, gentle individual, but if anything could bring me to blows it would be to someone harming an innocent animal. Heck, I don't even step on spider anymore! House flies I have no problem destroying, but that's about it! And I absolutely roared when I pictured Mary jumping up and down and panting wildly as she greeted you at the door, but it's so true! Whatever you do though, don't try putting her in your trunk to test your theory! lol!

[KLJ77]

Marco,

GREAT story about you and Elvis. You and him have a bond like no other. Thanks for sharing.

[Madmarco]

Thanks LJ! My heart goes out to you over your pal Shadow, you must have been devastated. Your picture of him captures his beautiful strength and nobility. But at least you guys had all those great years together. And you still have Bryce and Harper to help fill the void! I had to be the one who put down a beautiful Afghan hound that my Mom use to have. Her name was Fanny and she lived a good life while she was with us, but ultimately succumbed to cancer. My Mom couldn't even come to the vet the day we put her down, and asked me if I would look after that very unpleasant task for her. As much as I didn't want to, of course I couldn't refuse my Mom, so I went ahead with the job at hand and did my best to console myself with the thought that at least Fanny wouldn't be in pain any longer. I held her close as the Dr. inserted the needle, talking gently to her until she quietly slipped away. That was probably the hardest thing I've ever had to do. I firmly believe that God won't give us anything we can't handle, even if it seems so at the time. I'm really glad that you're on our side regarding the welfare of these wonderful creatures God has seen fit to grace us with.

[KLJ77]

Thanks LJ! My heart goes out to you over your pal Shadow, you must have been devastated. Your picture of him captures his beautiful strength and nobility. But at least you guys had all those great years together. And you still have Bryce and Harper to help fill the void! I had to be the one who put down a beautiful Afghan hound that my Mom use to have. Her name was Fanny and she lived a good life while she was with us, but ultimately succumbed to cancer. My Mom couldn't even come to the vet the day we put her down, and asked me if I would look after that very unpleasant task for her. As much as I didn't want to, of course I couldn't refuse my Mom, so I went ahead with the job at hand and did my best to console myself with the thought that at least Fanny wouldn't be in pain any longer. I held her close as the Dr. inserted the needle, talking gently to her until she quietly slipped away. That was probably the hardest thing I've ever had to do. I firmly believe that God won't give us anything we can't handle, even if it seems so at the time. I'm really glad that you're on our side regarding the welfare of these wonderful creatures God has seen fit to grace us with.

Thanks, Marco for your kind thoughts. And I sensed and felt your pain and heartbreak when describing your last moments with Fanny. I've been through 9 of those moments of not letting my pets pass alone, and it NEVER gets easier. I can act tough, with all the manly bravado in the world, stand my ground and be aggressive...but when it comes to helping a beloved pet cross over, I'm an emotional mess. God Bless you and your Mom.

[Madmarco]

Thank you LJ! I applaud your inner strength for being able to go through that painful experience 9 times. I know once was plenty for me, but should the need arise, at least I know I can draw on that strength through God again. I often think to myself, would it be better for me to have to bury Elvis, or for him to have to bury me, and I always come to the conclusion that the former would be best, because that way I can care for him properly, including his burial, as opposed to wondering what will happen to him if I'm not there. Would he find another good home? Who will fix his meals just the way he likes them? Who will scratch his tummy just the way he likes? And endless more questions. My biggest fear would be that no one takes him, and he gets sent to the vet to be put down. I only have 1 slightly older brother left in my family, and 1 real friend, but neither of them are in a position to take over caring for him should something happen to me, so I think the best solution would be for me to stay healthy and be there for him when the time comes. Sorry if I came off a bit morbid, it's just that these things are of great importance to me. I also think it's a good thing that we can be strong as men when the situation calls for it, yet strongly emotional when those times arise, and it makes us better men for it. And thank you for your kind blessings, may the same be plentifully bestowed upon you and yours. Mark!

[KLJ77]

You're not being morbid at all, Mark. You have very valid concerns, and I've given thought to the same exact situation many times. Just a thought; could you draft up a "Care Notice" of some kind indicating your desires for Elvis, should something happen to you? You could provide a copy to the local vet, or Animal Control, a close friend, neighbor, etc. I don't know if that would be viable or not... kind of like a 'living will' for Elvis and his well being.

Nevertheless, I wish you and Elvis a long prosperous life together.

[Madmarco]

That's a great idea LJ, that never crossed my mind, thank you so much! I know exactly what you're talking about and I'll get right on it. I have something very similar in my wallet willing my knife collection to an AAPK member who I know for sure will appreciate it. I've lived my life as a kindda "seat-of-my-pants" type of individual, so I'm not well acquainted with wills or legal stuff, but my brother told me I should at least have something in my wallet or papers indicating what my final wishes are, otherwise I'd risk losing my possessions to the government, and that would be most unpleasant. I can draw up something and provide my brother, good friend, and good neighbor a copy, and between the 3 of them I'm sure my wishes will be attended to. Thanks for your well-wishes for Elvis and me LJ, with any luck at all we'll both be here for awhile yet, and I hope the same for you!

