Cats, Dogs, & Other Pets

[private joker]

This thread should be about all pets, but the OP will focus on cats since that's what I have.

General Recommendation

I wholeheartedly recommend getting a pet if you don't have one. They are terrific companions, and much better to live with than a roommate. My cat greets me when I get home from work, knows when I want her to sit on my lap, and knows when I want her to leave me alone. Pets are the pefect middle ground between living totally alone and living with another person who can be annoying.

Cats vs. Dogs

This debate is almost its own thread, but clearly this is a matter of personal choice. Some people like the responsibility involved in taking care of dogs (more messes to clean, more property ruined, taking them out for walks so they can go to the bathroom, etc.) and some don't. People disagree on the emotional bonds (I think cats offer just as much), the intelligence, and the cuteness, but these are all variables and there's no set answer.

Some people think there are 'cat people' and 'dog people' but I disagree. They are not mutually exclusive. You can enjoy both types of pets and even have both at the same time. Or you can like neither and go for the fish/bird/hamster thing. I heard pigs are pretty popular pets now.

Peculiar cat quirks

I'm wondering if anyone else's cat has this: a perfectly timed body clock so they know your routine instantly. For example, my alarm goes off every morning at 9 and I work from 10-7. After the first week she lived with me, my cat started to anticipate the 9am alarm clock.

Since my cat is an attention whore and always wants to sit on my chest (when I'm lying down) or lap (when I'm seated), she needs me to be awake in bed to get on top of me. I sleep on my side in the fetal position, so she hates that. Now she wakes me up by meowing at around 8:55-8:59 every morning (including weekends UGH) because she knows I'll be up. Then I have to roll over and lie on my back so she can sit on my chest and be petted/scratched for a good 10 minutes.

Another quirk she has is she will just meow at the top of her lungs for a long time at weird intervals for no reason. Her litter box is clean, she has plenty of food and water, yet she still sounds like she wants something. Then she stops as if nothing was ever wrong. Maybe my cat is insane.

Food & water

Wet food is a waste. Cats can be perfectly happy with dry Science Diet-style food. I give my cat a treat once a month or so -- a can of tuna fish.

My cat likes running water, so I have one of those water dishes that pump water through a filter from a built-in tank and lets it drip fountain-style into the dish. This doesn't stop her, however, from depositing nasty chunks of half-eaten food to float around in the bottom.

Miscellaneous

An interesting fact about cats: if there's any large surface area, they will sit on the one small portion that's different: e.g., a tiny towel on a large bed, a piece of newspaper on an empty table, etc. I recommend putting a small blankie (yes, I just said blankie) or towel on the corner of your bed so your cat goes there by default. This way you can sleep with her without her bothering you -- and you won't have to move her from the center of the bed when you're ready to get in.

EDIT: pics of Chiba (and I recommend everyone in this thread post pics of their pets)

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/2889/img0116sz8.jpg

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/9589/chibathreadcatbh4.jpg

[cbloom]

[ QUOTE ]

I'm wondering if anyone else's cat has this: a perfectly timed body clock so they know your routine instantly. For example, my alarm goes off every morning at 9 and I work from 10-7. After the first week she lived with me, my cat started to anticipate the 9am alarm clock.


[/ QUOTE ]

My cats did this so I guess it's probably not rare. I always shut my cats out of my bedroom because they would also play with each other in the middle of the night and totally wake me up. They got to learn that like 8 AM was when I'd come out, so they would always come to the bedroom door at 8 AM and would meow/scratch at it if I slept in. Once in a while it was annoying but so cute and nice to wake up to.

My cats also learned that right after waking up I would walk down to the street to get the paper, and they would wait at the door and then walk down with me, because I would always give them a bunch of pets when they did. After that they'd take off and be normal independent cats but for that little bit they were just like dogs eager to go on a walk very weird.

Anyway, my productive contribution to this thread is : please don't get a dog if you live in an apartment, and if you get a cat you should really get two. edit : unless you work at home and can be a constant companion for them.

[kipin]

I've heard tuna for cats is bad because of the amounts of ash in it.

Someone with more knowledge might be able to confirm/deny this.

P.S. Cats rule, I just hate when they get into territorial issues and start pissing everywhere trying to claim every square inch as their own.

[private joker]

[ QUOTE ]
and if you get a cat you should really get two. edit : unless you work at home and can be a constant companion for them.


[/ QUOTE ]

This is a question I was going to ask: should I really get a second cat? I'm wondering if Chiba gets lonely when I'm gone at work.

[Earl Sleek]

Tip: Don't get white cats. The hair, which inevitably gets over all your clothes no matter how hard you try, shows up on anything dark and you look like a weirdo. Any cat I get from now on will either have dark, thick hair or be a sphynx.

[kidcolin]

Joker,

[ QUOTE ]
Pets are the pefect middle ground between living totally alone and living with another person who can be annoying.

[/ QUOTE ]

Interesting.. I think I agree. I always had cats growing up. Now I live alone, but I've been hesitant to get a cat because my foreseeable future is uncertain at best. I don't know where I'll be in a year, two years, five years. A pet is a major responsibility. Anyone have experiences with moving around with a cat?

Also, cats /images/graemlins/heart.gif boxes.

[kidcolin]

joker,

if she's strictly an apartment cat, she probably does.

[Earl Sleek]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
and if you get a cat you should really get two. edit : unless you work at home and can be a constant companion for them.


[/ QUOTE ]

This is a question I was going to ask: should I really get a second cat? I'm wondering if Chiba gets lonely when I'm gone at work.

[/ QUOTE ]

FWIW my cats hate each other and would very likely rather be alone.

[private joker]

[ QUOTE ]
Anyone have experiences with moving around with a cat?


[/ QUOTE ]

It's not so bad. They freak out for a few days, but cats adapt very quickly to new environments, so once you get settled in they'll love the new place.

[Paluka]

Getting 2 cats is cleary the way to go. My cats are amazing and I can't believe how much happier they have made me. The thing is that it is easier to get them when they are both young. When you have an older cat, you have to get lucky and get another cat that your cat gets along with. But, unless your cat is really nasty this shouldn't be too tough, although might make you have to adopt one cat and take it back when it doesn't work out.

[Los Feliz Slim]

This cat is fat:

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d37/LosFelizSlim/fat.jpg

This cat is thin:

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d37/LosFelizSlim/sunshine.jpg

The fat cat is older and more sedentary than the thin cat. The thin cat is young and neurotic, the fat cat is content. How do I un-fat the big cat without killing the thin one?

Also, both cats seem to believe I am their deity. They follow me around and cry if I'm in a room they can't get into. When they get bored they climb on me and bite me sometimes when I'm asleep.

Also, the fat one barfs often. If you wait long enough she just eats it, so no harm no foul.

[Claunchy]

Okay, someone's gotta represent the dogs here.

This is Otis. He's a yellow lab mixed with some kind of terrier, so he has a goatee, which is totally awesome.

http://img212.imageshack.us/img212/8852/otistiredkt2.jpg

http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/5950/otisgyellowdogyp1.jpg

He is a total pain in the ass. He gets into the trash sometimes, leaves hair everywhere, and occasionally [censored] in the dining room, but at the end of the day he's pretty awesome.

[private joker]

Wow, Claunchy -- your dog rules. If I were to get a dog, that's exactly the kind I would want.

[octopi]

I guess this would fall under 'other pets'. This thread does seem to be cat heavy so far, but I am not fond of cats and am actually quite frightened of them. Unpredictable bitches.

Anyhow, I keep tarantulas. I have three, of varying species. They live for quite some time (if female, for decades), so they are not really a passive purchase, but they are good for apartments and are really cool to watch hunt. Otherwise, very quiet. Some visitors get creeped out, but learn to love them.
They are kind of like plants. You water them a bit, throw some baby crickets in, watch them grow. I don't know if I'd classify them as pets, because they don't really interact with me (although Sparkles knows when she is being fed these days) and do not require a lot of care (but these species more than some other tarantulas) .

I will steal OP's format because it's pretty good.

General Recommendation
Tarantulas are good for part time pet owners. They require far less care than fish, which I would compare them to, since you can't really play or interact with either. But they are still interesting in a behavioural sense and cool to watch grow.

If you wanted to start out, I'd recommend a Chilean Rose Hair (sold at most pet shops) because they are easy to care for and you can potentially handle them if you like.

Tarantulas take up very little room, only really need one good container for their lives (if full sized), a bit of water and crickets every so often.

Peculiar Tarantula quirks
Sparkles, my biggest spider at 2", has gotten quite good at hunting. She lives in a web tunnel and often tracks the cricket under neath her, trying to catch it through the back door she only uses for hunting. She stalks her prey and eventually grabs it in a blue flash. If she's asleep when I throw a cricket in, she will wake upon opening the container she lives in and be hunting in moments. She's caught crickets in mid air.

When Miss Cleo moults, she will physically move her old shell around her cage, away from her or out of her burrow. Cleaning house!

Food & water
When small, they just need a spritz of water or a few drops every other day to keep their containers moist. Any more, and they could develop mould in their booklungs or you could encourage mites (which killed one of my newly moulted spiders once).

Buying tiny crickets and catching them to feed to the tarantulas is the biggest hassle of keeping spiders. They normally like moving prey, and eventually I'd like to feed them cockroaches, but it's just crickets for now. Not sure if they will eat grubs.

You can't feed around a moult as their fangs will not be strong enough, and they could break one or be preyed upon by the cricket. This is normally only an issue at young ages.

Room temp seems to suit them fine now, with a lamp sometimes turned on to warm them a bit, since I live in Canada. They all live in pill bottles or similarly sized containers, with good air flow. Other considerations include straws for burrows, cork to build webs on and special substrate.

Miscellaneous
All my tarantulas are spiderlings. They are all under 2" in leg span, and the smallest is probably the size of one of your fingernails. Pictures of them would probably not turn out well, but I'll post what they will look like later.

Sparkles is my Avicularia versicolor or Martinique Tree Spider. She's the largest one and eats everyday, like a pig. Right now she's a nice blue color, but later on may turn shades of red, green and purple. She's leggy and very fast and mostly hangs out in her web tunnel.

She will probably look like this:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e4/Avicularia_versicolor_8_Fh.jpg/270px-Avicularia_versicolor_8_Fh.jpg

Miss Cleo is an Aphonopelma seemanni or Costa Rican Stripe Knee. I got her for my brother, but he's frightened of spiders, and isn't quite okay with her yet. Maybe when she gets larger. She just moulted, and burrows in dirt tunnels. You used to be able to see them, sort of like an ant farm.

http://www.batraciens-reptiles.com/aphonopelma_seemani_femelle_small.jpg

Then, Hercules the Heteroscodra maculata or Togo Starburst Baboon. He belongs to my boyfriend but I enjoy watching him. He's really skittish and doesn't come out of his burrows often, except to hang on the lid, waiting for his opportunity to escape.

http://www.spidy.goliathus.com/foto/0412_h_maculata.jpg

[KingMedicine]

this is Pynchon (named after writer Thomas Pynchon), my 3.5 year old Basset Hound.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v57/IodineNightSky/apynchon1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v57/IodineNightSky/aIM000764.jpg

He is now about 1 foot tall, 4.5 feet long with 12 inch long ears and weighs about 72 pounds (down from nearly 80!). He's the sweetest thing in the world - not a mean bone is his fat body.

[Paluka]

On the subject of cat people vs dog people, I used to think I was a cat person. However, having the cats has made me like dogs a lot more now. It has just made me pro-pet in general.

[Patrick del Poker Grande]

I'll bite. Here a few pictures of Bowser and Koopa that I already had online. They're several months old, though, so Koopa (the smaller one) is almost as big as Bowser now.

