Going to adopt a pet

[Ensign Steve]

As soon as my bed gets delivered today (a different adventure altogether) I am going to go down to the animal shelter and adopt a pet. Doggie or kitty, I haven't decided. We'll see who tugs at my heartstrings the hardest when I get there. I'll post pictures as soon as I get back! :D:D:D

:beagle: :dalmation: :retrieve: :dogrun: :puppy2: :bulldog: :humping: :doggies: :leglift: :sleepingdog: :milkcat: :rollover: :evilcat: :catwalk: :bagcat: :blackcat: :catsmeow: :gatto: :kitty: :cat: :meow:

Yay! I'm so lonely. Maybe I'll get one of each.

[livius drusus]

Awwww... That's so adorably sweet. I say go for the adult kitty or doggy. Don't be lured by the cuteness of babyhood. Those fuckers will cover your apartment in crap and reduce your brand new bed to rubble.

[viscousmemories]

That beagle puppy is soooo cute. I love puppies and kittens. Good luck, JD. :)

[JoeP]

Get a kitten. Don't listen to that grump livius.

I suppose I should ask: will this be an indoors pet? Or will it roam freely outside? Indoors dogs can be cute but are essentially sad. Indoors cats, however, can be great.

[Ronin]

Awwww... That's so adorably sweet. I say go for the adult kitty or doggy. Don't be lured by the cuteness of babyhood. Those fuckers will cover your apartment in crap and reduce your brand new bed to rubble.

Almost a year ago my fifteen year old calico that adopted me back in the 80's vanished. It took awhile to get over not seeing her around where I expected her...playing with her when she thought I needed it...and having to push her away from my shoelaces in the dark of night as I got ready for work.

I didn't think I'd ever want to get another pet.

A few months ago I decided to go to the shelter and just look around.

Siren found me as soon as I walked in. She was very ill and I did have to shell out more cash than expected to fix her up...but she is fat and happy now.

She has always been cat box literate and only claws up the cardboard toy I bought for her...dogs are stinky.

Go with your heartstrings, JD, and post a pic asap.

:popcorn:

[livius drusus]

Damn it. I can resist her Siren song. She's just too adorably cute.

[Ensign Steve]

Get a kitten. Don't listen to that grump livius.

I suppose I should ask: will this be an indoors pet? Or will it roam freely outside? Indoors dogs can be cute but are essentially sad. Indoors cats, however, can be great.

Okay, bed has been delivered. Waiting for the sheets to come out of the dryer and then I'm on my way! Oooh I'm so excited. Yes, the animal will be an indoors animal. I have a small apartment with a large balcony, but it's too cold right now to make good use of the balcony. My last apartment had no balcony and my chihuahua/minpin mix was essentially extatic. He got his share of walks, I assure you.

I so wish I could decide before I go, so I can stop at the commisary first and pick up supplies. The 'pros' for both types of animals are numerous. The cons are only:

dog: having to get out of bed earlier to do the morning walk.
cat: catboxes are gross and an extra hassle, plus I'm alergic to cats.

[LadyShea]

Get a kitten. Don't listen to that grump livius.

I suppose I should ask: will this be an indoors pet? Or will it roam freely outside? Indoors dogs can be cute but are essentially sad. Indoors cats, however, can be great.
Nah, my adopted big doggies love being inside with us. They go out to do their necessaries and run a bit, but they would much rather nap inside on the couch than out. And really most animals nap like 20 hours a day ;)

I am happy you're getting a pet JD, but might I suggest a pair? When you're gone at work they will probably be less apt to get bored and destructive if there are 2. I am not much of a cat person, but they might be a better fit for your lifestyle. Can't wait for the pictures!!

[viscousmemories]

Siren is adorable, Ronin. :)

[TomJoe]

Nah, my adopted big doggies love being inside with us. They go out to do their necessaries and run a bit, but they would much rather nap inside on the couch than out. And really most animals nap like 20 hours a day ;)


Yep, my lab-mix is exactly the same way. She'd rather stay inside than run around outside, unless daddy has a tennis ball in his hand.

[livius drusus]

She's smiling! I love it when dogs do that.

[LadyShea]

She's smiling! I love it when dogs do that.

And she appears to be drinking a Coke.

[JoeP]

Get a kitten. Don't listen to that grump livius.

