courtnek

BK, could he have some dalmation in him as well? those spots, and the nose, just look "dalmationy" to me.... :D

Jackie, make sure you either got rid of or washed the gloves in hot water with bleach.... I just remembered this - turtles carry salmonella, altho it doesnt affect them. You're always supposed to wash with hot water whenever you handle one. sorry I was so late getting this to you.. :(

Gooey, does Haley take shots or pills? Just curious, I'm a diabetic too....

I had a pond turtle (well, my son did) that got be about 8 inches around and I have seen those really big lake turtles....My dogs were always fascinated by the turtle too....wanted to sniff it, and pick it up, I had to rescue him a few times when he escaped from his tank....lol must just be a reptile thing - they are so different from mammals, maybe the dogs just dont understand...... :D

ok here's to off the wall.... from a joke I heard a while back.... The leader of Germany contracted with Japan to build a small, fuel efficient car that was reasonably priced for his people. Japan got right to work, working out the design and the specifications, making the car fuel efficient and comfortable, while still staying within a reasonable price range. 8 weeks later, the designer from Japan came to Germany and told the leader "the car is ready", and his reply was.... Dot Soon? and it became the Datsun..... (for those of you too young to remember, it's now called Nissan) so I vote for Datsun - LOL :lol:

Yes, in fact, that can happen. it's not super common, but whichever dog has the "genetic upside" - (the more prevalant gene structure) most of the puppies will take after that dog. Especially if one of the dogs was a "mix" (usually only two breeds, like a golden/lab) and the other is a "mutt" (heinz 57, like Freebee's mom). Freebee's dad was purebred yellow lab, the mom was a mutt, and all the puppies but one ended up looking like black labs. (black is the prevalent gene color in labs) The slobbering was hilarious, but I thought it even funnier when he tore up the car....a friend at work has one, and had to have his car upholstery redone - apparetnly they get bored easily.....lol

Just a few tips: She will need a scratching post, unless you plan to declaw her, or she will destroy your furniture - you can buy stuff that attracts them to the post, and then put their front paws on it and pull down, imitate scratching. After a while, they will learn that this is the onyl place they can scratch, but it will take time to train them. They like warm places in the sun - even the long haired cats love nothing more than to bask in the sunlight. A southern exposure window, and one of those "kitty condos" (which can also serve as the scratching post) is perfect. They need fresh water every day. You have to watch that, because they dont drink alot of water (not like a dog) but even if it looks unused, change it out daily. Some cats dont like the scented litter. Allergies can develop. Usually all you need to do is show the cat where the box is, put him in it, and they'll use it from then on. They are naturally clean, and attracted to sandy materials to go in, since they originally developed in the Egyptian desert. Litterbox should be scooped every day. If they feel it's not clean, they may decide to go in your houseplants and tub (yes, tub....) Now while she's a kitten. if you get her used to being picked up, held, cuddled and petted, she will most likely grow up to be very affectionate. Check out various websites on cats - there are some houseplants, medications and foods that are TOXIC to them. And these items are very common in most households, they're not something unusual you wouldnt have.....Tylenol is one. Those big red leaved plants that everyone sees around Christmas are another. Cats are very attracted to the leaves, but they're poisonous One of the best toys I ever had for a cat was something called a "cat-dancer" - it's basically a wire attached to a pole (or it can be dragged too)that is so lightweight and shaped funny the cat will spend hours chasing it around or following it if you drag it. when they spring on it, it changes position and "runs away", prolonging the chase. Good luck with your new kitty! You can PM me with other questions if you like - I have had cats for almost my whole life. :D

My golden as well. If it smells bad, it's probably infected and you should go see the vet before it gets painful. It's not uncommon to find ear infections with floppy-eared dogs....especially when the ears are very long. Good luck! :D

I have, sadly, one Lab mix. I had two, but Alex had to be put down... And I cant do pictures, because MSN refuses to believe my pictures are pictures.. Hopefully, tomorrow, I will have a shepherd mix puppie to look forward to...

Nea, as much as it hurts, you did the right thing. Bir will be happy. And maybe, you'll come across another pup that steals your heart and needs a good home - which I know yu will give.... Hope lies eternal....and most things happen for a reason. :-?