Boxers > all!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v638/pwarcham/IMG_1075_small2.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v638/pwarcham/IMG_1074_small.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v638/pwarcham/IMG_1150_small2.jpg

[keikiwai]

[ QUOTE ]
On the subject of cat people vs dog people, I used to think I was a cat person. However, having the cats has made me like dogs a lot more now. It has just made me pro-pet in general.

[/ QUOTE ]

i never had pets growing up, then in college i had a cat for a while... i thought i was a cat person... now i have a dog, and honestly don't know anymore

one thing about dog's is you can go more stuff with them like hiking, hunting, games, etc. some cats will play with you, but it's much more work to go hunting and stuff with them (although the egyptians used to do it, so i guess it's doable)

anyway, yes, i am now much more pro-pet in general too

[Claunchy]

pj: Thanks. I just wish he were as clean and low maintenance as most cats are. BTW, your cat looks a lot like an orange version of Thread Cat in that second picture.

octopi: I'm pretty sure your pet would scare the [censored] out of me IRL.

KM: Awesome dog. I love basset hounds, as well as most other really chilled-out lazy breeds of dog.

[Los Feliz Slim]

[ QUOTE ]
On the subject of cat people vs dog people, I used to think I was a cat person. However, having the cats has made me like dogs a lot more now. It has just made me pro-pet in general.

[/ QUOTE ]

I was a dog person through-and-through until five years ago. I didn't like cats, they didn't like me, and I was allergic. When we moved into our house a stray cat that had lived in the bushes started following me around. It got to the point that I would arrive home and she'd come running. In the morning she'd hear me moving around inside the house and cry until I'd come out and say hello (and feed her, of course). One night I heard a terrible shrieking from outside, and I ran out to find a coyote trying to eat her. I was like "enough is enough", talked to a doctor to make sure I wouldn't die, took her to the vet, and moved her into the house. That skinny, mangy, worm-ridden urchin is now the slovenly beast pictured above sleeping in her fur-lined bed.

[Wires]

[ QUOTE ]
On the subject of cat people vs dog people...

[/ QUOTE ]

You can be both. Meet my beasts...

http://img457.imageshack.us/img457/1766/img0160133na.jpg

[kidcolin]

Claunchy,

You must have a bajillion pics of your dog wearing sunglasses. If you don't, it's a crime. The goatee calls for it. Awesome dog!

"octopi: I'm pretty sure your pet would scare the [censored] out of me IRL."

That, and it being completely void of interaction, love, and affection would just make it sorta boring for me. To each his (her) own, I guess.

King,

I like that dog a lot. Fat dogs always seem so loving and content.

[cbloom]

Octopi, rad Tarantulas. A friend of mine had a black widow which was cool but more dangerous. It's really fun to feed them and watch them eat.

[ QUOTE ]
On the subject of cat people vs dog people, I used to think I was a cat person. However, having the cats has made me like dogs a lot more now. It has just made me pro-pet in general.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, this happened to me too. I used to not want dogs (too smelly, too dirty), but after having cats I realize the filth and maintenance is totally worth it, and if I can ever buy a house I'm getting a dog for sure.

[keikiwai]

my dog upon her arrival to oahu - long way from the so cal pounds

http://img259.imageshack.us/img259/5263/medogvr3.jpg

[Earl Sleek]

Tip: No matter how good an idea it seems at the time, don't try to give your cat a haircut.

http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/4584/halfcatmf0.jpg

[Cumulonimbus]

joker,

I think if you get another cat then your current cat will definitely stop the loud meowing. Your cat sounds pretty social and it might be just trying to get ahold of other cats.

Here's my ballin' key key:





http://myspace-901.vo.llnwd.net/01117/10/92/1117222901_l.jpg

Since then he's moved outside and his long soft hair has gotten way longer. He's a big friendly tiger now.

[tuq]

PJ,

How old is your cat and how long have you had him?

[ QUOTE ]
I'm wondering if anyone else's cat has this: a perfectly timed body clock so they know your routine instantly. For example, my alarm goes off every morning at 9 and I work from 10-7. After the first week she lived with me, my cat started to anticipate the 9am alarm clock.

[/ QUOTE ]
Hmmmm, I haven't seen this yet. They often bail out of bed a bit before I get up anyway. I could see it being both endearing and annoying. I have a friend with two cats, one of them will wake up him and his wife by reaching her paw underneath their door and violently shaking it until they let her in. The other one will climb all over them while they're sleeping and if they are dumb enough to open their eyes he sees it and starts howling.

[ QUOTE ]
Another quirk she has is she will just meow at the top of her lungs for a long time at weird intervals for no reason. Her litter box is clean, she has plenty of food and water, yet she still sounds like she wants something. Then she stops as if nothing was ever wrong. Maybe my cat is insane.

[/ QUOTE ]
Heh, the younger kitten I have used to be a stray cat and does this. Just about once a day he just starts meowing for no reason and then stops. And he is completely, utterly silent the other 23.95 hours. As a consequence his meows suck - they come out as "mow" as in rhymes with "wow". I'm guessing maybe his three months on the streets taught him to be as stealth as possible and he hasn't gotten his voice yet - I can't think of any true stray cats I've seen that ever made any sound.

These pictures have been posted here before, as the 2+2 community was actually very helpful in me picking out my first kitten:
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j307/tuq2k2/ATT00094.jpg
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j307/tuq2k2/kitty4.jpg

...and then helpful again when I felt badly about leaving him alone all day, so picked up the ex-stray:
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j307/tuq2k2/MoeMoe-1.jpg

They seem mostly indifferent to each other, but I've gotten pics of them playfighting and hanging out on my fresh laundry:
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j307/tuq2k2/kitty6.jpg
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j307/tuq2k2/laundry2.jpg

[tuq]

Also, to anyone who has adopted a true ex-stray cat, I wonder if you've noticed how keen their senses are. I like to pick the cats up and mess with them once in awhile, in general I don't think they like this or like it for very long. Whereas the first cat (dropped off at the pound by someone fresh from the litter) doesn't ever see this coming, the stray seems to be really good at sensing when I'm walking by and when I'm going for the scoop move - even when he's not looking at me - and gets the hell out of there if he can. His instincts are razor sharp in general.

[private joker]

Tuq -- Chiba is 10, and we got her when she was just a month old in late 1996. She lived with my parents until December '06, when I moved into my first apartment that allowed pets, at which point I took her with me.

[SomethingClever]

As posted in OOT the other day, this is Ash:

http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/5184/ashsnowcopyrb4.jpg

He's a lab/beagle mix, 3 years old and fully grown @ 45 pounds.

[wmonfor]

This is my dog, Belladonna. She's a 3 year old pit bull, weighs about 60 pounds. She's a sweetheart.
http://img149.imageshack.us/img149/9722/defenderofthebackyardhc9.th.jpg (http://img149.imageshack.us/my.php?image=defenderofthebackyardhc9.jpg)

This is her favorite thing to do when it's sunny, just lay belly up in front of the French doors so the sun warms her stomach up.
http://img523.imageshack.us/img523/4984/mupsidedownrubmybellydt0.th.jpg (http://img523.imageshack.us/my.php?image=mupsidedownrubmybellydt0.jpg)

This is her begging for food while I'm eating taco bell.
http://img523.imageshack.us/img523/2972/pleasesiriwantsomemoreav7.th.jpg (http://img523.imageshack.us/my.php?image=pleasesiriwantsomemoreav7.jpg)

This is her pissed at me for waking her up.
http://img523.imageshack.us/img523/941/yesiwasfuckingsleepingpy4.th.jpg (http://img523.imageshack.us/my.php?image=yesiwasfuckingsleepingpy4.jpg)

This is her trying to get a treat from my brother.
http://img178.imageshack.us/img178/4487/bellaeatingnatetp8.th.jpg (http://img178.imageshack.us/my.php?image=bellaeatingnatetp8.jpg)

Also, I suck at imageshack, and I couldn't figure out how to post full size images instead of thumbnails. Sorry.

[octopi]

[ QUOTE ]
"octopi: I'm pretty sure your pet would scare the [censored] out of me IRL."

That, and it being completely void of interaction, love, and affection would just make it sorta boring for me. To each his (her) own, I guess.

[/ QUOTE ]

If my lifestyle allowed a dog, I would get one. A huge mastiff or something fun and messy and loveable.

Too bad I don't live anywhere near anyone in this thread (or do I?). I'd love to walk a dog and just hang out with it. Rent-a-dog!

[MarkSummers]

my cat is so pretty /images/graemlins/smile.gif

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v84/Dc6439/Picture003.jpg

[daryn]

i'm picking up my puppy on friday, i'll post pics

[Guy Incognito]

Purnell - 8yo weiner dog
Chewy - 4yo beagle

http://myspace-550.vo.llnwd.net/00366/05/52/366042550_l.jpg

[Spanaway Vin]

Pics of my dog Lois Lane:

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/149/333956434_3fbe4089d2.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/111/285837867_7e822edecd.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/114/255331876_6bc3ffde29.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/44/145990732_6d4ca929e7.jpg

[traz]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
On the subject of cat people vs dog people...

[/ QUOTE ]

You can be both. Meet my beasts...

http://img457.imageshack.us/img457/1766/img0160133na.jpg

[/ QUOTE ]


This picture is awesome

[Wires]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
On the subject of cat people vs dog people...

[/ QUOTE ]

You can be both. Meet my beasts...

http://img457.imageshack.us/img457/1766/img0160133na.jpg

[/ QUOTE ]


This picture is awesome

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks. These two are definitely pals and you are witnessing the daily routine. They will lie on their sides next to each other and playfight. As soon as you say "hey" they stop and look at you as if you caught them doing something wrong. They stay there frozen (hence the picture) until you walk away - then it's back to business.

They keep me amused.

[Dominic]

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b122/DomDab/sammy.jpg
Sammy J. Dawg. My best friend. He's a black lab about 3 years old and weighs 80 pounds.

He doesn't bark, he makes this yawning sound when he's excited....it's pretty funny. We have a trick I like to do for guests: I open his mouth and put my head in like I'm a lion tamer. I know, it's stupid. If he could, he'd sleep on me...he thinks he's a lap dog. He loves to wrestle. I sometimes throw a big blanket over him and watch him try to escape. That's hours of fun right there.

I also have an orange tabby named Stinky. Great cat. He also likes to sleep on me. Both animals gnaw on me without actually hurting me. I think it's some sort of affection thing. Either that or I'm just a big chew toy, I don't know. I don't have a photo of Stinky, but here's one of Peter and Moto, two cats I shared with my ex....she's got them now. /images/graemlins/frown.gif

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b122/DomDab/0ff6b1bf.jpg

Joker, my cat also starts meowing like crazy for no reason. In the morning, he talks to me as I'm getting ready to work. He's big on World Affairs. He also makes this very strange chittering sound when he looks out the window and sees birds. It's like a bird sound....very odd.

[tuq]

[ QUOTE ]
Thanks. These two are definitely pals and you are witnessing the daily routine. They will lie on their sides next to each other and playfight. As soon as you say "hey" they stop and look at you as if you caught them doing something wrong. They stay there frozen (hence the picture) until you walk away - then it's back to business.

[/ QUOTE ]
Which one did you get first, how old are they, and did you anticipate any friction? I see dog/cat pics from time to time but I thought those were the exception. Also, what genders are they?

[mntbikr15]

http://psu.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2181702&l=38d2b&id=9309386

Link has pics of my Siberian Husky Denali(they are a few months old)

Edit- Cant host them atm for some reason

[davelin]

Old picture of my english bulldog Oscar

http://img252.imageshack.us/img252/3833/smalloscaryk3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Philuva]

Here are my dogs. Maija is 6.5 years old. We got here from the pound in NYC when she was about 1 year old, she was found in a pack by Coney Island. She is a lab, chow, sheppard, pit mix with a really chill personality.

http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w161/philuva/100_2479.jpg

This is Lucy. She is 3.5 years old. We also got her when she was about 1 year old from the pound in Charlottesville. She is some type of hound dog. She is crazy, but in a good way. It took a little while, but Maija and Lucy love playing with each other now and I think it is really great for Maija's health.

http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w161/philuva/100_2462.jpg

[NJchick]

I've posted pics of my 2 Oriental Shorthairs before on 2+2. These guys are the absoulte love of my life. I recently rescued a stray cat from my condo complex and she is now living the lap of luxury with my parents.

