If you were a dog owner, you'd understand!

[wendalah]

In light of the "parent" thread going on in Chit-chat right now, I got a chuckle thinking about the things I thought I'd never do before I got dogs. (Disclaimer: I was not particularly an animal lover before I got my pooches.)

--I never in a million years thought I'd pick up poop with nothing but a small baggie on my hand. In fact, the first time I did that, I almost barfed.

--TMI, but I also never thought I'd have to hand-cut/pick out dingleberries on my curly-coated beasts. YUCK.

--I never thought I'd sleep with an animal. Much less two animals, stretching out full-length, taking up most of the bed, and farting up a storm.

--Speaking of farts. I never thought I'd say "Aw, little gassy boy!" in an affectionate voice when the animal lets go with a truly hideous, rotten-bologna-smelling one...the kind you have to light a Glade candle for.

--I never thought I'd let an animal lick me on the mouth.

--I never thought I'd brush my hair (thoughtlessly, but still--I wasn't too concerned) with a brush I'd used on the dogs.

--I never thought I'd be eating a sandwich, see my dog take a bite of it out of the corner of my eye while I'm in the kitchen getting a soda...then shrug and eat the sandwich anyway.

Anyone else want to chime in? :D

[linekelei]

This is too fun! DH never had pets growing up, and I was the queen of cleanliness, so the dogs have changed our lives. Considerably!

I never thought I'd stay home from work when one of our dogs is sick.

I never thought I'd clean up dog vomit from my pillow in the middle of the night and simply move my head over to avoid the wet spot (and get more sleep).

I never thought I'd use my bare hands to clean dog poo from our dogs' hair, even if it is under running water.

I never thought I'd laugh when dog poo gets on my clothes or on the furniture. I just clean it up now, and chalk it up to "dog ownership."

I never thought I'd spend $5000 to diagnose one of our dogs with inflammatory bowel disease.

I never thought I'd leave an event early or call it a night at 9 pm to "get home to our dogs."

I never thought I'd consider taking a shorter vacation because I miss our dogs and worry about them in a dog hotel.

I never thought I'd pay to put our dogs in a dog "hotel."

I never thought I'd love our dogs like children. I know, I know, they're dogs. But they are our babies, too!

[fuzzy]

Two off the top of my head:

I never thought I'd think "Thank heavens for that dog" instead of "OMG HOW GROSS" when I see the dog race around the house to find the latest pile of cat vomit. Yes, sometimes she eats it before I have a chance to clean it up and, yes, I admit I am occasionally relieved that I didn't have to clean it up.

And,

I never thought I'd spend a considerable about of time looking at the, um, droppings of my dog to make sure that the latest thing she ate passed.

[mkvh]

I never thought I'd spend a considerable about of time looking at the, um, droppings of my dog to make sure that the latest thing she ate passed.

OMG, this is SO me! I'm constantly asking DH about the dogs' poo.



I never thought I'd sit on the floor BY CHOICE so I could be mauled by 160lbs of stinky (sometimes wet) labrador.

I never thought I'd cry at work because DH was home with the dogs.

I never thought I'd have to explain to a pharmacist that yes, the prescription for Elavil is for my dog.

I never thought DH and I would refer to each other as Momma and Dad BEFORE we had kids.

[katmg]

I never thought I would:

Simply cover up a poo streak on the bed sheets with a big towel b/c we didn't want to change the sheets *right* then.

Stick my hand in the dog's mouth/throat to prevent him from eating the ____ (paper towel, wash cloth, underwear, dish towel, etc.)

Enjoy having a big dog to share the bed or sofa with - nothing like having the dog stretch out down the sofa like a giant wriggling body pillow! :p

[boilermaker]

I was never a dog person before we got our baby either. There are so many things I never thought I would do either. I agree with a lot of the ones posted already.

I never thought that driving across country to go on vacation would be preferred over flying, just so we can take the dog with us (he's been to 19 states and 3 Canadian territories).

I never thought I would bake dog friendly bday cakes and buy him presents to open on his bdays.

I never thought that I would be ok going to work with golden dog hair all over my black pants and well, not really care about the fact that no lint brush in the world could get it all off.

I never thought that it wouldn't bother me in the least to share a water bottle with my dog while out on a run.

I never thought that when I hear the dog about to vomit, that I'll find the closest peice of clothing (even if it is the shirt I have on) to get under his mouth because that is a lot easier to clean up than the carpet.

