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Question of the day

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Illinois

* Everybody seems so edgy today, including me, so…

* The Question: How about you tell us a story about your favorite pet?

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Nov 18, 16 @ 2:47 pm

Comments

We dog sit my daughter and son’s dogs with some frequency. My son’s dog is a big black, broad shouldered mix of Lab and Boxer.

He’s the most perfectly named dog in the world: Buddy. And, he is all the things that the best dogs are plus one: he, like some humans, is always nice.

My son had him ‘fixed’ when he was a puppy and although he still sniffs nether regions as all dogs do, he’s kind of neutral about it all. One day while I was walking him around the neighborhood, a beautiful little shih tzu came the other way. A girl shih tzu wearing pink. Walked by an attractive thirty year old woman. Buddy, seeing the shih tzu, squared his shoulders, thrust out his noble jaw, and began a bit of a John Wayne walk as they approached (so did I). But, he’s ‘fixed’ I thought, what fresh hell is this?

The dogs touched noses. The shih tzu shyly turned her pretty little head. The girl sayis: what a beautiful dog, what’s his name. Buddy, I answered in a voice that was deeper than normal.

Hi Buddy! She gaily called.

Buddy’s eyes took on the glint we all know, he used his massive paw to deftly push the now knowing little dog to the side, and with a look of indescribable pleasure began humping her with abandon. She shook under his attentions and was almost crushed to the sidewalk. The girl looked strangely calm in the face of this assault by ‘Buddy.’

I let him go at it for less than a NBA shot clock and then dragged him off. The shih tzu gave Buddy a little paw signal that seemed to be a canine ‘call me.’

The girl said, it’s so pathetic, most American men are into Asians these days, and walked off in a huff.

When we got home I gave Buddy as shot of scotch, a cigar, and a rare steak.

Comment by Horst Cabal Friday, Nov 18, 16 @ 2:52 pm
My parents got my brothers’ and me a puppy when I was 12. My mom and I were the only two members of our family that went to pick her up, to take her away from her mother and her litter mates. She rode in my lap the entire way home. She always claimed me as her human. She died when I was 26, and even though she weighed 60 pounds fully grown and didn’t really fit, she never stopped climbing into my lap even at the ripe old age of 14. I still get misty eyed when I think about her, which is often.

Comment by D. Schwarz Friday, Nov 18, 16 @ 3:02 pm
When someone enters the house, my golden retriever waits for them to take off a shoe, grabs it and runs away with it so he can drop it at his collection of shoes by his bed. Doesn’t chew it, play with it, or damage it in any way. Just has to grab one of everyone’s pair of shoes, don’t know why, but it’s very important to him.

I could go on and on about his idiosyncrasies. He’s made me laugh at least once a day for eight years.

Comment by Anonymous Friday, Nov 18, 16 @ 3:06 pm
Had lots of dogs over the years. The one that took the cake was smart enough to know he could jump the 4 foot fence to get out of the yard but dumb enough he would sit by the alley gate and bark to be let back into the yard.

Comment by RNUG Friday, Nov 18, 16 @ 3:19 pm
I had a great Yellow Lab mix as a shelter adoption. She loved, more than anything to chase the neighbor’s outdoor cats. The cats had a swift trick where they’d run to the wetlands behind the subdivision and then dart back out. The dog wouldn’t see this exit and would barrel into the swamp looking for the cat.

Hours later, she’d appear on the back deck filthy and actually quite happy to be dirty. I’d hose her off, dry her and let her in the house. This cycle would repeat roughly weekly and she’d return every time. filthy and happy, so I never made much of an effort to end the behavior.

Comment by illini97 Friday, Nov 18, 16 @ 3:24 pm
RIP Guinea Girl

Comment by Southern Friday, Nov 18, 16 @ 3:25 pm
While bemoaning the loss of my 2nd dog a friend said he would never get a dog because they are just a ticking time bomb to sadness when they eventually die. He failed to understand that the sadness is only because they brought so much joy.

Comment by Not It Friday, Nov 18, 16 @ 3:27 pm
I had to put my dog to sleep last November. I still miss him very much.