Being a pet owner is so rewarding.

My boy Caesar

http://img130.imageshack.us/img130/1933/caesarslothwb2ge0.jpg

http://img130.imageshack.us/img130/2342/caesarsofabr1.jpg

My Boy Romeo

http://img252.imageshack.us/img252/7200/romeonappf3.jpg

http://img252.imageshack.us/img252/5335/romeostrutsb0gn3.jpg


Posing together

http://img252.imageshack.us/img252/9467/rc4fo1.jpg

And watching TV with me on my lap

http://img249.imageshack.us/img249/3051/rclumpsfd8.jpg

[tuq]

mtnbikr,

You should find a way to rehost some of those pics...many people aren't gonna do the extra click and that's an awesome looking dog. Same with all of them in this thread, really.

I realized a big reason I prefer cats is that having dogs is like having kids; not so much with cats. Way more supervision and nurture is required with dogs, and while they give more love in return they are also more prone to destruction of property, whereas with cats they are incredibly self-sufficient, self-cleaning animals who you can trust to leave alone for long stretches and they seem to largely be indifferent to that.

Another thing that bugs me about dogs is their loyalty can be so easily swayed by people food. /images/graemlins/wink.gif

[adios]

I've owned cats in the past. They make great pets and the best thing about them is that they are so highly independent. I own three dogs. I like dogs better as I like the increased amount of interaction although bloodhounds are an independent sort. I've post pictures of my dogs before so just skip the rest if you've seen them.

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g78/codesavvy/9c38.jpg

Boss at about 13 weeks.

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g78/codesavvy/IMG_0002-2.jpg

Boss chilling. All that black hair on his top has turned to tan.

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g78/codesavvy/IMG_0016.jpg

Boss on the grooming table getting ready to show. The thing around his ears is a snood that is used to keep dirt and slime off of his hears before he shows.


http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q96/clhaley/IMG.jpg

Boss winning his first title in the show ring on his second weekend out at 11 months. It was a major and he won another major the next day. I wrote about his first show weekend, he's been winning every weekend he's showed since. He's close to finishing and we're holding him back from some shows because we want him to compete in a big show in California in April as a class dog. Problems you like to have /images/graemlins/smile.gif.


http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g78/codesavvy/IMG_0006-1.jpg

Evy chilling.

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g78/codesavvy/IMG_0001.jpg

Evy posing for a home shot those are some long ears no doubt.

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g78/codesavvy/Evy-Champion3.jpg

Evy winning her AKC conformation championship.


http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g78/codesavvy/IMG_0002.jpg

the tan and white dog is my all american, name Ruckus. He's a great dog and great pet.

Don't have any pics with my bloodhounds on the trail doing SAR training. They love trailing but that's to be expected.

[colgin]

[ QUOTE ]
Wet food is a waste. Cats can be perfectly happy with dry Science Diet-style food. I give my cat a treat once a month or so -- a can of tuna fish.


[/ QUOTE ]

Debating wet versus dry foods for cats is a good way to start a fight between cat lovers who would otherwise get along. I have argued in favor of wet food on 2+2 and dont care to reiterate my points although (based on a lot of experience niot all good) I firmly believe that wet food is better.

For those who are interested I link the following articles as at least food for thought:

Why Cats Need Canned Food (http://www.littlebigcat.com/index.php?action=library&act=show&item=whycatsneed cannedfood)

and

Does Dry Food Clean Your Cat's Teeth (http://www.littlebigcat.com/index.php?action=library&act=show&item=doesdryfood cleantheteeth)

One anecdotal story. My younger cat who is now around 7 started showing signs of decreased kidney functions almost 2 years ago now. This is common in older cats but not younger ones. The vets told me that he was not in the early stages of Chronic Renal Failure (CRF) which is terminal and irreversible (and the undoing of many older cats), but that we needed to watch hi closely and hope he does not go there. Dry food is believed to be a contribtuing factor in CRF. Which is not to say that dry food diet cats will invariably get CRF becaus ethat is not the case. Most likely, my cat, an Abyssinain, is genetically predisposed to kidney problems. But also likely is that his dry food diet contributed. Anyway, we made a number of changes to his diet including a switch to exclusively wet food (we had previously done a combination of wet and dry). Our hope was that we would not see any further deterioration of his kidney functions as shown in blood and urine tests. There was no reason to think that anything we could do would cause his kidney functions to improve.

After switching Freedy to an all wet diet his kidney function levels actually did improve the next few times we have tested him, which we are ecstatic about. Now, had he been in CRF this would have been impossible. But since he was not at an irreversible point it seemed that the diet change has had a profound impact and we keep our fingers crossed for the best.

Here is a picture of my two Abys (Freedy, the boy, is the ruddy cat on the right).

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b227/colgin/2d1c1b17.jpg

Finally, while I strongly recommend gettign two cats, you have to be prepared for the possibility that they will not get along. The primary reason I got a second cat was to keep my first one company back when I worked ridicuous hours and was single. However, they never got along. The girl is very sweet but the boy who is also otherwise sweet bullies her and she has no patience. While the boy does not seem to hate the girl (butmerely seems to enjoy pushing her around), it is clear that the girl really dislikes him and would have preferred to have been alone. Notwithstanding that I love them both and am glad I have two.

[KingMedicine]

adios, LOVE yr bloodhound! Tho, Pynch (see my basset above) can crush yr bloodhound in the long-ear dept.

Pynchon's parents and his brother are big time show dogs, but Pynch has a little knot on the end of his tail that apparently made it where he couldnt compete in shows - which is fine with me since they wouldnt have sold him to me for only 1k if he was showable.

im 95% sure within a year i will be buying a bloodhound puppy - any advice and/or do you know any great west coast (im in california) breeders of quality bloodhounds? i dont necessarily want a show dog, but i want a high quality one for a pet and to be pynch's little brother or sister. what might i be expecting to spend on a nice bloodhound as a pet?

[Wondercall]

Ive posted these before in OOT. This is Bailey from a couple months ago.

http://photos-948.ak.facebook.com/ip005/v40/40/45/10007421/n10007421_31899948_6270.jpg
http://photos-958.ak.facebook.com/ip005/v40/40/45/10007421/n10007421_31899958_4004.jpg
http://photos-268.ak.facebook.com/ip002/v11/40/45/10007421/n10007421_8238268_7871.jpg

[Wires]

Which one did you get first, how old are they, and did you anticipate any friction? I see dog/cat pics from time to time but I thought those were the exception. Also, what genders are they?

We had the dog first. When she turned one year old we had friends who needed to find a new home for their cat. I wasn't big on cats but my wife had been asking for one for a while. This cat was the same age as my dog, well cared for and super friendly so we agreed to take him in (dog is female, cat male).

We weren't sure how they would interact. My dog is a big playful dope so we knew she would love the cat - we just weren't sure how the cat would react. He took a couple weeks to get used to the dog but after that they were all good.

[Wires]

[ QUOTE ]

This is Lucy. She is 3.5 years old.... She is crazy, but in a good way.
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w161/philuva/100_2462.jpg


[/ QUOTE ]

Phil,

Wow. Take a look at the pic of my dog (a few posts up lying down on the carpet with the cat). While it may not look like it from the pic, my dog looks identical to yours. We picked her out from a puppy rescue three years ago. We figured she was hound and but not sure what else (she has webbed paws and loves to swim but doesn't look like a lab). When I get to my other computer where my photos are I'll try to post another to show you the similarities. This is the only other one I have in imageshack and is kind of goofy so you don't get a good representation of her look.

http://img529.imageshack.us/img529/7346/img008627oc.jpg

[WordWhiz]

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c258/ScrabbleSmartie/IMG_0143.jpg

My two Siamese. Opie is the orange guy; Lily is grey. I got her as a companion for him after he had been an only cat for around a year. They usually get along pretty well. Opie's been much less neurotic since I got her.

[daryn]

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e170/darynf/pup005-1.jpg


i just got this guy tonight. he's sleeping like a baby right now. i'll have more pics soon.

[JaredL]

Daryn,

Nice choice, he's quite cute. I like the big spot at the end of his nose, adds character.

edit: ugh, look at the [censored] image!

[Gobias Ind.]

The problem w/ Cat/Dog threads is that we may get one or two replies into the thread, but we all inevitably come for the same reason: PICS OF CATS AND DOGS!!!!!!!!

I love em, you love em. It's a welcome hijack. We stop reading posts and start looking for pics like x-mas presents under the tree.

BTW, even though you're prolly not reading words, SOMETHINGCLEVER your dog is amazing!

[daryn]

[ QUOTE ]
Daryn,

Nice choice, he's quite cute. I like the big spot at the end of his nose, adds character.

edit: ugh, look at the [censored] image!

[/ QUOTE ]

yeah it's like a jigsaw puzzle piece on his nose. i should have called him jigsaw /images/graemlins/crazy.gif

[LuckOfTheDraw]

[ QUOTE ]
http://img130.imageshack.us/img130/1933/caesarslothwb2ge0.jpg

[/ QUOTE ]

Is that thing part kangaroo?

[bottomset]

my votes for top5 dogs so far

1. somethingclever
2. Claunchy
3. wondercall
4. patrick del poker grande (the little one)
5. daryn

[Dynasty]

I've thought about getting either a cat or a bird. But, for the past couple years I've been content having the ducks and coots at the Mirage as my "pets". They're now able to recognize me from 15-20 yards away and often run at top speed when I'm on the rail with food for them.

Here's the bsst picture I've got with the most interactive of the ducks. Most will take food from my hand. But, she's the only one I can get to fly into the air to take food.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v720/DynastyPoker/duck1.jpg

[Drew16]

Royal Slammer-2 yr old Westipoo. Adopted from rescue about a year and a half ago.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b386/adambledsoe/DSC00873.jpg

Mikey-8ish yr old Cockapoo. Adopted from resuce 4 years ago.
http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b386/adambledsoe/DSC00805.jpg

[oyesmoreofthis]

i dont know if im allowed to post in this fancy forum, but anyway, i used to have an ocelot. he was awesome. he was really tame because we got him when he was a little kitten and smuggled him into the country (que la mames, la migra). we had him for about five years, but then he never came back. im guessing a wolf or some coyotes got him /images/graemlins/frown.gif

i took this picture off the internet, but its pretty close to what he looked like:

http://img122.imageshack.us/img122/3082/ocelotbi2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[JaBlue]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Daryn,

Nice choice, he's quite cute. I like the big spot at the end of his nose, adds character.

edit: ugh, look at the [censored] image!

[/ QUOTE ]

yeah it's like a jigsaw puzzle piece on his nose. i should have called him jigsaw /images/graemlins/crazy.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

if it weren't for the saw series that would have probably been a pretty good choice for a name.

Why'd you go with Loki? Does it mean anything?

[JaBlue]

Does anyone have a fox as a pet? I probably got the idea from OOT but the more I think about it, the more awesome it seems. Anyone know enough about foxes to comment as to their petworthiness?

[Cumulonimbus]

[ QUOTE ]
i dont know if im allowed to post in this fancy forum, but anyway, i used to have an ocelot. he was awesome. he was really tame because we got him when he was a little kitten and smuggled him into the country (que la mames, la migra). we had him for about five years, but then he never came back. im guessing a wolf or some coyotes got him /images/graemlins/frown.gif

i took this picture off the internet, but its pretty close to what he looked like:

http://img122.imageshack.us/img122/3082/ocelotbi2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[/ QUOTE ]

wtf i want an ocelot! Thats awesome. Details?

