Pets

[Sangye]

Yeah, that's the hard part about seniors. The good part is knowing that you gave them a wonderful ending. They might not get that otherwise.

Have you considered fostering dogs for a bit? There is always a big need for good foster homes. Sometimes they only need to place a dog for a couple weeks or a month-- might work well for you.

[Dryhill]

I have never heard of fostering dogs, that is something well worth looking into, thanks Sangye.

Jim

[Sangye]

Cool! Any dog rescue can give you info on it. My boy dog was pulled from the shelter by a foster group. By the time I found him they'd had him for 2 weeks to allow him to be neutered and to settle down a bit from his past trauma. When fostering a dog you really get to know them, so you can help with selecting the best home. I fostered a dog once. Found her the perfect home and it was pure joy to make that connection for her.

[drz]

I have never heard of fostering dogs, that is something well worth looking into, thanks Sangye.

Jim

My living place doesn't allow any cats, dogs, birds, etc so I can't foster or adopt any such pet but I can volunteer to go walk some of the dogs or help with their care. Many people do such things to help them animals and to experience the joy of seeing a happy pet have a good time until they find their placement. Also a good way to try out some pets to see if you are a good match if adoption or foster care is an option for you.

[Sangye]

Yes! I couldn't have a dog for many years and had terrible dog fever. I loved to walk dogs, brush them, wash them, etc.... and would jump at the chance to do this for friends or neighbors.

After I got my dog Patch, I started volunteering in an animal shelter. I'd go in on Saturday morning and brush the dogs, walk them and get an idea of their personality and training. Then when people started arriving about noon to look at dogs, I helped guide them to one who was a good match. Most people have no idea how to look for a dog. They just fall in love with one that's cute or the size they think they want, etc.... The dog doesn't work out and winds up back in the shelter. (And you have to assume that any dog that goes to the shelter will be killed, no matter how cute, or if it's a purebred, a puppy, etc.... The vast majority are killed.)

The shelter where I volunteered was terrible. They made no effort to adopt out the dogs or to help people find a good match, never brushed the dogs, etc... They just cleaned the kennels and fed them. They actually didn't even realize I was volunteering! The staff would sit in the front room and had no idea I was back there taking care of the dogs and playing matchmaker.

One day a family with little kids came in. They had no clue how to look for a dog and took a liking to a dachsund. I had checked the dog out and found her to be a bit snippy. She seemed like she had been someone's lap dog. Not a high energy dog, and not up for noise and excitement. Basically a disaster waiting to happen for a house with kids. I steered them to a much better match, a bigger, playful but gentle dog. The kind who will let kids pull on his ears and respond with a lick on the nose. They adopted him and then said the dachsund would be perfect for their elderly mom. So two dogs went to good homes. Every week it was my goal to empty the shelter. I never did it, but I did find a lot of them great homes. And I found my own little girl Lotus in there while I was at it!

[Dryhill]

I have always insisted that my last dog chose me and not the other way round. She came from my vet's border collie, and I was fortunate enough to have the pick of the litter, every time I visited she pushed her way through her brothers and sisters to be next to me. When I picked her up I always got my face washed, she was such a loving dog I just had to call her Freya (the Norse Goddess of Love).

I have never been able to throw my dogs collars and leads away, they are still hanging in the cupboard.

Jim

[Sangye]

My first dog definitely found me. I was living in Valencia,Spain and one day took the subway to visit some friends in a village outside the city. It was a Sunday and the subway was packed. I got off into a big swarm of people. Out of nowhere this big black dog leaped up on me and put her paws on my shoulders. She ignored everyone around me. She was a street dog-- filthy and starving. I wanted to buy her something to eat but all the stores were closed. I bought a little cup of ice cream from a street vendor and put it on the ground. She started gobbling it up. My friends and I began walking away, but as we did, she began following me. This starving dog actually left the ice cream to follow me. I'd fed a lot of street dogs in Spain before (there are TONS) but had never seen that happen. We had to stand there until she finished the whole thing!

She followed us a few blocks to their apartment. They lived on the second floor and had a balcony that overlooked the street. She refused to come in the door and sat down on the sidewalk. We decided to go upstairs and watch her from there. She sat there for several minutes, then finally started to walk away. I don't even know how to describe what I felt when she began walking away. It literally--literally-- felt like my heart was tearing apart. I hadn't felt any attachment to her up until that moment so it took me by surprise. I instantly became like a crazy person, shouting to my friends "What should I do? I live in the city in a 5th floor apartment!" Coincidentally, that very morning I'd had a phone conversation with one of them in which we both discussed when it's appropriate to make a decision with the heart and not the head. She looked at me and said something like "You know how I'd make this decision." Bam! I was out the door, raced down the stairs and into the street.

I started shouting to the dog "Perro! Perro!" She was already way down the street. She turned around and then it was like a Lassie movie. She came charging down the street and jumped into my arms, as if she'd been my dog forever. My friends were on the balcony cheering.

That little girl became my instant shadow. We were so close. I brought her back to the US with me a year later and in the 10 years I had her we only spent 11 nights apart. It was because of her that I became a chiropractor and then found my lama and became a Buddhist nun. My sweet Laika. She brought me to every good thing in my life.

[crackers]

beautiful story sangye,it brought a tear to my eye.my wife and i have recently joined a german shepherd rescue association to help find suitable homes for homeless gsd's.i hope we are successful or i'll be wanting to bring them all home with me.
john.

[Fran]

Your beautiful story of Spanish Laika brought tears Sangye, but also brought back memories of my two beloved dogs.

It was two days before Christmas and we had just come back from the vet where we had to said goodbye to our little Jack Russell who was so ill, we were so upset we called to tell Jean, our 'doggie lady' friend (everyone called her that because she always had loads of dogs, and was a volunteer at the local Dog Sanctuary) to tell her - we knew she would understand our loss ! She was just on her way to 'work' so she told us to come with her so we could talk.

The large 'office' was full of old sofas and chairs covered in blankets with old dogs lying in comfort to spend their last days. The manager then walked in with a young black excitable dog, ( who the police had found wandering in the city), who he said liked to visit the oldies. Paws up on each sofa, wag of the tail - I was smitten - such a caring little thing! When she noticed us ....well you can guess the rest ! We were allowed to take her there and then because Jean knew us, but ordinarily they didn't rehome dogs during the two weeks before Christmas. We renamed her Tess and she was joined a few months later by another adoptee, Lucy, our little Yorkie. Lucy was with us for 14 years and Tess for 18 1/2 years. Bless their little hearts they got me through the rough WG years.
Sorry it's a bit long - thanks for reading.
Fran

[Psyborg]

I have always insisted that my last dog chose me and not the other way round. She came from my vet's border collie, and I was fortunate enough to have the pick of the litter, every time I visited she pushed her way through her brothers and sisters to be next to me. When I picked her up I always got my face washed, she was such a loving dog I just had to call her Freya (the Norse Goddess of Love).

I have never been able to throw my dogs collars and leads away, they are still hanging in the cupboard.

Jim

Wow...that's funny. Our current dog's name is Freya, for similar reasons We rescued her from the local shelter and she's a bundle of happiness most of the time