Feeling down?

[cooperhawk]

I've always been a dog guy, but the last two or three that I've had to have put down hurt too damn much. I think never again.
We live pretty much out in the woods and folks dump unwanted pets on us. I used to feed the cats that got dumped but learned
that the neighbor cats were coming for free hand outs as well. Problem was some of them got hit crossing the highway to get here.
I stopped feeding them.
People should realize that the animals cannot survive our thirty below winters. The are domestic animals. I wish they would
stop dumping them.
Oh Yeah, then there is the problem of Coyotes, Foxes, Hawks, Owls, ect killing and eating them.

[North Country Gal]

Hope you're feeling better, Mark. Lots of great suggestions given so far and, yeah, a good dog always makes me smile even on my hardest days. I also have gotten through hard times by using various sports as therapy, the kind of sports that force you to put your troubles on hold and concentrate at the task on hand. Shooting is certainly one of them for me, but I have plenty of others. As my grandmother used to say, no excuse for sitting around and mope. Get out there and do something. Has always worked for me.

[markiver54]

I've always been a dog guy, but the last two or three that I've had to have put down hurt too damn much. I think never again.
We live pretty much out in the woods and folks dump unwanted pets on us. I used to feed the cats that got dumped but learned
that the neighbor cats were coming for free hand outs as well. Problem was some of them got hit crossing the highway to get here.
I stopped feeding them.
People should realize that the animals cannot survive our thirty below winters. The are domestic animals. I wish they would
stop dumping them.
Oh Yeah, then there is the problem of Coyotes, Foxes, Hawks, Owls, ect killing and eating them.

Totally understand how it feels to lose a pet. They are one of the family for sure! Very sad. Had to take the day off work when we lost our last one.
This is our current ( indoor ) cat " Bodhi"

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I can also understand how you feel about the strays .

[markiver54]

Hope you're feeling better, Mark. Lots of great suggestions given so far and, yeah, a good dog always makes me smile even on my hardest days. I also have gotten through hard times by usaing various sports as therapy, the kind of sports that force you to put your troubles on hold and concentrate at the task on hand. Shooting is certainly one of them for me, but I have plenty of others. As my grandmother used to say, no excuse for sitting around and mope. Get out there and do something. Has always worked for me.

Thank you so much NCG. I know today will be better. The weather always helps when the sun is shining and it's warm.
Hope things are warming up for you as well..

[cooperhawk]

I never was a cat guy but the Wife wanted one so we got a Calico from a shelter. Nice little cat except it ruined our carpet by peeing on it. We were in Williams, Az when it got very sick and had to be put down. Wife cried for two days, and I got a little misty too I guess. She said she would never have another cat. Couldn't go through that again. So two weeks after we got home she got another cat. This one is a small black and white female named Orio. She's not a lap cat, but she is a clown. She races around the house at a dead run and attacks unsuspecting feet. No claws used. Just play. Very amusing.

[cooperhawk]

Gonna stay inline with forum rules re: politics, religion or anything above G rated.
I probably would not post this anywhere else but on this friendly forum, but here goes...
There are many different lifestyles be them very happy or maybe sad and lonely at times. I just want to express that when I may be in a funk of sorts, I seem to look and or participate here...and I'm grateful for that option that I find here. I hope others agree. I will do my personal best to help bring a smile back to those who may feel down and support those who are up!!
Sorry...maybe just a rant after a not so good day...

I've belonged to a lot of Forums over the years, but this is a nice one. Most I was on because of mutual interests of some kind. We used to have an Airstream and I was on a forum for that where they constantly attacked each other over petty crap.
Another Forum for RVers they are always trying to one up each other on knowledge.

Folks here are just nice. So far anyway.

[dddrees]

The dog I was initially against my wife against getting who became my dog is now 14 years old (Human years). Still in great shape but I can't even begin to think what it"ll be like when he is gone. Going to really miss my buddy.

[markiver54]

The dog I was initially against my wife against getting who became my dog is now 14 years old (Human years). Still in great shape but I can't even begin to think what it"ll be like when he is gone. Going to really miss my buddy.

Unconditional love. I get SOO angry when I hear about animal abusers...animals of any kind. I just cannot imagine that.
Yes, losing them is very difficult!

[Rifletom]

Mark, your cat looks like he owns the house! Awesome cat.

[markiver54]

Mark, your cat looks like he owns the house! Awesome cat.

yes, he allows us to live there, and thank you very much! We do think he's awesome.

