I'm hurting here, people. Feed my need. Tell me about your wonderful dog. Tell me about the dog you'd have if you could. Tell me puppy stories and all the reasons why two dogs are a nightmare and I should just be happy with my big sweet lonely dog.

Or, you know, give me some good arguments to send to Jeremy. Either way.

-- Anonymous, July 11, 2000

Answers

Two dogs AREN'T a nightmare. Two dogs accomplish one thing: dogs that don't get bored or lonely when you have to go to work.

I have one dog, Oscar. He is a Catahoula Kur/Basset Hound mix. He is about two feet high and about three feet long. He has Catahoula markings but looks like a non-droopy Basset, if you know what I mean. He doesn't sag like Bassets and he has HUGE Catahoula feet. Oh, and the energy and pissiness of a Catahoula. That too.

We used to have another dog, a lab/chow mix. We were "keeping" her for some friends who were in the process of moving to a house with a yard. I had a house with a yard so I offered to keep the dog until they could give her a yard. Until then, Oscar had been solo dog of the house and I was worried how he would handle some new dog intruding on his turf.

Unfortunately, they got along swimmingly. Oscar was no longer hyper beyond belief when we got home. He seemed to enjoy the company and they would play together a good part of each day. They would sit on the porch and lie next to each other. They were very good dog friends. Of course, any time the new dog got near Tom or myself Oscar became VERY possessive but that settled with time.

My roommate moved out in the course of two weeks (we're talking I found out about it and he moved out in two weeks) and being unable to fill that empty room I was unable afford the rent at that house by myself. So, I had to move into an apartment and give away Oscar's friend. Oh, her owners never came back to get her. After I had the dog three months they said they still didn't have room for her and said if she had to be picked up they were going to take her to a shelter. I told them to forget it. When I gave her away, it was to a family I knew with children and a nice fenced-in yard. I still visit her and she's a happy dog. Now that I have a yard though I wish I could take her back.

Oscar misses his friend. If Doc is a social, good-around-other-dogs kind of dog, he will enjoy having someone to play with when you're at work, busy, etc. One dog is a huge amount of work, another one really doesn't make that much more work. Just more food you have to buy.

But Oscar is wonderful. Case in point: he checks before chewing. ANY THING. He doesn't chew on it (at first) but he will see something, pick it up, and bring it to me. CDs, remote controls, shoes, candles, anything left loose. It's as if he is saying, "Hey, you left this out. Do you want it back? If not, I'm going to eat it." So he kind of runs stuff by me to check first before he destroys it. If I don't take it from him, he'll eat it. If I say I want it, he'll place it on my lap and go find something else I've left out. Very polite dog.

-- Anonymous, July 11, 2000

Beth- at least you can even have ONE dog. I'm still renting in this crazy bay area market, and no landlord wants me to have a dog unless i'm willing to pay outrageous rent, and with my student loans to still pay back, its impossible =(

my friends even bought me a dog collar, doggie bowl, and bags of treats in anticipation of my new doggie, which i probably can't have until i buy my own place. with the housing market, that won't be for a million years. my new place is absolutely no pets =(

my choices were: big fat wrinkly bulldog, pug, boston terrier, or pitbull, depending on where i was living. his name would be millhouse or nemo. mochi's a cute name =)

All I want is a dog =( Do you think I can convince my new landlord?

-- Anonymous, July 11, 2000

You probably have a better shot at convincing your landlord than I do of convincing my boyfriend.

We need to revive Dave's idea of public dogs.

You know, you should go to a dog park, Lan. I went to a dog park this weekend and my dog totally ignored me (too busy fetching), but I got to play with other people's dogs, and it was cool. There was even a puppy, and it was the kind of puppy that plops into your lap without introduction and starts licking your face and rolling over for tummy rubs. That sort of thing is good for what ails you.

-- Anonymous, July 11, 2000

Oh how I wish I could have a dog.

It has gotten so bad, that when I walk down the street I am compelled to acknowledge each and every dog that crosses my path. I trip over myself (and others) just to get a glimpse of retreating dog butt. I have even been known to stake out the dog run for hours at a time - sort of like a pedophile outside an elementary school playground.

I can't have a dog because I live in a tiny New York City apartment and I'm never home, it just wouldn't be fair. But if I could...I would want a big, playful, floppy kind of dog. Or maybe something smaller, like a Jack Russell. Or possibly a pretty dog, a Rhodesian Ridgeback maybe. I don't care, i just want a dog. Any kind of dog. Except a hairless one. My dog must have hair.

-- Anonymous, July 11, 2000

In Chicago, the Cubs play at Wrigley field. Not to far from Wrigley field is a dog park - called Wiggly Field.

Makes me laugh every time I think of it, or pass by it.

-- Anonymous, July 11, 2000

Someday we'll have public dogs.

I agree, dog parks are a close second. I never even knew of this phenomenon until I visited a friend in New York once and we went to a dog park. I was 23 or so at the time but I just stood there, mouth agape, grinning like an idiot, completely oblivious to everything but ALL THE DOGS!!!

Alas, not only do I have no dogs at all, but I finally had to get rid of my psychotic cat. People keep telling me that Hydrox was an exception to the rule, but I still feel like a failed pet-owner and it makes me wary of ever getting a dog. I'd hate to be one of those people that gets pets and then doesn't take care of them (and I've known more than a few).

