BAD BAD DOG (Finalized)

     Many news stations on television fail to give follow-up stories.  I will now give a follow-up story to two stories posted on the dog blog. 
     Stories entitled Bad Bad Dog were posted July 31, 2014, and August 23, 2014.  The stories told of a dog terrorizing children as they walked home from school.  Although the dog did no harm physically, he had children scared to pass by the house.  On many occasions, adults had to walk them by the house. 
     After being reported, the owner still did nothing.  But finally, maybe something was done.  The dog appears to no longer be at the house.  The children walk home past the house feeling safe once again. 
     I live on a street where my neighbors are not the original owners of the houses.  I was a first time owner of my house.  The neighbors I raised my children with have long since moved.  Now, everyone tends to stay to themselves.
     Whatever happened to the dog, I do not know nor will I probably ever know.  I just know that now the dog is gone. 
     I like to think the dog was given to someone who could take care of his needs.  I seriously doubt that he suffered euthanasia.  He hurt no one.  Regardless of his fate, the final story of Bad Bad Dog is, "He no longer lives on this street."

Doggie Dementia

     A year and a half ago, my cousin Marisa called me. We don't talk frequently, but we do touch base from time to time.  She told me that her dog had been acting strange.  Her dog, Sasha, had just turned thirteen.  Sasha was howling all night long and refusing to eat.  Marisa took Sasha to the vet and was told that Sasha is physically healthy, but that her symptoms all pointed to Dementia.  It is just like dementia in humans....it is part of some dog's aging process (meaning not all dogs get dementia).
     I will be honest with you.  I couldn't believe what my cousin was telling me.  Dementia...?  In a dog?  Well I never heard of such a thing!  I don't know why I had such a hard time believing it.  Sometimes I get suspicious of vets-- like maybe they didn't know what was wrong with the dog, so they just made something up!  Here it is a year and a half later and Sasha has stopped the all-night-long-howling, but other things have gotten worse.  She refuses to eat sometimes.  My cousin will often purchase cheeseburgers for her from the local fast food joint because that is one of the things she will eat.  The only other thing she will eat is just one specific brand and flavor of dog food.  Sasha sometimes stands in a corner and stares at a wall or shakes like she is cold for what seems like an endless amount of time.  The funniest story my cousin has told me is a recent development.  Sasha will exit the house through the doggie door, but then stand on the outside and bark to be let back in.  She used to go in and out all on her own, but somehow she has forgotten that she can go back in the same way she went out. 
     If I hear about it enough,  I will eventually look up a condition or something I have never heard of on the computer.  I looked up dementia in dogs just a few days ago.   Surprise, surprise, it is a real condition.  I guess I just haven't spent enough time around dogs to have known any better.  The proper term for it is Canine Cognitive Dysfunction, or CCD. Some of the symptoms I have found are:(1) becomes lost around the home in places that used to be familiar, (2) has trouble using doors or even stairways, (3) often has accidents in the house when that has not been an issue before,  (4) can be found trembling, shaking, staring aimlessly, or wandering aimlessly in odd corners of the home, and (5) becomes more hesitant of food and water.  These are just a few.  If you are a skeptic like me, look it up on the web.  There are countless articles on the topic. 

 

 

 

Ralph's Rags

     When my middle child, Adam, was almost two years old, and the oldest, Andrew, was close to five, our family became friends with an elderly couple in our church.  Their names were Ralph and Maisie.  They had a Cocker Spaniel named Rags.  The kids loved to go over to their house and see Rags.  At first, Rags was wary of two very little boys, but Ralph showed them the way to Rags' heart.  Dog biscuits.  It became routine when we came to visit for the boys to give Rags a dog biscuit.  Then he was their friend. 
     Ralph had cancer.  He had battled it before, but this time the doctors said there was nothing more that could be done.  Ralph lingered for many months and we visited regularly.  He didn't get up and move around much, and Rags was his constant companion.  I forgot to mention that Rags was a bit chubby.  Ralph liked to give him the dog biscuits just as much as the boys did. He gave them to him off and on throughout the day, every day.  Then when we came through the door, Ralph would call the boys over to him and hold out the box so they could give them to Rags, too. 

     Of course, Ralph passed away.  Maisie and Rags ended up moving several states away and we gradually lost touch.  Young as they were, both boys still remember giving dog biscuits to Rags.  It isn't so odd that a five year old would remember that time, but Adam is usually the one who brings it up.  He was only two, but the memory of that early interaction with the dog left a lasting impression. 

 

(This was written by my daughter, Karen.) 

