on PETA and puppy mills: meet my dog TROUBLE

[nashville_brook]

(here's a response to a longer PETA thread found here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=5127231&mesg_id=5127231. thought i might move it up cause everyone loves dog pics -- b)



Trouble is an Italian Greyhound.

Trouble was born in a puppy mill.

When Trouble was just a babe, he was put in a semi-truck with hundreds of other puppies from the midwest to points unknown.

There were Iggies like him. Yorkies. Dachunds. Poodles. Boxers. Every breed of dog you can imagine.

There was no air in the truck on a hot July day.

The truck turned over in Nashville.

Trouble gasped for air in a dark truck and hearing the sounds of puppies bred for their luxurious fluffy coats died all around him. He smelled the smell of death in urine. For a creature that lives in a world of smell, that's a big deal.

If you think dogs don't have emotions. If you think dogs don't have memories, or don't feel TERROR...



...just try to put Trouble in a car. Or spend the night with him when his nightmares are so bad he screams re-living the scene in that truck. Feel his heart racing and work thru your own panic as he can't snap out of it long after he's awake. Try to comfort him in his regular panic attack on the way to the vet. Witness his mortal fear of being put in a crate (if you've had dogs, you know what a mess it is when they won't "crate.")

It's all still there for Troubs.



I've heard that dogs have emotional/intelligence comparable to that of a 3-year old child. recently on NPR I heard Daniel Pinkwater describe teaching his dogs to "read" flash cards, so I taught Trouble and my other "iggie" Astra to "read" flash cards. They've associated card/command/treat just like Pinkwater said. They don't "know" The True Meaning of "sitting, dancing and standing," (I'm not sure I do) but they play the language game. all they want is approval.

Remind me again how that's different than people.



i was in the hospital for a summer. when i came home Trouble greeted me with almost an hour worth of clinging; crying; moaning; urgerling; snarferling; and cuddling. It was interesting for the first 5 minutes. then it was a little creepy, like witnessing a nervous breakdown. luckily i was heavily sedated.



my human friends didn't show such emotion. it's too scary. dogs are one hundred percent true. Isn't that a kind of nobility?

i don't know much about PETA and what they are doing in their latest action, but ANYTHING that brings the issue of puppy mills up for discussion is a good thing as far as I'm concerned. Our dogs challenge us to be better people. Think of them as agents of God. He really can't be around a hundred percent of the time, so He's left his buddies here to keep an eye on us. When God comes back, if he's anything like me, he'll be greeted by his dogs and they will TELL HIM EVERYTHING.

or not. whatever.

the point is, if you want a be a better human, get a dog. let them teach how to read the flash cards. let them teach how much you are missed.

Let go and let DOG.

[napi21]

1. Thanks Nashville. I volunteer with a dog rescue group, and

everything you said about dogs is true! We are constantly trying to sut down puppymills. There wouldn't be any if people KNEW what really went on in them!

NEVER BUY A DOG FROM A PET STORE! No matter what they tell you, all of their dogs come from puppymills!!!!!

[nashville_brook]

6. there's an enlightened self-interest thing too

dogs raised in crates pee where they sleep. that un-does your best tool in teaching potty manners: the sanctity of the crate.

the biggest reason iggies wind up in rescue (some badly abused) is b/c of house-training issues. dogs bring out the WORST in people too. that's part of the challenge in letting go and letting dog.

anyway -- learn your breed. learn about behavior. form a relationship with a reputable breeder, and chances are you will greatly increase your early success in your relationship with your new best friend.

[roguevalley]

85. i read once where someone had a bull dog and it only had a cage

that it could sit in, nothing more. She never felt good out of the cage, she would go mad from fright and go and sit in the cage to comfort herself. People who do this should be killed. I could pull the trigger and I am not a death penalty person. This is like torturing children. They are bastards and I hope there is a hell. Hug your baby for me. I love these little dogs.

[nashville_brook]

90. WEINER DOG! have you hear this?

kevin kling, NPR commentator on his new Dachund?

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1070352


it's wonderful.

[roguevalley]

102. I wil go there. Weiner dogs rule.

[tabasco]

2. Beautiful doggie!

Looks smaller than the other greyhounds I've seen. Are the Italians a smaller breed? Really beautiful.

I like the episode of the Twilight Zone in which an old man and his dog drown and go to purgatory. The dog won't let the old man go through the gate to hell, and they eventually find the entance to heaven.

[nashville_brook]

7. iggies are less than 17" at the whithers. he's a whopping 17 pounds.

that's gigantic for an Italian. they are separate breed from racing Greyhounds and 180 degrees a different ball of wax. they are very playful, affectionate, and vocal and clingy. Greyts -- the racing greyhounds are lumbering giants until they see their prey. both are gazehounds, so they course their prey and that behavior can't ever been trained out. you can't not have these guys on a leash or in a fence.

sighthounds are very cool. i'm totally smitten. :)

[FreedomAngel82]

43. I think I remember that one

How sweet! :loveya:

[Richard D]

Something to try

Get the Bach Flower remedy called Rescue Remedy. Put a few drops in Trouble's water every day for a couple months. It can really help discharge old traumas. I've seen it work near miracles.

[meganmonkey]

10. I'll second that - I've seen Rescue Remedy work for

people and animals. I have used it personally and I highly recommend it to deal with old demons and for trauma when it happens...

[LisaL]

52. I have used it personally and tried it on my cat-with no results

whatsoever.

[nashville_brook]

12. omg -- never heard of such a thing

that's very cool! i will look for it.