I could go on and on.....

[jnettie]

Lol! These are so funny!

--I never thought I'd be eating a sandwich, see my dog take a bite of it out of the corner of my eye while I'm in the kitchen getting a soda...then shrug and eat the sandwich anyway.
While not a dog owner, I am a cat owner, and I regularly *offer* my cat a bite of whatever if she seems interested. I've let her lick my yogurt spoon, for example, then continue to eat with the same spoon!

[jajacobsen]

Ditto to much of the above. Especially the licking (kissing) on the mouth thing. DH cannot understand how I am okay with this. I guess it's just mother's love.

I never thought night owl me would willingly wake at 5.45 am every day and take the dogs out, even before I have gone to the bathroom myself, because that's what it took to get them house trained.

I never thought I would choose floor tile because the mottled pattern would help hide doggy footprints.

I never thought I would schedule my day around a dog.

I never thought I wouldn't want to travel places I couldn't take my dogs.

It all changed. And I love them and feel it is so worth it!

[jesvet]

I never thought I would pay someone to custom make a ballerina costume for an 80 pound Golden retriever, because they don't normally make them in that size.

[lovebugs2003]

Pretty much the same as everyone else. I was never a dog lover before we got our dog, i have now surprised the hell out of my husband because he had to almost force me to get a dog, now i can't get enough of my pup.

The whole poop thing for me to. Always asking DH, did he poop, was it a big pile, what was in it. I have even smooshed it in my hands ( well with a baggie) to see what was in it.

I totally never thought i would let my dog sleep on our bed.

I never thought i would wipe his nose with a kleenex when he had a cold.

I never thought i would love him as much as i do.

I never thought i would cry so much when he got a little cold. Because i felt so bad for him.

[IrishMeg]

Oh, where do I start? I was definitely not a dog lover before I got Oliver. I had never been around dogs and I had no idea what the hell I was getting into.

*I never thought I would go through dog vomit with my bare hands to see if he had eaten something that made him throw up.

*I never thought I would tell a vet "I'll spend what ever I have to, just make him better." and really mean it.

*I never thought I would enjoy spending money on a dog as much as I do. He just loves getting new toys or going to doggie daycare.

*I never thought I would inspect poop quite as closely as I do now.

*I never thought I would put more time/effort/money/thought into what he eats than what I eat!

*I never thought I would plan my day around a dog.

*I never thought I would regard dogs as highly (sometimes more highly) than I do people. I think sometimes I forget he is a dog.

*I never thought I would let a dog lick from the same spoon, fork, plate or cup as me.

[TazLuv]

These are all so good - I agree with almost all of them. The ones that stick out for me.

- I never thought DH and I would be called mommy and daddy before we had two legged children.

- I never thought I'd let the dog sleep in our bed.

- I never thought I would rearrange my sleep position as to not wake the dog.

- I never thought not being able to take the dog on a vacation would be a deal breaker.

I'm sure there are many more - great thread! :D

[wendalah]

Simply cover up a poo streak on the bed sheets with a big towel b/c we didn't want to change the sheets *right* then.


Ohhhhh....guilty. My husband hates this more than I do, but *HE* won't change the sheets either.

[katmg]

Ohhhhh....guilty. My husband hates this more than I do, but *HE* won't change the sheets either.

Those are always great conversations - "Do you want to?" "No." "Just go get a towel..." :o

[kari]

Cook for my dogs

Spend lots of $ on them

Feed them from my fork at the dinner table

I personally could go one further than: if were a dog owner, you'd understand and say if you were a German Shorthair Pointer owner, you'd understand, most of the time :D

[littlemia]

Never thought I'd plan a house around a dog. When we built, two of our must-haves were no carpet and a one story house.

[chefker]

Love this thread. :)

I never thought that I, with my OCD neat-freak cleaning streak, would shrug my shoulders at yet another pile of dog hair on the floor and say "I'll vacuum it up tomorrow."

I never imagined I would have to apply medication to my dog's butthole. :o

I never thought I'd consider my dog's needs first when buying a new car.

I never thought we'd sell our condo and buy a HOUSE just so our dog could have a yard to run around in.

I never imagined I could be entertained for hours by watching my dog chase his tail and/or run around in circles like a lunatic.

I never thought I'd miss work because my dog was sick.

I never thought I'd lift a 65 pound dog onto my bed to snuggle with me because he's too short to jump.