[daryn]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Daryn,

Nice choice, he's quite cute. I like the big spot at the end of his nose, adds character.

edit: ugh, look at the [censored] image!

[/ QUOTE ]

yeah it's like a jigsaw puzzle piece on his nose. i should have called him jigsaw /images/graemlins/crazy.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

if it weren't for the saw series that would have probably been a pretty good choice for a name.

Why'd you go with Loki? Does it mean anything?

[/ QUOTE ]

yeah check out the wiki page:

Loki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loki)

i got the idea in the OOT dog name thread

[daryn]

more pics:

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e170/darynf/loki016.jpg

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e170/darynf/loki026.jpg

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e170/darynf/loki033.jpg


http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e170/darynf/loki027.jpg


he doesn't like his crate too much as far as overnight goes. i guess the solution is just let him cry it out but it's really loud and i don't really want to disturb apartment neighbors. any hints/tips/ideas about crate training?

[LuckOfTheDraw]

Daryn,

Your dog kind of looks like you.

[S0meGuy]

[ QUOTE ]
he doesn't like his crate too much as far as overnight goes. i guess the solution is just let him cry it out but it's really loud and i don't really want to disturb apartment neighbors. any hints/tips/ideas about crate training?

[/ QUOTE ]

Put the crate in your room at night where he can see you when he's in it...should settle him. Easiest 8 hours to spend with your dog. During the day, leave a radio on. Good Luck bro...nice Boxer...will dig up some pics of mine.

[yvesaint]

[ QUOTE ]
Does anyone have a fox as a pet? I probably got the idea from OOT but the more I think about it, the more awesome it seems. Anyone know enough about foxes to comment as to their petworthiness?

[/ QUOTE ]

dont get a fox, get this (my dog)

http://img526.imageshack.us/img526/5623/n506470300039932780zo2.jpg

http://img526.imageshack.us/img526/6494/n506470300039966125by2.jpg

http://img526.imageshack.us/img526/9823/n50647030003991532hy3.jpg

[LuckOfTheDraw]

That's a beautiful dog, is it a dingo?

[daryn]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
he doesn't like his crate too much as far as overnight goes. i guess the solution is just let him cry it out but it's really loud and i don't really want to disturb apartment neighbors. any hints/tips/ideas about crate training?

[/ QUOTE ]

Put the crate in your room at night where he can see you when he's in it...should settle him. Easiest 8 hours to spend with your dog. During the day, leave a radio on. Good Luck bro...nice Boxer...will dig up some pics of mine.

[/ QUOTE ]

i am home all day long. at night he can't see me because the room is too dark. it doesn't even matter though, even when he can see me he is screaming to get out.. only sometimes though. it's weird. sometimes he's really tired and he'll fall asleep next to my leg on the living room floor.. then i'll pick him up and put him in the crate and he'll lie down in there and go to sleep. then i'll shut the door and it makes a little sound.. he will open his eyes, realize i've shut the door, and then still put his head down and go back to sleep. he does that SOMETIMES. never through the night though, only with his naps.

[yvesaint]

[ QUOTE ]
That's a beautiful dog, is it a dingo?

[/ QUOTE ]

Shiba Inu (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiba_Inu)

[Wondercall]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
he doesn't like his crate too much as far as overnight goes. i guess the solution is just let him cry it out but it's really loud and i don't really want to disturb apartment neighbors. any hints/tips/ideas about crate training?

[/ QUOTE ]

Put the crate in your room at night where he can see you when he's in it...should settle him. Easiest 8 hours to spend with your dog. During the day, leave a radio on. Good Luck bro...nice Boxer...will dig up some pics of mine.

[/ QUOTE ]

i am home all day long. at night he can't see me because the room is too dark. it doesn't even matter though, even when he can see me he is screaming to get out.. only sometimes though. it's weird. sometimes he's really tired and he'll fall asleep next to my leg on the living room floor.. then i'll pick him up and put him in the crate and he'll lie down in there and go to sleep. then i'll shut the door and it makes a little sound.. he will open his eyes, realize i've shut the door, and then still put his head down and go back to sleep. he does that SOMETIMES. never through the night though, only with his naps.

[/ QUOTE ]

You just have to tough it out. I know its brutal listening to a puppy cry all night, but its the best thing for him. Give him a week or so to get used to it.

[adios]

[ QUOTE ]
he doesn't like his crate too much as far as overnight goes. i guess the solution is just let him cry it out but it's really loud and i don't really want to disturb apartment neighbors. any hints/tips/ideas about crate training?

[/ QUOTE ]

You're doing fine. He's too young to make it through the night without having to potty. I got my latest dog when he was 9 weeks. I put the crate in our room and took him out at 2:00 A.M. until he could make it through the night which was when he was about 5 months old or so. I physically carried him but he quickly grew to over 40 lbs so that was a pain. I live in a house though so that may not be as easy for you. The important thing is to make sure he has a lot of successes and when he does praise the heck out of him. There are other alternatives but they're not as good IMO, PM me if you want to about it.

Cute puppy btw.

[S0meGuy]

Reese...8 year old Boxer - Canadian Champion.

http://img127.imageshack.us/img127/7176/reeseaug00mb7.jpg

[Patrick del Poker Grande]

[ QUOTE ]
Reese...8 year old Boxer - Canadian Champion.

http://img127.imageshack.us/img127/7176/reeseaug00mb7.jpg

[/ QUOTE ]

Very nice. Right when I first saw the picture, for an instant, I thought it was my puppies' dad - he looks very similar. That's a great looking dog.

[4 High]

Our 9 Month old (round about) Bepherd (Beagle/German Shepherd), Her name is Penny.

http://img260.imageshack.us/img260/1168/1623838119733300nh1.jpg

Shes about the size of a Beagle but looks like a mini German Shepherd kind of, so people are always intrigued by her. She weighs between 30-35 pounds maybe a little less. Shes still easy to pick up and carry, with both hands obviously.

The best thing i have done in life besides getting married, is getting Penny. You never know what your missing until you actually have a dog.

[firstyearclay]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
he doesn't like his crate too much as far as overnight goes. i guess the solution is just let him cry it out but it's really loud and i don't really want to disturb apartment neighbors. any hints/tips/ideas about crate training?

[/ QUOTE ]

Put the crate in your room at night where he can see you when he's in it...should settle him. Easiest 8 hours to spend with your dog. During the day, leave a radio on. Good Luck bro...nice Boxer...will dig up some pics of mine.

[/ QUOTE ]

i am home all day long. at night he can't see me because the room is too dark. it doesn't even matter though, even when he can see me he is screaming to get out.. only sometimes though. it's weird. sometimes he's really tired and he'll fall asleep next to my leg on the living room floor.. then i'll pick him up and put him in the crate and he'll lie down in there and go to sleep. then i'll shut the door and it makes a little sound.. he will open his eyes, realize i've shut the door, and then still put his head down and go back to sleep. he does that SOMETIMES. never through the night though, only with his naps.

[/ QUOTE ]

Daryn,

Its only for about 2-3 weeks. Tough it up. He is sad to be away from the pack. Show him now that he cannot get his way.

The one thing with the radio/tv thing, is you will have to do that for life. I do it for my 13 year old boxer. When I forget he rips the trash open and pisses on my [censored] /images/graemlins/smile.gif.

FYC

[daryn]

today i had to buy dog food.. he was napping and i placed him in the crate and shut the door. he went right back to the nap. i put sunrise earth on tv and it was like a beach scene. very peaceful. i went to buy the food, came back makin a ton of noise entering my apartment but he remained sound asleep.

like 4 or 5 times today he had no problem being put in the crate.. i left the door open. he would wake up sometimes, come out to pee on the newspapaers and then pass out next to me, and i'd put him back in. i guess i can definitely see progress.. and it's only been like 3 nights. i will just work him like this a few more days and then go for it one night, just leave him in the crate all night.. although i do have to let him out if he whines to go pee right?

[daryn]

one more because i like this pose


http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e170/darynf/loki015.jpg

[ALawPoker]

This is Jaeger. He's a 1+ year-old German Shepherd/Rottweiler mix. He's a punk sometimes, but he's so lovable that he can get away with it.

http://photos-518.ak.facebook.com/ip002/v54/217/122/501977626/n501977626_7518_8660.jpg
http://photos-122.ak.facebook.com/ip002/v67/51/11/3700604/n3700604_30668122_2229.jpg
http://photos-484.ak.facebook.com/ip002/v45/220/6/3702485/n3702485_30427484_8985.jpg

[JuntMonkey]

I've been casually thinking about getting a kitten. The thing is that I want it to stay a kitten forever. I want a really tiny one that will pitter-patter into my room while I'm on the computer.

1) How long do they stay small for, and do you get attached to them and love them just as much when they're bigger?

2) Before I moved out of my dad's house we had a cat, but I mostly kept it out of the rooms I lived in. I am allergic and got mostly used to it, but again I was never living up close and personal with it. Will I adapt to a new cat after a while, even with it rolling around my bed?

[mntbikr15]

Google "munchkin cat" or something like that.

I recall a friend showing me a link of these things, pretty much kittens that never grow.

[Patrick del Poker Grande]

That's an awesome pup, Daryn. Stay "tough" on the crate training - it'll pay off. Pretty soon, he'll probably actually like to go into his crate - that's your (short-term) goal. Stuff some kongs with food and treats and put them in the crate. He'll learn to like his crate and also learn what he can chew on at the same time.

I've taught my dogs that they can't bark, except to go outside. I did that by putting them outside immediately any time they bark like they want something and busting them (putting them in the small dark bathroom for about 30 seconds) any other time they bark. If you're consistent, you'll get a dog that will let you know when he needs to go out, but won't be barking otherwise.

The first couple nights are the hardest with the poor little guy whaling away, but you kind of just have to live through it and it'll get better. After the first night or two, when it's reasonable for him to be scared/lonely, start busting him for making noise. Go down, tell/yell "uh-uh!" and put him in a small, dark room (bathroom's usually good) for up to 30 seconds. Then, put him right back in his crate and leave again - make sure he doesn't get anywhere with whining. It'll be a pain in the ass to do this all the time for the first couple weeks, but it'll pay off. Maybe take him outside the first time to make sure he's not whining to go pee, but be sure to put him right back in the crate and then start busting him after you know it's not because he has to pee. You'll be able to tell which is which after a little while.

[SomethingClever]

[ QUOTE ]
BTW, even though you're prolly not reading words, SOMETHINGCLEVER your dog is amazing!

[/ QUOTE ]

I hadn't checked into the thread for a few days, but I caught this. Thanks!

[tuq]

[ QUOTE ]
1) How long do they stay small for, and do you get attached to them and love them just as much when they're bigger?

[/ QUOTE ]
Well, my oldest one is 10-11 months and he's gotten huge, as in I hope he doesn't grow any more. The younger one is about 7 months and has a bit of growing to do yet.

It's way too early for me to answer the second part of your question, but I find them just as cute now as I did then. I've heard from others that they get cranky as they get older, we'll see about that. The one I had growing up was an outdoor cat and hated me anyway (I was always picking it up and chasing it around) so I have no basis for comparison.

[BigSoonerFan]

A great thread that I hope I can contribute to. My love for animals began a long time ago, as an eight-year old picking out his birthday present at the local animal shelter, a shivering scared mutt (half-chihuahua/half-terrier) that became my best friend until eight years later when I was devestated by a car hitting him.

Right now we have four cats, having lost three dogs and two cats in the last four years. I'm an animal lover, so my love for dogs and cats doesn't lean either way. As soon as my daughters are older, we'll get them a dog (from a rescue organization).