The teen is the way to go - they all want money, and if he/she's a dog lover, they'll like the work. Just have him/her show up every few hours and take the dog out for a while, then lengthen the time so that eventually Cosmic can be left alone without messing up your moms house... Your mom, unfortunately, sounds very unreasonable....but think about this for a moment - it could be completely wrong, but is there the possibility that she feels that you love Cosmic more than her? This would definitely make her resentful, which isnt helping the situation any...I ask this because my mom did not like animals, but broke down and let us have a dog because my dad insisted (we were driving him insane pleading - he was more of a pushover than she was because he liked dogs). After about a year she started acting resentful of the dog, and one day when I came in after a walk she yelled at me - "you spend more time with the damn dog than you do with me!!!" and I yelled back "he treats me better than you do - he doesnt treat me like I'm basically stupid!" She never mentioned it again, until I was in my twenties and had to have him put down....she cried with me, and said she had always been jealous of the dog. She said she realized later that I was just being a teenager, but at the time she felt it very hard to think her daughter loved her dog more than her mom..... Like I said, I could be wrong...but it's a thought. Parents dont always tell their kids what they're really thinking, just like kids dont always tell their parents. Best of luck to you and Cosmic (and your mom)

They are amazing......almost as if their purpose is to help and guide us, make us feel loved, accept us no matter what....what other animal will be our eyes and ears, our legs, our protectors and best friends? what other animal will not only ALLOW us to harness them up to see and walk for us, but actually ENJOY it? what other animal will cross minefields, plow through snow on mountains, search in burned out buildings, check luggage for bombs....all to take care of us? They have protected us from bears, wolves, lions; they were completely outmatched, but it didnt stop them. We arent as good to each other as they are to us....there's alot people can learn from them. :D

I have a beautiful picture of Freebee's coat, but no matter what I do I cant get MSN to recognize there are pictures there, in various different folders - what am I doing wrong? They are JPG's... :(

Yes they most certainly can....in fact, people brothers and sisters can have children - we just DONT.... and the above advice is sound...they should NOT breed - the genetic mishmash is awful....

NO FAIR!! I cant post pics because I dont have a URL site to post them to....I tried MSN, It keeps rejecting me... :x

Ok - for my silly, ridiculous Lab Mix Labs are not from Labrador - but actually from Newfoundland. They were created by fisherman from a smaller breed of water dog (maybe from Labrador) to use in swimming out to the boats, retrieving the nets and swimming back to shore. They have an extremely short coat, that is bred to be very oily, to prevent the fur from absorbing water and weighing the dog down in the water. They have short floppy ears to prevent water from entering. They have wide heads and broad chests to allow them to drag the nets back, full of fish, to the shore. They did not drag nets with their teeth, a fisherman in the water harnessed the nets to their chests, making it easier to swim back. They were discoverd in Newfoundland and brought back to England, where they were transitioned from fisher dogs to retreivers. It was found that they could bring a downed bird back with no trouble out of any water situation. Their coats were perfect for this job, so the next breed step was to give them "soft mouth", so that they would not damage the birds during retreival. This is still one of the primary breed specifics in a working bird dog. They started out as working dogs and that trait remains with them today. They are one of the most commonly chosen dogs for bomb detection, rescue and search. They are not good as police dogs, because they were not bred with the "guarding" instinct of the Shepherds. They were bred rather as gentle family dogs, and in that environment they are also one of the most commonly chosen dogs for assistance with the disabled. They make good seeing eye dogs (although Goldens are somewhat better at that, due to their calmer nature) and are now often used to help pull paraplegics in wheelchairs, their short hair and less care of the coat is easier on the disabled. Thye are also used as dogs for the "Hearing Ear" (part of the Seeing Eye) where they alert deaf people to situations around them they cannot hear. Goldens are used for this also.

There are two sides to this coin - allergies are your bodies way of defending you against perceived "attackers" (germs, bacteria, etc). I have had them my whole life. I was determined to be allergic to dogs when I was young, but wanted one so badly my parents eventually allowed it, with the use of allergic shots to block the histamines from affecting me. What ends up happening with the shot therapy is that your body becomes accustomed to the allergin, because they inject you with it in small quantities, and no longer feel it's a threat. I am no longer allergic to dogs, and have owned several of all breeds. After time, with medicine, you can train your body to not be allergic. And it's not fur, it's dander. There are very few people actually allergic to "hair" (the non-allergen dogs have hair, not fur) and the fur dogs have dander....exposure will cause a little bit of allergy reactions, but that can be handled and eventually the body gets used to the allergen and no longet tries to fight it. Hope that helps.

