An Arf-Arf Here and a Meow-Meow There... E I E I O!

[Sock Puppet]

Grandma Pug, relaxing after her bath, decides to take a selfie.

[livius drusus]

Pugushka!

[livius drusus]

I'm sorry, Hermit. Ruby was a real beauty and you gave her a happy, long life.

[Hermit]

Originally Posted by livius drusus

I'm sorry, Hermit. Ruby was a real beauty and you gave her a happy, long life.

She was. That would be a plural you, and my ex-partner did most of the caring. She rescued Ruby when she was about seven months old. That was over six years before we even got to know each other. When we separated a bit over two years ago she could not take any pets with her.

Even then she undertook the final step of caring. Her immediate and utterly determined decision upon clapping her eyes on Ruby for the first time in about two months to have her euthanised came to me as a shock, but in retrospect I realise that it was an act of mercy. The last time I took Ruby for a walk around the block her hind legs became increasingly wobbly. I finished up carrying her back home for the last 50 metres. That should have indicated to me that she was at the end of her tether, but I am quite slow on the uptake at the best of times and the gradual change that took place in small increments, as I have mentioned before, in a way made me an example of the metaphorical boiling frog. My partner took Ruby to the vet, even though that was not easy for her either. I guess she wanted to spare me and also avoid the possibility of me pleading with the vet that the dog has a little more time to live left. The latter was clearly not the case in her eyes, and she was right. Intelligent, perceptive, strong and empathic woman she is.

[SharonDee]

I love my dog but I am trapped by him. I wanted to spend this weekend at the Alabama homestead but there's no one to watch The Big Dummy while I'm gone. And I can't take him with me because he has terrible, destructive car manners. We've tried the Thunder Shirt, the Thunder Hat, a too-small crate ... nothing has worked to make the ride comfortable and safe.

This is also why I can't take him to the kennel or to a DogVacay spot. He's quite well-behaved at his destination; it's the trip that makes him a bad boy.

Because of this I haven't taken him to the vet for his annual checkup and probably won't. Hope the skunks around here 1) stay away from him and 2) aren't rabid if they don't.

My next dog will be ... not a dog. I'm done with pets after Tibey croaks.

[Miisa]

I love having dogs, and for years they were actually a handy excuse to get away from travelling and even office parties (blergh), but now that I am in a position where I would like to be able to travel more freely they are a bit of a dead weight at times.
The situation is not helped by England having the most insane rules about dog air travel imaginable, so bringing them with me is also right out.

I just need to become a millionaire so JoeP can be a kept man living at my place.

[JoeP]

And more of a dead weight in proportion to the amount of cheese puffs eaten.

[Miisa]

Actually, the cheese puff eating is her way of helping me with my diet, the way I have been helping her with hers.

[slimshady2357]

Due to a number of different circumstances like rain, guests, trips, etc*... we have not cut the grass in the back yard for about 3 weeks. It's grown quite lush and thick in areas and so we invited a couple of friends over to help us get it back to manageable order.

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PONIES!
ponies.jpg

They were very good although slightly random





*general laziness is the main circumstance

[livius drusus]

Oh god it is to die from cuteness. You have friends in very high places.

[specious_reasons]

My desk at home is about 9 inches away from the wall. The dogs like to sleep nearby while I'm working, but I think Rosie has the best spot:

[SharonDee]

Oh, we're posting cute pictures? I'm game!

Rainy Saturday and Tibey is lying on the floor. Suddenly he puts his head on the recliner where I'm sitting and is all, "Don't we wish I was a lap dog?"





And so thinking, he eventually fell asleep in the same position.

[BrotherMan]

Because now it's my turn to make you listen to adorable stories!

After I'd settled in a little bit, pea brought out all the elephants* for my dog-nieces. Flossy immediately picks her favorite and is carrying it around. She sets it down within easy reach so I snap it up and toss it across the living room. Flossy bounds after it, like at almost full pibble speed and then shakes it in triumph when she gets it. She brings it back to me, but she doesn't care about playing fetch. She'd rather have a tug of war. I'm of course just too happy to oblige. We get about a couple of seconds into the game and ZZ is UNHAPPY. She growls and barks at us to KNOCK THAT NONSENSE OFF RIGHT THIS INSTANT. I immediately apologize to ZZ and she tells me that I am not being detained and that I'm free to go.

But that wasn't the only time that Flossy and I got into trouble with Officer Consuela. She wuffle-growled at us later for doing the same thing.

This is the elephant* in question:

*FYI: "elephant" is the catch all term for any doge toy in the house.

[LadyShea]

Dog toys are generically known as bunnies. God lisapea has dumb stuff in her home.

[Stephen Maturin]

I'M RIGHT HERE.

[lisarea]

Bort left just a little over an hour ago, and so far, the dogs have staged an extended mournful weeping while looking at the door, then they took a brief nap, and are now back up looking for him.

[JoeP]

We feel your bortlessness

[Stephen Maturin]

As if there were ever any doubt, Bort is a first-class human being in every respect. That's confirmed not only by us people but also by the dogs, who are infallible in matters of character assessment. We're all quite happy that Bort decided to visit us on the way to and from his sister's wedding.

Happy trails, BrotherMan, and here's wishing you a smooth and safe trip back to Bidentonia.

[LadyShea]

I am just tickled that Bort got to meet his furnieces in person. Of course he'll be even more revolting in his loveygabber about them now.

[LadyShea]

Originally Posted by Stephen Maturin

I'M RIGHT HERE.

CASE IN POINT!

Are you a big autonomously mobile elephant there in the dumb house that calls bunnies elephants?

[BrotherMan]

ONLY A COUPLE OF YOU GUYS IN THIS THRAD CAN UNDERSTAND. JUST. UGH. I AND MY LIFE IS FOREVER CHANGED FOREVER. I thought I knew what was up. I thought I had things figured out. THE LEVEL OF WRONGNESS I WAS WORKING UNDER IS UNCOMPREHENDABLE TO THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW.

[Ensign Steve]

Needs more

[BrotherMan]

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[S.Vashti]

What's wrong with her right side?

[BrotherMan]