Joker's question has been answered but I must back up the opinion that two cats is necessary if you are working outside of the home (or just out a lot). There are exceptions, like one my current cats who lived eight years with my grandfather and his dog. He would probably prefer to be alone, which is why he spends each night in the basement alone (he whines and scratchs until we let him down there). All of the other cats I have had are very social.

Someone mentioned that feral (wild) cats usually don't make much noise, which is true. I happen to feed a colony of feral cats who live behind the store of a friend of mine. You won't ever hear them make a noise. Until I got them all fixed, the males were quite noisy when fighting.

Some notes about cats......

Usually males are more friendly than female cats. Seems counterintuitive, but that's the general consensus and also what I've noticed.

When moving cats from one home to another, always put it/them in one room for a few days to let them get used to the sounds/smells. A vast new area can be overwhelming to a cat and they are very resistant to change. Change may cause them not to eat.

Cats must eat. Not eating for 2 or 3 days can sometimes cause severe internal damage. (off the top of my head, I can't remember what it is though) Also, cow's milk isn't good for cats!

When introducing a new cat into a household, keep the new cat in a separate room and slowly introduce them (via window/glass door/screen door if possible).

Now, where are the pet llama stories?

[daryn]

pet thread for dom

[JordanIB]

Have 2 cats in the apartment now. One female grey tabby (Chula), about a year and a half old that we've had since the summer that is owned by my roommate. We got her a playmate on Super Bowl Sunday...a black domestic short-hair, 4-month little guy (Apollo). He's awesome. Will chase and play with anything -- his own tail, the hair net from the bathtub, his water bowl, and of course his toys.

I'm so glad I got Chula a playmate. The first week was a little up and down, pretty much all territory fights. Now they can be often found cuddling and licking each other, and the fighting and chasing is of a much more playful nature. Although Apollo still likes to play "Take Chula's Spot" as much as he can, even if he has no actual interest in being where Chula is.

2 issues I'll ask of the group:

1) Feeding issues: Apollo eats his own food. Apollo eats Chula's food. Chula doesn't eat her food too much. Chula tries to eat Apollo's food. Normally I wouldn't care too much, but Apollo has kitten food and wet food which has higher fat content and Chula is already gaining unnecessary weight by eating it. I want to leave food out during the day because I'm gone from 8 until 7.

Any tips on getting them to each eat their own food and only their food?

2) Cat Tree

I need to buy a cat tree. After looking at a few sites, www.cozycatfurniture.com (http://www.cozycatfurniture.com) seems to have some really good prices and free shipping, which saves like $40-50. They have good reviews at http://www.bizrate.com/ratings_guide/cust_reviews__mid--69651.html

Anybody have familiarity with them? Or any other recommendations?

Thanks!

[RunyonAve]

This is our dog Bailey, she's a Puggle (half pug half beagle)

http://myspace-897.vo.llnwd.net/01488/79/80/1488950897_l.jpg

[Wondercall]

Dominic,

I saw you were wondering why your lab licks his/her paws constantly. My parents lab does this as well, and I'm pretty sure my dad told me its because labs are really susceptible to allergies. Does your dog scratch his ear a lot too?

[Dominic]

[ QUOTE ]
pet thread for dom

[/ QUOTE ]

oops, thanks

[Iplayboard]

I've been away "studying" for the past 3 weeks so I enjoyed stumbling across this thread this afternoon because all the great pictures of people's pets reminded me of my cat back home.

Well the timing couldn't have been much worse as just about thirty minutes later my parents called to tell me that the cat I have had since elementary school passed away as a result of a staph infection/Asthma complications.

I wanted to post it here because from all the pictures and everything I can tell that the posters in this thread really care about their animals and often times people who don't really like pets have trouble understanding the strong connection between certain people and their fury companions.

I was really attached to her. I remember holding her the first day we got her when she was just a few ounces. My favorite memories of her are when I would just sit on the couch all Saturday watching college football and she would lie on my lap for hours. It would get to the point where I'd have to kick her off because my legs would start to cramp up.

I don't have a picture of her on my computer to post, but she was white with orange on her tail, ears, cheeks and a little on her back. She also had the bluest eyes and a little bit of a belly on an otherwise small frame. I named her Sugar.

Although not the same as losing a really close family member I do feel at the very least as if I have lost a good friend.

[daryn]

he's growing fast


http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e170/darynf/loki2013.jpg

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e170/darynf/loki2012.jpg

[private joker]

Iplayboard -- sorry for your loss.

[EvanJC]

Just wanted to bump this to show off my two new babies, and represent for the degenerate, appartment living non-dog owning set.

http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/7417/20070302image0023os8.jpg

These dinosaurs are called bearded dragons. They come from Australia originally, and are a really popular first reptile because they're fairly easy to take care of, have great personalities, and don't mind being handled. They get to be ~20 inches full grown. That's Bella on the left, and the big fella on the rock is my unnamed male. Actually, they're not sexable at this point (about 5 weeks or so), so I'm just guessing there. He's at least 80% bigger than her though (they're from the same clutch) so he's the man. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

Here's a closer look at my baby girl...

http://img253.imageshack.us/img253/9646/20070302image0018wm8.jpg

And one of the big balla...

http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/1059/20070302image0012bu7.jpg

I have a feeling the big one is going to be really, really beautiful (well, by bearded dragons standards) when he's grown - he's already showing some amazing oranges and purples.

[so sick bro]

Patrick, your boxers are awesome. Def getting one in the future

[TheProbst]

This is Keystone and he is a pit bull. This is my old roommate's dog. I have a lab; Ill post pics of her when I can find some.

http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/4123/keystoneev9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img149.imageshack.us/img149/1272/keystone1ai0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img149.imageshack.us/img149/9946/keystone2aq0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[JaredL]

Daryn,

More dog pics please.

[daryn]

i just took some recently.. i'll throw them up tomorrow

[jzpiano]

EvanJC,

My fiance's brother has a pet bearded dragon as well. When he got him he was tiny ~3" and a couple of months later this thing was huge easily 20". He was a lotta fun to pick up and handle. The skin under his neck has a much different feeling than the rest of his body, not sure if this is standard. I'm not a reptile fan, but if I was I would probably get one of these.

[lapoker17]

mine:

http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w19/jacksikma/DSC00009.jpg

[Ballzack]

Chewbacca 115lbs of pure laziness.

http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k68/bnobs79/Duds.jpg

Piper. She got sick from some of the recalled dog food but she toughed it out.

http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k68/bnobs79/Craze.jpg

[NicksDad1970]

My wife got rid of the Chihuahua and got a Great Dane.

They both drive/drove me crazy

[Wondercall]

[ QUOTE ]
Chewbacca 115lbs of pure laziness.

http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k68/bnobs79/Duds.jpg

Piper. She got sick from some of the recalled dog food but she toughed it out.

http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k68/bnobs79/Craze.jpg

[/ QUOTE ]

That is a beautiful rottie.

[Rootabager]

This is my new Weimaraner puppy
http://photos-363.ak.facebook.com/ip002/v57/247/101/12906757/n12906757_32413363_3843.jpg

http://photos-364.ak.facebook.com/ip002/v57/247/101/12906757/n12906757_32413364_5145.jpg

http://photos-937.ak.facebook.com/ip002/v65/247/101/12906757/n12906757_32962937_4709.jpg

http://photos-652.ak.facebook.com/ip002/v72/247/101/12906757/n12906757_33458652_3753.jpg

http://photos-938.ak.facebook.com/ip002/v65/247/101/12906757/n12906757_32962938_5754.jpg

http://photos-183.ak.facebook.com/ip002/v56/231/60/12907240/n12907240_32433183_5834.jpg

http://photos-312.ak.facebook.com/ip002/v56/231/60/12907240/n12907240_32434312_1129.jpg

[Vehn]

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a181/vehn23/Picture011-1.jpg

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a181/vehn23/nemwalk.jpg

these are (were) my cats, my ex took the one on the left when she left. They are both bengals (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bengal_cat). The one she took we got first and honestly was about the world's worst cat, basically cried all the time when not being played with or sleeping, wasn't affectionate, etc. We got my cat to keep him company... and my cat hated him too. Nice.

All I have to say is do not take your cat outside on a leash like I did.. because he will love and demand you go out every day. My cat is awesome except that if he's not out for a walk when the weather is good within a couple hours of me getting up he is staring at me screaming until he is.

[lippy]

An idea for those of you that are responsible; foster pregnant cats. My mother does this once a year or so and it's amazing. You get a cat that is pregnant and keep her and her kittens until they're 6 weeks old or so. There is a ton of work and you need an extra room (that won't smell too hot), but it's incredibly rewarding. I wouldn't suggest doing it unless at least someone is home most of the day. Also, it is important to be good with the kittens. Apparently your handling of them will be very formative in their relationship with future humans (their new home).

It's an incredibly rewarding experience. They're so full of life.

If you're interested, do some poking around on the web and you can probably find a place to sign up. There is an interview process to make sure you're fit and responsible.

Here are a few pics of the last guys;

http://photos-893.ak.facebook.com/ip005/v17/173/19/13925168/n13925168_31933893_9652.jpg
http://photos-895.ak.facebook.com/ip005/v17/173/19/13925168/n13925168_31933895_1454.jpg
http://photos-904.ak.facebook.com/ip005/v17/173/19/13925168/n13925168_31933904_8417.jpg
http://photos-907.ak.facebook.com/ip005/v17/173/19/13925168/n13925168_31933907_833.jpg
http://photos-909.ak.facebook.com/ip005/v17/173/19/13925168/n13925168_31933909_1881.jpg

and older

http://photos-920.ak.facebook.com/ip006/v25/173/19/13925168/n13925168_32232920_4305.jpg
http://photos-922.ak.facebook.com/ip006/v25/173/19/13925168/n13925168_32232922_5098.jpg
http://photos-924.ak.facebook.com/ip006/v25/173/19/13925168/n13925168_32232924_5748.jpg

[SlowHabit]

No one has a bird as a pet?

Also, I want a snow-white tiger or a lion as a pet. Not in its natural huge size but at the size of a german sheperd [if biological engineering allow it in the future].

And an angry looking yorkie terrier. Similar to this.
http://www.all-about-yorkshire-terriers.com/images/yorkie2.jpg

[raptor517]

http://www.pgaa.com/canine/general/images/bassetbrownwhite.jpg

awwww isnt it cute

[John Cole]

My dog and GF's dogs. One of the Border Collies is missing from the pic, and I couldn't get her four cats into it either. I did own a cat one time that would walk with me to the corner store and come when I called. It was better trained than my dog, I think.



http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f3/jcole5044/DSC00001.jpg


http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f3/jcole5044/DSC00932.jpg

[daryn]

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e170/darynf/mc032.jpg

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e170/darynf/mc037.jpg

and here's an update pic for anyone who remembers my thread about plasma tv mounting

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e170/darynf/mc036.jpg

[MicroBob]

lipps, I tried doing this for some stray-kittens that arrived in the neighborhood.

I occasionally fed a couple of the neighborhood strays. And then there were a ton of kittens. Yiikes.

I was able to grab 3 of them and get them inside and try to care for them for a few days.

OMG what a hassle. And I was home everyday too.

And you ain't kidding about them being stinky.

I finally found someone to take them in though and I'm pretty happy they are in happy homes and are a living a much better life than they would be on the street.

[MicroBob]

My late cat is in my avatar.

I had to put her down in November.

It was a bit of a struggle for me since Sept when I found out she had cancer and there was pretty much no chance. I was able to keep her around and happy a bit longer than was expected but it was incredibly tough and emotional for me.

My cat really rocked and the end sucked but the companionship for 3 yrs or so since taking her in was definitely worth it.
She was definitely that awesome.

I feel kind of weird but i'm a bit sad again right now just thinking about it. This was awhile ago. Weird.