NEA!!! Dont leave us....you dont have to own a dog to be here - we have become your friends and friends should keep in touch.... join us whenever you like - we're here for you... Katy

OK I'm going to go abstract on all of you. One of the things that has always fascinated me was the stories you hear about reincarnation, after death experiences, etc...psychic phenomena, etc...because we cant prove any of it, and it appears so out of touch.... I was actually IN a haunted house when I was young, and saw what the prevailing "spirit" did, but I wont go there right now. One of the things that is said to be common in reincarnation is not that the soul comes back as a newborn (or in this case, a puppy) but inhabits the body of a child (usually) at the point of death. This is from things I have read about the subject - so if you believe in this possibility...maybe the soul of his dog inhabited the other dog. at point of death, and the angel knew that and came and told the old man. I think there would be a reason for that, perhaps the old man could not survive without his dog and wuold have suffered...I believe it would take something extraordinary in the mind of God to allow that...but who know's? He got his dog back. Or maybe just believed he did, but either way, it was a happy ending for both of them..... :)

Just on a side note - most places nowadays have leash laws, and if someones dog is off leash and bites you, they are liable, even for just a nip. If you're going to jog, watch for that, because a dogs natural instinct is to chase anything that runs. If you see one off leash, you might want to just stop and stretch, til it's gone. it's not the dogs fault, but you dont want to be seriously injured, either. and I agree that a shelter dog is a great idea. Petfinder has some wonderful choices, by area. I am just personally partial to labs and goldens - lol :D good luck!

Abker. DEMOTE HER!! she thinks she is top dog. If you allow her to continue she will give YOU issues.... she is trying to claim her place in the household as top dog under you. WHO should be top dog? Is she the best, strongest, mOST CAPABLE? SHOULD she be top dog? In most cases, the dogs will work it out themselves...if they fight about it, you might need to decide, to keep the peace...let me know how it goes.....I will help you. PM me if ypu need help...

from experience - puppies can be left alone for three to four hours if properly crated (they dont usually soil their own dens) but then they need to go OUT for proper housebreaking....to properly crate/den train them, they need to go out before their bladders burst...If you are going to be away alot, then this is the proper training for them...If you cant be there in that time, you can confine them to the bathroom or kitchen with newpapers to releive themselves on...but make sure you take the the papers outsode, let them wet and go, and then praise them for learning outside vs. inside rules....

You werent the only one Cassie - I jumped on her too, and feel bad now... Sometimes we have to "listen" instead of just "hearing".... Please come back Jannai, we apologize for our zeal, for in truth, thats what it is. We love dogs, and hate to see the terible things that happen to them, and we get "in a state" about our beliefs...but if you want, we will help you as best we can. Give us another try. OK? we dont dislike you, we dislike the bad things that happen to dogs....and we have seen ALOT of bad things happen to dogs..... hope to see you soon.... :D

you are right Kayzhond - I was confusing copyright with patents. I stand corrected. Please feel free to do so again at anytime...and I mean it!!! I dont want to ever give out bad/wrong information, so if necessary, correct me...I dont hold grudges.. not for long, at least... LOL (just teasing) thanks! :D

Jannai, I am very sorry. we kinda jumped all over yu, because we are PRO SPAY/NEUTER her to the nth degree. Daisy pointed it out, and I apologize... The heat cycle should not last more than 5 (sometimes 6) days. During that time, she can become pregnant, and you will need to watch her very carefully. Dont let her out alone, keep all strange dogs away from her...believe it or not, even on a leash she might decide to mate with an unneutered male, right before your eyes...if they "lock" (when dogs mate they lock into position and cant be seperated) it's too late.... and altho I am sorry we jumped all over you, I stand firm on my belief that she should be spayed...if for nothing else, for all the unwanted dogs in the world now residing in shelters.... Come back here (we wont jump on you, I promise) if you have other issues, please....