I suppose I should ask: will this be an indoors pet? Or will it roam freely outside? Indoors dogs can be cute but are essentially sad. Indoors cats, however, can be great.
Nah, my adopted big doggies love being inside with us. They go out to do their necessaries and run a bit, but they would much rather nap inside on the couch than out. And really most animals nap like 20 hours a day ;)

I am happy you're getting a pet JD, but might I suggest a pair? When you're gone at work they will probably be less apt to get bored and destructive if there are 2. I am not much of a cat person, but they might be a better fit for your lifestyle. Can't wait for the pictures!!
:twisted: I wasn't implying that an indoors dog feels unhappy ... just that I think it's a sad thing. I admit to not being a dog lover.

JD, too bad about being allergic ... are you even considering cats? Could you cope?

[livius drusus]

And she appears to be drinking a Coke.
Or just keeping it safe for her dad.

[Ensign Steve]

Okay, we're home.

JoeP, I was definitely considering a cat. I adore kitties, and my chewable claritin are pretty tasty.

However, the dog won out.

He is a "lab mix" according to his paperwork, but he looks exactly like a mutt to me. He's tan colored, with a black spot on his tail. He's really young. (photos forthcoming. I figure I'll let him get adjusted for a minute before I start making him pose for me.) We made it almost all the way back home before he threw up in my car.

He needs a name. So far I am considering: Diego, Ramon, Butch, Caesar, Zeus, August (for Augusta), and George (for Georgia).

[Lauri D]

Hard to say on the name without seeing pics first, but I'm preliminarily partial to "Zeus" and "Caesar".

[JoeP]

Once you choose the name, stick with it. You're not 10, so maybe it won't be a problem ... my daughter's maltese poodle (originally Suzy, by the breeders) was called Suzy in the car on the way home, then Pookie, the Snowflake. That lasted for a few days and is on the vet's card. But she changed it to Bambi, and then Taffi, which lasted for a week or so, but now its name (apparently) is Baby. Although she most often calls it Kitty. Seriously.

[LadyShea]

Think I need to see a picture.

[TomJoe]

And she appears to be drinking a Coke.
Or just keeping it safe for her dad.

Dad drinks Dr. Pepper. :)

[TomJoe]

He needs a name. So far I am considering: Diego, Ramon, Butch, Caesar, Zeus, August (for Augusta), and George (for Georgia).

Like LadyShea, I'd have to see a picture. Take the name Caesar for example. If the dog is going to be huge, Caesar (or Zeus) is a good name. It's funny if you tag such a name onto a toy breed as well... but on your average sized pup... wouldn't do anything for me. Then again, that's just me.

I went the lame route, named my dog Boomer. In Oklahoma, it's like the 2nd most popular dog name (right behind "Bear" for some reason).

[Ensign Steve]

okay fine!

I think the Monarch/God names have less to do with size than with masculinity... or do those go hand in hand? ;)

Dang, sorry about the resolution!

[TomJoe]

The pups eyes look blue. Call him Sinatra.

[Ensign Steve]

Nah, that's the "blue-eye" effect of the flash against the retinae. The are actually dark brown/black-ish.

[Lauri D]

*swoon*

So cute I just might die. :vapours:

The paw size looks like he might get to be a big 'un, but it's hard to say.

[livius drusus]

Now that I've seen him, I'm going to have to vote for George. He's gorgeous, JD. Congratulations. :)

[JoeP]

Loki (maybe not the kind of god you were thinking of, but still right).

George would work.

Somehow he looks like Tony Blair to me ... it must be late.

[viscousmemories]

He looks kinda pixelated. Might wanna have that checked.

Other than that, he's adorable. Congrats JD. :)

[LadyShea]

I think I have to vote for George as well, and agree with Lauri, he's gonna maybe be a big'un.

He's a darling boy, his ears are straight forward like Duck's. Congrats!

[Skep]

Awww. What a cute puppy! He reminds me of Charlie Dog from Warner Bros. cartoons, so I'd name him Charlie. http://skeptech.net/emotipad/cache/Woof.gif


Charlie Dog:

http://img106.exs.cx/img106/7951/charliedog8cm.jpg

[TomJoe]

He looks like he'll grow up to be a very imposing dog.

How about Wachhund (German for "guard dog").