No more cats for me unfortunately.
I would totally get another one. But the GF has some allergies and we are moving in together soon.
We'll see though. She did okay with my former cat.


My sister is a veternarian and has her own house-call based service now (you pay her more than a normal vet to avoid having to bring the pet in to some cold vet's office).

Of course, people tend to only need a vet when their pet is in trouble.
And as a house-call vet part of her approach is to be more personal with her clients.

She's had some weeks where she has to put down 2 or 3 different pets and the families/kids are all really sad and I think it causes her a ton of stress.

Sometimes you can block a lot of that stuff out with experience. But then there are the tougher ones.

[MicroBob]

Regarding 2 cats or 1.

I honestly think this depends on the cat's personality.

Some cats love the company.

Other cats really change and get all freaked and territorial and it just causes them more stress.
It's not the end of the world for them. But I can sense that they just aren't as happy and some will NEVER get used to it.

Cats sleep a lot anyway.
Assuming you aren't away for ridiculouosly long stretches and perhaps can be content just looking out the window at birds or trees or whatever that they might be okay.

And now I'm going to spam one of my sister's products. I don't even know if she is making any profit from this thing anymore now that Target and PetSmart picked it up so it might not even be spam.
Personally, I don't think it's very good (so-so production quality and sound) and my cat wasn't interested in the least.
But other cats respond extremely favorably.
It's a continuous loop DVD showing birds, squirrels, fish, etc.
Some cats really really love it.
And the owners feel better when they leave their home when they are able to put something on the TV that their cat actually will like.

link (http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/602-5539945-3294265?asin=B0009PM37E&AFID=Froogle&LNM=B0009PM37 E|Couch_Potato_Kitty_Continuous_Loop_DVD&nAID=1411 0944&ref=tgt_adv_XSG10001)

[FeliciaLee]

Meanest Yorkie ever:

http://www.frontiernet.net/~bagsmode/GlennDaxshirt.jpg

Killer 2 lb. Chihuahua:

http://www.frontiernet.net/~bagsmode/TruvyScarf.jpg

Felicia /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[Money2Burn]

When I was in Aspen over spreing break I saw a lady walking a dog about the size of a lab, that was jet black but it had ice blue eyes of a husky. It was the coolest dog I'd ever seen.

[DOMIT]

To be fair, have to get in a pic with Indy (the nephew of Ms. Killer 2lb Chihuahua). You can tell he gets the short end of the stick: I searched and searched, and he doesn't have one pic alone, he's only taken with the others:

http://www.frontiernet.net/~bagsmode/IndyTruvy.jpg

And, if you can believe it, that little Truvy 2lb'er will kick Indy the 6lb'er out of that bean bag at the slightest provocation.

If you're like me and like a dog that wouldn't be considered a chew toy to other dogs, Siberian Huskeys are awesome:

http://www.frontiernet.net/~bagsmode/AttuSnoopiePose.jpg

Sweet dog, but we've always had people asking if it was a wolf, lol. We even had someone not notice him on the lawn.. Attu raised his head to see who was coming.. Dude got so freaked he started running across the street, and ran straight into a parked car!

[Money2Burn]

[ QUOTE ]
If you're like me and like a dog that wouldn't be considered a chew toy to other dogs, Siberian Huskeys are awesome:


[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah! They are my favorite, I really want to get one, but I've heard they can be very agressive and I don't really want that if I'm going to have a family. Is this true? How bad are they?

[DOMIT]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
If you're like me and like a dog that wouldn't be considered a chew toy to other dogs, Siberian Huskeys are awesome:


[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah! They are my favorite, I really want to get one, but I've heard they can be very agressive and I don't really want that if I'm going to have a family. Is this true? How bad are they?

[/ QUOTE ]

I've had two. One was hurt as a puppy and when the little girl would pet it, it caught a negative association with kids; we got rid of it once it bit someone in the family. We learned from there that you just can't get a dog from someone other than a breeder as a puppy (at least not big dogs that can inflict damage). Our 2nd Huskey, we got straight from the breader. Since we owned it as it was growing up and didn't abuse it, it turned out as one of the gentlest dogs ever.

Edit: as an example, we lived near a school. The kids would love to come over and pet the dog. My step-father was always there to watch-over, but the dog was fine with the kids and loved the attention.

[Kaj]

Koko -- 6-1/2 yr old GSD. First photo was actually this morning. Unfortunately, I'm moving soon and not sure if I can find a place that allows this breed where I'm going... in a tough nut.

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k27/tyrus_donovan/DSC03773_sm.jpg http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k27/tyrus_donovan/kokopelli.jpg http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k27/tyrus_donovan/kokobed.jpg http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k27/tyrus_donovan/kokobday1.jpg http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k27/tyrus_donovan/kokopup2.jpg

[The Bandit Fish]

[ QUOTE ]
Koko -- 6-1/2 yr old GSD. First photo was actually this morning. Unfortunately, I'm moving soon and not sure if I can find a place that allows this breed where I'm going... in a tough nut.

[/ QUOTE ]

You've got a beautiful GSD. Having a large dog and renting is a PITA. It's tough to find any apartments that'll allow any dog over ~35 lbs. It's silly that weight should make a difference. Little dogs can do just as much damage as a large dog and barking is fairly easy to deal with if thats a problem.

I'm worried about when I transfer to finish my degree if I'll be able to find a place that will allow my lab, he's really not all that big, 70-80lbs, well behaved, doesn't bark, but sadly many places don't even take anything other than weight into consideration. :/

This is my pup the day I got him:
http://greystar.org/gallery/albums/Puppy/100_1249.sized.jpg
And this is a more recent pic:
http://greystar.org/gallery/albums/Puppy/IMG_0464.sized.jpg

[The Bandit Fish]

[ QUOTE ]
I've had two. One was hurt as a puppy and when the little girl would pet it, it caught a negative association with kids; we got rid of it once it bit someone in the family. We learned from there that you just can't get a dog from someone other than a breeder as a puppy (at least not big dogs that can inflict damage).

[/ QUOTE ]

Well this can happen with any dog, but rescue dogs can be some of the best companions you could ever have. Generally once they adapt to their new environment they'll be the moost loving and loyal pet you could ever have. Sadly this isn't always the case, but getting a dog from a breeder as a pup isn't a guarantee that the dog will be well behave or even tempered.

[rJ_]

I cant find any recent ones. These are from a couple months ago.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y10/rJ_/Mattie046.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y10/rJ_/Mattie022.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y10/rJ_/March2007063.jpg

rJ_

[CORed]

[ QUOTE ]
Another quirk she has is she will just meow at the top of her lungs for a long time at weird intervals for no reason. Her litter box is clean, she has plenty of food and water, yet she still sounds like she wants something. Then she stops as if nothing was ever wrong. Maybe my cat is insane.

[/ QUOTE ]

Is she spayed? Intact females will do this when they are in heat. They do want something. Sex.

[CORed]

[ QUOTE ]
I'm wondering if anyone else's cat has this: a perfectly timed body clock so they know your routine instantly. For example, my alarm goes off every morning at 9 and I work from 10-7. After the first week she lived with me, my cat started to anticipate the 9am alarm clock.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is pretty common. A lot of dogs will do this, too. If you feed them at the same time every day, they will know when it's feeding time, too.

[CORed]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
and if you get a cat you should really get two. edit : unless you work at home and can be a constant companion for them.


[/ QUOTE ]

This is a question I was going to ask: should I really get a second cat? I'm wondering if Chiba gets lonely when I'm gone at work.

[/ QUOTE ]

A second cat can be tricky. Some cats are very territorial and will not get along well with a second cat. If you want more than one, it's best to get two kittens about the same age at the same time. They will usually be friends for life. If you are going to bring in a second cat, one of the opposite gender of your first cat usually works better. Of course, if you are going to have a male and a female cat in the same house, spaying and neutering is essential, if you don't want to have 150 cats after about two years.

[wade17]

dogs... gotta go with loyalty

[Hoi Polloi]

I got two cats; came with my wife; 3 pussies for the price of 1!

One is normal sized and very adventurous. Likes to eat the plants though. The other is a runt. Two years older than number 1 and half her size. Ever since I heard Jessica Lynch say at her Congressional hearing that she didn't understand why the Army wanted to protray her as little rambo girl I've been calling number 2 "Little Rambo".

[nickg1532]

i want a dog sooo bad. i'm insanely jealous of anyone who has a bulldog.

[Don_Lapre]

http://img58.imageshack.us/img58/4582/timbrado2aa6.jpg

http://img509.imageshack.us/img509/8412/timbrado3th3.jpg

http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/5761/timbrado1ln7.jpg


Here's a bit different pet, it's a canary. Specifically a Spanish Timbrado which is a breed that is very similar to a wild canary and bred for their singing ability. And man can that little bird sing!

PROS
Simple pet to take care of
Doesn't mind being alone all day
Wonderful singing ability
Interesting to watch their behavior, very lively

CONS
The singing can get annoying and loud at times
Messy pet
Most canaries don't like people and hate to be held, unlike many other pet birds

[daryn]

growing fast.. he's all legs these days. i think he might get really big. he's skinny too. i feed him 3 times a day but sometimes he's just not interested in it.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y152/CCormier/daryn007.jpg

[jbird]

[ QUOTE ]
one more because i like this pose

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e170/darynf/loki015.jpg


[/ QUOTE ]

Awesome. So cute.

[jbird]

Here is Kody, my 6 year old lab / husky mix:

http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/1698/kody8cf3.jpg

Kody as a pup:

http://img262.imageshack.us/img262/5980/kody3kf9.jpg
And here is Hugo, our 1 year old Bulldog:

http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/7234/hugoandlauru7.jpg

[king_of_drafts]

We have a buncha rescued mutts, all old, and a cat that acts like a dog. An animal caveat that people should be aware of is that they can get expensive if you get attached to them. We have an obese, diabetic daushund who we give insulin to twice a day, and multiple dogs who we have taken to get cataract/dental surgery. Also, we had one dog that was insanely territorial and protective who would bite whoever wasn't a regular resident of the house. She was vicious and dangerous to the point of being a liability, so we had to put her to sleep, which was a very difficult experience for me.

[slamdunkpro]

Our 25lb Maine Coon - Nevada
http://www.slamdunkpro.com/Resources/nevada-flowers.jpg

Our Newest addition - Nash
http://www.slamdunkpro.com/Resources/nash_buda.jpg

We have 3 Bearded Dragons - here's one. He's about 15 inches head to tail

http://www.slamdunkpro.com/Resources/beardie.jpg

[steel108]

I just adopted this cat. One month old and hyper like no other. One question: why does she ALWAYS lick my neck. She gets pissed if I don't let her. She also always likes to chill on my shoulders for some reason. Any cat vets have insight?

http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/457/picture16xh8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/2241/picture13pc7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[scotchnrocks]

Here are a few pics of my lionfish and maroon clown and her anemone home

http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l7/hcarter900/DSCN0445.jpg


http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l7/hcarter900/DSCN0681.jpg


http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l7/hcarter900/DSCN0753.jpg

[iMsoLucky0]

Here's bud, our 2 1/2 yo Bulldog

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v487/jmorgan025/DSCN0100.jpg

And this is ZuZu, she's 2.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v487/jmorgan025/DSCN2977.jpg

They are both awesome, loving dogs. ZuZu is a little stupid though, we think she may be slightly retarded (no lie). If her head is in a door and you're trying to close it, she won't move it. She also sometimes forgets how to jump in the couch and will put her front legs on and kinda squirm for a bit obviously wanting up until she finally remembers.

She weighs 55 lbs, Bud weighs 75. Bud has been as high as 90 lbs and has to take about 7 pills a day. He has a thyroid problem and bad allergies but I wouldn't trade either of them for anything in the world.

