The everything Thread

[#1Wolflover]

I will post what I have about my dog on my site
Where his story and my story become our story begins on June 15, 2000 at the Anti-Cruelty Society, or SPCA of Chicago. He was anywhere between 6 months and 8 months old, a medium sized, well behaved and submissive puppy. His history was that he was too much for his elderly hispanic caretaker to handle. Lucky for me. I saw him through the window of the shelter as I was getting out of the car. I said to my mom, "Look at that cute one mom, marked like an English Setter, I want to check him out.

We walked into the foyer of the familiar building. Last time I had been there I was tearfully accompanying my step-dad to surrender our 1 year old unilateral, odd-eyed black Dalmatian; Layla. She had very bad separation anxiety and was a bad fear biter. Her worst fear in life was to be perminently abandonned in a strange place. That's exactly what we were doing that day and I knew it. Although I was only 9 years old, my heart was scarred.

There I was, a 10 year old girl walking in on the rest of my life. I was full of adrenaline, shaking with anticipation as my mom and sister and I waited for the behaviourist. This time around we were "Doing it right". My mom was losing hope. If this rescue, which had been our 3rd in just under a year failed to fit without any major problems, we would take the easy route and contact an experienced breeder. The Behaviourest lead us around the central desk and to the right, through a door that read above it, "A dog is for life, not just for Christmas." I felt reasured and heavy hearted reading this. I wanted this one to be for life but Clark and Layla were more like for a test-drive. The behaviourist walked us around and watched how each dog interacted with us. Niño was the only A+ in that category. Excited to see us, interested but not overly emotional toward us. We took him out in the courtyard and I walked him. Over the barking dogs I misheard his name "Nino" and "Leeno". I though, "What an interesting name you have, Leeno! I like you but you need some leash manners! We all liked him, and my step-dad came and he also approved of him. We went back into the dog room to be sure and took out a few timid shepherd mixes that all resembled coyotes. Beautiful but none of them appealed to me. The Behaviourest told us that the timidness could prove a problem with the kids and considering our history we better not.

Just as we were making one last round in the dog room we came across a cropped and docked adult boxer (as well as a few other dogs) in a remote corner. Spike also passed the test, and he had been surrendered from a family where the 12 year old girl was expected to be responsible for him and his needs. The children in his past family almost matched ages with us, plus he was trained. But he was also 8 years old, and managed to almost knock my step-dad down. He was only in for 2 days, and a purebred so he had a high chance of adoption. Niño, on the other hand, had been there for 3 weeks and hadn't ever been considered for adoption once yet. I cried and hugged Spike as I made the decision and told my mom to stop filling out Spike's adoption application, we had to take Niño. I explained to her why and she said she was thinking the same thing. We switched papers, and went sownstairs to wait for the news. When we got approved I was crying! A DOG! A DOG! Finally!

And so, today, after 6 years of love, joy, pain, hardships, I enjoy the company of my mutt. My "Betta Bully." My betta litter sibling as he sees himself in the "pack". He thinks he's the older babysitter to my two sisters, mom and dad are alpha pair, and I'm his dominant littermate. With dogs he takes a stiff, forward, bullying posture, but he won't fight, he's betta at heart. A little love bug. What he doesn't know is for all a 'soul' means, he holds mine. Protector and carrier of my soul, without him I would cease to be. To me 'soul' is what makes you, what drives you, your feelings, your emotions, so basically your emotional being or self. The only word for that is 'soul'. That is a very earthly way to channel my concience, and devotion. I don't believe in anything spiritual, and I am perfectly happy that way. Some have god, I have my dog.

Wow the first story that wasn't really sad! So what type of dog is Nino?

[applesmom]

This one's not sad.

Since we live in the city I did a huge amount of my training in an isolated large back section of the local park. Living in Arizona all training must be done very early in the mornings in the summer. It can get to be 100 degrees by 10am!

One morning just at daylight, I was working with one of our young dogs, Dee. We were working on whistle and directional training for field trials. All park work is done on a 20 foot check cord. That check cord can be dangerous to humans when a dog is in a full out run. Keeping oneself from getting tangled quickly becomes a top priority.

Somehow Dee got behind me and I blew the whistle giving her the "up front" command. She spun around and came barreling forward. I wasn't quick enough and that darned check cord caught me right behind the knees. I went down flat on my back. On my way down I heard my neck, go crack, crack, crack, as I screamed "Dee here". She didn't have time to stop and hit the end of it and the poor dog did a back flip. She got up shook herself off and rushed over to me and pounced on me thinking it was play time.

Laying there flat on my back with a brown dog happily bouncing on top of me, all I could think of was, "I hope no one saw that". My next thought was "how in the heck am going to get up if my neck is broken, and what will happen to Dee in the heat if no one finds us"? Though somewhat dazed, I finally managed to calm Dee, check to see if I was paralyzed (I wasn't) and eventually ease myself off the ground. Thank goodness there wasn't a soul around to witness my fall from grace!

The rest of the training session went as smooth as the velvety hair on a shorthairs ears.

[#1Wolflover]

wow that must of really hurt! but at least no one was around to witness it! lol
do you have any pics of Dee?

