Family Pets - question for all Pet Talk people

[Karen]

It's funny, this thread made me think of my paternal Grandma, my beloved Grandma. She obviously loved dogs, as Dad grew up with bulldogs, but when she came to live with us after Grandpa died, we had our German Shepherd, Sheba. Well, Grandma really didn't think dogs belonged on the furniture - not the sofa, and not beds. After the first time she came in the living room to find Sheba asleep on the couch and scolded her (poor thing, she didn't know new person meant new rules) she never found her there again. Did Sheba still sit and sleep on the couch? Of course! But even deep asleep, she'd somehow hear Grandma coming, slide down and curl up on the floor, and at least pretend to be sound asleep. So Grandma might find a warm, dog-shaped spot on the couch, replete with fine black dog hairs, but she was never able to scold Sheba again!

(Oh, and how do I know she really did love dogs? Well, Sheba was never pear-shaped until Grandma came to live with us!)

[Catlady711]

I think I'm about the only true pet lover in my family. Some of my relatives "like" animals and have owened one or two at some point, but I think I'm the only one that feels lonely without a pet.

[Argranade]

My cousin and aunt are huge pet lovers.

They had dogs, cats, bunnies, birds, mice, guinea pigs, hamsters and who knows what else lol.

My grandparents had a dog, a budgie and a pigeon that would follow them all the time.

Both my parents had a pigeon that would follow them, dogs, cockatiels, bunnies ect...

Growing up my parents were never involved with animals, but that changed when I was born lol.

[Catty1]

Dad grew up with at least one dog...one of the favourite 'family debates' that lasted for YEARS concerned what breed Min (the dog) was. Just one of those questions you hear at all the family events over the years, and there is never an answer, and that's ok! I don't recall they had any more animals...one uncle had a cat, my Dad and Mom had two cats at a time, and two Golden Retrievers later on. My sister and I were cat nuts, and have always had them in pairs - my sister went for Oriental breeds, the cats that would not be kept for breeding, and I always rescued.

My mom's side - she grew up on a farm, so there were cats and a couple of dogs. She loved the horses, and still loves them - she says horses are 'just like cats'.

I remember we went out to my grandma's farm (mom's mom) one time, and almost all the cats had distemper...Dad had to take care of them by shooting them...at least, with his cop training, it was quick. This was in Glenella Manitoba, literally in the middle of NOWHERE...the closest vet would have been at least two hours.

Many of my cousins on my dad's side have pets - but almost none on my mom's side.

Neat thread, Karen.