I grew up with a great dog, possibly the best in the whole wide world ever (sorry, Doc) and since my folks live twenty minutes away I would occasionally go to visit my dog and kidnap him and take him to Providence with me for the night. But he's chasing tennis balls in the sky now.

My sister has two puppies, yes, two puppies. A purebred Golden Retriever and a golden/chow mix. The purebread is a bit cuter but they are both lots of fun. However, I don't really get along with my sister so I don't go visit her puppies. I also realize how absolutely insane it is to have two puppies at once. A full-grown dog and a puppy I can see, but two puppies, no way.

And being around them, as much as I love them, I am not sure how much I would want even one puppy. Or half a puppy. Well, I guess half a puppy wouldn't do much. Except rot. Anyway, I think I like full-grown dogs better.

I used to live with a really wonderfully sweet (if fairly possessive) Rottweiler. It was when I lived in a warehouse, the dog would push bowling balls accross the floor with his face, knock you over and make you play with him, all sorts of great stuff. But his owner was a complete asshole so I moved out.

I wish I had a dog.

-- Anonymous, July 11, 2000

I have two great wonderful dogs (well, my mother has them, but they are still partly mine). They are both German Shepards: the boy is now 8, and the girl is now 5, and they are loveable and wonderful and I miss them a lot because I'm away from them for the summer. The older one is very smart, and is a little more standoffish with people or dogs that he doesn't know; the younger one LOVES new people and new dogs and she is the most friendly dog in the world. I always get confused when people get scared when they see them, because they are both such nice dogs, yet I guess they look pretty scary.

I will tell you, though, that when we got the younger one (we got them both when they were puppies), the older one was NOT happy about it at all. She would run up to him and want to play, and he would smack her down, she would go lay down next to him, and he would growl and get up and move away, and then he would look at us like "when is she going away?" But now they are the best of friends, they play together a lot, and when she had to spend the night at the vet a month ago (she's fine, no worries!) he wouldn't eat his dinner he was so upset. The other great thing about having two dogs is that he had been getting pretty fat (my parents didn't have as much time as they wanted to walk him, and even though there's a big yard, he doesn't run around it by himself) and he lost lots of weight when we got her, because they were running around a lot, and they keep each other in shape now. So, two dogs are great (yet expensive, especially if they are big dogs) and you never can be sure at the beginning if they're going to get along.

-- Anonymous, July 11, 2000

MMmmm dog. I've actually had two imaginary dogs thus far, and am working on number three. Dog one: an Italian Greyhound named Ted (the Unipuppy). My ex and I took Ted everywhere:
at the beach--"Do you think Ted should stay in the car?"
"Hm. It is a bit cold. Good boy."
Keep in mind: IMAGINARY DOG. I nearly bought a collar.

After recovering from the fading dream of my go-anywhere Ted, I mentally acquired the most perfect Scottish Deerhound bitch ever made, Marya. (Not Maria, Mar-ya. I explained this to non-existent strangers frequently.) Marya went to the park with me for a year or two, possibly the greatest factor in my daily walks. She heeled so well. When Marya began to fade (courtesy of my boyfriend, who doesn't think the deerhound is sufficiently "dog-shaped"), I stopped going to the park.

I'm working on a pretend Leonberger pup right now. She'll be very very good.

Perhaps I need to start writing again. My brain has FAR too much empty play space lately.

-- Anonymous, July 11, 2000

Beth, have you thought of doing doggy daycare? When my dog was a puppy, I was living in an apartment. There were some people nearby who lived in a house and they owned a Shetland sheepdog puppy. I would drop my puppy off every work day morning in their back yard to play with their dog all day. In return, I picked up all the dog poop in their yard. So they got a companion for their dog and a poop-free yard and I got a happy puppy who didn't have to be locked in an apartment all day.

--Amy

-- Anonymous, July 11, 2000

It was one year ago this month when, at 24, I got the first dog I've ever had in my entire life. She's a strange little mutt -- 23.5 pounds of greyhound, rat terrier, and some beagle. She was a stray when I got her, about six months old, weighing only 13 pounds. She was abused and anorexically thin, and she pissed when people tried to pet her and was hysterically afraid of men.

Now she's big (well, at least she thinks she is), bad, and brave. She likes to chase ice cubes around on the kitchen floor, run in circles around the yard like she's flashing back to greyhound races in a former life, and lick my nose. She is the light of my life, and anyone who doesn't understand that is clearly an idiot.

If you'd like to see a picture of her, go here.

-- Anonymous, July 11, 2000

I to would love to have a dog, but I live in an incredibly overpriced studio in SF. If I were to get a dog I would get a Greyhound. I know if your not familiar with them they are very strange looking dogs but they are so sweet, regular couch potoatoes. My ex-boyfriends Mom started The Greyhound Protection League, check out their site. When these dogs can't run any longer or don't maintain their winning streaks they shoot them, or starve them to death. The photos are horrendous.

-- Anonymous, July 11, 2000

I'm in the same boat as you are, Beth. I NEED another dog, and I have a mean boyfriend that thinks we don't.

I even have a dog lined up. His name is Mack, and he's a Siberian Husky. I haven't met him yet, but I know in my heart that he's MY dog.

