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Time for another ‘my dog is awesome’ thread


Patricio Swayze

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Danes are fantastic and I Jonesed for one for a long time after having a neighbor with one (Floyd, a big ol black Dane that was also a big softie). I couldn’t stomach the idea of the short lifespan and that’s part of why we decided to rescue a mutt. 

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On 2/25/2022 at 9:54 AM, Sbbruin said:

Lost this big boy one year ago today.  Still hurts.  

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Thank you for posting this SBB. The hurt does not go away, but neither do the great memories. If I have a choice between spending the day with people or with dogs it’s not a real hard decision. They are so much better to us than we deserve.

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Move that timeline up @hookemATL. My father passed away in April 2011 and his dog Autumn, a blue heeler, passed away two years later during the summer. My mom was adamant that she was not getting anymore dogs at that point. A month later I saw a listing on Craigslist for a German Shepherd/Australian Shepherd mix. It was a brother and sister that were around 5 months old. I should have gotten both of them in hindsight, but I took the male. They had named him Diesel. I went and got him and without telling my mom I brought him to her. It took her about 15 minutes to get past her no new dog decree. She was thinking of calling him Josey after the Clint Eastwood movie, but I said that his name was Diesel. She knew the dog was supposed to be with her because my dad, who was a mechanic his entire life, loved Diesel engines and had a work truck that was a diesel (1979 GMC Sierra with semi pipes and all just because he liked truck pipes). I guess that was kind of a sign for her with the name. Almost nine years later he’s still going strong and he’s getting to make memories with my niece. 
 

Go find the dog that fits your family man. 

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I think the momentum of it all is going to lead down that road anyway. I cannot remember the last time we only had one pet in the house, and it feels very weird. 
 

And yes this is the dog thread but I’m gonna post Izzy’s kitten pic bc it makes me smile. Miss you sweet girl. 

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Sorry if this is the wrong thread for this, but I need to get thoughts from somewhere, I guess. We have two dogs, one is 14+ (a male yorkie/pom) and an almost 14 year old female (yorkie/pug). We got them before we had kids together because my wife (then girlfriend) had some notion in her head at the time that it would be a test for raising kids (yeah, no). I have a daughter who was a young teen at the time and the two of them basically picked the dogs and I had no say in having two little yapper dogs added to my house. 

Anyway, they've been amazing parts to our family and we've seen and done a ton since getting them as puppies. The female has had an ongoing disc issue pressing on her spine that impacts her hind legs and ability to walk/run. We had an MRI done 3 years and the options from it were: 1) operation with a 30% chance of death and a less than 50% chance it would work for $7k or 2) let her live with it for as long as she could since she wasn't in apparent pain. I would have paid the money for option 1 if the odds made any sense. 

Now the vet tells us that time has come in which she's actually deteriorating and presumably in a lot of pain. I think she's still happy, but the vet and my wife say that's because it's me and she's otherwise miserable. They want permission to put her down, which would make me, our little kids and her buddy the yorkie/pom absolutely miserable. My wife says we could get him a companion puppy afterwards since he's so old (still acts like he's 2 years old) and the vet says that would be a good thing to do for him. 

I'm not signing off on anything until after some more reflection, but I'm curious what the thoughts are from folks here about this kind of thing. I am still skeptical that she's in a bunch of pain versus just having a much harder time getting around from the disc issue getting worse. I'm struggling with the concept of willfully putting down a family member who still seems to be happy to be here every day, and also not being able to explain it to her buddy were that route to be taken.

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What is happening that your wife feels it is time? What is she seeing? Is she having trouble getting up because of the disc, are her legs so weak she can't walk right? Is she pissing herself? Is she yelping when she walks? Sorry, but you are not very clear on what is happening to her.

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2 hours ago, closetojumping said:

Sorry if this is the wrong thread for this, but I need to get thoughts from somewhere, I guess. We have two dogs, one is 14+ (a male yorkie/pom) and an almost 14 year old female (yorkie/pug). We got them before we had kids together because my wife (then girlfriend) had some notion in her head at the time that it would be a test for raising kids (yeah, no). I have a daughter who was a young teen at the time and the two of them basically picked the dogs and I had no say in having two little yapper dogs added to my house. 

