Just A Dog

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Permalink Reply by Renee on December 8, 2008 at 4:10pm

They are never "Just a dog" are they. Always a family member,friend. Even though we have only had Max a short time he has been a family member and a friend and with any luck will be for a long time.

Permalink Reply by Wendt Worth Corgi's on December 8, 2008 at 4:18pm

Well I wish you the best of luck w/him. I can't stand it when people are so relaxed on care for their pets and think nature takes its course..grrrr

Permalink Reply by Jill and JOSIE on January 9, 2009 at 11:06am

Having just lost my gentle giant Titus (Great Dane), I can comment personally on this post. Titus was an extroidinary dog, and truly my best friend in this world. I can't imagine any human in my life being more devoted or non judgemental of me. Titus first bloated in June of 08 - a very expensive surgery - and my then employees ( I WAS the manager of my dept. but left that job soon after all this occurred) wondered why on earth I would spend my money "like that", and made comments like "well it must be nice to make enough money to spend THAT kind of money on a dog". He survived the bloat surgery and was doing very well, when he developed a UTI. We were taking care of that when the vet felt a lump in his neck. It was thyroid cancer, rare in dogs, and required surgery ASAP prevent metastisis. At this point, the people I work with are looking at me like I'm a nut when I tell them he needs surgery to remove this tumor, and one even had the nerve to say "you know, don't you think it's time to consider putting him to sleep? This has to be costing you a FORTUNE!" I could have slapped her across the room.

Titus only survived a few weeks after removing the thyroid tumor....he stopped eating, developed septicemia, and when he stopped wanting to play ball, his favorite thing, I knew it was time. I took the day off and took him in to the vet - everyone at the vet's office loved him so much, and we all laughed at his history of crazy antics, and cried at the loss. Then my partner and I brought him home and laid him to rest here at our beautiful farm - my neighbor is an excavator and came to make him a final resting place.

I returned to work the next day - not one of my co-workers offered condolences. I think they were bitter that I had taken a day off for "just a dog". Unbelievable, I thought. I put his dog tag on the back of my work badge, that keeps him close to my heart in the only physical way possible now. Someone asked me last week "why do you have a dog tag on your name badge?" Unbelievable, I thought. My closest friends understand, as my "friends" are all carefully chosen as people who understand the love and joy animals bring to our lives. My coworkers and aquaintences do not understand, and I feel sorry for them, that they have never experienced the undying loyalty of (wo)man's best friend.

Permalink Reply by Wendt Worth Corgi's on January 9, 2009 at 12:03pm

I know how you feel and I can't believe how some are so uncompassionate. What a neat idea about the dog tag. I think that is very special and will definitely remember that. Thank you for sharing this story. I dealt w/this my whole childhood w/my father. Animals were just animals and I needed to suck it up.

Permalink Reply by Jill and JOSIE on January 9, 2009 at 12:27pm

My father is the same way. When I told him about Titus and what I was going through, he said, "Well Jill! You better get over it, you have what, 40 something animals? And you're gonna go through this again and again..." My Mom, on the other hand (they are divorced), sent me $1000 to help with bills, and cried like she had lost a grandchild. I must take after my Mom, ya think???

Permalink Reply by Wendt Worth Corgi's on January 9, 2009 at 12:31pm

I think so. What a wonderful mother. My mom would of been the same way but unfortunately she has passed. Gosh..I had gotten this amazing poem about mothers and how their tears are the tears of angels or something like that. I'm going to shut up since I'm messing the message up on the poem but it was really beautiful.

Permalink Reply by Marion and Vern on January 9, 2009 at 3:32pm

I am sorry but after reading this and the replies I had tears in my eyes. I too am reminded of what my mother said once when someone said "dumb animal" about a dog she told them "It must be, it wants to be friend with some like you, but then they tend to see the good in all of us no matter how deep it is buried. So maybe they aren't as dumb as you think."

Permalink Reply by Wendt Worth Corgi's on January 9, 2009 at 3:36pm

Some one had said to me once that if someone isn't an animal lover or has compassion for them they are normally not an individual to trust.

Permalink Reply by Marion and Vern on January 9, 2009 at 3:38pm

Boy have you got that one right. Also if my animals did not like someone or weren't their normal selves around someone then I kept my eye on them or just wrote them off.

Permalink Reply by Wendt Worth Corgi's on January 9, 2009 at 3:43pm

Yes.your right. When I was engaged my Arabian Gelding couldn't stand my fiance..well the fiance is ancient history and the horse loved my now husband. I do trust the instincts of my animals. Here is a video that you might enjoy and appreciate. Its meant for single women who are dog lovers and trying to find that special someone. The was me big time when I was single...my animals always over rated any guy that was in my life til my husband came along but he loved them just as much and excepted them.
http://www.petsugar.com/2440707#comments

Permalink Reply by Marion and Vern on January 9, 2009 at 3:57pm

That was cute. When I met my now husband I had Tedi, he was just a baby. And I had 2 cats, mother and son, Precious and Thumper. Vern is very allergic to cats but he knew we were a package deal plus Precious loved him and believe me that was one cat with an ATTITUDE. When we lost them they were 21 and 20 years old, it was due to kidney failure just a few months apart.

Permalink Reply by LORRAINE on January 9, 2009 at 3:59pm

I agree with you all, if you are not an animal lover you must have a sad and lonely life because they bring so much joy, love and happiness to your world. I have had dogs of all shapes and sizes over the years and each one brought fun and love in their own way with many happy memories. It took me six years from my last dog to my baby now and boy have i missed the love we share(but dont tell hubby!!!).