Abby is Ten Years Old

     Recently, one of our beloved family pets passed away.  It was one of our cats and she was thirteen years old.  The story is too fresh and raw for me to get into detail.  When she died, I looked around at our remaining pets, including our dog, Abby.  I couldn't help but think to myself, "One day, they will go, too." The sadness the thought brought was overwhelming.
     We have placed stories of Abby on this blog before.  She is our yellow Labrador retriever.  She has been a vital member of our family for ten years and three months.  My boys have grown up with her.  She isn't tied to a stake outside.  She lives indoors.  She sleeps beside us.  Sometimes, we have to nudge her off of the couch so we will have a place to sit!  When we eat, she patiently sits nearby hoping for a handout.  She is well-behaved but very spoiled.  I don't mean to be depressing, but did you know that the life expectancy of a Labrador Retriever is ten to twelve years old?  I know that her time with us will end someday.  Perhaps it will not be for another ten years.  One can always hope!
     It was three weeks after the cat died before I had the chance to see my best human friend, Marie, and tell her what happened with the cat.  There were tears when I told the story and it brought up memories of lost pets in both of our lives over the years.  We talked about how much harder it is to see an animal get sick or die through our kids' eyes-- how we wish we could spare them the pain. 
     And then a curious thing happened.  My friend, Marie said, "I worry about your family when Abby goes," and Marie's eyes got watery. 
     I said, "I know......hey?....are you crying?"
     She nodded and wiped her eyes.  "I just know how much Abby means to you all and I know it will be hard for all of you.  Heck, I even love Abby."
     I said, "No, you can't cry, too.  What if I need you to be the one to take her to the vet if she needs to be put down?  Because we won't be able to do it."
     She said, "I will do it for you if it needs to be done.  I will do it for you.  Because I know it will be too hard for you,"  and she wiped her eyes again. 
     I was reassured of two things.  She knows how Abby really is a part of our family.  She can empathize with us because she has a family and pets of her own.  I realized that anyone who really knows us well knows just how valuable Abby is to us.  It's transparent.  It's REAL.  And the other realization...that Marie is a true friend.  How many of us can say we are so blessed?

(This was written by my daughter, Karen.)

The Primary Difference

     My son is a teenager now and I find myself entertained more and more by he and his friends.  They are coming up with their own ideas and opinions and developing into the people they are going to be the rest of their lives.  One particular friend of his, Jordan, who is 18, has us laughing all the time.  However, we were disappointed when he told us that he hates cats.  Hates cats?! "Why, Jordan, why?" we asked.  Cats are important in this pet-loving family.  This aversion to the feline species has always been difficult for us to comprehend.  But, that is just how it is with some people.  I have met more than one person in my thirty-seven years of life who profess to hating cats.  Oddly enough, they are usually the same people who wholeheartedly love dogs.  Well, Jordan explained himself to us in this way:
               You feed, clean up after, and care for a dog, and he thinks you are God.
               You feed, clean up after, and care for a cat, and he thinks, "I must be God."

     Hmmmm....he has a point.


(This was written by my daughter.  She also wrote the poem from the last post.)

Dogs in the Family vs. Cats in the Family

Our beloved dog

Is predictable

Is happy to see us

Tail wagging

Whole body wriggling

Can't contain his joy

--always

 

Our cat

*might* acknowledge us

*might* glance our way

Or not

May come up for a pat

May possible respond to a toy

--but not always

 

Some cats

I have known

Run to us in greeting

Utter a burp or meow

Rubs her whole body against us

Even wags her tail (though a bit lazily)

--but not always

 

Who can predict when the cat

Will feel like being sociable?

Or when she will be *above* us

We are beneath her

A cat tolerates you

A dog worships you happily

--always

 

I think cat lovers prefer cats

Because of the challenge

They enjoy the gamble

That is what is unique

And those who like dogs best

Simply won't put up with the unrest

 

 

-Karen Gillespie

A Beautiful Thing

     A friend of my daughter's moved in with her, her husband, and child.  Also making the move were more pets and her own child.  It is a beautiful thing when one helps out another in need.  All are animal lovers.  And what better way to show it than to display over the mantel place stockings.  These stockings do not include children's names or even theirs.  But it is their pet's names written on the stockings. 
     Across the fireplace mantel hangs stockings with these names:  Shadow (cat), Midnight (cat), Xena (cat), Snyder (dog), Bella (dog), Killer (turtle), and one for all the pet fish that simply says The Fish. 
     Christmas time is a time to show love not only to human kind, but to our pets.  I may not be one who hangs the stockings, but extra treats will be given to all my inside and outside cats. 

     I wish a Merry Christmas to all (human and pets alike).