A friend of a guy that my brother works with found Mack about a year ago, and took him in. Now, he's going to start breeding Labs, and doesn't want Mack around, even though he's neutered, so it's not like Mack is going to knock up one of this guys Labs. Lame, lame, LAME excuse! Anyway, the guy was going to have Mack put to sleep (asshole!) and I got wind of it. I hopped online, and put out the word to all my dog loving cyber friends. One wonderful lady thinks she has a lead on a home in the country for Mack, and if not, she said she can foster Mack til we find him a good home. I'm picking him up tonight, and taking him to her house.

I think Mack should come live with me and be Zubie's buddy. Sean thinks that Zubie would be jealous of Mack. Zubie is very attached to me - I can't even go to the bathroom without him sitting in there waiting for me to get done. I think that if Zubie had a brother, he'd have someone besides me to keep him company, and I'd be able to take a dump without the dog staring at me.

Mean, mean boyfriends. Maybe we should just dump 'em, and get more dogs.

-- Anonymous, July 11, 2000

h, I hope the pretend Leonberger likes to go to the park as much as your pretend deerhound did. Pretend dog Slattvikas Bobayevna "I am shaped very much like a dog" might also like it if you then wrote up your park-walking observations and put them on the Entered Net.

I want a puppy too, but like other Bay Area dwellers must move first. Until then, maybe we could share custody of pretend Slattvikas?

Ian

-- Anonymous, July 11, 2000

Last October, I sent my ex-boyfriend to the shelter to get us a dog. One dog. He came home with two three-month-old black lab puppies. He did not help with them at all -- I did everything -- walk, feed, clean up, bathe. They were just adorable. Unfortunately, since I was (am!) broke, I wasn't able to take them to obedience class. They learned the little bit I was able to teach them, because they're smart dogs. They were quite a handful, especially when they got larger -- a hundred pounds of dog pulling you in two directions is a strain on a *good* day. When I split with Mr. Wonderful, he didn't want to take either of them (just as well), so I gave Daisy to a man I work with, who adores her. (He and his wife lost their labs to old age last year, and were ready to get another one.) I still have Dolly, and sometimes I wish I still had Daisy, too. The place I'm renting has a fenced yard. My landlord was more concerned about my cat, Noel, than my dog (he owns huskies). I assured him that she was spayed and housebroken.

Dolly is my darling, a very sweet dog, amazingly good-natured, and remarkably well-behaved for a dog who's had no obedience training. (I was just joking with someone yesterday who was calling her dog, "Drew, dammit, come back here!" I said, "What a coincidence -- my dog's middle name is Dammit, too.") She plays with the cat, and keeps me laughing all the time. I don't know how I would have survived the split with my ex without her.

There are pictures of Dolly and Daisy on my site, Corviosity: http://www.unc.edu/kirchner/home.html -- look for the links Puppy Pictures and Swamp Dogs.

-- Anonymous, July 11, 2000

Beth, I do have a good reason to get a second dog, it's the reason I did anyway.

When my dog Jake (husky/doberman/german shepherd) was four he began limping. The problem was with his back legs. When I had to bring him to the vet for a severe case of garbage gut, (that's an official Alaskan term...it involves your dog running off and eating something that hasn't been dead long and getting really sick ew!), they ended up keeping him for a few days, saw the limp and did some x-rays. He has hip dysplasia. They advised getting a second dog who would keep Jake active as long as possible. They also told me to expect to put him to sleep around the age of eight, as he would not be able to move by then.

So my then boyfriend and I got Tucker, a pure bred black lab. Tucker has lots of energy....really! After getting over the trauma of having a puppy in the house they got along great. Every now and then we have male dominance issues, but they don't draw blood or anything, and there's never been a real problem with them. When I met my husband, he understand that I was a two dog person forever.

The story ends quite well. Tucker just turned six in March and yes, that makes Jake ten. He limps only in the major cold (like 30 below or colder) and is still running around trying to catch birds and everything else. I am convinced that Tucker has given me these past few years with Jake and since Jake is about the closest friend I have ever had, I will always be grateful. As for Tucker, well as far as he is concerned my husband is his personal property. He is about the most loyal, faithful, dog I have ever known. All in all, he was a great choice.

Two dogs mean healthier dogs. Tell Jeremy that!

-- Anonymous, July 11, 2000

I have a 2 year old German Shepherd, Zuli, who I adore. She has finally gotten old enough to be good and not a total pain in the ass. So of course I think to myself, hey we should get another dog. Boyfriend says, no no no. Then I hear about this dog, GSD mix that's going to get put down. So I agree to foster it, with the ulterior motive of getting boyfriend to love it and want to adopt it. After a few days I realize that two dogs are hard work, especially when one of them isn't trained. Ack. Luckily I was able to find this sweet dog a home, actually a great home. I wanted them to adopt me. Beth, maybe you should do a short term rental on a dog. Of course if it's a puppy, you'll just end up with another dog. Hee hee... Go look at Zuli

-- Anonymous, July 11, 2000

Beth, Doc looks like a big version of my Lab mix, Buster.
He came from the pound, and is of amazing parentage - Labrador and Chihuahua.
I am not making this up. I don't think I could.
He's black, with a white spot on his chest. Weighs around 25 pounds. He has the solid Lab body, the floppy Lab ears, a round Chihuahua forehead, huge Chihuahua eyes, skinny legs, and a skinny tail. People mistake him for a Lab puppy.. a skinny one.
Really, he's not as freakish as he sounds. See him here and here.

Animate.