[private joker]

Jordan -- tell me that the first pic was taken in Vegas and the second one somewhere in the Northeast... because it would blow my mind if you lived somewhere with a desert-style tropical pool but that also snowed harcore in the winter.

[Ron Paul]

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c153/Borodog/DSC02475.jpg

[Ron Paul]

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c153/Borodog/DSC02491.jpg

[iMsoLucky0]

PJ, yes the first picture was in Vegas during WSOP 06. The other picture was in my backyard in Norman last year.

It snows like 2 or 3 times a year in Oklahoma.

[Mrs. Utah]

I know I have posted Harry all over the place but here he is again with his horse.
He does hang his head out the window with his toy in his mouth while I am driving.
We get some weird looks.

http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/9462/harryhorseaq0.jpg

http://img393.imageshack.us/img393/7155/harrycarxp0.jpg


We are looking at getting Harry a friend, a real one. /images/graemlins/crazy.gif

[tsearcher]

Cat and Fish

http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/3772/buddy02pd8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


Cat by himself

http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/9086/buddy41wp3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


My Nephew pulling my cat's tail
http://img262.imageshack.us/img262/6001/ben9290402dr7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


Flame Hawk Fish and Hermit Crabs

http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/2803/flamehawkcw4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


Sixline Wrasse

http://img262.imageshack.us/img262/9289/sixlinewrasseob1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


Clown Fish

http://img262.imageshack.us/img262/7514/clowner9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[dibbs]

I'm a little drunk, but thought for a second your child was pissing on your cat in that pic.

Awesome, awesome fish tank btw.

[Dominic]

my black lab is dripping saliva out one side of his mouth....drip, drip...wtf? he doesn't usually do this...

any ideas what might cause this?

[Mrs. Utah]

[ QUOTE ]
my black lab is dripping saliva out one side of his mouth....drip, drip...wtf? he doesn't usually do this...

any ideas what might cause this?

[/ QUOTE ]

Did you look in his mouth? Is there an injury or something?

Is he otherwise acting okay?

[Dominic]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
my black lab is dripping saliva out one side of his mouth....drip, drip...wtf? he doesn't usually do this...

any ideas what might cause this?

[/ QUOTE ]

Did you look in his mouth? Is there an injury or something?

Is he otherwise acting okay?

[/ QUOTE ]

he seems normal except for that...

[Mrs. Utah]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
my black lab is dripping saliva out one side of his mouth....drip, drip...wtf? he doesn't usually do this...

any ideas what might cause this?

[/ QUOTE ]

Did you look in his mouth? Is there an injury or something?

Is he otherwise acting okay?

[/ QUOTE ]

he seems normal except for that...

[/ QUOTE ]

Any reason to believe that he ate something he was not supposed to have eaten?
(My dog has done this a couple of times, but he is naturally a drooler)

Did you flip his lips back to see if anything is there?

Could he have gotten stung by something?

[daryn]

just came from the dentist?

[Noo Yawk]

[ QUOTE ]
I cant find any recent ones. These are from a couple months ago.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y10/rJ_/Mattie046.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y10/rJ_/Mattie022.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y10/rJ_/March2007063.jpg

rJ_

[/ QUOTE ]

I have a Boston Terrier too. Great dogs.

[Mrs. Utah]

Hey Dom,

Is your dog still drooling?

[supafrey]

http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/1042/dsc00057wm5.jpg

[Dominic]

[ QUOTE ]
Hey Dom,

Is your dog still drooling?

[/ QUOTE ]

lol...i don't think so...but thanks for the interest! /images/graemlins/cool.gif

[xxThe_Lebowskixx]

there are some really cute dogs in this thread, although it looks like most you paid $250 bucks for them instead of saving one at the pound.

[Patrick del Poker Grande]

[ QUOTE ]
there are some really cute dogs in this thread, although it looks like most you paid $250 bucks for them instead of saving one at the pound.

[/ QUOTE ]
Is this really the worst thing in the world? Yeah, saving one from the pound is definitely a great thing to do, noble, etc., but you have no idea what you're getting. This is an animal that you're welcoming into your home and into your family for the next 10-ish years and could be totally fubar for all you know, with regards to both its health and its mental state. Some people can handle a [censored] up dog and others can't. Of course it's not like every dog from the pound is messed up, but you're for sure taking a risk.

If it's the money you're worried about, then that's not really that great of an issue. For one, you still have fees to pay at the pound to cover vet expenses and you have a decent chance of having more health problems that will cost you more than a dog from a breeder. In the end, though, the up front cost of a dog is really lost in the noise in the long run. The real cost is in food, vet bills, toys, and whatever else.

[adios]

[ QUOTE ]
there are some really cute dogs in this thread, although it looks like most you paid $250 bucks for them instead of saving one at the pound.

[/ QUOTE ]

I spent $2000 for two of my dogs as puppies and rescued one that I've owned for over 6 years now. Should all one's dogs be rescue dogs i.e. one saved from the pound?

[XXXNoahXXX]

I got two cats in January. My gf is obsessed with cats, so I surprised her with two that I got from the local shelter. The white one is named Bailey and the black one is Clarence. Bailey is perfectly calm unless tuna is around, while Clarence, as you can see from the pics of his climbing exploits, is a bit of a maniac.

Bonus points if you get the name connection.

http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w162/noah2179/cats.jpg

[Dynasty]

[ QUOTE ]
The white one is named Bailey and the black one is Clarence.

Bonus points if you get the name connection.


[/ QUOTE ]

It's a Wonderful Life.

[pete fabrizio]

Beagles are the best.

[jbird]

[ QUOTE ]
there are some really cute dogs in this thread, although it looks like most you paid $250 bucks for them instead of saving one at the pound.


[/ QUOTE ]

My lab mix was found in a drainage ditch on the side of the road in West Virginia and cost me $25. The bulldog cost a little more.

[Soulman]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
and if you get a cat you should really get two. edit : unless you work at home and can be a constant companion for them.


[/ QUOTE ]

This is a question I was going to ask: should I really get a second cat? I'm wondering if Chiba gets lonely when I'm gone at work.

[/ QUOTE ]

A second cat can be tricky. Some cats are very territorial and will not get along well with a second cat. If you want more than one, it's best to get two kittens about the same age at the same time. They will usually be friends for life. If you are going to bring in a second cat, one of the opposite gender of your first cat usually works better. Of course, if you are going to have a male and a female cat in the same house, spaying and neutering is essential, if you don't want to have 150 cats after about two years.

[/ QUOTE ]
This is a bit old, but I'm gonna answer anyway /images/graemlins/smile.gif

Getting a second cat really should depend on whether your cat is lonely. Some cats want company, others don't. If your cat seems content, I really wouldn't bother.

We originally got one cat, but after a year or so it became very clear she felt very lonely when we were at work (she's extremely sociable). It became clear to us that we really needed to get her a friend.

Now, getting a cat to accept a new cat can be tricky. There's really not too much you can do, it's going to depend on the cats in question. In our case, they hissed at each other for two days, and after that became best of friends. I've heard stories that it might take months before they accept each other though.

On the gender thing: there really is no consensus here, I've heard both. FWIW both our cats are female.

Don't have any other pics available right now, here's one from where the spotty one (Amber) was a kitten and the brown one (Chili) is about a year and a half:

http://img237.imageshack.us/img237/9744/n631416436742765181ag2.jpg

[jhall23]

Stumbled on this thread and realized I haven't ever put pics of our dog up. This is Rufus. My first dog ever. These are from when he was a young pup, he is now 7 months old, but I don't have any new pics on this computer. He is super crazy and fun. He likes to be best friends with anything that moves.



http://img122.imageshack.us/img122/9093/img1103gn1.jpg

http://img122.imageshack.us/img122/2016/img1099lm2.jpg

http://img122.imageshack.us/img122/725/img1097pl7.jpg

[firstyearclay]

Absolutely Awesome Jhall. Lets see some current pics! Dont be lazy....


fyc

[supafrey]

[ QUOTE ]
there are some really cute dogs in this thread, although it looks like most you paid $250 bucks for them instead of saving one at the pound.

[/ QUOTE ]

I got my black Chow Chow from a family that was hitting it. A stern conversation, an offer to adopt and a few thank yous later, I had a 4 month puppy for free AND saved it from gettin' broomed.

[Dakotasdad]

Mrs. Utah, is Harry a Newfoundland?

One of my neighbors have 2 of them and they dwarf my 95 lb German Shepherd.

Can't imagine what their food bills are a month.

[xxThe_Lebowskixx]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
there are some really cute dogs in this thread, although it looks like most you paid $250 bucks for them instead of saving one at the pound.

[/ QUOTE ]
Is this really the worst thing in the world? Yeah, saving one from the pound is definitely a great thing to do, noble, etc., but you have no idea what you're getting. This is an animal that you're welcoming into your home and into your family for the next 10-ish years and could be totally fubar for all you know, with regards to both its health and its mental state. Some people can handle a [censored] up dog and others can't. Of course it's not like every dog from the pound is messed up, but you're for sure taking a risk.

If it's the money you're worried about, then that's not really that great of an issue. For one, you still have fees to pay at the pound to cover vet expenses and you have a decent chance of having more health problems that will cost you more than a dog from a breeder. In the end, though, the up front cost of a dog is really lost in the noise in the long run. The real cost is in food, vet bills, toys, and whatever else.

[/ QUOTE ]

These are fair points. I would only adopt a puppy from the pound.

These pure breed dogs are alot cuter, it makes me feel bad to say this but all of my mutts were uglyyyyyyyyyyyy.

[tsearcher]

[ QUOTE ]

These pure breed dogs are alot cuter, it makes me feel bad to say this but all of my mutts were uglyyyyyyyyyyyy.

[/ QUOTE ]

Pure bred is really just another word for inbred. Inbreeding is bad for hillbillies, European Royalty and dogs.

There are ways to avoid the dangers of inbreeding which I believe are being used in Germany. But in the U.S there is no regulation. We are breeding dogs that are destined to live short, sick lives. And a lot of dog owners don't seem to be bothered by this as long as their dogs are "cute." Hybrids, mongrels are almost always genetically superior and healthier than pure breds.

[Mrs. Utah]

[ QUOTE ]
Mrs. Utah, is Harry a Newfoundland?


[/ QUOTE ]

Harry is a Newfie. He is the sweetest dog too, not a mean bone in his body. I have never heard him even growl and has never snapped. You can walk up and take a bone from his mouth and he will just look at you.

He is a very big dog, 160 pounds, and he sheds and drools.
http://img514.imageshack.us/img514/7565/dsc7691er0.jpg
http://img375.imageshack.us/img375/9231/dsc5144sq8.jpghttp://img452.imageshack.us/img452/179/dognewversionbp8.jpg

He does eat a lot but I have never kept track as to how much. He is pretty good at stealing food and has stolen bread off of the top of the refrigerator.
He even opened and ate Utah's sandwich that he had secured in the glove compartment while he ran into the store. /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[Pumpkin Escobar]

Heidi and Sausage representing. Heidi's a German Shepard we got from the pound. Sausage was left by my old roommate. I never thought I would like a little dog but she is awesome.

http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t23/slurch247/DSC00144.jpg

Heidi

http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t23/slurch247/DSC00049.jpg

My ex torturing Sausage

http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t23/slurch247/sausageparka.jpg

I would advise anyone who doesn't have a dog to get one. They are great companions, give unconditional love and help reduce stress.

[toss]

[ QUOTE ]
i dont know if im allowed to post in this fancy forum, but anyway, i used to have an ocelot. he was awesome. he was really tame because we got him when he was a little kitten and smuggled him into the country (que la mames, la migra). we had him for about five years, but then he never came back. im guessing a wolf or some coyotes got him /images/graemlins/frown.gif

i took this picture off the internet, but its pretty close to what he looked like:

http://img122.imageshack.us/img122/3082/ocelotbi2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[/ QUOTE ]

Woah, I want this cat!

