Pet Appreciation Thread

[Baffle]

I still hold a fairly strong belief that there are no bad dogs, just bad owners.

I broadly agree, but the Bully XL dogs are a bit worrying, though I still fall on the side of that one being a bad owners issue. The problem is that it's bad owners with extremely strong dogs! They don't even seem that big, just very dense and powerful. I'd be amazed if they aren't on the banned breeds list in the UK within the year.

 

[Baffle]

Dog tax

 

[gorfias]

I worked for a major pet-supply chain for ten years. Met hundreds of Pitties. To a one, they would rather have loved you to death than harmed a hair on your head.

The only bite incident I was ever around for was from an overstressed Golden Retriever.

Yeah, Pitties in the US are so plentiful that if you get a rescue and you don't wanna know? Don't ask. My daughter who lives with us was told if she had to get a dog, no pitties as the wife not only hates dogs but fears pitties. So she got a rescue from Texas, reportedly 1/2 chocolate lab, 1/2 pointer. Nope. No pointer. About 1/2 pitbull. 1/4 lab, 1/4 "super mutt". Oddly, the wife, who hates dogs, considers herself a grandmother now.

 

[Schadrach]

Yeah, Pitties in the US are so plentiful that if you get a rescue and you don't wanna know? Don't ask.

A lot of rescues will simply list them as some variety of mix or unknown breed to avoid the stigma pitties get and allow people to claim ignorance as regards insurance and the like. My wife wanted a second dog and we went to a few rescues looking at the different pups and probably half of the "unknown mix" or "hound mix" dogs were pits or pit mixes.

 

[Elvis Starburst]

Or loss. Not going through that again. Done.

Yup... That too

 

[Baffle]

I'd be amazed if they aren't on the banned breeds list in the UK within the year.

Okay, so within the next three months.

 

[Xprimentyl]

Nolan hit 6 months, and at the vet's advisement, we had him fixed yesterday. He is NOT happy with us.

Funny thing is, this was his third trip to the vet since we got him; shots the first time, second was pre-op blood work, and yesterday castration. Each trip started in his pet taxi (which he normally loves to lay in,) followed by a car ride, then entering the vet's office which has a very potent and distinct air freshener aroma. The last trip, he was silent the whole car ride, but the moment I opened the door to the vet and that aroma wafted out, he let out several "meeoOOOOooow!" He knows the vet now, and associates it with pain. I think we've permanently damaged the trust between us. He still needs us and will let us cuddle and pet him, but I don't think he likes us anymore. (Can't say I blame him )

 

[XsjadoBlaydette]

so adorable with their cones, but they suffer them so

 

[XsjadoBlaydette]

 

[Xprimentyl]

8 years ago, I had just moved to Plano, TX, and the first thing on my list of to-dos was to find a watering hole, and I found a local pub at which I quickly became a regular. Made a lot of quick friends, one of which was a man named Lee, and I got to know him through his dog, Chief. Unleashed, Chief would wander through the bar making friends (and getting treats; the bar kept a large plastic jug of treats with Chief’s name on it for patrons to give to him) while Lee drank his two beers and shot the shit with everybody; he's pretty much a local celebrity. Lee and I have maintained a strong friendship through the subsequent years; he comes over to our house just to hang out while Chief swims in the pool; we go over to his for crawfish boils and watch NASCAR races.

To the dismay of many, Chief passed away last night. I’m devastated. It feels like a family member is gone; I had no idea how much I loved that dog. I can only imagine how terrible Lee feels. We sent flowers and a small memorial plaque with this picture of Chief on it. If ever there was the literal embodiment of a dog being a man’s best friend, it was the bond Lee and Chief shared.

RIP, buddy.

 

[Chimpzy]

I miss my doggo.