[dddrees]

The dog I was initially against my wife against getting who became my dog is now 14 years old (Human years). Still in great shape but I can't even begin to think what it"ll be like when he is gone. Going to really miss my buddy.

Unconditional love. I get SOO angry when I hear about animal abusers...animals of any kind. I just cannot imagine that.
Yes, losing them is very difficult!

When I was a kid most seemed to have been run over. As an adult I only had one other and it was a Jack Russel which we just didn't keep very long. Unfortunately my wife picked that one and failed to understand how hyper they can be. Really not a good fit. Our current one is a sheltie and he's a whole lot better behaved.

[markiver54]

The dog I was initially against my wife against getting who became my dog is now 14 years old (Human years). Still in great shape but I can't even begin to think what it"ll be like when he is gone. Going to really miss my buddy.

Unconditional love. I get SOO angry when I hear about animal abusers...animals of any kind. I just cannot imagine that.
Yes, losing them is very difficult!

When I was a kid most seemed to have been run over. As an adult I only had one other and it was a Jack Russel which we just didn't keep very long. Unfortunately my wife picked that one and failed to understand how hyper they can be. Really not a good fit. Our current one is a sheltie and he's a whole lot better behaved.

Love Shelties...my neighbor has a very cool one!

[dddrees]

Unconditional love. I get SOO angry when I hear about animal abusers...animals of any kind. I just cannot imagine that.
Yes, losing them is very difficult!

When I was a kid most seemed to have been run over. As an adult I only had one other and it was a Jack Russel which we just didn't keep very long. Unfortunately my wife picked that one and failed to understand how hyper they can be. Really not a good fit. Our current one is a sheltie and he's a whole lot better behaved.

Love Shelties...my neighbor has a very cool one!

Shedding (hair) is the biggest drawback, but the size and temperment makes it a really great breed.

[Dahliathemeh]

I was always a dog person, but I could never really have one. My daughter loves cats so we got her one for Easter. Little did we know that started a collection of kittehs. 11 years later we re-homed 2, then our other 2 got poisoned. I didn't want to go through that pain ever again. 3 years later we rescued Jack aka big gentle, a year after that we were gifted Sally, aka A-hole. He rolls on his back when I get home, she blocks my view when I'm trying to do stuff on the computer. (She wants cuddles) They are a good pair very protective of my son, they warm my heart.
Mr.Mark how are you feeling today?

[markiver54]

I was always a dog person, but I could never really have one. My daughter loves cats so we got her one for Easter. Little did we know that started a collection of kittehs. 11 years later we re-homed 2, then our other 2 got poisoned. I didn't want to go through that pain ever again. 3 years later we rescued Jack aka big gentle, a year after that we were gifted Sally, aka A-hole. He rolls on his back when I get home, she blocks my view when I'm trying to do stuff on the computer. (She wants cuddles) They are a good pair very protective of my son, they warm my heart.
Mr.Mark how are you feeling today?

Thank you Dahlia, you pretty much described our cats habits.
Also, thank you for asking...feeling much better today, especially from the help of my friends here!

[North Country Gal]

Yeah, I've been guilty of going with a particular breed of dog for sentimental reasons only to learn the hard way that it is not a good match for my present life situation. Lot of people make the same mistake. When you get the match right, though, it can be a wonderful thing.

[Shawlerbrook]

I hear you NCG. As a younger person I always had beagles and still love the little dogs but they are not easy as they love to follow their noses. Now we have a Bichon and she is more in tune with her eyes and ears also and the non shedding is great. But I still have a soft spot for the little hounds.

[ESquared]

Glad today is a better day, Mark, and so glad to see this thread has taken a side-trip into the world of pet ownership! Upon my divorce, the first thing (well, almost the first thing) I did was set out in search of a dog. Knew I wanted a rescue and that was about it.

Well, I found Tesla, a 5 year-old labradoodle who was being raised by a very nice woman in Manhattan, in her apartment. Not a fit, and she knew it. Found her on PetFinder and before long she was mine and her former owner was happy (in a sad way) that Tesla had found a new home.

That was nearly a couple of years ago now, and she's the best thing in the world! So mellow, so affectionate, so attached (in a mutual way). Brightens my world every day!

[markiver54]

Nice...I love her already! Good adoption...
BTW, thank you Evan, much better day today.

[RanchRoper]

When things get low around here, one horse will do something funny and the others will laugh and laugh...

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