[xxThe_Lebowskixx]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

These pure breed dogs are alot cuter, it makes me feel bad to say this but all of my mutts were uglyyyyyyyyyyyy.

[/ QUOTE ]

Pure bred is really just another word for inbred. Inbreeding is bad for hillbillies, European Royalty and dogs.

There are ways to avoid the dangers of inbreeding which I believe are being used in Germany. But in the U.S there is no regulation. We are breeding dogs that are destined to live short, sick lives. And a lot of dog owners don't seem to be bothered by this as long as their dogs are "cute." Hybrids, mongrels are almost always genetically superior and healthier than pure breds.

[/ QUOTE ]

So you are saying that dog breders take two puppies from the same parent and bred them in the USA? This is effed up.

[Patrick del Poker Grande]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

These pure breed dogs are alot cuter, it makes me feel bad to say this but all of my mutts were uglyyyyyyyyyyyy.

[/ QUOTE ]

Pure bred is really just another word for inbred. Inbreeding is bad for hillbillies, European Royalty and dogs.

There are ways to avoid the dangers of inbreeding which I believe are being used in Germany. But in the U.S there is no regulation. We are breeding dogs that are destined to live short, sick lives. And a lot of dog owners don't seem to be bothered by this as long as their dogs are "cute." Hybrids, mongrels are almost always genetically superior and healthier than pure breds.

[/ QUOTE ]
This is why you need to do your fair bit of research and make sure you're getting your dog from a reputable breeder, not some store or puppy mill or backyard breeder. Good breeders are not inbreeding their dogs.

[wh1t3bread]

My girlfriend talked me into letting her get a small dog (i.e. TOLD me she was getting a small dog /images/graemlins/grin.gif). I never wanted to get a small dog, but I (smartly) didn't put up a big fuss. She would up getting a Miniature Dachsund that we named Meike. Other than me looking completely ridiculous walking her around she is an awesome dog.

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e136/wh1t3bread/M_M_1.jpg

Meike and Mattie (the Beagle puppy getting into trouble that belongs to Girlfriend's Sister).

[adios]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

These pure breed dogs are alot cuter, it makes me feel bad to say this but all of my mutts were uglyyyyyyyyyyyy.

[/ QUOTE ]

Pure bred is really just another word for inbred. Inbreeding is bad for hillbillies, European Royalty and dogs.

There are ways to avoid the dangers of inbreeding which I believe are being used in Germany. But in the U.S there is no regulation. We are breeding dogs that are destined to live short, sick lives. And a lot of dog owners don't seem to be bothered by this as long as their dogs are "cute." Hybrids, mongrels are almost always genetically superior and healthier than pure breds.

[/ QUOTE ]

So wrong about dogs. Your implication is that inbreeding is something that necessarily causes problems. Actually that's not the case at all. Inbreeding is also too vague of a term because there's a degree of relatedness involved. Undesirable characterics are more prone to be carried on recessive genes and certainly inbreeding between littermates (a very closely related inbreeding) have greater potential to bring out the characterics carried on recessive genes. Responsible breeders don't breed litter mates. A certain amount of inbreeding is actually desirable to fix certain characteristics within the line. Line breeding is what this is called where the degree of inbreeding is not that closely related. For example my male bloodhound's sire and dam had the same grandmother. In a certain sense though you have a point in that irresponsible, unknowledgable breeders can bring about problems with dogs by doing inbreeding that is too close, not carefully planned, etc. The wonderful thing about owning dogs in the U.S. is that the U.S. has a very good system of health certification for dogs. Anyone who's buying a pure bred dog should absolutely know the health certification testing that has been done for the sire and dam as well as the ancestory further back. Results are posted for all to see at the appropriate web sites so you don't rely on what the breeder says. I have a bloodhound bitch that I'll be breeding at some point if she passes all of her health certification tests. Can't finalize on elbows and hips until they're two. Heart eyes etc. you can do when they're younger than two. From doing some cursory research regarding health certification for dogs in other countries it became clear that the U.S. has the most transparent system that I've found in the world and has many, many more vets that are highly qualified to do health certification testing that require heart specialists and such.

[JaredL]

Bumping this thread as I got a 6 or so month old puppy last week. She's a shepherd mix, and should be pretty small. She weighs 35 pounds now. I'm not sure how much she'll grow but both the vet and the shelter people said she wouldn't get much bigger.

As I too often do, this post got too long. Cliff's notes: Dog is good but has some whining and barking issues with the crate at night. Otherwise she seems ok with it. She also whines and can bark when my wife leaves the apartment or even the room. Caving in is bad but it's hard not to because I live in an apartment building.

She's a good dog overall and doesn't seem to suffer from any bad dog problems - she's just curious and playful around other dogs, she had a couple accidents but otherwise is completely housebroken. Around people she's mostly just scared at first.

I'm having similar problems as Daryn early in the thread. With the crate it's pretty weird because most of the time she's great with it. We've been coaxing her in there with treats and leaving her in there during the day for longer periods. We've gotten to where we can leave her in there with no problem for 15 minutes or so and nothing.

At night she seems to know what's coming. She often will whine and try digging in the plastic for maybe 5 seconds and then crash. Last night, however, she started barking. She let out a couple of good barks. I know I'm not supposed to, but since it was a little after 11 and I don't want to get evicted I let her out. She was a little playful and then crashed pretty quickly. When this happened I put her just in front of the crate and she walked in herself. I left the door open so she could come out, which she did after just a few seconds. I let her crash for a little more and then put her in and closed the door with no problem.

Right now the crate is in the living room and we are in the bedroom. We prefer this because our cat still hasn't adjusted to the dog (things are getting better, so he may be ok with her in the crate) and we prefer to let the cat relax in that side of the apartment. Would it help a lot with the barking and general angst if we moved the crate at night? We usually put her in there while we're still awake in the living room but when she wakes up we aren't there.

Also she is quite attached to my wife. When she leaves the apartment the dog starts whining and may bark a time or two, after which she usually calms down. Even when she goes to the kitchen the dog will try to follow her (we have the two front rooms separated from the rest of the apartment so she can't). This might be related to me caving in last night but the dog started barking like crazy this morning when my wife was in the kitchen making breakfast. Again, it was early enough that I'm not sure what we should do because I feel like we can't really just let her bark.

Any advice on any of this would be appreciated.

[Dominic]

my otherwise perfect black lab Sammy has started chewing on things like shoes and hats. He never did this before. I'm wondering why he's doing it now...he's already destroyed my Angels baseball cap from the World Series and a pair of shoes.

Why now??

[tolbiny]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

These pure breed dogs are alot cuter, it makes me feel bad to say this but all of my mutts were uglyyyyyyyyyyyy.

[/ QUOTE ]

Pure bred is really just another word for inbred. Inbreeding is bad for hillbillies, European Royalty and dogs.

There are ways to avoid the dangers of inbreeding which I believe are being used in Germany. But in the U.S there is no regulation. We are breeding dogs that are destined to live short, sick lives. And a lot of dog owners don't seem to be bothered by this as long as their dogs are "cute." Hybrids, mongrels are almost always genetically superior and healthier than pure breds.

[/ QUOTE ]

So you are saying that dog breders take two puppies from the same parent and bred them in the USA? This is effed up.

[/ QUOTE ]

Most likely not brother/sister but close cousins end up getting bred and while the first or second generation it isn't obviously problematic once you get into multiple generations you can really start to see serious problems.

[daryn]

wow.. things are SOOOOOOOOOO much easier for me now than they were when i first started posting in this thread. whew!

[JaredL]

[ QUOTE ]
wow.. things are SOOOOOOOOOO much easier for me now than they were when i first started posting in this thread. whew!

[/ QUOTE ]

Any advice on the crate barking or is it just a wait it out deal? How long did it take Loki to stop barking?

I think I'm going to talk to the neighbors (fortunately the people above and below me have a dog and the others in the building are on the other side of the stairwell so it shouldn't be too loud for them). Basically just apologize and try to get a read on whether they are annoyed or ok. Not really sure what I will do with that info though.

[daryn]

yeah man, you cannot give in under any circumstances. i also live in an apartment and it was definitely dicey for a while. he would bark at night sometimes and be scratching to get out of his crate and i just put earplugs in and ignored him. i felt bad if people could hear, but then again sometimes i could hear their screaming baby. tell me how it's different?

i did adjust my sleeping schedule for a while to make it easier on others. i would try to get to bed around 9-10 pm (or at least put him to bed) for a while and wake up v early as well.

he was sleeping in my room for a while but eventually i moved his crate to the other room. the first few nights he barked like crazy but i didn't give in and he got used to it. now he has no problem sleeping out there and never makes a sound. he would sometimes bark in the morning when he woke up, but again i would just ignore that until it stopped for a few minutes.. then i would come out and let him out. now he doesn't make a sound morning or night, or if he does only a few barks and that's it.

i love my dog,.. he doesn't bark like EVER.. only when i tell him to speak. i always walk past other doors in my building and the dogs that live there run to the door and start scratching and yapping incessantly... how annoying must that be! also loki knows so many tricks and learns them so easily. he makes me look like a professional dog trainer even though i have never had a dog before in my life.

[JaredL]

Here are some pictures of my dog. She's named Ko'olau after the mountains (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koolau_Range) where my wife is from.

We've had her over a month now. We got her at a local shelter. They said she's a shepherd mix but random people have said everything from Basenji, Corgi, pit bull, cattle dog and a few others as well as dingo. While she does look like a dingo, and they do breed with domesticated dogs I don't see how in the hell a dingo mix could wind up in a shelter in Pittsburgh. In any case I think she's a serious mix. Other than the ears she doesn't seem to have obvious breed markings. I'm no expert but she probably doesn't have any purebred grandparents. Looking up the thread she looks a fair bit like Pumpkin Escobar's dog. Opinions of those more knowledgeable would be interesting.

She's 7 months. The vet says she's basically full grown at just under 40 pounds.

Here's a pic of her after playing in the mud at the dog park:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v640/jdl22/koolau2.jpg

After the bath:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v640/jdl22/koolau3.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v640/jdl22/koolau4.jpg

[JaredL]

Something that amazes me about dog owners is how much people act like they're humans.

We go to the dog park about once a day and there is a group of women there that are the standard upper middle class mid 30s, dog, probably not married and probably don't have kids complain about everything and everyone they know type. They don't talk about husbands or kids at all and given how much and the way they talk about their dogs I would bet a fair amount of money that they don't have kids and the dogs are substitutes.

One of them has a dog that quite regularly gets into it with other dogs. More than just playing, but not too bad for the most part. When he or the other dogs bark she yells "Tucker be nice!" or some variation such as be gentle. One day when he was particularly grabbed his collar and held him there telling him he was in a time out when he moved to go play again. She ended the time out by telling him that this was the second time he'd been bad and if it happened again they were leaving. She was 100% serious and based on her body language and what she said afterwards to her friends it was clear that she had at least some expectation that this sort of thing would work.

Another time I was there, there was a dog that was all about humping other dogs. He humped my dog when she came in but she's fixed so whatever. A lady brought in her poodle and this dog assumed the position. When this happened she started freaking out running to them and yelling. I thought ok, wouldn't be my choice to bring an unaltered female into the dog park. The dog once again tried to get on the poodle. When this happened the owner of the humper told her his dog was fixed. She calmed down somewhat but later she called her husband or someone and was saying she didn't know what to do and still acting like it was a big deal. Then her dog came over and I noticed that it was a male. So she freaked out because some dog was humping on her male dog. I mean, if I just started humping some dudes ass in the street that would be highly inappropriate, but they're dogs not people.

Then there is the much more standard let's try to figure out what the dogs are thinking game.

[daryn]

nice dog

the dog park is so much fun. lot of nice looking dogs there and it's just a total free for all. my dog loves it.