Anyway, they've been amazing parts to our family and we've seen and done a ton since getting them as puppies. The female has had an ongoing disc issue pressing on her spine that impacts her hind legs and ability to walk/run. We had an MRI done 3 years and the options from it were: 1) operation with a 30% chance of death and a less than 50% chance it would work for $7k or 2) let her live with it for as long as she could since she wasn't in apparent pain. I would have paid the money for option 1 if the odds made any sense. 

Now the vet tells us that time has come in which she's actually deteriorating and presumably in a lot of pain. I think she's still happy, but the vet and my wife say that's because it's me and she's otherwise miserable. They want permission to put her down, which would make me, our little kids and her buddy the yorkie/pom absolutely miserable. My wife says we could get him a companion puppy afterwards since he's so old (still acts like he's 2 years old) and the vet says that would be a good thing to do for him. 

I'm not signing off on anything until after some more reflection, but I'm curious what the thoughts are from folks here about this kind of thing. I am still skeptical that she's in a bunch of pain versus just having a much harder time getting around from the disc issue getting worse. I'm struggling with the concept of willfully putting down a family member who still seems to be happy to be here every day, and also not being able to explain it to her buddy were that route to be taken.

You know it in your heart and in her eyes if it's time. Be fair to her if it is. We give animals a much better fate at the end than we do humans. Horrible decision. I had to make it once and it fucking broke me but I knew it was best. Didn't make it hurt any less. 

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12 hours ago, hookemATL said:

We’ve been dogless for awhile now, and we have an agreement with our eldest that once her little sister turns 3 (just turned 1yo on Sunday), we will get a puppy.  However, we recently lost one of our cats (RIP Izzy), and my daughter keeps saying he misses her and she wants a “big ole puppy” to help keep our other cat company.

Debating whether I should move the timeline up and just get a dog now or stick to the original plan. I’d love to get a Dane, but that might be too much dog (health concerns for the breed also factor in). This guy belonged to a work buddy who happened to be in a wheelchair. He took him everywhere and it was great seeing people’s reaction to him. Easily 150lbs and just a giant softie. 

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Ended up with a Dane I wasn't ready for and he lived to 14 but that was obviously a fluke. They are absolutely fantastic dogs but know they are basically indoor pets and think they are lap dogs. The lifespan thing is an understandable concern. 

 

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3 hours ago, closetojumping said:

Sorry if this is the wrong thread for this, but I need to get thoughts from somewhere, I guess. We have two dogs, one is 14+ (a male yorkie/pom) and an almost 14 year old female (yorkie/pug). We got them before we had kids together because my wife (then girlfriend) had some notion in her head at the time that it would be a test for raising kids (yeah, no). I have a daughter who was a young teen at the time and the two of them basically picked the dogs and I had no say in having two little yapper dogs added to my house. 

Anyway, they've been amazing parts to our family and we've seen and done a ton since getting them as puppies. The female has had an ongoing disc issue pressing on her spine that impacts her hind legs and ability to walk/run. We had an MRI done 3 years and the options from it were: 1) operation with a 30% chance of death and a less than 50% chance it would work for $7k or 2) let her live with it for as long as she could since she wasn't in apparent pain. I would have paid the money for option 1 if the odds made any sense. 

Now the vet tells us that time has come in which she's actually deteriorating and presumably in a lot of pain. I think she's still happy, but the vet and my wife say that's because it's me and she's otherwise miserable. They want permission to put her down, which would make me, our little kids and her buddy the yorkie/pom absolutely miserable. My wife says we could get him a companion puppy afterwards since he's so old (still acts like he's 2 years old) and the vet says that would be a good thing to do for him. 

I'm not signing off on anything until after some more reflection, but I'm curious what the thoughts are from folks here about this kind of thing. I am still skeptical that she's in a bunch of pain versus just having a much harder time getting around from the disc issue getting worse. I'm struggling with the concept of willfully putting down a family member who still seems to be happy to be here every day, and also not being able to explain it to her buddy were that route to be taken.

As hard as it is for you, it's the final gift you can give your dog. They have loved you too much to let them suffer. 

Maggie, the dog I just posted above, was one tough cookie. Stoic as could be. I thought if she could deal with it with her head up, so could I. I let it go too long. When I finally took her in, they put the first shot into her to knock her out before the big one. She died within seconds of that first shot. She had been ready, but I always think she held on so long, unnecessarily, for my sake. 