Comment by Former State Employee Friday, Nov 18, 16 @ 3:32 pm
Grew up on a livestock farm, had several pets and many stories. The best is related to a half-Lab, half-Irish Setter named Boomer. My father had a piece of machinery fall on his foot, and he couldn’t move or manuever it off his foot. He yelled for my Mom, but she was in the house and couldn’t hear him. I don’t remember if Dad asked Boomer to get Mom, or the dog figured out something was seriously wrong, but he stood halfway between the barn and the house, barked continuously at the house and kept looking back at the barn where my Dad was pinned. Mom heard the barking, saw how unusually the dog was behaving, came out to see what was going on and heard Dad calling. She had to get one of our neighbors, and he had to get a hydraulic jack to get Dad out. One of several good Boomer stories - smart dog, playful dog and very helpful when grandchildren came along and started having run of the farm.

Comment by Johnny Tractor Friday, Nov 18, 16 @ 3:36 pm
I was pretty sure this would be the only CapFax thread that perked me up today. I was wrong.

Although the Oscar pic helps, so thanks for that.

Comment by 47th Ward Friday, Nov 18, 16 @ 3:39 pm
There’s an incredible curly haired something-poo at a Senior Center I’ve visited. Duke. Dukie actually. There was some robust debate as to whether Dukie would get to stay. He absolutely sensed his probation and sensed even more who objected to his presence. He made those objectors fall in love with him first. His probation was knocked down to a week from 3 months within his first few days at the center.

For a while, at night, he’d guard the front door with an absolute lack of any ferociousness whatsoever. Soon, he’d taken to patrolling at night when he realized at Senior Centers, there was activity at night. People needing assistance, sometimes even crying out of embarrassment or frustration. Duke knows instinctively where he needs to be. He was the re-assurer. No accident bothered him. Heck, while few, he had some of his own.

He realized during the day was the time to catch up on rest. Like everyone else there. He knows who needs more attention and he gives it to them. He mourns the masters he’s lost there. He welcomes every one new.

There is a policy in place where Duke can eat approved table food…if he’s invited to. He sits at attention and waits to be summoned. He’s summoned a lot. He abides stupid party hats once a month and sings (a little off tune) with the rest of the crew. Fortunately, he hates cake.

He goes to the chapel there when everyone else does. His presence demands better sermons. If he falls asleep, he gives license to all of his masters to do the same. Some of them swear that Duke loves “Wheel of Fortune”. A couple guys there thinks he just has a thing for Vana. In truth, Duke seems to respond to the show because it inspires a lot of action, screaming, laughing, arguing and emotional responses.

Duke isn’t my dog. I’m totally a dog guy and just can’t relate to cats. They’re selfish and aloof. You can admire their independence. I do. Their self reliance. I do. But they’re selfish lovers. Not Dogs. Not Duke.

Duke gives hours, days, weeks and months of extra life. And he puts extra life into the extra life. The families who visit their relatives there look forward to seeing Duke too. He makes them feel guilty if he needs to.

In order of importance at this residence is Duke, the CNAs, the receptionist who hugs everyone, the Nurses, the Doctor.

They didn’t know if they would keep him. Now, they can’t live without him. He loves unconditionally. Hasn’t got one enemy. He took care of that the first day he got there. I don’t have any person to go see there anymore. But I still go. The price of seeing Duke is spending time with “his” friends and masters. I’m happy to pay it.

Comment by A guy Friday, Nov 18, 16 @ 3:39 pm
Well we’ve got us a Shih Tzu and I emphasize the first syllable. Damn dog has to go on controlled walks because she eats every cigarette butt she finds. She has an underbite, kidney stones, a bug eye, and has bitten every neighbor kid. She’s a good dawg.

Comment by Big Lu Friday, Nov 18, 16 @ 3:45 pm
Oh pet stories! I love them !
Smooches to you Oscar.