-- Anonymous, July 11, 2000

Um, well. I don't think I can help, really, since we are currently in the throes of seriously considering getting a second dog. Not a puppy, likely, since there are serious house-training issues in our neck o' the woods (with a 45-minute commute each way, each, neither of us can possibly make it home to do mid-day puppy duty). Trouble is that we're planning to move sometime early in the fall and shudder to think of finding housing for two people, one cat, one big Doc-like dog as well as a new unknown-sized dog.

Then again, we'll probably do it anyway and figure out where to live when the time comes. The problem is that Sasha seems to have developed some serious separation issues and NOTHING we have tried has helped so far. Treats at the door when we leave, treats when we get home, long walks, lots of play, nothing helps. And I'm TIRED of scrubbed dog pee off of my hardwood floors!

She's lonely. The long commute means that even though we do the long walks and playtime, she needs more stimulation. The cat disdains doggie companionship, and I refuse to have squirrels for pets, so...we need another dog!

-- Anonymous, July 11, 2000

I too live in the Bay Area but was lucky enough to have landlords (our best friends who we used to live with and own the condo we are living in now) who allow pets. We also have two cats (Stoney and Chunk)and a Hognose snake (Cannibal).

My dog's name is Ra. He is a Rhodesian Ridgeback mix (alas he is ridgeless) and thinks he's a cat. I have a few pictures of him up on my website, but the latest one is from March, when he was a mere 32 lbs. He is now a whopping 75 lb 10 month old. Our downstairs neighbors (bless them) love him to pieces, as their landlord is not as trusting as ours. It's a good thing too because is loud when he runs and shakes books of their shelves.

He loves to eat the bubbles from my bubblebaths and I can't even take a bath now without locking the door. He hears the water, and sits outside whining because he knows the bubbles are in there and he can't get to them.

He goes to daycare during the day. We drop him off when we go to work and pick him up in the evening on our way home. They love him. He ate a hole in our old mattress, chewed up a pair of my favorite shoes, and I lost 5 books. That was before we took him to daycare. Now he is so tired from his day he is sometimes too tired to chase the cats.

He also thinks he's a cat. He tries to walk up on the back of the couch and then looks at you like you pushed him down when he falls off the back of it.

We thought he was afraid of the water too. His first exposure to water was a bath. He was great in the bath. Then we took him to the ocean. We would run from the waves, and he would too. We tried to get him to swim but he wouldn't. A few weeks ago we went up to Redding and while there went to Whiskey Town Lake. We found a spot to swim and we jumped in. Ra stayed on the shore. Barking. We swam and swam, and he just barked at us. My fiancee had brought along a tennis ball that Ra had been playing with lately and he threw it into the water. He put his feet in. YES! He finally got in. We were so happy. He is up to his ankles in water and we are just ecstatic. We start throwing the tennis ball farther and farther out. He finally braves it and jumps in. For the rest of the day he would fetch it anywhere we through it. And if you pretened to throw it out, he would run after it. If he thought you had it (even if you didn't) he would swim out to you looking for it. He was so tired when we got home. Too cute.

There are days when I want to scream. But most of the time, it is wonderful to have him. I hope to get another dog when we finally buy a house next year.

He is always willing to play (he is really rough and boisterous though) with any dog he comes across. And kids too. Loves them. Unfortunately, he likes to knock them down a lot. Oh well. He is still learning to behave. Oh, and he knows the following commands: Sit, Stay, No, Go get it, Down, Out, Off, Get him (usually said while he is wrestling with my fiancee) Easy, Slow down, Heel, and my favorite Excuse Me. You say that when he is in your way. He moves right away.

-- Anonymous, July 11, 2000

Please excuse my spelling errors above. I am at work and I wrote this between and while on my calls.

-- Anonymous, July 11, 2000

My dog is the best. She's half Norwegian Elkhound and half something smaller than an elkhound. She does some rotten things like eat shoes and bring baby bunnies (alive) into the house. But she is a wonderful dog. She insanely loves to go on car rides and freaks out when you say "wangoforacarride?" In the car she sits on top of the tv in between the two front seats and looks out the windows. If you don't pet her she swats you with a paw. She steals socks off my little brothers' feet. She has very very soft ears. She has arthritis in one of her hips so we give her pills wrapped in sliced turkey, which she never spits out. She can shake hands, sit up, roll over, and catch treats in her mouth. She fetches stuff but has a hard time giving it up when she's brought it back.

The dog's name is Nickie. here is a picture of her.

Before Nickie we had a mutt dog named Penny and a chihuahua named Dave.

-- Anonymous, July 11, 2000

We found our dog on the street 3 1/2 years ago. She was trying to eat some pizza that someone had dropped - still her favorite food. We pulled over to call her to the side of the street out of traffic. When she got to the car she climbed right in and curled up in a ball at my wife's feet. She seemed small enough, little did we know. She came home with us that night and hasn't left since. She didn't have tags but she was wearing a collar. We checked all the shelters and the major papers for two weeks. No one reported her missing so she became ours.

Kirby (she was named for the vaccuum cleaner, it was better than my wife's suggestion) is a lab/pit and possibly pointer mix. After getting over the initial separation anxiety she's turned out to be a great dog. At first we couldn't leave the room without being followed. Taking a shower meant having a dog head poke through the curtain and stay for the duration.

