The Conservative Cave
The Bar => The Lounge => Topic started by: SaintLouieWoman on January 09, 2012, 09:27:02 AM
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(http://images1.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp%3B%3C6%3Enu%3D323%3A%3E983%3E9%3A2%3EWSNRCG%3D3542339394339nu0mrj)
This is Bella, our 2 1/2 year old "puppy". Greyhounds often race til 4 or 5 years if they're any good. Bella wasn't. She was in 9 races and lost all 9, only came in second once. Her little career was very brief, but her new job as lovable pet is a winner. She's a very sweet dog and gets along so well with Darlene, our black 8 1/2 year old greyhound.
She's definitely a "daddy's girl". She follows SR everywhere and listens to him way more than she listens to me. She also plays with her toys constantly, inspiring Darlene to once again play with the toys. Now all we hear is the squeak, squeak of them chewing on those toys and tossing them around. Right now she's carrying around the little Santa toy in the picture.
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(http://images1.snapfish.com/232323232%7Ffp%3B87%3Enu%3D323%3A%3E983%3E9%3A2%3EWSNRCG%3D354233938%3A339nu0mrj)
Here's Bella and Darlene in their favorite spot in our computer room. Darlene is the greyhound with the white face.
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Pretty dog.
What happened to Xena?
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Pretty dog.
What happened to Xena?
This has been our very bad year, tempered with a few good things, like we survived and Bella.
The day after Thanksgiving Xena had to be euthanized. She had pulled up with a limp before I went in for the knee replacement. The vet prescribed some painkillers, thinking that perhaps she had strained a muscle. When I returned home 2 weeks later, the limp was still there and the drugs weren't touching the pain. She was panting a lot at night. The vet kept saying it was a torn ACL.
We finally took her to a different vet (it was hard as SR couldn't drive and I had the surgery and had to wait for the OK to drive. I had to time driving between pain med administration---how I got off the pain meds).
They took x-rays and Xena had osteosarcoma, bone cancer. We couldn't let her suffer.
We lost Blue, the pooch in my avatar, April 1st, some April fools day. Besides his epilepsy, he had cancer. We were lucky to have the dogs as long as we did. Blue was a week shy of 12 and Xena was 11 1/2. It was just tough. We really loved those dogs.
That's why Bella and Darlene make us smile. We couldn't let Darlene, or us, be alone.
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Oh. That's so sad. :(
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While losing the two greyhounds is sad, you've got two more sent to you by God to love.
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It's great when two dogs can be pals. We've got that with our two -- they are truly the best of friends.
Congratulations on getting a great pup, and I wish you many happy years with Bella Blue!
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She's a real beauty. Congratulations on the new addition to your family!
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This has been our very bad year, tempered with a few good things, like we survived and Bella.
The day after Thanksgiving Xena had to be euthanized. She had pulled up with a limp before I went in for the knee replacement. The vet prescribed some painkillers, thinking that perhaps she had strained a muscle. When I returned home 2 weeks later, the limp was still there and the drugs weren't touching the pain. She was panting a lot at night. The vet kept saying it was a torn ACL.
We finally took her to a different vet (it was hard as SR couldn't drive and I had the surgery and had to wait for the OK to drive. I had to time driving between pain med administration's I got off the pain melds).
They took crays and Xena had asceticism, bone cancer. We couldn't let her suffer.
We lost Blue, the pooch in my avatar, April 1st, some April fools day. Besides his epilepsy, he had cancer. We were lucky to have the dogs as long as we did. Blue was a week shy of 12 and Xena was 11 1/2. It was just tough. We really loved those dogs.
That's why Bella and Darlene make us smile. We couldn't let Darlene, or us, be alone.
SLW, I live in the seacoast of New Hampshire, We had a bit down the road a Dog racing track, there was a holding area for the dogs before and after racing, inside with big windows of people with kiddies could look in.
The local schools hired kids to walk them to the starting gates, then collect them after the race to go back into the inside pens. All looked clean and neat, dogs appeared to be well cared for.
Something came up, rumors of dark nature and out of the blue the Grayhound rescue were beating the drum for people to adopt the dogs that were not race worthy.
The rescue was so desperate they were almost giving the dogs away, They went from adopting a dog to a family with and acre for it to run to training the dogs to be service dogs.
Peta got involved some how as did other Amimal rights group and claimed that these dogs born to run should not be placed with anyone that needed them for service dogs or were unable to let the dogs run. The dogs proved them wrong.