[just bob]

I’d like to tell you about my dog Hunter. I’ve read somewhere that yelling at your dog causes trauma. If Hunter could talk the first thing he would likely say to you is that he is hungry and the second thing would be that he is traumatized …… highly traumatized in fact. He has received the bulk of this trauma from trying to do human like activities such as helping to carry in groceries or mopping the kitchen floor. He just doesn’t seem to understand that he is a dog in a human’s world.
When this first picture was taken Hunter was in the glory of his youth bounding around like a kangaroo and was constantly on the trail of something, though I was never quite sure what he was hunting, he was always hunting. We spent hours together on trails and in wooded areas exploring together. Each day and each piece of trash littered along the way was such an object of curiosity for him. It must be examined, sniffed, and in most cases peed on. I suppose he was marking it as his own? By watching him I have developed such an increased awe of nature and life itself. Each day is an opportunity to experience new wonders. We basically walk the same woods and trails, but each day they change ever so slightly. Perhaps there is litter there today that wasn’t there yesterday and if so it must be examined to determine where it came from and if it is a threat or edible. There is always new in the ordinary you just have to look to find it.
Do dogs have a sense of humor? I sometimes wonder because Hunter seemed to delight in laughter and would wait until I was almost sound asleep in the recliner and bound from the floor into my lap, quickly licking me on the mouth and scat away as if wanting to be chased. However his funniest moment wasn’t intended as humor at all, but turned out to be that way. I was leaving to run errands one hot summer morning when the company that pumps the septic tanks pulled up and said I was on the schedule for today. I went and put Hunter in the house and gave them access to the backyard. As it turned out they were finishing up just as I came back in. They said they were done and only had 2 puddles of sludge to clean up in the backyard at where the hoses were connected together. I told them that it was so hot that they need not worry about it and that the hot sun would evaporate it quickly. They went on their way and I turned Hunter loose in the backyard to go about his day. At some point in the late afternoon I went to the backyard gate and was greeted by Hunter who was wagging his tail like a windshield wiper in a rain storm and covered in sludge from his nose to his tail. He was blacker than the ace of spades and seemed very delighted in the new stench that enveloped him. All he needed was a prom date to complete the occasion. A garden hose shower in the backyard would remove most of the black from him but the stench would linger for days. I would look at him as if to say “you stink” and he would gaze back as if to say “what’s the matter?” Thankfully it eventually went away.
As the years passed Father Time began to exact a toll on the lithe body of Hunter and his activity level waned a bit. He still liked to ride in the truck and was as anxious as ever to get on the walking trail. Although the walks now would require more frequent breaks and take longer. The summer sun became his enemy and he sought refuge from it, The hot dog days of August were especially uncomfortable to anyone wearing a fur coat. I could sense in him a longing for the cooler weather of fall that lay just ahead.
He also became a big hit at a place called Weenee World. He would sit, shake, bark, or beg, so long as the end reward was a pup-cup he was happy to entertain; he could down one of those dairy treats faster than Joey Chestnut could eat a hot dog. Depending on who was working that day he didn’t have to pay. It was on the house. He also enjoyed laying in the shade on cool evenings at the local duck pond. The ducks seemed able to perceive that he was no longer a threat to them and came to accept him as a frequent visitor.
The end came rather abruptly for Hunter. It was the sniffles, a cough, and not eating his usual meals that warranted a trip to the vet. From there it was blood work, x-rays, a trip to a pet clinic, and a diagnosis of lymphoma that was followed by a suggested treatment plan of chemo, radiation, and steroids. They also told me that I should be aware at the outset that Hunter had an enlarged heart and wasn’t really an ideal candidate for treatment. I just asked myself what I would want done for me if I was in his situation and decided to celebrate the 14 plus years of life Hunter had been given. We spent the last few days watching old westerns, sleeping side by side on the floor, and snacking on Slim - Jims. When his abdomen filled with fluid it was time to take a final road trip. They were great. It wasn’t nearly as grotesque as I had imagined it would be. He was sedated and went into a deep sleep and never woke up. I rubbed his ears through the entire process. They gave me his ashes in a tin. I suspect if Hunter had known he would end up in an urn by hanging out with me he would have run off a long time ago.
Like you I have read about those pearly gates and streets of gold and I long to behold their splendor, but in my heart I am hoping that eternity also affords the opportunity to wonder aimlessly in springtime meadows bedazzled with the colors of a rainbow in full bloom. There beside me will most likely be my old pal Hunter steeping in septic sludge and as glorious as ever reborn with the vigor of his youth. Free to roam eternally.

[Madmarco]

Bob! I was unable to discern from your post if Hunter's passing was a recent event, or if he's just been on your mind lately. Either way, you're obviously thinking about him, and the good and bad times you guys shared. I know for myself, that when I think about when my cat Elvis won't be with me any longer, I feel panic and dismay, and need to immediately try to think of more pleasant things, which isn't easy. The same thing happens when I see or hear of an animal being mistreated, any animal. The animals that enter our lives become much more than just a pet, they become friends and members of the family, so it's very difficult to treat them as anything less, and who would want to anyway. I guess about all I can say is, enjoy your memories of your pal, and know that he's likely in a much better place, and with any luck at all, someday you'll see him again. God bless the both of you! BTW, have you ever considered being a poet, you'd make a good one!