She's reddish brown with a white chest and paws. Her nose is white with brown spots. People stop us all the time to comment on what a beautiful dog she is. At 70 pounds she's a bit of a handful at times. It really makes me wish we'd gotten her at a little younger age. When we found her she was house trained and knew commands like "sit", "no" and "down". We've been working on "stay" and "come". "Drop it" is an ongoing battle, especially when it involves a squeaky toy, but to her it's part of the game.

We've talked about getting another dog but she's agressive with other dogs so it's kind of out of the question. We're in the process of finding a trainer to work with her and us on the agression problem. She's fine with people, even children.

We wouldn't trade her for the world, she's made our lives better in ways we never anticipated. We're certainly more active than we would be otherwise, unless it pouring rain she gets a 2-4 mile walk every evening.

-- Anonymous, July 11, 2000

Sorry, I meant "vacuum".

-- Anonymous, July 11, 2000

YES!! Your dog needs a buddy, he sounds like he is lonely. I have 2 Cocker Spaniels but I only had 1 dog for about 2 years then I bred her and kept a puppy.So I have a Mother dog(10) and her son(8). I have never regretted it. My dogs play and hang out together. It is not really any more work. My husband was against getting another dog but it turns out the new dog is his best friend!!

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2000

We got a short-haired Chihuahua puppy in July 1999 to replace one of our two pets of 13 years. As you can guess, the 13 year old, Prissy, wanted nothing to do with the new puppy, Bosco. The new puppy was pretty lonely all day and tormented the older dog. We got Bosco a new playmate named Scout about two months ago and Bosco is so happy now. I wish we had gotten him someone sooner instead of waiting a whole year. My husband didn't feel like Bosco really needed a playmate, but I finally talked him into it. He also thought the two yunguns would gang up on Prissy. I had puppy on the brain just like you do Beth. I don't have children and I, too, figure this is the way people feel when they want another baby.

Anyway my husband is now very happy for Bosco and loves Scout, too. Now Prissy lives in 99% peace. They do try to annoy her from time to time, but not much.

I think Doc NEEDS a playmate. I'm sure you're aware of separation anxiety. And, Yes, it will be a chore to have a new puppy at first, but it will be well worth it in the long run.

Try to find a good analogy to give to Jeremy so that he can see just how lonely Doc is. My dogs get jeoulous of each other when we give one of them attention, so Jeremy doesn't have to worry about that aspect of it. Doc will still love you guys more.

Hope this helps.

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2000

We had a Maltese for nearly ten years until she died back in '94. Since then, we've been without canine company. There is nothing this household needs more than another dog, and this point was hammered home when we had to look after a neighbour's dog for a few hours earlier this year. It felt exactly right having the dog here, even for that few hours. In the unlikely event that we ever get another one of our own, we'll likely get another Maltese, though Mum also likes West Highland White terriers. I'd also be interested in a Puli (small Hungarian dog with dreadlocks) cos they look so extraordinary, but fear the maintenance would be beyond us

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2000

We have a four month old puppy. Retriever/husky mix. Very playful and puppy-like. Chewing everything, jumping off furniture, the works.

And we just got another puppy yesterday. Five months old. Rott/lab/spaniel mix. He's scared to death right now, but our four month old is much happier than I've seen her in a while, since now she has someone to annoy while my fiance and I are at work.

So I recommend another puppy, as long as you have the patience.

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2000

I not only have a dog, I have THE dog.

I don't mean to gloat, honest to God, I don't. But it's not often that I'm INVITED o talk about him. Usually people just roll their eyes at me when start going off about him. Sometimes I feel bad because I brag him up more than I do my kids.

His name is Kennedy. You can see a picture of him here and here he is with MizKitty. That's the closest they ever get to each other because she hates him.

Kennedy is nearly six years old, and he's a Golden. He sleeps in our bed with us, except when it's really warm out. He jumps to get apples out of the apple trees, then he actually _eats_ them. Whwn I come home from work, he is the _only_ one who is genuinely happy to see me, wagging his tail with pleasure just because I'm home and not in a mad rush to jump my shit about some disaster. (Except when he's been alone all day and has torn up the garbage. Then he just lays on the sofa and glances at me from time to time out of the corner of his eye.)

He understands "sit", but just cannot manage to grasp "stay", and "give" is totally beyond his comprehension.

People have actually stopped and asked if we'd consider studding him out. Which we can't do because we had him snipped whe he was six months old.

When he here's a Harley, his ears perk up and he stares expectantly at the door, cuz he's pretty sure someone is her to visit _him_. One time, when he was about a year old, he chased a Kawasaki FOUR BLOCKS!!

He's really _not_ that spectacular (at least not to anybody else), but he makes me laugh nearly every day. I adore him and thank heaven I have him _every_ day. His chin is getting gray (he'll be five in September) and I dread the thought of not having him around.

Thanks for giving me the opportunity to yack about him, Beth.

jl

Time Waits for No One

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2000

Beth:

I've already rambled on about my dog Comanche, and the wonder of his existence. He is well behaved, and was a dream to train and housebreak. He was my best friend when I was lonely, and my surrogate child when my uterus was pining away for a human one. (I'm actually sort of scared to have kids, because I don't want to supplant Comanche's role in my life. I'm a freak. I know.)