I never thought I'd buy STAIRS for my dog, to assist him with getting onto our bed.

I never knew loyalty and unconditional love, until I looked into my dog's eyes. (I get that with DS too, but my dog came first!)

[fuzzy]

*giggle*

Although I knew the thread would turn out this way, I admit that I'm still amused at the number of references to poop, vomit, butt holes, and the like.

[Jaycee]

I never thought I'd change my dogs diaper in a restaurant ;)

ETA: I am guilty of all the above and this thread has me cracking up!

[pocket]

I never thought I would get all choked up and emo at the dead mouse my cat gave my dog for a gift.

[wendalah]

Although I knew the thread would turn out this way, I admit that I'm still amused at the number of references to poop, vomit, butt holes, and the like.

Here's an embarrassing one. My older poodle has an, er, tendency to have dingleberries. So every time he goes outside to poop, I say "Let me see your butt-butt!" when he comes back in. The most ridiculous part is he knows what I am saying. He turns around and freezes into position so I can check for any dingles.

He remains frozen in that position until I either wipe his butt, or give him a little smack on the rump to let him know he's clean.

[pocket]

Here's one that's poop-related: I know my dog eats the cats poop. I can see him from the window. But I still let him kiss me on the mouth. As Pita once said - what's the point of having a dog if you don't let him lick you on the mouth?

[Jaycee]

OK, I'm going to make an admission here. I don't just let my dogs lick me on the mouth, I absolutly love it when they do and I enourage it constantly :o
I happen to think my dogs have the best breath ever!

[carrie9142]

Awww, this is such a warm fuzzy thread!

I agree with many of the ones mentioned.

--I never thought I would ride 9 hours in a car with a dog on my lap, so he could come on vacation with us. And when he couldn't get comy on my lap, I held his bed.

--I never thought my husband and I would form a 2 person "poopectomy" team with him cutting the poo out of the hair.

--Never thought I would call my vet very worried that my dog was constipated.

--Never thought I would love the way stinky dog and puppy breath smell.

--Never thought I would be willing to lay down thousands if he needed vet care. Luckily, I haven't had to yet. But I would!

--Never thought I would be so, so happy to get home so I could see his little face at the window. And then spend the first 10 minutes on the floor playing with him.

--Never thought I would take the blanket off the couch and put it on the floor b/c he looks cold.

--Never thought I would set the termostat based on the temperature needs of the dog.

--Never thought I would love a tiny dog as much as I do! I am really a big ole emotional goob. Heavens help me if I have a child :)

[eli1126]

I'm also a cat mom, but I'm loving this thread!

-I never thought upon getting a whiff of a not so fresh butt, that I'd begin a discussion with DH about our cats possibly needing to have anal glands expressed.

-I would get a stiff neck so that both our cats could be comfortable in our bed.

-I'd see little pieces of kitty litter in the bed and just wipe it off rather than changing the sheets :o

-That the mintue DH and I walk in the back door we would holler "Kitty Cat Roll Call" so that the cats come running to greet us.

-That we would sign all the cards we give to family and friends with *all* our names :)

[TazLuv]

-That we would sign all the cards we give to family and friends with *all* our names :)

I do that one too! :D

[vwinkel]

LOL at this thread title!

Another cat mom here, but love this thread.

- I never thought I would drink out of the same glass of water or wine that a cat just also leaned in and took a drink out of.

- I never thought I would rearrange my position in bed for the comfort level of my cat, not me.

[gayle]

I never thought I would pay someone to custom make a ballerina costume for an 80 pound Golden retriever, because they don't normally make them in that size.

ROFL. This soo cracked me up Jes!

I have had dogs all my life so all of these things you guys are mentioning just seem normal to me. Sick but true!

For some reason this thread reminds me of this cute little thing I have hanging on my fridge:

Rules For Non-Pet Owners Who Visit and Like To Complain About Our Pets

1. The dog lives here. You don't.

2. If you don't want dog hair on your clothes, stay off the furniture.

3. I like my dog a lot better than I like most people.

4. To you, he/she's a dog. To me, he/she's an adopted son/daughter who
is short, hairy, walks on all fours and doesn't speak clearly.

5. Dogs are better than kids. They eat less, don't ask for money all the
time, are easier to train, usually come when called, never drive your
car, don't hang out with drug-using friends, don't smoke or drink,
don't worry about buying the latest fashions, don't wear your clothes,
don't need a gazillion dollars for college, and if they get pregnant,
you can sell
the pups.