Comment by Rararara Friday, Nov 18, 16 @ 3:47 pm
My son bought a hamster yesterday and named him ‘Donut’. When we checked on Donut before going to bed he was stuffed 3/4 of the way in one of his tubes hanging upside-down sound asleep. Only the back 1/4 of Donut was protruding out. Don’t worry, he was breathing. : )

Comment by Cubs in '16 Friday, Nov 18, 16 @ 3:48 pm
I had a small four pound tuxedo cat with claws that would kill anything her size or smaller. Hunting was all she’d do. Her special hang out was at the top of a fence post watching the ground for any ground critters. She wiped out rodents, gophers, rabbits, snakes, grasshoppers, squirrels, and extended her hunting range for acres in every direction.

Each night at dusk I would stand out on the porch overlooking the farmlands and call for her to come in. She always called back as she ran back into my arms.

She was loving, sweet, cuddly, adorable, and the playful-est black and white cat ever!

A great cat.

Comment by VanillaMan Friday, Nov 18, 16 @ 3:48 pm
I’m a cat person, and have had several in my life. My last one was a Thanksgiving present from my wife from a litter that a stray had deposited into a neighbor’s garden shed. My wife wasn’t an indoor pet person, having grown up on a farm, so it was a major concession for her to do this.

He was MY cat. He tolerated my wife (and then our daughter), but I was his human from the get go. When he was a kitten, he would ride around sitting on my hand, and he never forgot this position; when he was much bigger, he would stretch out along my arm and put his paws in the gaps between my fingers so he could still walk with me that way.

He was with us for 18 years, and I miss him every day. He’s been gone for 9 years now, and I am just now beginning to think that I could ever have another cat.

Comment by Mr. Smith Friday, Nov 18, 16 @ 3:51 pm
I have had many dogs but my favorite was a redbone coonhound that I raised from a pup. It was good natured, had a distinctive bay and ran a lot with its nose to the ground. Man I really miss that dog.

Comment by pool boy Friday, Nov 18, 16 @ 3:53 pm
Carlo was my Dad’s Border Collie, and was around before I was even thought of. I remember playing fetch with him- throwing a stick over the woven wire fence designed to keep me corralled on the farm. He leap with air to spare and bring the stick back ready for more.

When I was five, I was done to my last fist sized but of gray Play Dough. That’s what you get after e few months when what’s left of all the colors are merged to one:)

I had left it in a Gerber baby food jar in top of a fence post in the yard. The post was from the woven wire fence designed to keep me in, but taken down a few years later once I learned to climb over it. Never was one for gates:)

Anyway… I had gone in the house for a few minutes, and when I returned, Carli was licking his lips and the jar was empty. I turned to my three year old sister and demanded to know where my Play Dough was. Her innocent wide eyed response as she pointed to Carlo was, “He was hungry.”

Comment by Anon221 Friday, Nov 18, 16 @ 3:56 pm
Teachable moment with a lesson dog.
you know how you can go to a riding stable and rent a horse for lessons? Well i had a disaster rubble search dog that was our “lesson dog” for training new handlers.
So i set up a rubble search exercise for the newbie handler.
he was to use my fully trained dog, deploy him to search for a disaster rubble victim buried in big chunks of concrete.
i told the newbie handler the vicinity of where this hidden person would be.
He walks off with my search dog out of sight to the starting point. I then hide the person in a completely different area of the rubble than i just told him.
the search starts and i watch the newbie handler. The dog correctly executes the search, hits the scent of the hidden person, is workig it down to the exact location so he can bark alert. The newbie handler tries to call the dog off the hunt and call him over to the place i said the person would be hiding. Dog ignores him. Talk to the paw dude, im busy.
Newbie handle tries and tries to direct the dog elsewhere.
Dog keeps working the scent problem, solves the puzzle and sounds off bark, bark, bark.
Newbie handler is amazed and then mortified he tried to call the dog off from correctly working the scent problem.
What he learned that day from his instructor?
Always trust your dog.

Comment by Team Warwick Friday, Nov 18, 16 @ 3:56 pm
I am owned by two gorgeous Siamese/tabby mix brothers. One of them likes to sit behind a book rack on my mantel. For the longest time, I couldn’t figure out how he got up there. One day, I was sitting in the living room, and saw him jump on the table where my television set is. Then he jumped on top of the TV, and from there onto the mantel. He then very delicately picked his way across the mantel, not knocking down any of the tchotchkes, and curled up behind the book rack. Adorable.