Anyway, I inherited a second dog when my father died -- a little black female labrador named Bob. (Don't ask.) She is a serious spaz, and is the ANTI-Comanche -- chewing up everything in her path (from eyeglasses to air conditioner wiring), refusing to adhere to training and peeing on the floor whenever we blink.

HOWEVER, she *is* a great playmate for Comanche. I suspected that Comanche obsessed about me just as I did about him. Now, with Bob home during the day, they can run around and play and fight and stuff and by the time they're exhausted...I'm home! It was the best thing in the world for Comanche. It helps socialize him, and keeps him busy and happy during the day.

Sorry, Jeremy. It's not just a matter of want....Beth *NEEDS* a dog.

Julie

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2000

I had a BOXER named Willie. I had to give him away to my ex-mother- in-law when I separated from my husband as the apartment complex I was moving into didn't allow animals. Willie was wonderful. My mom used to show and breed Boxers and Willie was from one of her litters. He was a wonderful pet and is a wonderful pet to my ex- mother-in-law now. I still have Willie's picture on my refrigerator. If I ever get another dog it will definately be a BOXER. Nicknames for Willie were: Willie-Woo, The Captain, Captain Woo, Mr. Woo, Cappy. Don't ask me how these names came about, they just did. *L*

http://members.dencity.com/amilagirl/frame.html

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2000

I am a dog lover. Plain and simple. I must have been a dog in a past life or something.

I started out 9 (almost 10!) years ago with a very cute husky mix. He is all white and the most loyal dog there ever was. At the time I was in college and had housemates with dogs also, so the thought of getting another dog never occurred to me. Always more than one around. After I moved on and moved out, Rohn showed many signs of being a problem dog. Now, keep in mind that at this point he is 3 years old and has not been a problem previously. The answer: Boredom!

Next dog: 4 month old "Doc-type" mix from the shelter. Wonderful decision. After the initial problems with authority and dominance from Rohn, Mac and him became good friends. To this day they still run all over my yard when I let them run free together.

Last year I "stole" a dobermin from someone who didn't know how to treat an animal. This dog was supposed to be a temporary addition to the family. Again the initial disagreements and attitudes from the others, but eventually they all settled in. This dog was an adult (3), Mac is 5, and Rohn is almost 10. Thought there would be more problems. In this case, blood was drawn, but only because Misty (wimpy name for a dobe) was in heat and very difficult to control when she met everyone else.

Now that I live on a 10 acre farm, I take on dogs for borders as well. I give people one heck of a deal so I can enjoy the company of their pets and do them a favor. From experience I can tell you that all hurdles can and will be cleared if you add a dog to the mix. I endorse the idea completely. Being bored and lonely is no way to lead a life. I hope your birthday puppy is beautiful and worth all the headaches (and memories) he/she will cause.

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2000

Two dogs is GREAT! Three big dogs is INSANITY.

I got the first dog, Mack, from my local animal shelter just before Dave and I started dating. I'd wanted a dog my whole life, had one with my ex but he took him. Mack was my way of getting over the Ass and his dog.

Mack was a sweet dog when I got him, but he definitely had dominance issues. For the first couple of weeks he had terrible seperation anxiety. I took him to obedience school and I was firm with him. I loved him and pet him but I also let him know I was the boss. I lost a couch, several shoes, many books and countless other things to his bad behavior.

About three months after I got him he was really starting to shape up. Dave and I had been dating about 2.5 months and we'd had a huge fight. The next evening I was out with Mack for his walk and then going out with a friend for dinner. This little dog came running over to me, put her paws up on me and kissed me. I pet her a bit and told her to go home. There were always dogs wandering around that neighborhood. I went out with my friend.

Next morning I'm out with Mack again and here comes that little dog. The entire walk the little dog came with us and played with Mack. She followed me all the way to my front step. I got a better look at her and she was all skin and bones, no collar, no tags.

I couldn't leave her outside so I decided to bring her in and feed her and decide what to do. I filled up Mack's bowl for him, as usual, and he ate. He never before left any food in his bowl, he always ate the whole thing, but this time he left some for her. I was going to give her some of her own but it was so sweet that he shared with her.

I had to go to class, so I left the two of them gated up in my kitchen. The entire class all I could think about was this little dog -- I couldn't keep her because my landlord would have freaked, but I couldn't give her away either. On the way home I went to the pet store and bought her a collar and a leash, you know, just in case and just for now. Ha!

When I got home you should have seen their cute faces at the kitchen gate. Mack had never before looked so happy. He looked up at me with that "Can we keep her? Huh? Huh?" look. My heart was overflowing with emotion.

Even though we'd had a huge fight I needed to call Dave. We hadn't spoken in a week and I needed to know what was going on. He lived in Hartford, CT and I lived in Clifton, NJ. The first words out of my mouth when he answered the phone were, "Do you want a dog?" and he replied with, "Not Yours!" Mack hadn't proved himself to him yet. He was getting much better but he hadn't won him over yet.

I told Dave the whole story of the little dog who looked sort of like Mack. I guessed that she was about 6 months old and she was VERY sweet. I said, "Let me show her to you and let you decide. If you don't want her I'll bring her to the local shelter that keeps does for 6 months before putting them down. She's so cute someone will want her and I'll keep going back to make sure she gets a home."

He agreed to see her because I know deep down he wanted a dog, he was just scared. I drove all the way to his house (2.5 hours) with the two dogs in the back of the car. The little dog was scared to get in the car and she got sick on the way and tried to cover it up with the blanket. I tried to get her to take drammamine (which I always give Mack) but she wouldn't take it.