The same applies to cats, except they ignore you until you are asleep

[jesvet]

lol gayle, love it!!

[lbs27]

I love this thread! It's so nice to see I'm not the only one obsessed with my dog's poop, etc. DH thinks I'm crazy! Let's see, I:

-can easily move to a part of the sheets/blanket/pillow that doesn't have poop on it. DH however has to get up and change the entire bed for one small speck.

-Check for "poop-butt". DH and I swore we'd never get an a-hole dog (i.e. one that has the a-hole on display for all to see). But, we got a min-pin with a prominent a-hole. So, every time she comes in from outside I have to check her butt and then wipe it before she's allowed in the bed.

-Wipe her feet. Again, to avoid having muddy paw prints on the bed, which will result in me having to change the sheets (see number 1). She even has her own foot towel.

-Listen to my DH, who didn't want a dog, talk to her in this crazy high pitched voice asking if she wants a cookie/treat/outside/under the covers, whatever.

-have to stop that same DH from giving the dog ANYTHING she wants...sigh.

[QueenofCA]

I thought of this thread today while I was at the dog park. Ziggy was pretending to be deaf and not coming when called because he was having so much fun. There was a super-annoying woman there who was making all kinds of stupid statements (i.e. "Hasn't your dog had any training?" and "If I were you, I would be so furious right now and I would be yelling and screaming.") I turned around to her and told her that yes, he has had training and that I didn't need her comments because they certainly weren't helping the situation. This was a huge thing for me because usually I don't stand up for myself but the fact that she was saying mean things about my dog brought out the mama bear in me.

So, I never thought that I would tell off a stranger for saying mean things about my dog!

A few more:

I never thought I'd shell out $5,000 for emergency surgery for Ziggy's broken leg and feel as though *I* got really lucky because it was able to be fixed right away.

I never thought I would get more excited about buying Ziggy a cool new toy than buying clothes for myself.

I never thought I would feel so proud to watch my little guy running full speed in the dog park, full of confidence.

I never thought I would seriously weigh the pros and cons of having a human baby because I worry how Ziggy will react to it! :eek:

I never thought I would get up in the middle of the night to make sure he was still breathing. I did this the first couple of weeks that we had him...he's my first dog and I was so worried that something would happen! :o

[Jaycee]

I never thought my dogs would take in my baby daughter so well. They never batted an eyelash when we took her home from the hospital and they have been in love with her ever since.
Also I knew my dogs would love to catch the droppings of baby food from the high chair, but I never realized how much they loved fruit and veggies!

[chefker]

Also I knew my dogs would love to catch the droppings of baby food from the high chair, but I never realized how much they loved fruit and veggies!

It boggles the mind! I always thought dogs were strictly carnivorous. Until the other night while we were eating dinner--Ivan ran off with two asparagus spears. He carried them in his mouth as if they were dog bones. :D

[Jaycee]

Ivan ran off with two asparagus spears. He carried them in his mouth as if they were dog bones. :D
Thats so funny!! I just wrote my DH an email telling him how much the older dog loves the asparagus I just made for DD. :D
I guess I'll be cooking a lot more asparagus for the whole family now :p

ETA: I wonder if it makes their pee smell too :)

[katmg]

Our dog will do anything for a carrot. We use baby carrots as treats for him and he gets a GIANT carrot for Christmas every year. The only thing he won't eat is celery.

[greenbunny]

Slight hijack, but dogs are actually scavengers if left wild, so some veggies every now and then is a good thing. I also thought it was bad for them to eat anything but meat until reading differently recently. Cats are definitely carnivores, but I think they can consume some veggies without harm.

[Chimichanga]

I never thought I'd call the vet because my dog "sounded stuffy" and was congested.

I never thought I'd love gas from someone (other than DH).

I never thought I'd give up 2/3 of my bed for my 80 pound lab because he "had a rough day" and was sad.

[vwinkel]

Cats are definitely carnivores, but I think they can consume some veggies without harm.
If only you could see how crazy my mom's cat goes for cantelope and corn on the cob! I really need to video that. . .

[lovebugs2003]

Our dog will do anything for a carrot. We use baby carrots as treats for him and he gets a GIANT carrot for Christmas every year. The only thing he won't eat is celery.

My dog can't stand celery either, we gave it to him with peanut butter on it, he licked the pb off and then attempted to eat the celery and was just digusted. It was hilarious.

