Posted on 11/26/2009 8:22:58 AM PST by nickcarraway
IT was a dark and stormy night — actually four stormy nights — when Jayme Otto, 31, and her husband, Ryan Otto, 33, drove 1,200 miles from their home in Boulder,Colo., to her parents’ house in Cleveland for Christmas.
“We traveled all this way to bring our yellow Labrador, Cody Bear, home to spend time with his grandparents,” Ms. Otto said, “grandparents” being dog-person-speak for her parents.
Besides wanting Cody Bear “to participate in his favorite yearly activity of unwrapping gifts and destroying all the boxes,” as Ms. Otto put it, they wanted the dog to meet her brother’s fiancée.
But on Christmas morning, a commotion ensued: the fiancée was allergic to dogs and broke out in hives.
“The dog was banished to the guest bedroom and we were unable to share our Christmas morning with Cody Bear,” Ms. Otto said bitterly. “The family blowup between my brother and I over the dog resulted in my mother not speaking to me for two months and my brother for four.” This Christmas will mark the first time that the Ottos will not be returning home.
Where, one might ask at times like these, are the elegantly embossed cards people really need, ones reading: “I can’t believe I could have been so insensitive.” Or better yet, “I can’t believe you could have been so insensitive.”
They might also include a sketch of a sophisticated, well-traveledpet. Something for an animal that understands, even if others do not, that it is a valued family member. And of course a handwritten note, the tone bemused but firm.
“Rex is truly sorry he sent Granny to the emergency room with the oxygen mask, but it isn’t like anyone told me she was allergic. All is forgiven, see you next New Year’s. Leaps and Gloppy Drooly Kisses—R.”
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
When the cat became an extended houseguest at the home of good friends, Mr. Barnes found it stressful, because despite his wishes, the cat was allowed outside. “I think anybody who is taking care of someone else’s child or pet, they should protect the parent’s wishes.”
I've had a COUPLE of dogs I really really liked, mostly because they were extremely intelligent, protective of the children, understood a few words, etc. Cats I DO NOT like, I find them sneaky, and they don't like me either, I think.
But animals are animals, not people. I have a relative who allowed a house to become so unpleasant with more and more animals that no one visited anymore, which created more loneliness, which created a felt need for more pets to fill the void, which created a house that was almost unlivable, but because of the condition of the house no one wanted to go fix anything, even repairmen.
So I have a bit of an issue with pets becoming all in all to people. I've spent a few years dealing with this problem in this situation and when it was over I felt like I had PTSD.
Love me, love my dog. Period.
Shipped my wife over to the in-laws for the day while I stay with the cats...better to spend time with cats instead of democrat in-laws. I’ll get my dinner tomorrow... :-)
And then there are the people who bring their human children, and allow them to behave in ways that make everyone else wish they’d brought an untrained hyperactive Great Dane instead.
LOL!!!
The only reason I’m leaving the dogs at home is to avoid stressing them.
Our three dogs will be traveling up to Thanksgiving dinner today with us, but they probably will not come inside. I think there will just be too many people, too many mixed groups today.
They’ll get to stay dry and sleep it off in the back of our truck with the canopy and their dog beds, where at least they’ll get walked a few times, better than being stuck inside at home.
And they’re a great excuse to take a break from all the commotion in the house anyhow.
At Christmas that is usually just immediate family, the dogs are welcome and come inside. Dog owners need to be sensitive to others when it comes to their dogs... if they want the dogs to be welcome, they have to set the dogs up for success. Don’t bring them into situations where they will cause problems.
...and they say there aren’t any thoughtful pet owners out there...
Couldn't they have sent the fiancee to the guest bedroom? Win-win.
No reason to expose smart dogs to a whole housefull of stupid.
If the smitten fiancé can't see past this unnecessary and divisive event, to recognize the opportunity to dodge a major future bullet, then he deserves the misery and alimony to come.
Ditch her. Welcome the dog, who has been a joyous part of Christmas in that household for years, and is a loyal and loved family member.
Dogs just have a way of bringing out the basic truth of new people on the scene. I know I trust the instincts of mine, instincts that are in some instances truer than my own. If they dislike a stranger, I've learned to be wary myself.
woof
I had to win the heart of my girlfriend’s dog first. I was OK with it.
Every dog we've ever had, we've brought with us on vacation almost everywhere. The one exception was Disney, and that's only because we didn't know Disney had day kennels when we went.
This Thanksgiving like most others, we're at Grandma and Grandpa's and of course or dog is with us. Grandma and Grandpa expect that we're bringing him, he's part of the family too. ("Teddy" always comes with us up here, we think he loves it as much if not more than we do.)
I had a year old Golden Retriever when my wife and I got married almost 24 years ago. Yes he's in our wedding pictures with us.
People who aren’t really dog people don’t get it. They’re in many ways extensions of ourselves, especially those raised from puppyhood, but even powerfully grateful pound rescues can develop this almost psychic bond.
Reject my dogs, and you’re rejecting me in several respects. Some breeds are more immediately welcoming to strangers, and some aren’t. Such breeds need wooing, as you mention. Your girlfriend is filtering her relationships through her dog, which is not necessarily a bad approach. They pick up on things on an animal level, of which most of us are either unaware, or only vaguely aware, that sort of hair on the back of your neck thing. Dogs live it every moment, in the moment. They’re almost like a radar for their people. Quite the complementary pair, a good person and a good dog.
My newest dog wasn’t a rescue pup but the last 3 were and all 3 of those were considered “problem” dogs. Funny thing is that once they were settled and trusted me they became some of the best behaved dogs I’ve ever had.