[Dingfod]

Nah, my adopted big doggies love being inside with us. They go out to do their necessaries and run a bit, but they would much rather nap inside on the couch than out. And really most animals nap like 20 hours a day ;)


Yep, my lab-mix is exactly the same way. She'd rather stay inside than run around outside, unless daddy has a tennis ball in his hand.Not Kes the Border Collie, she'd rather be outside running around and around than inside. If left outside she will run and bark all night long, so we make sure she is inside for the night. She is a very well behaved indoor dog that will sleep on the sofa all night long. Her usual spot if inside during daylight hours is lying on the NordicTrak treadmill by the front windows, so she can keep vigilance over her domain.

Now four years old, Kes was adopted from the animal shelter about two years ago. We lucked out, she was already housetrained (although you can't keep her cooped up inside too long or you invite an "accident") and apparently not abused (she doesn't flinch when you raise an arm and isn't afraid of anyone).

[LadyShea]

Border Collies are definitely not house dogs! They are way too energetic and happiest when "working"...I have seen them herd children, chickens, anything that moves. Keeping such an animal in the house would indeed be sad.

[Dingfod]

Border Collies are definitely not house dogs! They are way too energetic and happiest when "working"...I have seen them herd children, chickens, anything that moves. Keeping such an animal in the house would indeed be sad.Yes it would, and that's why I'm glad I've got five acres with a house 700 feet off the road, perfect place for a Border Collie.

[SharonDee]

Well, I have to suggest Daniel. My start page has a Featured Pet segment and once a dog named Daniel came up. I have been obsessed with naming a dog that ever since.

Of course, I'm not the boss of you...

[maddog]

How incredibly cuuuuuute! "George" is a good name, but somehow he looks a little bit more like a "Gus" (Augustus) to me. Wotta han'some lad!#237

[wildernesse]

TOOOOO Cuuuute! And maddog totally stole my suggestion--actually my whole post.

[freemonkey]

Oooh, he's cute. I like Gus and Ramon. And Goober.

[godfry n. glad]

Well, I'm not a dog lover, but who can resist a wiggly puppy?

Might I suggest a name? I think he looks like an Olaf.

But that's just me.

My biggest recommendation when people tell me they are thinking of getting a pet is to consider how much room you have and go for a pet that can be comfortable with the room you have to provide. I also recommend that if your household is human-free for more than six hours a day, you might want to put off obtaining a social animal...it's difficult on them. For me, this excludes medium to large dogs in close urban spaces, particularly apartment living.

I do think that there are pets appropriate for smaller spaces, and cats are one of them. I am currently in thrall to a tabby and white male feline (tutored, of course) who adopted us as needy humans ten years ago. I have a small bungalow on an undersized lot, but I have trees, bushes and arbors from climbing. It's in the center of a major U.S. city. I have room for two cats, but Hobbes is about 11, so I'm reluctant to impose upon his golden years with the nuisance of another, younger, cat.

I'm a big fan of bunnies, myself. One of the sweetest indoor pets I ever had was an agoute mini-lop rabbit, named Hazel. She convinced me that a free ranging house rabbit is a lot smarter than most domestic rabbits, which are kept cooped up in hutches and given very little liberty. Rabbits are fastidiously clean and easier than cats to box train. She had a cage with water and food and most of the time she could have free run of the house. We put her in her cage at night and let her run during the day. She liked to hop up and stretch out alongside me when I lay on the couch, watching television. A persistant mooch, too. During the summer and early fall, she had a run in the backyard and she became an indoor/outdoor bunny. She came in response to her name being called. She could be lured into her cage, every evening, no matter what, with a coin of banana. She was a whore for a piece of banana. I recommend female, doe, bunnies over male, buck, bunnies, because male tend to spray, even after tutored.

If you have the room, by all means get yourself a decent sized dog and commit to making sure it's cared for and trained. Warren, if you have acreage and a Border collie...wow...I think they're amazing animals. We're talking the medium sized black and white dog with lots of energy?

I'd like to have enough room to have a couple of Corsian asses. Or Mexican burros. Standards, not minatures or mammoths.

godfry

[JoeP]

Rabbits are fastidiously clean and easier than cats to box train.Hmm. Maybe this doesn't apply to hutch-dwelling bunnies. I once had the family rabbit (bigger than a cat) on my lap indoors for a while - quite contentedly - and when I passed it on to one of my sisters it had left a small deposit of currants behind. Dry enough to be inoffensive, except to me aged about 10, but not exactly "trained".