[lisainpink]

I never thought I'd shell out the cash for a vet visit because my JRT's stump "wasn't alert." (Sometimes- you just know.)
:D

[mkvh]

I never thought I'd peel apple slices for my dogs. That's how I eat apples, and they sit and beg. *shrug* They actually beg more for apples and carrots than meat!

[kk junebug]

great thread!!! :)

i never thought i'd pull a papertowel out of my dogs butt, a FULL sheet of half eaten papertowel.

i never thought i'd share my sacred bed w/anyone BUT my DH

i never thought i'd love him so much...even when he's being the biggest jerk!

he's still quite the prankster...but somehow we still love giving him his butt scratches...

[jajacobsen]

I never thought I would cook more for my dogs than for my DH.

Samson, my 70lb weim has developed some sort of intestinal infection, which gives him bloody diarrhea. I trip to the vet with a fecal sample ruled out parasites, so the vet prescribed close monitoring, antibiotics and a diet of boiled chicken and rice. Good enough.

What ever Samson has, his 85 lb sister has to have as well. Especially when it is perceived as treat like chicken. Well my dogs eat 50 lbs of dog food per month. So I have been cooking and deboning all weekend!

[katmg]

I thought of you all this weekend as I had to have my DH hold the front end of the dog while I worked on the back-end with a damp paper towel in order to remove a pesky "cling-on." I've never seen a dog look quite so humiliated before. ;)

[littlejules]

This has to be the funniest CC post ever! I have almost spit my Coke out numerous times reading this thread. :D

[Chimichanga]

Fresh from this weekend:

I never thought I wouldn't mind having my granny-panties flashed to my ENTIRE family and DH's family by a happy looking lab who "just wanted to play" tug-o-war with our party guests.

[artist]

-I never thought I would have to hide plastic bags to avoid having to pull them out my dog's butt.

-I never thought I would have to keep the KITCHEN garbage can in the BATHROOM so that the dog would not get garbage everywhere.

-I never thought I would have to put the kitchen chairs on the kitchen table so that the dog could not get up on the table to sprawl across it and take naps.

-I never saw a dog wash his face like a cat. (I have 2 cats and 1 dog.)

-I never anticipated the cost of having a dog to include bailing him out of jail once.

-I also never thought I would pay $17 for my dog's special shampoo (since he has allergies) when I tend to spend about $1 on really cheapy generic Suave shampoo for myself.

-I never thought I would ever utter the sentence, "My dog ate my cell phone!"


Thank goodness Parker is cute! :D

[sdianems]

-I never saw a dog wash his face like a cat. (I have 2 cats and 1 dog.)

-I never thought I would ever utter the sentence, "My dog ate my cell phone!"


Thank goodness Parker is cute! :D

OMG! I thought I was the only one....Tasha grew up with 2 cats and now lives with one, and always washes her face (she's a clean girl); and she DID eat my cell phone when she was a puppy (much to my chagrin and the enjoyment of the man at the phone store) :D

And I tell her all the time that it is a good thing that she is so cute, or that she would be in trouble all the time!

[lovebugs2003]

I never thought i would cry because my puppy is growing up so quickly. I was just looking at photos of him.

[tupelogirl]

I never thought I'd let my dog in the bathroom to hang out while I take a shower.

I never thought I'd buy natural, organic food for my dog when I eat worse crap than that!

I never thought my dog would be so interested in what I'm doing that she sticks her furry head into the toilet while I'm trying to pee. :eek:

[adamseve]

A few more:

--

I never thought I would get more excited about buying Ziggy a cool new toy than buying clothes for myself.

I never thought I would feel so proud to watch my little guy running full speed in the dog park, full of confidence.

I never thought I would seriously weigh the pros and cons of having a human baby because I worry how Ziggy will react to it! :eek:

I never thought I would get up in the middle of the night to make sure he was still breathing. I did this the first couple of weeks that we had him...he's my first dog and I was so worried that something would happen! :o

I could relate to so many "I never-s" on this thread, but Queen of CA we are fur-mama soul sisters :) The first time my little Reagan ran in the dog park ... I cried. I weigh the pros/cons of having a human baby daily. The first couple of weeks I was so worried about his breathing that I would wake up and turn on the lights to only find that he was fine ... and had actually woken him up!