We got to Dave's house and Mack was super excited to see him and show him his new friend. I put them both on their leashes, got them both to sit at the door and rang the bell.

Dave wasn't out the door even a second before he said, "I'll keep her." He said, "How about we name her Brandy?" She sure looked like a Brandy to me so I agreed.

We took both dogs over to his local park and then ran around like loons. They were both so happy to have each other. We went to the pet store and bought all kinds of things for Brandy. The rest of that weekend was really cool. The two of them got along great and for once Mack wasn't such a pain in the ass to me. Previously he would climb all over me all the time for attention but now he had Brandy to play with. He was even good while we were out which had always been a problem -- he'd chew and destroy everything.

And that's how it went for about 6 months. Brandy lived with Dave, Mack lived with me, and we all lived together on weekends. Mack would get so sad when we had to go home or when Brandy would leave. I'd get pretty sad myself.

In late January Dave came to stay with me to get a job in NYC because the job market in Hartford was pathethic. It was easier than the two of us moving to Boston together (the other choice) because he had friends and family in NYC if things didn't work out with us. The four of us lived in my little apartment till the end of April. It was a little tough to get used to because the place was small. The two dogs were always playing and running around and it was a little insane.

Then we moved to a rented house in Westchester county, NY and everything with the two dogs was great. We had a yard for them to run around and room in the house for two people and two dogs to move around.

I didn't plan to get the second dog, but it was the best thing that ever happened. Brandy is a really great dog, a lab/shepard/beagle mix with the sweetest disposition I've ever seen. She's a 50 pound cuddle dog who can play in the yard with the best of them. The two of them got used to each other fairly quickly and kept each other company when we had to work.

Two dogs really isn't much more work than one. If you're going to walk them on leashes it does take some getting used to for you and the dogs but it works out after a few weeks. After a couple of weeks I was able to walk both of them with one hand and pick up after them too. It helps that they are both obedience trained and will sit and stay on command. If you've got a yard it's even easier.

I will say it does cost more. Double vet bills if you're like me and take them for all their shots and yearly check ups. It wasn't quite double food bill for me because Brandy does eat less than Mack. It was worth every penny though! Mack was so happy to get a sister and I love them both!

The third dog, now that was a bit of insanity on my part. Dave and I both thought "If two dogs is this great, Three dogs must be even better!". Don't fall into that trap, please. Don't get me wrong, I love every one of them and would never give any of them away, but it does get insane a lot.

We got Ginger as a puppy when we bought our house. First mistake we made was getting a puppy. Mack and Brandy were both older when we got them and they were both basically house trained. Our new house was a 45 minute commute to work for both of us and we were not able to get home during the day for the puppy. It took us over a year to get her house trained. For anyone, whether it's your first dog or your fourth, don't get a puppy unless you can get home to them during the day to take them out.

We got Ginger from my father, whose dog got pregnant by accident. She had 6 live puppies and my dad had to give them all away. Since we were planning to get another dog anyway we decided to tell my Dad we'd take one of Abby's puppies, but only a female. We knew Mack wouldn't take to having another male dog around. He's not mean or agressive to other boys but he does feel threatened and will have pissing matches with other males.

There was some adjustment period when we got Ginger. Mack and Brandy didn't like that Ginger took up so much of my time. A year and four months later things are a whole lot better. Ginger is now house trained (knock wood!) and the three of them get along really well. Ginger loves to play and will play with whichever of them will go along with it. They chase each other around our yard (almost as big as our own park) and they all have their spot to sleep in our bedroom.

There are more fights with the three of them though. I've got more dogs than I've got hands and sometimes it's hard to get order in the house. Ginger is very playful and hasn't yet learned that she's nearly 80 pounds and can't bound around the house like a 20 pound puppy. I didn't think Ginger would get that big when we got her, since her mother really isn't that big, but we soon found out that she was Lab/Husky mix and my vet said, "How do you feel about big dogs?" and I replied with, "Oh, I'm fine with it I've got another 70 pound lab at home." He said, "Think Bigger."

And she is. She's the biggest of the three of them and she's not done filling out yet. She's going for her checkup in a couple of weeks and I think she's definitely over 80 pounds and that she'll hit 90 before she's done. She's a love though.

So, now that I've been all long winded and such, I say you should definitely get another dog, Beth. Doc sounds like the kind of dog that will get along really well with another dog and it will cure the loneliness. But you're right, you've both got to want it. After the inital getting used to it period I didn't find two dogs any more work than one, in fact I think it was less work. I didn't have to get involved so much in playing with Mack, Brandy did it for me.

But the third, don't do the third.

Thanks so much for this entry and this topic, Beth. It did WONDERS for my mood. I'm the kind of person who stops and pets every dog I see and I point them out in cars too. Dave is almost as bad as me and that helps a lot. Whenever I'm feeling sad or upset I know I can sit down on the floor and the dogs will take care of me. They'll sit in my lap and lick my face and show me their love. If that doesn't make me happy, nothing will, and it has never failed to work.

Colleen

BTW, You can see Mack, Brandy< /A>, and Ginger< /A>.