The boys are staying home today rather than going to Thanksgiving dinner at relatives a couple of miles away. They'd be welcome, but my youngest is only 5 months old, and the temptation of large platters of unguarded food might be too great. :) Don't want to see a repeat of the Bumpass disaster in "A Christmas Story".
Seems to be a dog behind all true conservatives :)
Sweet girl, loves me and I do mean loooves me, jumps on the bed at bedtime, wraps her two front paws around my neck and lays her head down beside mine and just cries. Every night.
She's still got some learning to do, but she aches to be good, and is so proud of herself when she is. The breed seems a little closer to wild than the Labradors to which I'm more accustomed. My special dog, my baby, was a field bred Chocolate, died in October of ‘07 after 14 1/2 years together, and it ripped my heart out. I don't know if I'll ever know another dog or if another will ever know me, like he did. I'll always miss him, especially around holidays. But, there are so many needing love and a decent home. She was just there, and would have died if I hadn't intervened.
So, here we are, learning about each other. The baying is starting to sound musical, and I can pick up shades of meaning in it, different sounds for different things. Coon or cat up a tree is sheer bedlam. Stranger in the yard is sharp and insistent. Let me in is more plaintive, almost as plaintive as feed me or let me out. Then, there are the odd, almost warbling yelps and cries, when she crawls in my lap or “hugs” me goodnight.
It's very rewarding, having a close relationship with a dog. To me it is, at least. Guess you couldn't tell, lol.
The dog barked because he or she was shut away in a room in an unfamiliar place, and smelled a cat.
The cat was nervous because of 1) strangers in the house, 2) a dog barking, and 3) that dog was in the house.
They were ungracious guests, the dog was unhappy, your cat was unhappy and you apparently were unhappy.
Of all the parties involved, the dog appears to have had the least say in the matter, followed closely by your cat. It may have been worth the upheaval in your home, to aid in the setting up of this nonprofit. Or, maybe it was not. Sounds as if you would have done things differently, in hindsight.
I love your story of your walker hound.
I have a granddog (she dug holes in my daughter’s yard) that I’ve had since she was 10 months old. Half-Blue Heeler, Half Cocker Spaniel. Nine years old and like me, chubby at 40 pounds. [No, I am not 40 pounds, she is.] I helped a friend who rescued a full blooded Cocker when her 2 Blue Heelers didn’t want the dog around. Unfortunately he ran across the street instead of to the front door and got killed one morning around 12:20 AM. It took me a few years before I rescued a puppy that I was assured would be a Collie. NOT. We don’t know what she is, Collie ears and “ruff” fur, red-blonde, sheds ALL the time, medium length red hair with blonder fur under it. White belly and tips of toes. She’s got long legs, a snout that’s between Collie and Lab length, a tail like a Lab with more feathering, and weighs in at 60 pounds!
I also have the most beautiful Tuxedo Cat, nearly perfect markings with a “Johnny Depp” beard (black under his chin like a chin beard). He thinks he’s a dog. Talks . . . mirrup . . . and other sounds that mean “clean my litter box or I’ll pee on a pile of clean clothes” “give me a treat or I’ll pee on a pile of clean clothes” “why don’t you allow me to go outside, I’m thinking about peeing on a pile of clean clothes” and “let me get in your lap so you can scratch my neck or I’ll find a pile of clean clothes to pee on.”
At night, my dogs sleep on the bed (only 36% of dog owners allow their pets in the bed) and the cat comes in and puts his soft little paw on my arm or on my cheek to let me know I now have permission to pet him before I fall back asleep. Occasionally he sleeps touching my hand with his paw.
In the morning, the cat looks out the window and the dogs come lick my face to wake me up. Nothing like a dog-tongue in your ear or down your throat first thing in the morning. It’ll wake you up, that’s for sure.
I would never give my babies up, but they do stay at the Kennel when I go visit my parents (in a retirement community) and my kids. HOWEVER, the price is going up at the Kennel and I may bring one dog with me when I visit the kids after this year.
So, here we are, learning about each other. The baying is starting to sound musical, and I can pick up shades of meaning in it, different sounds for different things. Coon or cat up a tree is sheer bedlam. Stranger in the yard is sharp and insistent. Let me in is more plaintive, almost as plaintive as feed me or let me out. Then, there are the odd, almost warbling yelps and cries, when she crawls in my lap or “hugs” me goodnight.
It’s very rewarding, having a close relationship with a dog. To me it is, at least. Guess you couldn’t tell, lol.
My 14 yearr old is a Border Collie/Jack Russell Mix.
A very scary combination. A Supreme ALPHA FEMALE of the First Magnitude, Just Like her Momma.
She’ll work her way into your heart, eventually. And, leave a dog-shaped hole in it, when she leaves altogether too soon.
Bring ‘em a few nice scraps and they’ll forgive you, lol.
My dogs have always slept with me, if they want to. Some are happier guarding the door, though.
Sounds like you’ve got quite the happy menagerie to greet you upon waking. It brings a nice dose of much needed joy into the day-to-day routine, doesn’t it?
They’re very affectionate and vocal. I’m learning to appreciate her baying when she can cut loose, and she’s learning the meaning of “shhh” when she shouldn’t, though. A fast learner and a very good girl, she is, for an apparent former hunting dog that was unceremoniously dumped by a busy intersection. No chip, no collar but there was a very red area around her neck where one once was. I put up posters, but no response, so we belong to each other now.
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