 

Edited by Deej
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3 hours ago, closetojumping said:

Sorry if this is the wrong thread for this, but I need to get thoughts from somewhere, I guess. We have two dogs, one is 14+ (a male yorkie/pom) and an almost 14 year old female (yorkie/pug). We got them before we had kids together because my wife (then girlfriend) had some notion in her head at the time that it would be a test for raising kids (yeah, no). I have a daughter who was a young teen at the time and the two of them basically picked the dogs and I had no say in having two little yapper dogs added to my house. 

Anyway, they've been amazing parts to our family and we've seen and done a ton since getting them as puppies. The female has had an ongoing disc issue pressing on her spine that impacts her hind legs and ability to walk/run. We had an MRI done 3 years and the options from it were: 1) operation with a 30% chance of death and a less than 50% chance it would work for $7k or 2) let her live with it for as long as she could since she wasn't in apparent pain. I would have paid the money for option 1 if the odds made any sense. 

Now the vet tells us that time has come in which she's actually deteriorating and presumably in a lot of pain. I think she's still happy, but the vet and my wife say that's because it's me and she's otherwise miserable. They want permission to put her down, which would make me, our little kids and her buddy the yorkie/pom absolutely miserable. My wife says we could get him a companion puppy afterwards since he's so old (still acts like he's 2 years old) and the vet says that would be a good thing to do for him. 

I'm not signing off on anything until after some more reflection, but I'm curious what the thoughts are from folks here about this kind of thing. I am still skeptical that she's in a bunch of pain versus just having a much harder time getting around from the disc issue getting worse. I'm struggling with the concept of willfully putting down a family member who still seems to be happy to be here every day, and also not being able to explain it to her buddy were that route to be taken.

i have my mother's elderly miniature dachshund Maggie now, she's approaching 18 and I'm similarly watching her carefully. she's so damn cute and playful still! plus she's like a last living remnant of my mom who's been gone three years, so there's all that additional emotional baggage. 

that said, our last girl Cass we put down in 2020 was elderly and it was def time. generally I think the two biggies for me are one, do they still enjoy eating? and two, are they incontinent?  I think those are pretty good barometers to help you know when it's time. 

FWIW we took Cass in three different times thinking she was done, this was it... and three times we brought her home way better than when we took her in (tumor removed, spleen removed, vestibular disease). we used to joke about her thinking "damn would y'all stop rushing me??" 😄

ETA Maggie and Cass ❤

 

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Edited by mchookem
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We’ve been dogless for awhile now, and we have an agreement with our eldest that once her little sister turns 3 (just turned 1yo on Sunday), we will get a puppy.  However, we recently lost one of our cats (RIP Izzy), and my daughter keeps saying he misses her and she wants a “big ole puppy” to help keep our other cat company.
Debating whether I should move the timeline up and just get a dog now or stick to the original plan. I’d love to get a Dane, but that might be too much dog (health concerns for the breed also factor in). This guy belonged to a work buddy who happened to be in a wheelchair. He took him everywhere and it was great seeing people’s reaction to him. Easily 150lbs and just a giant softie. 
FA1877FF-9473-405B-911E-04D062E0505A.thumb.jpeg.b81851b0c2be5e3c532b489603890e92.jpeg
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Do it. Big dogs are the best dogs. Always softies and big goofballs.
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1 hour ago, Deej said:

Some dogs are meant for you. My dad passed in 2002. 2003 a friend came by the house and told me another friend had a puppy he needed to find a home for. Went to meet the dog and my friend mentioned the day the dog was born, which happened to be my dad's birthday.

Maggie, the Heeler/Rottweiler mix. She was a great dog. 

 

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Oh my gosh that’s a great story and man the adventures you must have had with her! What a great mix as well with heeler/rottweiler. 
 

Reading stories about dogs, and pet family members in general, are the best. Everyone has at least one really cool story to share about their best friend. Thanks for sharing that one Deej.

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4 minutes ago, UpperWestside said:

Oh my gosh that’s a great story and man the adventures you must have had with her! What a great mix as well with heeler/rottweiler. 
 

Reading stories about dogs, and pet family members in general, are the best. Everyone has at least one really cool story to share about their best friend. Thanks for sharing that one Deej.