(NOTE: They are both my favorite current pets. I love all my children equally.)

Comment by JoanP Friday, Nov 18, 16 @ 3:58 pm
Former State Employee –I had to put my dog to sleep last November. I still miss him very much.— I had to put my Border Collie, Daisy, down 11 years ago. I will let you know when it gets better…

Comment by Springfield Since '77 Friday, Nov 18, 16 @ 4:00 pm
My beagle mix (45 lbs),who is a gentle soul and does not have a aggressive bone in his body stole a dog bed after two tea cup yorkies got up. They came back looking bewildered. They walked around the bed sniffing my dog out and determined he wasn’t a threat and both crammed in with him for a nap. I still have the pictures.

Comment by Jc19pd2 Friday, Nov 18, 16 @ 4:00 pm
My beagle mix (45 lbs), who is a gentle soul and doesn’t have an aggressive bone in his body, snagged a dog bed from two tea cup yorkies after they got up. The yorkies came back looking bewildered. After sniffing around and determined my beagle wasn’t a threat. They crammed into bed with him for an afternoon nap

Comment by Jc19pd2 Friday, Nov 18, 16 @ 4:06 pm
Fourteen, maybe 15, years ago two of my nieces decided my Dad needed a dog and he could not say “no”. They found an 8 week old mixed breed rescue puppy at a pound, named him Max ( not real original ) and he has been in this house ever since.

While Dad could he would walk him around town - it was good for both of them. He grew to be a 40 pound dog. He has his own chair by my front door and the minute anyone comes into my drive he lets me know.

As Dads health started to fail and he was spending more time sleeping during the day Max was always at his side and would never leave his bedside at night. Exactly the same way when we got the hospice bed.

Now he is at my bedside every night and under foot when I am at my computer or trying to get some things done at my desk.

My Oscar is a 12 year old rescue tabby ( and all of 12 lbs. ) that sleeps at the foot of my bed and always lets me know when to get up - better than an alarm clock.

Comment by illini Friday, Nov 18, 16 @ 4:06 pm
So many pets, so little time!

I’ve often said that if Yellow Labs were allowed to design our sociopolitical world, it would be completely utopian.

Comment by Dome Gnome Friday, Nov 18, 16 @ 4:07 pm
CRASH! What the hell was that! Came in from the Thanksgiving feast to find the cat Sasha dragging the picked turkey carcass across the kitchen floor. She growled at me when I got close. But she was not going give it up without a fight! Miss that cat. She’s buried out in the back with a nice headstone

Comment by Honeybear Friday, Nov 18, 16 @ 4:09 pm
This is a good opportunity to link one of the best threads on the Chicago foodies board, lth forum. Things my dumbass dog wants to eat. http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=16374&start=30 Sample “My little beagle loves to chew the hands and feet off of Barbie dolls. No other part, just the hands and feet. They must be especially chewy or something.

We have many maimed Barbies in our house. But hey, looks aren’t everything “

Comment by Ann Friday, Nov 18, 16 @ 4:15 pm
Oscar rocks… Awesome picture.

Thanks everyone for the stories, all of them.

Pets, they are family, that’s why the pain and love are both real.

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Nov 18, 16 @ 4:17 pm
My Oscar died about 2 years ago.
The marker says “Oscar, always in our Hearts!”

Comment by WhoKnew Friday, Nov 18, 16 @ 4:22 pm
Way to let the air out of the balloon Miller. I’m guessing you’ve driven some beer sales statewide with this one tonight.

You want to meet a tough guy? Meet someone who’s never benefited from the love of an animal.

Comment by A guy Friday, Nov 18, 16 @ 4:28 pm
OSCAR!

(Just testing to see if he reacts the same via the interwebs as he does when I pull up in the driveway.)

Comment by Barton Lorimor Friday, Nov 18, 16 @ 4:28 pm
That would be my GSD Bear. He passed 2 years ago and there isn’t a day that goes by I don’t think about him and miss that dog. He was quite simply the best! Oscar you’re a handsome little guy Love seeing your pictures!

Comment by BBG Watch Friday, Nov 18, 16 @ 4:28 pm