I recommend female, doe, bunnies over male, buck, bunnies, because male tend to spray, even after tutored.
Hah - you said tutored - oh wait, deliberate joke.
I'd like to have enough room to have a couple of Corsian asses. Or Mexican burros. Standards, not minatures or mammoths.
And now for something completely different: a man with a couple of Corsian asses.

[Ensign Steve]

Might I suggest a name? I think he looks like an Olaf.

But that's just me.

You look like an Olaf?

My biggest recommendation when people tell me they are thinking of getting a pet is to consider how much room you have and go for a pet that can be comfortable with the room you have to provide. I also recommend that if your household is human-free for more than six hours a day, you might want to put off obtaining a social animal...it's difficult on them. For me, this excludes medium to large dogs in close urban spaces, particularly apartment living.

I go to work less than 5 hours at a time, with a long enough lunch break for both of us to eat and go potty, plus socialize.

I'm a big fan of bunnies, myself. One of the sweetest indoor pets I ever had was an agoute mini-lop rabbit, named Hazel. She convinced me that a free ranging house rabbit is a lot smarter than most domestic rabbits, which are kept cooped up in hutches and given very little liberty. Rabbits are fastidiously clean and easier than cats to box train. She had a cage with water and food and most of the time she could have free run of the house. We put her in her cage at night and let her run during the day. She liked to hop up and stretch out alongside me when I lay on the couch, watching television. A persistant mooch, too. During the summer and early fall, she had a run in the backyard and she became an indoor/outdoor bunny. She came in response to her name being called. She could be lured into her cage, every evening, no matter what, with a coin of banana. She was a whore for a piece of banana. I recommend female, doe, bunnies over male, buck, bunnies, because male tend to spray, even after tutored.

What a wonderful sounding pet! I never put much thought into bunnies, as I am violently alergic. But she sounds like she was a dream to have around!

My best friend KJ worked as a vet tech for years, and she would say "neuter" to the animal's parents, she was a professional after all, but she always said "tutored" to the animals themselves. I thought it was the funniest sounding thing, and I've never heard (seen) anybody else do that! :roflmao:

Caesar update: His name is Caesar. He comes when I call it, so we're keeping it. We slept all the way through the first night (until 6 am!) without incident, so I am quite thrilled about that. He's teething, so he's a chewer, and his favorite chew toys are eletric wire and my toes. He has real chew toys from Petsmart, too, though.

[TomJoe]

A small squirt bottle filled with a 50% (v/v) white vinegar solution is the perfect cure for chewers. When you see them chewing something that they should not, aim for the mouth and let it rip. Dogs don't like vinegar. :P

Boomer, to this day, though I have not used the vinegar bottle for at least three years, will put her tail between her legs and run for her kennel when I pull out that bottle.

Bitter Apple works wonders too.

[SharonDee]

...because male tend to spray, even after tutored.Hee! Deliberate joke, indeed.

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/revsharondee/hahahabiff.jpg
"Ha Ha Ha, Biff. Guess what? After we go to the drug store and the post office, I'm going to the vet's to get tutored."

[Brimshack]

Fido and Junkie said that you shouldn't pull on Caesar's tail all the time, especialy not when he's on the kitchen florr and slides around easily. Fido said you shouldn't use Caesar as a mop, no matter how funny it is to drag him around the floor like that. Even if he does think it's fun; it's just not dignified and you really shouldn't do it. And Junkie said it's really not funny when you throw a sheet over his head before wrestling around with him. They also said that you really shouldn't pick him up and throw him on the bed or the couch from a distance. But they were especially concerned about the tail thing.

I'm not sure why; for some reason they thought it very important for me to tell you these things.

[godfry n. glad]

...because male tend to spray, even after tutored.Hee! Deliberate joke, indeed.

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/revsharondee/hahahabiff.jpg
"Ha Ha Ha, Biff. Guess what? After we go to the drug store and the post office, I'm going to the vet's to get tutored."

That's my source.

A classic.

godfry

[Ensign Steve]

And Junkie said it's really not funny when you throw a sheet over his head before wrestling around with him.

I question Junkie's sense of humor.