Dogs

[lukethedrifter]

Step son is getting a Dogue de Bordeaux. Not sure what his huge dog fetish is. Not sure how I feel about perpetuating a breed that lives 5-8 years because they were bred to be unhealthy.

[go birds]

I was looking into getting a Berny, but then i read they usually top out at 7 years and immediately changed my mind.

and yea, doc, dog Samaritans are [expletive] weirdos. i appreciate the fact that they care so much about these animals, but some of them take it to a whole new level and make even make it their livelihood.

i can't say i had the same type of experience, but the foster home that i adopted my pup from was overwhelmingly cautious...like would email me every other week for like the first 6 months to "Check in". she was nice about it and it was more small talk than anything, but it was starting to get uncomfortably weird. Like, i'm a responsible adult--leave me alone.

[Mary1966]

Got this sent to me by a friend. I would like to hope that this story is true, it would be a great thing for a little kid to have this happen after losing a beloved dog.

Our 14-year-old dog Abbey died last month.

The day after she passed away my 4-year-old daughter Meredith was
crying and talking about how much she missed Abbey.

She asked if we could write a letter to God so that when Abbey got to
heaven, God would recognize her.

I told her that I thought that we could, so she dictated these words:

Dear God,
Will you please take care of my dog?
Abbey died yesterday and is with you in heaven.
I miss her very much.

I 'm happy that you let me have her as my dog even though she got sick.
I hope you will play with her.
She likes to swim and play with balls.

I am sending a picture of her so when you see her you will know that she is my dog.

I really miss her.
Love, Meredith


We put the letter in an envelope with a picture of Abbey & Meredith,
addressed it to God/Heaven.

We put our return address on it.

Meredith pasted several stamps on the front of the envelope because she
said it would take lots of stamps to get the letter all the way to heaven.
That afternoon she dropped it into the letter box at the post office.

A few days later, she asked if God had gotten the letter yet.
I told her that I thought He had.

Yesterday, there was a package wrapped in gold paper on our front porch
addressed, 'To Meredith' in an unfamiliar hand.

Meredith opened it.
Inside was a book by Mr. Rogers called, 'When a Pet Dies.'

Taped to the inside front cover was the letter we had written to God
in its opened envelope.

On the opposite page was the picture of Abbey & Meredith and this note:


Dear Meredith,

Abbey arrived safely in heaven. Having the picture was a big help and I
recognized her right away.

Abbey isn't sick anymore.
Her spirit is here with me just like it stays in your heart.

Abbey loved being your dog.

Since we don't need our bodies in heaven, I don't have any pockets to
keep your picture in so I'm sending it back to you in this little book for
you to keep and have something to remember Abbey by.

Thank you for the beautiful letter and thank your mother for helping you
write it and sending it to me.

What a wonderful mother you have. I picked her especially for you.

I send my blessings every day and remember that I love you very much.

By the way, I'm easy to find.
I am wherever there is love.

Love,
God

[Molly]

Got this sent to me by a friend. I would like to hope that this story is true, it would be a great thing for a little kid to have this happen after losing a beloved dog.

Our 14-year-old dog Abbey died last month.

The day after she passed away my 4-year-old daughter Meredith was
crying and talking about how much she missed Abbey.

She asked if we could write a letter to God so that when Abbey got to
heaven, God would recognize her.

I told her that I thought that we could, so she dictated these words:

Dear God,
Will you please take care of my dog?
Abbey died yesterday and is with you in heaven.
I miss her very much.

I 'm happy that you let me have her as my dog even though she got sick.
I hope you will play with her.
She likes to swim and play with balls.

I am sending a picture of her so when you see her you will know that she is my dog.

I really miss her.
Love, Meredith


We put the letter in an envelope with a picture of Abbey & Meredith,
addressed it to God/Heaven.

We put our return address on it.

Meredith pasted several stamps on the front of the envelope because she
said it would take lots of stamps to get the letter all the way to heaven.
That afternoon she dropped it into the letter box at the post office.

A few days later, she asked if God had gotten the letter yet.
I told her that I thought He had.

Yesterday, there was a package wrapped in gold paper on our front porch
addressed, 'To Meredith' in an unfamiliar hand.