"I Never Thought ... I would play endless hours of fetch after a long day at work"

"I Never Thought ... I would sing to my dog every morning"

"I Never Thought ... I would want my dog to speak so badly. I'm just curious to hear what he's actually thinking."

This thread is great!

[ysolde]

"I Never Thought ... I would sing to my dog every morning"

"I Never Thought ... I would want my dog to speak so badly. I'm just curious to hear what he's actually thinking."

This thread is great!

What, doesn't everyone sing to their pets?

And my cats speak. They say "Ma . . Ma" DH disagrees, but I hear it loud and clear "Mama!"

[wendalah]

I never thought I'd miss my dogs more than my husband when I go out of town on a business trip. :o

I mean, I miss DH. But I know he can take care of himself! My babies need me....:o

[jajacobsen]

I never thought I'd miss my dogs more than my husband when I go out of town on a business trip. :o

I mean, I miss DH. But I know he can take care of himself! My babies need me....:o

That is EXACTLY how I feel. Dh almost enjoys the break - messy house eating "guy food" with abandon, SCifi channel 24/7. The puppies are like, where did mommie go?.

[wendalah]

On the note of travel--does anyone else's dogs get distraught when you bring down the suitcases? My older poodle (who we've had for five years, and is ultra-sensitive) gets really upset when he sees a suitcase. He doesn't cry or anything, but he gets visibly morose. Poor guy!

My younger poodle just looks sad when I leave! Awww...I'm so happy to be going home today! I miss them!

[chefker]

On the note of travel--does anyone else's dogs get distraught when you bring down the suitcases? My older poodle (who we've had for five years, and is ultra-sensitive) gets really upset when he sees a suitcase. He doesn't cry or anything, but he gets visibly morose. Poor guy!

My younger poodle just looks sad when I leave! Awww...I'm so happy to be going home today! I miss them!


YES. Ivan totally knows what's going on when he sees suitcases being packed or put into the car. DH frequently travels for work, and I keep telling him to PLEASE pack his stuff ahead, and throw his suitcase in the car the night before, when the dog is asleep. But no...he always forgets to do this, and I end up having a mopey hound to deal with! The minute DH will pull out of the driveway, Ivan will lay down by the front door whimpering. It makes me want to cry! :(

Ivan will also sit near the front door every day at 4:45, like CLOCKWORK, because he knows that's when daddy comes home.

[TazLuv]

On the note of travel--does anyone else's dogs get distraught when you bring down the suitcases? My older poodle (who we've had for five years, and is ultra-sensitive) gets really upset when he sees a suitcase. He doesn't cry or anything, but he gets visibly morose. Poor guy!

My younger poodle just looks sad when I leave! Awww...I'm so happy to be going home today! I miss them!


Mine does - she HATES suitcases because she knows someone is leaving and usually she doesn't get to go along. ;)

[fuzzy]

Our dog gets all psyched up when she sees the suitcases, because she often travels with us. Or, that means she is going to the kennel, where I sometimes think she'd rather live permanently because OMG there are other puppies to play with! ;)

What breaks my heart is when one of us travels without the other. My dog just sits in her bedroom all day long and looks longingly out the window for my husband (or me, if I'm traveling). She won't play, she won't eat, and getting her outside to pee is nearly impossible. Poor pup!

[wendalah]

Dogs are so funny. My dogs know when I come home from work, and are primed and ready at that time. If I'm late, they pace and yelp. My husband has a varying schedule so they aren't as vigilant with him. However, he does work overnights at times, and the dogs will be on HIGH ALERT all night long if he's not there--almost like they feel they have to protect me when he's gone.

Oh, and they know the sounds of our particular cars. When my car or DH's car starts coming up the street, they go crazy! They also know my mom's car when they are at my parents' house. They can hear her coming a block or so away, and freak out.

[jajacobsen]

Our two dogs definitely know the sound of our cars. although they can't see us from behind teh 6 foot wooden fence, if they hear one of our cars, they will start jumping up to try to get a peek and get all excited when they hear us. They do not do this with other cars that come down out road.

They do not know about suitcases too much yet because they are just one year old (tomorrow!) and haven't figured it all out yet. But our cats do know what suitcases are and they do not like to see them. They get all clingy and upset when they see them come out.

[greenbunny]

Bella definitely knows my car. DH has said that when I come down the street, she will wake up (she's usually sleeping on the back of the couch in the late afternoon) and run to the door. Every time I come home, both of them are sitting at the door. I love having a little fan club waiting. :D

Neither of them know suitcases, but Bella somehow knows "trip in the carrier to grandma" versus "trip in the carrier to vet". The former she gets inside with no fuss, the latter you have to shove her in with a plunger and listen to howling for the whole drive.

