Animals In Our Lives

[BelAir]

Haha!  That is a great idea!

I used the ointment many years ago, and then switched to 'anti-hairball' food - whatever that means... but I was thinking I may have to go back to the ointment...

 

[delalluvia]

Cat people - I'm curious if you have any favorite hairball remedies/prevention strategies??

There's a hairball epidemic at my house!!

 

Get cats who don't have undercoats and voila!, no hairball problems.    If it's too late for that I used to brush them a lot, buy them food with hairball remedies in them and/or feeding them a bit of Cod Liver oil every so often.

[Shasta542]

What are the cats that don't have undercoats? Is it a specific breed, or do you just have to look?

My calico did not shed much at all. I got her at a Humane Society shelter when she was a baby and she lived to be 17. I was happy that she didn't shed much.

I have a mixed breed dog that sheds 24/7 all year long. I don't know why he's not bald by now, but he has plenty of hair. I can brush for an hour and the next day, more shedding. He's 13, the hairball, my protector; I love him. The Yorkies don't shed at all. The labs shed a little. The weener doesn't shed much.

[delalluvia]

What are the cats that don't have undercoats? Is it a specific breed, or do you just have to look?

My calico did not shed much at all. I got her at a Humane Society shelter when she was a baby and she lived to be 17. I was happy that she didn't shed much.

I have a mixed breed dog that sheds 24/7 all year long. I don't know why he's not bald by now, but he has plenty of hair. I can brush for an hour and the next day, more shedding. He's 13, the hairball, my protector; I love him. The Yorkies don't shed at all. The labs shed a little. The weener doesn't shed much.

It's the breed.  My oriental shorthair cat doesn't have an undercoat.  Or so they tell me.  She barely sheds at all.  When she does, it's always the top coat.  I run one of those "undercoat combs" over her and I get a dozen tophairs, at most.

[Brown Eyes]

Heya,

This is not a post specifically about an animal in my own life, but I thought I'd post this here anyway since it seems like a pretty appropriate thread for this topic.

Have any of you seen the ASPCA commercial featuring Sarah McLaughlin?  I've seen it a couple times... and I just saw it again this evening.  And man!  I end up truly crying everytime I've seen it.  I mean I had to run and get a tissue and clean up a little bit after seeing it just now.  Usually when I see it coming on I quickly change the channel because it impacts me so much.
 

It definitely makes me want to contribute to an animal shelter.  I may make a contribution to the animal shelter where I got Vivien soon.  I gave them a contribution when I adopted her in addition to paying my adoption fee. Maybe I'll start making that a more regular habit. I've always thought it would be good to volunteer for a shelter, but I honestly don't think I could handle it emotionally.  Seeing sad or abused animals upsets me on a raw level more than almost anything else.

[delalluvia]

Heya,

This is not a post specifically about an animal in my own life, but I thought I'd post this here anyway since it seems like a pretty appropriate thread for this topic.

Have any of you seen the ASPCA commercial featuring Sarah McLaughlin?  I've seen it a couple times... and I just saw it again this evening.  And man!  I end up truly crying everytime I've seen it.  I mean I had to run and get a tissue and clean up a little bit after seeing it just now.  Usually when I see it coming on I quickly change the channel because it impacts me so much.
 

It definitely makes me want to contribute to an animal shelter.  I may make a contribution to the animal shelter where I got Vivien soon.  I gave them a contribution when I adopted her in addition to paying my adoption fee. Maybe I'll start making that a more regular habit. I've always thought it would be good to volunteer for a shelter, but I honestly don't think I could handle it emotionally.  Seeing sad or abused animals upsets me on a raw level more than almost anything else.

 

I've seen it once and have not been able to sit through it again.  If it comes on, I flip the channel because it hurts so much to see them suffering and confused and not knowing why they're in their situation.  I wish I were wealthy so I could adopt an entire shelter and fund it fully and properly.

[Shasta542]

Heya,

This is not a post specifically about an animal in my own life, but I thought I'd post this here anyway since it seems like a pretty appropriate thread for this topic.

Have any of you seen the ASPCA commercial featuring Sarah McLaughlin?  I've seen it a couple times... and I just saw it again this evening.  And man!  I end up truly crying everytime I've seen it.  I mean I had to run and get a tissue and clean up a little bit after seeing it just now.  Usually when I see it coming on I quickly change the channel because it impacts me so much.
 

It definitely makes me want to contribute to an animal shelter.  I may make a contribution to the animal shelter where I got Vivien soon.  I gave them a contribution when I adopted her in addition to paying my adoption fee. Maybe I'll start making that a more regular habit. I've always thought it would be good to volunteer for a shelter, but I honestly don't think I could handle it emotionally.  Seeing sad or abused animals upsets me on a raw level more than almost anything else.

Bless your heart. I understand. I see it all the time and I have cried over it to. It's so touching and the little animals (and big ones) just look so longingly -- like take me home and love me. I can't bear to see the little one with its eye sewn shut. And that song....so beautiful. I have my 7 rescue dogs (plus my other 2)--they are all part of the family, but I can't get anymore. I want every one I see.

My best friend is the same way. She has 7 dogs and 3 cats -- all rescues. But she has a ranch and more $$. One of hers that she rescued had to have over $1,000.00 surgery because when she found him, he had been shot twice. Then she had all his shots and had him neutered. She kept his brother who was with him, too, but the brother wasn't hurt.

That will be nice to contribute to a shelter -- they can use it.

[delalluvia]

It's not about my pet, but just wanted to share this.

A neighbor of mine has a beautiful red Doberman Pinscher.  It's hard to know this dog exists if you didn't see him every evening being walked because you never hear him bark he's so well trained.

A week or so ago it rained fairly heavily here.

I was driving in the apartment parking lot, to my apartment, when I saw my neighbor walking this dog.  There is no sidewalk on the street side of my apartment.  It's meant to discourage any loiterers.  It's just a patch of grass and a line of large trees.  Many people take their dogs there.  Anyway, it had been raining and the ground was wet and the guy was trying to stay out of the mud, puddles and parking lot, so he was walking on the curb, balancing one foot in front of the other as he went.  I noticed his dog was behind him and as I passed them, I realized with a shock, that the dog was doing the exact same thing!!!!   

The dog was walking on the curb, single file with his master.  As I passed, one of the dog's paws slipped and he immediately put the paw back on the curb.

Dogs can be so amazing!!!!

[Katie77]

I just posted this little video of my dog Jake in my blog, then I saw this thread bumped, so thought I would add it in here too.

Jake is a Mareema, originally bred to guard small stock like goats and chickens and sheep. Working dogs, are actually left with the animals they guard 24/7, they bond with them and protect them against any predators.

Our Jake has bonded with us, sleeps beside our bed every night and seems to be on duty while ever we are in bed, but once we are up and moving around, he guards our 2acre property. Beautiful natured dog, gentle and affectionate.

He is two years old.

[David In Indy]

Oh he's so cute Sue!! I want to hug him and kiss him!   

What a cutie!! I love the name too. My next door neighbor's dog is named Jake. He's a border collie. Cute as can be, but he's a real bundle of energy. Sometimes he manages to leap over my backyard fence to play with Cody!

Thanks for posting the picture!