Many of these dogs were to become help mates to senior citizens or children with medical needs. The need to run seemed to disappear when the dog was given a job to do, trained to pull a wheel chair, open doors and stand still when someone needed to lean on them to get out of bed.
Then the second shoe dropped. the farm the racing dogs were kept at came under investigation, they found an excess of 125+ dogs buried on the property. Why feed a dog that cannot win a race was their excuse.
Horrid thing to happen but we are just a small comunity and this must be going on most everywhere.
You mentioned your new dog is an adult that had been a slow racer, best kind from what I hear. SLW you are blessed to have the new dog, especially a grayhound that never had love from a humane before. There is a special place for people like you beyond the Rainbow Bridge, goodness and mercy will follow you all your life and beyond.
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This has been our very bad year, tempered with a few good things, like we survived and Bella.
The day after Thanksgiving Xena had to be euthanized. She had pulled up with a limp before I went in for the knee replacement. The vet prescribed some painkillers, thinking that perhaps she had strained a muscle. When I returned home 2 weeks later, the limp was still there and the drugs weren't touching the pain. She was panting a lot at night. The vet kept saying it was a torn ACL.
We finally took her to a different vet (it was hard as SR couldn't drive and I had the surgery and had to wait for the OK to drive. I had to time driving between pain med administration---how I got off the pain meds).
They took x-rays and Xena had osteosarcoma, bone cancer. We couldn't let her suffer.
We lost Blue, the pooch in my avatar, April 1st, some April fools day. Besides his epilepsy, he had cancer. We were lucky to have the dogs as long as we did. Blue was a week shy of 12 and Xena was 11 1/2. It was just tough. We really loved those dogs.
That's why Bella and Darlene make us smile. We couldn't let Darlene, or us, be alone.
We had to put down our greyhound, Saucey (race name "with the Sauce") back in June last year for the same reason. Damn, I hate bone cancer.
Your new friend is a beaut, SLW.
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We had to put down our greyhound, Saucey (race name "with the Sauce") back in June last year for the same reason. Damn, I hate bone cancer.
Your new friend is a beaut, SLW.
Thanks. I hate that bone cancer, too. I've lost 3 greys to bone cancer and 1 to some unspecified cancer. It's a curse to long legged dogs of any breed.
We thought about getting another breed, but just couldn't. They really need a home and decided not to pay a breeder for a dog when there's a grey who really needs a loving home.
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Thanks. I hate that bone cancer, too. I've lost 3 greys to bone cancer and 1 to some unspecified cancer. It's a curse to long legged dogs of any breed.
We thought about getting another breed, but just couldn't. They really need a home and decided not to pay a breeder for a dog when there's a grey who really needs a loving home.
And the best thing about 'em, is that when they have a loving home, they repay that love in spades. Saucey was our little boy's closest friend, playmate and lifelong pal from the time he was 3. All she ever needed was to be where he was, doing what he was doing with him.
As for me, it never mattered how bad my day was; she was always just as cheerful as could be when she met me at the door at night, and her good cheer was usually contagious.
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And the best thing about 'em, is that when they have a loving home, they repay that love in spades. Saucey was our little boy's closest friend, playmate and lifelong pal from the time he was 3. All she ever needed was to be where he was, doing what he was doing with him.
As for me, it never mattered how bad my day was; she was always just as cheerful as could be when she met me at the door at night, and her good cheer was usually contagious.
She sounds like a wonderful dog. I'll bet your little guy misses her. Did you ever get another dog?
I can't believe how good Bella has been, not destroyed anything from day one nor had any accidents in the house.
There's something so special about dogs who have been rescued. They somehow seem to be more loving and so appreciative. There's a reason I prefer dogs to some people.
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I'm so sorry that you lost your other dogs, but Bella Blue looks like a sweetheart.
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She sounds like a wonderful dog. I'll bet your little guy misses her. Did you ever get another dog?
I can't believe how good Bella has been, not destroyed anything from day one nor had any accidents in the house.
There's something so special about dogs who have been rescued. They somehow seem to be more loving and so appreciative. There's a reason I prefer dogs to some people.
We still miss her, even though we did adopt another rescue dog. The day we put her down, the sadness and missing her didn't really hit us until we got home, and Saucey wasn't at the door with her tail wagging to greet us. It never mattered how sick or in how much pain she was; if she heard our truck pull into the drive, she was at the door to welcome us home. Until that last day, that is...
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I feel for your losses; it's so hard. I also bless you from the bottom of my heart for taking in and loving those sweet babies! Our rescues have been joys for us as they have for you.
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Beautiful dog SLW!