[borzoimom]

Applesmom story of her back flip prompted me to post my leg situation.
I had my bag packed for my trip to NY to get my long awaited borzoi pup for days. The car ready- the cage to transport, and couldnt sleep the night before I left. I had a 8 hour trip in 6 hours ( don't ask... lol) to arrive to the most beautiful set up I ever saw in my life. As my breeder said opening the gate as a litter comes rushing at me- with a giggle she says " tell me which one is yours picked to show as pick of the litter.." All looked the same, but I recognized the face- IT WAS ZUBIN... I spent the whole day with him and his litter mate- stayed the night at her house as she was also having a dinner party, meanwhile- nice party or not- I wanted to get my boy home. The 8 hour trip back turned into 10 with a lock up accident on a major highway- but I didnt care.. Arriving at home later than expected, we introduced the pup to Hottie and Femka. Hottie giving a sniff- okay fine- I do not know what that is, but its too big to chase ( "whew my mind though") and we retired for the night after hours of playing with him and making the other two feel they were not replaced, and having a puppy was fun.
The next morning- rain.. all day with a puppy with going outside. Finally about 4pm it finally stopped and as I took him out on a leash I wanted to show him the parimeter of the yard- walking in tennis shoes, I started down the " hang gliding ramp" ( yes- that is what it was used for by the previous owner" . Being pulled slightly, my feet went out from under me. My left leg going faster, until the foot caught a rock but the leg kept going.. I felt and heard a sickening "SNAP"... My husband starts yelling are you okay- are you okay, as I rolled over in blinding pain.. My husband comes flying down the hill. falling too but got to me- and I kept saying " grab the puppy GRAB THE PUPPY" holding on to the leash with all the my might in blinding pain. Darrell grabs the leash- saying " can you get up???" - last thing I remember was " I am calling the rescue squad, and he and zubin left. Maybe just a matter of seconds, not sure, but I woke up- then looked around- no one in the yard, and we have bears.. I tried to stand and almost blacked out- bag this I muttered- I am crawling- looking over my shoulder left and right for a bear, confused where my husband went, I started crawling up the ramp. .. lol.. ( I must have looked a sight to a bear..) Using my fingernails to grip the dirt finally I made it to the flat at the concrete porch and that is when the craling hurt with every movement and flinch feeling like daggers.. My husband opened the door, and pulled me to my feet- " where is the puppy??" he starts to laugh- he is in the house but you are NOT!".. anyway- doctor at the hospital said " you broke your fibula in half but repaired in surgery but first we need to get the swelling down as the ankle is badly sprained as well. A week later, expecting a 2-4 inch plate and like 3-4 screws, I woke up with a " the bone was broken more than we expected so we put a 6.5 inche plate with 14 screws and two screws in the ankel.. ( I was in a wheel chair for 3 weeks..) However- my new puppy, one I waited for months to get, learned wheel chairs and walkers were second nature to him, and 6 months later became a therapy dog.... lol..

[#1Wolflover]

Applesmom story of her back flip prompted me to post my leg situation.
I had my bag packed for my trip to NY to get my long awaited borzoi pup for days. The car ready- the cage to transport, and couldnt sleep the night before I left. I had a 8 hour trip in 6 hours ( don't ask... lol) to arrive to the most beautiful set up I ever saw in my life. As my breeder said opening the gate as a litter comes rushing at me- with a giggle she says " tell me which one is yours picked to show as pick of the litter.." All looked the same, but I recognized the face- IT WAS ZUBIN... I spent the whole day with him and his litter mate- stayed the night at her house as she was also having a dinner party, meanwhile- nice party or not- I wanted to get my boy home. The 8 hour trip back turned into 10 with a lock up accident on a major highway- but I didnt care.. Arriving at home later than expected, we introduced the pup to Hottie and Femka. Hottie giving a sniff- okay fine- I do not know what that is, but its too big to chase ( "whew my mind though") and we retired for the night after hours of playing with him and making the other two feel they were not replaced, and having a puppy was fun.
The next morning- rain.. all day with a puppy with going outside. Finally about 4pm it finally stopped and as I took him out on a leash I wanted to show him the parimeter of the yard- walking in tennis shoes, I started down the " hang gliding ramp" ( yes- that is what it was used for by the previous owner" . Being pulled slightly, my feet went out from under me. My left leg going faster, until the foot caught a rock but the leg kept going.. I felt and heard a sickening "SNAP"... My husband starts yelling are you okay- are you okay, as I rolled over in blinding pain.. My husband comes flying down the hill. falling too but got to me- and I kept saying " grab the puppy GRAB THE PUPPY" holding on to the leash with all the my might in blinding pain. Darrell grabs the leash- saying " can you get up???" - last thing I remember was " I am calling the rescue squad, and he and zubin left. Maybe just a matter of seconds, not sure, but I woke up- then looked around- no one in the yard, and we have bears.. I tried to stand and almost blacked out- bag this I muttered- I am crawling- looking over my shoulder left and right for a bear, confused where my husband went, I started crawling up the ramp. .. lol.. ( I must have looked a sight to a bear..) Using my fingernails to grip the dirt finally I made it to the flat at the concrete porch and that is when the craling hurt with every movement and flinch feeling like daggers.. My husband opened the door, and pulled me to my feet- " where is the puppy??" he starts to laugh- he is in the house but you are NOT!".. anyway- doctor at the hospital said " you broke your fibula in half but repaired in surgery but first we need to get the swelling down as the ankle is badly sprained as well. A week later, expecting a 2-4 inch plate and like 3-4 screws, I woke up with a " the bone was broken more than we expected so we put a 6.5 inche plate with 14 screws and two screws in the ankel.. ( I was in a wheel chair for 3 weeks..) However- my new puppy, one I waited for months to get, learned wheel chairs and walkers were second nature to him, and 6 months later became a therapy dog.... lol..

I love your doggie pics!