[ee_chick]

My pups know and hate the suitcase. Dixon is the sensitive one, and his ears go back and he gets super clingy and he won't eat.

I never thought that I would do my packing in stealth mode to spare the feeling of the dogs. :)

[ManteoChik]

On the note of travel--does anyone else's dogs get distraught when you bring down the suitcases? My older poodle (who we've had for five years, and is ultra-sensitive) gets really upset when he sees a suitcase. He doesn't cry or anything, but he gets visibly morose. Poor guy!

My younger poodle just looks sad when I leave! Awww...I'm so happy to be going home today! I miss them!

Totally! Our lab is more emotional than most people I know. SO travels weekly for work and as soon as she sees the suitcase out she gets all mopey and stays that way for a couple of days. Sometimes, when he carries it out to the car she will nip at the suitcase. Because I'm with her 24/7 it makes me VERY sad to leave my baby and I often feel guilty just going to the mall to pick up a few things. It also doesn't help that when you leave she hops up on the back of the couch and watches out the window.

[eli1126]

Because I'm with her 24/7 it makes me VERY sad to leave my baby and I often feel guilty just going to the mall to pick up a few things. It also doesn't help that when you leave she hops up on the back of the couch and watches out the window.

I feel so guilty/sad to leave my furbabies, I wonder how bad I'm going to be when I have human children!! I always get antsy on vacation because I miss them and feel bad that they are all alone (we leave them home and have a neighbor come over to change the box and feed them).....of course they seem to have a grand old time getting on the tables, counters, and every other place they know they are not allowed!

[rangerwendy]

I grew up with dogs, so most of these sound totally normal to me but:

1. I never thought I would redo the flooring in my house to better accomodate my disabled dog. We are taking out the carpet and installing laminate just for our dog.

2. Never thought I would buy a Halloween costume for my dog.

[maxandmolly]

I never thought I would have my mother put the phone up to my dog's ear so I could talk to my baby girl.......

Or that I would feel guilty when takes the phone away from Maggie's ear and up to Molly's or Max's so they can talk to momma, too.

[eli1126]

I never thought I would sit down to eat, see a Beau or Belle hair in my food, pick it out and continue eating!

[ysolde]

I never thought I would sit down to eat, see a Beau or Belle hair in my food, pick it out and continue eating!


I never thought I would watch DH eat, see one of the cats "sneak up" to his plate, steal a morsel of food off it, and have him pet the cat and say, "Are you done with Daddy's food now?" then pick up his fork and keep on eating! :eek:

[katmg]

This is gross - but I knew my fellow pet lovers would get a kick out of it.

About 6 weeks ago I managed to misplace 2 twenty dollar bills. I swore that they had been sitting on my coffee table but when I went to look for them they were gone. Hmm...curious.

Yesterday, my DH calls me after working in the backyard. He found a very tightly compacted wad of money amongst the pine needles that in his words, looked like it had been on quite a journey. Luckily, the rain had washed the money fairly clean. He took them in and washed them again to see if they were salvagable. One of the bills is in fairly good shape, the other is in two pieces and looks a bit worse for the wear. Not sure that I want to take them into the bank and explain that my dog ate and crapped out the money and that I'd like to exchange them now...:eek:

[TazLuv]

This is gross - but I knew my fellow pet lovers would get a kick out of it.

About 6 weeks ago I managed to misplace 2 twenty dollar bills. I swore that they had been sitting on my coffee table but when I went to look for them they were gone. Hmm...curious.

Yesterday, my DH calls me after working in the backyard. He found a very tightly compacted wad of money amongst the pine needles that in his words, looked like it had been on quite a journey. Luckily, the rain had washed the money fairly clean. He took them in and washed them again to see if they were salvagable. One of the bills is in fairly good shape, the other is in two pieces and looks a bit worse for the wear. Not sure that I want to take them into the bank and explain that my dog ate and crapped out the money and that I'd like to exchange them now...:eek:

Ok, that has to be one of the funniest things that have been posted so far! :D

[greenbunny]

DEFINITELY don't leave your debit card lying around! :eek:

[katmg]

If the dog's going to be pooping $40 at a time, I'm going to be A LOT more interested in what he does in the backyard! :p