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She's a Daddy's girl. :-)
We were lucky to get her!
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I'll trade you a cat for your dog.
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I'll trade you a cat for your dog.
SR would never let them go---neither would I. :-)
Besides, we need them to pretend to be watch dogs. They're worthless that way, but maybe someone thinking of breaking in would see 2 big black dogs and go away. At least, that's my hope.
We've been having problems in the neighborhood. I think we need to put a "Beware of dogs" sign outside.
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The only way I could get my cat to go after a burglar would be to dress him up like a squeaky toy.
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The only way I could get my cat to go after a burglar would be to dress him up like a squeaky toy.
:rofl:
If that doesn't work, maybe try dipping the burglar in gravy or rubbing him down with catnip. :-)
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So beautiful!! Sorry for the loss of your other dogs. That's always so sad to say goodbye to a pet.
Do you know how Greyhounds are with children? I have a greyhound on my top five of dogs to possibly get once we get a house (and a huge yard!!)
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So beautiful!! Sorry for the loss of your other dogs. That's always so sad to say goodbye to a pet.
Do you know how Greyhounds are with children? I have a greyhound on my top five of dogs to possibly get once we get a house (and a huge yard!!)
They're generally very good with kids. Both Bella and Darlene love kids. That was one of our criteria when we picked Bella. We went to a Meet N Greet, where a greyhound group goes to a local store, like a Petco, with the dogs that are up for adoption so you can meet the dogs. I watched all of them, but Bella seemed to really be attracted to kids and let them pet her, in fact seemed to seek out kids.
There are a few that aren't great with kids, primarily because they might be afraid of kids. My Blue, the dog in my avatar pic that we lost to cancer in April, was one of those dogs. If little kids came to our house, Blue would go back on his own to the bedroom and wouldn't emerge til the kids left. But he would never hurt one.
Darlene, on the other hand, would always be out front and center if anyone, including kids, came to the house. All she wants is attention. Bella is the same.
With any breed, observe the dog first. I'd always opt for an outgoing dog. (But the shy ones have their special charm).
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Have you ever taken them to the Paw Park on 17th? It's a really nice big space where they could run as much as they want and it's all fenced in.
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Have you ever taken them to the Paw Park on 17th? It's a really nice big space where they could run as much as they want and it's all fenced in.
I used to take Xena there all the time and she loved it. Took her there for years...
When we came back to Sarasota we took Darlene and Xena there once, this was after we lost Blue.
I'm going to start taking Darlene and Bella there again soon.
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I used to take Xena there all the time and she loved it. Took her there for years...
When we came back to Sarasota we took Darlene and Xena there once, this was after we lost Blue.
I'm going to start taking Darlene and Bella there again soon.
We had our Saint Bernard for 10 years, we got him when the last baby was about 12 months old. Huge dog that we assumed needed plenty of space to run.
To our surprise it did not matter that much if at all to the dog, he seldom wanted to stay outside for longer then to do his duty.
My question on Grayhounds is, do these dogs have a NEED to run???? Can they get exercise chasing the cat or just hanging out with their owners.?
I am curious as so many grayhounds are adopted by Senior Citizens that cannot walk them especially in the winter.
I see seeing eye dogs and service dogs that are of breeds that one thinks needs much run time but adjust to a quiet life at their masters side 24/7.
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We had our Saint Bernard for 10 years, we got him when the last baby was about 12 months old. Huge dog that we assumed needed plenty of space to run.
To our surprise it did not matter that much if at all to the dog, he seldom wanted to stay outside for longer then to do his duty.
My question on Grayhounds is, do these dogs have a NEED to run???? Can they get exercise chasing the cat or just hanging out with their owners.?
I am curious as so many grayhounds are adopted by Senior Citizens that cannot walk them especially in the winter.
I see seeing eye dogs and service dogs that are of breeds that one thinks needs much run time but adjust to a quiet life at their masters side 24/7.
Greys are known as 45 mph couch potatos. They don't need a ton of exercise and I took Xena to the park so much because I could get my walk in too as well as talk to SaintLouieWoman when she was up in St. Louis before we were married. She would run a little but mostly she liked to just lope around meeting her dog park buddies. Xena, not SLW. :lmao:
If I took her to the park very early in the morning when there were not a lot of puppers around she would take off like a rocket and do laps like she was on the race track. It was something to see!
Darlene didn't do much when we took her the 1st time but I think Bella is going to love the park.
I usually take Darlene and Bella for a good walk once a day. We have a fenced in yard and that's usually a good idea with a Grey.
SR