Meredith opened it.
Inside was a book by Mr. Rogers called, 'When a Pet Dies.'

Taped to the inside front cover was the letter we had written to God
in its opened envelope.

On the opposite page was the picture of Abbey & Meredith and this note:


Dear Meredith,

Abbey arrived safely in heaven. Having the picture was a big help and I
recognized her right away.

Abbey isn't sick anymore.
Her spirit is here with me just like it stays in your heart.

Abbey loved being your dog.

Since we don't need our bodies in heaven, I don't have any pockets to
keep your picture in so I'm sending it back to you in this little book for
you to keep and have something to remember Abbey by.

Thank you for the beautiful letter and thank your mother for helping you
write it and sending it to me.

What a wonderful mother you have. I picked her especially for you.

I send my blessings every day and remember that I love you very much.

By the way, I'm easy to find.
I am wherever there is love.

Love,
God

Put a lump in my throat and it's true.

http://www.snopes.com/glurge/abbey.asp

[lukethedrifter]

http://dogbehaviorscience.wordpress.com ... provement/

It seems incredible that at one time the Bull Terrier was a handsome, athletic dog. Somewhere along its journey to a mutated skull and thick abdomen the bull terrier also picked up a number of other maladies like supernumerary teeth and compulsive tail-chasing.
The English bulldog has come to symbolize all that is wrong with the dog fancy and not without good reason; they suffer from almost every possible disease. A 2004 survey by the Kennel Club found that they die at the median age of 6.25 years (n=180). There really is no such thing as a healthy bulldog. The bulldog’s monstrous proportions makes them virtually incapable of mating or birthing without medical intervention.
A shorter face means a host of problems. The modern Boxer not only has a shorter face but the muzzle is slightly upturned. The boxer – like all bracecyphalic dogs – has difficulty controlling its temperature in hot weather, the inability to shed heat places limits on physical performance. It also has one of the highest cancer rates.

[JL21]

That's fascinating, creepy, weird and depressing all at once.

[Fat_Bulldog]

http://dogbehaviorscience.wordpress.com ... provement/

It seems incredible that at one time the Bull Terrier was a handsome, athletic dog. Somewhere along its journey to a mutated skull and thick abdomen the bull terrier also picked up a number of other maladies like supernumerary teeth and compulsive tail-chasing.
The English bulldog has come to symbolize all that is wrong with the dog fancy and not without good reason; they suffer from almost every possible disease. A 2004 survey by the Kennel Club found that they die at the median age of 6.25 years (n=180). There really is no such thing as a healthy bulldog. The bulldog’s monstrous proportions makes them virtually incapable of mating or birthing without medical intervention.
A shorter face means a host of problems. The modern Boxer not only has a shorter face but the muzzle is slightly upturned. The boxer – like all bracecyphalic dogs – has difficulty controlling its temperature in hot weather, the inability to shed heat places limits on physical performance. It also has one of the highest cancer rates.

Luke,

Both of my bulldogs are CKC bulldogs. They are bred naturally and have a life expectancy of 10-12 years. My oldest girl will be 14 years old in May. My male is 4. Both are healthy and without breathing or hip issues. The CKC recognized ones, look like the original bulldog in your picture.

The AKC bulldogs are bred through a horrible process and those are the ones with health issues and the extreme features with a short life expectancy.

Weird that the AKC only recognizes those poor dogs as the standard.

[Freed Roger]

Thus, Half-breed > inbred ( Outside of the Big Galoot- labrador)

We really like our little Lhasa Apso, another purebred. His antics are comedic, especially contrasted against the Galoot. But, all his dog survival skills are extinct. If you don't groom him, he wouldn't be able to see or walk because of the fur. Overall, he's just not a picture of health.

Took both out to the woods again this fall. Mr. Fuzzypants loved getting to go - but just like last time, he was full of burrs right away. Went down a sandbank to the Meramec, and required my assistance to get back out. Limped around for days afterwards. I shared in this thread how poorly he fares in snow too. Supposedly, Lhasas originate in a snowy region of the world and not too distant from wolf -my ass... Meanwhile the Galoot, who is over 10 y/o- was gallivanting around like there was no tomorrow.

[JL21]

[Jocephus]

i like the 100 years of breed improvements article then seeing that