Maggie as an old lady:

 

Screenshot_20220302-202326_Facebook.jpg

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So... snoop was supposed to wear a cone of shame for a month after surgery. It was impossible. It's basically the size of a parabolic microphone.  Found this doc in Austin that has this thing called the lick sleeve. Only 48 hours in but it has been a God send. He's so much happier. 

This surgery sucks. It's like having an infant. And this son of a bitch fucks with us.... he wants to go on a walk so bad it's killing him.  We have to take him outside on a leash to piss or shit but he will pretend he's sniffing to take a shit for like 20 minutes and then just start heading for the front door. Fucker 😅

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So... snoop was supposed to wear a cone of shame for a month after surgery. It was impossible. It's basically the size of a parabolic microphone.  Found this doc in Austin that has this thing called the lick sleeve. Only 48 hours in but it has been a God send. He's so much happier. 
This surgery sucks. It's like having an infant. And this son of a bitch fucks with us.... he wants to go on a walk so bad it's killing him.  We have to take him outside on a leash to piss or shit but he will pretend he's sniffing to take a shit for like 20 minutes and then just start heading for the front door. Fucker 
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That sleeve is tits. It gets better fast, but it's rough.
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Just a little over five months old and right at 50 pounds and I think Sebastian is finally starting to figure out that my daughter’s chihuahua isn’t one of his squeaky chew toys.

He went to the ranch last week and got introduced to the longhorns.  He had a great time herding some cows until the bull showed up.  it was his own Sugar Bowl, except he’s better looking than Uga

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he also likes to channel his inner Burt Reynolds

 

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Edited by NeverMarryAStripper
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15 hours ago, burntorangebongos said:

What is happening that your wife feels it is time? What is she seeing? Is she having trouble getting up because of the disc, are her legs so weak she can't walk right? Is she pissing herself? Is she yelping when she walks? Sorry, but you are not very clear on what is happening to her.

She's not incontinent yet but she's always had terrible manners as she's a little dog and we didn't train her well enough. She's definitely peeing in the house much more frequently, which is a constant issue for a neat freak like my wife or any normal human, I guess. She is not yelping when she moves around. It takes her a while to get the use of her back legs when she wakes up, but they eventually start working. The vet said this time around, after working with her for years, that the back legs are spasming and she thinks she's now in real pain. My wife thinks she's gotten precipitously worse over the course of the last 4 months. 

Someone gave the advice about the look in her eyes, eating habits, etc. Eating habits are still good and she is always excited to see me. I guess we'll talk seriously this weekend about next steps. Sucks. Had a dream about it last night. 

Thanks to those who provided thoughts and feedback.

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On 3/1/2022 at 2:42 AM, UpperWestside said:

I FaceTime with my mom everyday and part of the reason is I call to talk to my recently turned three year old niece. She decided she would go lay down with her best friend Diesel. Diesel is so gentle with her. Somewhere in this thread is a picture of her laying on top of him and he was cool with it. When she came home from the hospital after she was born they put her in a crib and he sat right beside it. If she made even the slightest crying sound he went to go get my brother and the mom. He’s turning 9 on March 31st. He’s a pretty cool story about how he became part of the family that I’ll post sometime. 7558015B-1D6E-4EC4-B8D1-36AFACF16CC1.thumb.jpeg.a16dac8b2cdc6715f358afd28804aa79.jpeg

A GSD raised both of my daughters.  The dogs even had her own set of plastic toys (like shown below) that she played with.  When the girls would get out these specific toys, Greta would go get her set.    Kids spit up?  Greta with the face cleanup duty.  Kids learning to walk?  Great with 'sharp edge' and 'fireplace' duty and there to prove a moving handrail for the girls.  

5196e45a-a675-41ca-b5f6-6a56fcee64ab_1.e

 

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I'm getting the itch to start looking for another dog. Put Emma down last July and have been rolling with two since. Penny will be 8 in July. Blue will be 4 in April. That would give me 4 years between each dog. I think that's a good spacing. 

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47 minutes ago, hullabelew said:

GSD and heeler?   That fluffy tail is killing me.  

According to her DNA test, Aussie Cattle (55+%), Great Pyrenees (25%), and German Shephard (13%) and mix.  Tail comes from the GP.

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