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2000

There are two breeds of dreadlocked or more properly, corded coat dogs, the Puli and the Komondor, both of which come in black, creamy white and grey. Komondors are much bigger and I think are more used for guarding livestock, Pulis are the herding dogs. Pulis average 30+ lbs., Marley is a little small, black, has been known to try and herd large groups of people at parties and stands guard very attentively over babies. You can see what a Puli looks like here and a Komondor here. They are hella cute, and the coat isn't that much work - you just sort of pull the cords apart so they don't form huge mats. They do track in a lot of leaves and burrs though, and attract a lot of attnetion. A dog for exhibitionist non-neat freaks.

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2000

my wonderful dog, pictured here is aging, unfortunately. she's been the most gentle, loving, and loyal presence i've ever known for the past 9 years and has followed me from room to room in all that time. the thought of losing her breaks my heart. which is why i'm considering getting another dog to perhaps ease the transition in a few years. but with a new baby coming shortly, i don't really know what i'm in for. and i know i can't handle a puppy for at least another year. when i *do* get one, however -- i'm planning on something small -- like 7lbs-or-less small. i don't even know how i'll handle something so small after having my darline 90 pounder around for all this time, but i'm sure i'll adjust.

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2000

I love dogs. All dogs. Well, except for maybe those little yippy dogs. Big dogs are the best - particularly mine. Murray is a year and a half old weimeraner and about the sweetest dog there is. He's a big guy - 100 pounds - and is totally loveable (as expressed when he cuddles next to me while I'm watching TV ... although sometimes he tries to be a lap dog. Ugh - 100 pound dogs just can't be lap dogs.)

I've got a lot of cute pictures of Murray at http://www.geocities.com/ murraythedog. Check them out!

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2000

I forgot to mention something about my Chihuahua, Bosco and why we 'knew' he needed a playmate. Remember the Toys R Us commercial with the little boy and his 'faaaavorite raincheck?' Well, Bosco had imaginary friends and he also used his toys as his 'faaaavorite rainchecks.' I'd be watching him and he'd pretend he was being stalked or something and lurk around the furniture and get into his puncing stance with rear end in the air, ready to attack. I thought it was so cute! He'd also get his toys and throw them in the air and pretend they were his enemy and then attack them. And also lurk at them. Poor baby, he was so lonely, but oh, so cute!

I'd make my husband feel guilty by saying, "Look honey, he's got his 'faaaavorite raincheck' as many times as I could get him to 'come see.' That probably did the trick in persuading him we needed a playmate for Bosco.

Go to http://members.aol.com/r5809245637/bosco.html to see his pic

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2000

I just have to rave about my puppy. Beth, my hands are ripped to shreds (remember puppy needle-teeth?) and my first task each morning, before showering and cleaning my teeth, is cleaning up after a puppy's nightly frolics, and my fridge is full of puppy food, and we don't go out at night much or if we do we come home early to give him supper, and we can't sleep in past about 8.00 any more (remember? that whine that sounds like he's being beaten?) and I have to do the Don't Jump On My Hosiery dance to get out of the door in the mornings, but he's just so divine. Go here and check out His Gorgeousness.

Go on, Get That Puppy! I'll deal with Jeremy.

cheers anna

-- Anonymous, July 13, 2000

I'm in love with Marley already just from the description. Only ever met one Puli in real lifeseen lots in picturesand she was a sweet thing indeed. Very disappointed to learn last year that she'd passed on at the ripe old age of 14. Got a photo of her here that I took about four years ago (bit dark, but you can still make her out)

-- Anonymous, July 13, 2000

I want a Puli now. What great looking dogs! I remember hearing about them on a TV program, but I'd never seen one. I think I'll get a Puli and call him Rasta or Reggae.

-- Anonymous, July 13, 2000

Pulis are really sweet, but very protective and they bark at strangers - Marley barks at everyone who passes the house. Marley is, not surprisingly, named after Bob Marley. Mom gets a lot of younger kids asking if she's named after Ziggy though, which Mom finds a little appalling.
In fact, my mother was wanting a T-shirt to wear in the summer when walking her downtown with the following list:
1. No, it's not a perm
2. No, she'd not a Rastafarian, she's Hungarian
3. Yes, she can see very well thanks
4. She's named after Bob Marley, not Ziggy. If you like Ziggy Marley and haven't listened to his father, mnore shame on you
5. No, I don't speak Magyar
Mom gets stopped by a lot of curious passersby, including some VERY homesick Hungarians. Of course, she may not need it. We are anxiously awaiting the biopsy results to see if it really is lymphoma, and if it is, whether it is at all treatable.
Do yourselves and your pets a favour - if they start losing weight and you don't have them on a diet, TAKE THEM TO THE VET. And if you have a thick coated dog where you can't see, palpate them or weigh them often. The only reason Mom took Marley in is because when I was home recently my sister's fiance and I both told Mom that she had lost too much weight. Mom hadn't really noticed because of her coat.

-- Anonymous, July 13, 2000

I hope everything's ok with Marley, Jessica. Keep us updated, please.

-- Anonymous, July 14, 2000

For those of you who wanted the news on Marley, unfortunately the vet's suspicions were right on the money. She has lymphoma, fairly advanced, so chemotherapy is not recommended even if we were willing to put her through that. The vet put her on prednisone to increase her appetite, and since she's happy and doesn't seem to be in pain, we'll just keep an eye on her and enjoy her company until she starts letting us know she's uncomfortable.
And now I'm going to go cry a while...

-- Anonymous, July 17, 2000