[MuseRider]

3. I am not sure what to say.

I love it, I hate it. Puppies treated in that manner (or anything treated in that manner) are about the saddest stories I read. I hope your doggie someday is able to relax and learn the joy of a car ride or be able to welcome you home without seeming to break apart. I don't know, I rescued a severly mistreated dog once and he never really got used to it. At least he quit biting my husband. They really do remember, they really do hurt but a more forgiving creature I have never met. I would be nothing without my dogs.

Thanks for sharing that. As hard as it is to read, it is worth it if it stops one more creature from being treated in that manner.

[nashville_brook]

11. Trouble was really lucky b/c his first rescue person was an elderly

gentleman who needed a therapy dog. Trouble was in his lap all day, every day. Treated with the gentleness a lonely person gives to his only friend. Apparently "the old man," as we refer to him, watched a lot of TV with him and gave him a security blanket. couldn't have been a better match for a traumatized puppy.

i had lost my first iggie, Mr Chompers (astra's brother) in a thanksgiving weekend pet-sitter tragedy. she didn't lock the gate. he was found scraped up, nearly dead by an EMS guy. he took him to the doggie ER and stayed until he died at 4am thanksgiving morning. i had posters up trying to find Mr Chompers. i had spent days walking the neighborhood yelling MR CHOMPERS -- CHOMPY. so did my husband and all of our friends from johnson city. we did this for days until the EMS guy and me had tracked each other down thru the poster and faxes to vets. i was standing under the steeple of the baptist church, ironically where he found him. taking the call on the cell phone. it was so tragic. chompy was blind and didn't last very long out in the cold. he died of exposure. we went to the ER and my husband identified his body. i couldn't look. he went back in the exam room. i heard them set something down -- metal on metal -- and them i heard my rock solid emotionless husband break down like... i don't know like what. like a grown man really feeling greif for the first time.

anyway, the people who were "caregivers" for this Old Man saw my posters for mr chompers and asked i wanted another dog. i said bring him over. he's been here ever since. his tag said "BOOTS DUNN TROUBLE."

[MuseRider]

14. I really should stay out of these threads.

For me, a sad pet story never leaves and stays just to make me cry! YET they are also inspiring in that there are people all over, all different kinds of people who are there at the right time to make a difference.

Your story just breaks my heart. Nothing makes my husband cry faster than one of our dogs when the time comes.

Love the old man story. Perfect, like I said above, he was there at the right time.

Give Trouble a big scratch and a kiss for me. RIP Mr. Chompers.

And for you :hug:

[FreedomAngel82]

48. Aw

What a sad story. :( Hopefully Chompers is still around with you and Trouble. :) :hug:

[FreedomAngel82]

46. I hope so too

:( I remember my dog used to love car rides. He would put his head out the window and all that. :P I got my dog from the Humane Society downtown and his first car ride he was so psyched. ;)

[nashville_brook]

57. i love to see dogs riding in cars. i always imagine them

saying, "take a rwight -- RRRwworight." and pointing with their paws.

we take him on long rides when we go to johsoncity to see relatives (no more pet sitters!). he calms down when you get on the highway. goes to sleep.

[Mythsaje]

4. Actually, it's believed that the most intelligent dogs

may have the mentality of up to a seven y.o. human child and a vocabulary of over 2000 words. We tend to underestimate them because their language is as much based in body language as verbalization and we're not consciously taught much about this form of communication.

I think our treatment of them in general borders on the criminal, and those who participate in this sort of thing should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Dogs have been full participants in our struggle toward civilization and to treat them the way we do is simply barbarous.

[nashville_brook]

15. the egyptians knew something about dogs

italian greyhounds are an ancient breed originating from Turkey, Sumaria, Babylon etc. pharohs took their dogs with them in the pyrmids. their gods had dog heads. civilization so high we still have no idea!

i've heard the 7-year thing and totally see a VAST language. it's diff btwn us and them and just the dogs. i encourage people doing this breed to have them in pairs. at least. they're small -- take two.

the way we feel about appropriate punishment for those who harm animals is a survival instinct of our own. i trust no one who doesn't speak dog. the basis for punishment is b/c those people are DANGEROUS. people who torture animals are broken people. they've lost their link to civilization. dogs teach to read these signs. just like god, eh?

[Mythsaje]

40. We have a whole pack...

Dogs are social animals and many require a pack structure to feel completely comfortable. We have four, ranging from the largest (a 55 lb female jindo-chow cross who's a born foster mommy dog, our 35 lb shiba inu male, a 22 lb male pomeranian devil, and our newest addition, a 5 month old female miniature pincer who's already decided SHE deserves to rule the roost.

We're the alphas, regardless, and this allows us a lot of latitude when it comes to fostering other dogs and laying down the law when we need to. As long as they don't violate our rules, they have a lot of freedom around the house and yard, which is how (in my opinion) it should be.

[nashville_brook]

58. a cool thing i learned early on was to always make my breakfast and coffee

first, before i give them their food. they have to sit and wait while i fill their bowl, and i make them wait for a clap before they can eat. they understand food politics more than anything. feed them before they see you take care of yourself and they get really big heads.

[Mythsaje]

61. Just because of schedules that's not how it works here...

But we can set a plate down within reach and none of them (except maybe the puppy, who's still learning) will even consider sniffing around it. Food politics IS the most important thing in many respects...but they get breakfast at 5:45 AM long before the other human (my wife) gets out of bed and dinner at between 5 and 5:30 PM long before we eat. I don't usually eat breakfast, but if I do it's a quick bite on the way out the door at 6:30 or so. They go outside first thing, then get breakfast, and then settle down to do whatever while I putter around and get my coffee and what not.

The dynamic is just what works in your own household...and keeping the same general rules in operation. Consistency might be the hobgoblin of little minds, but inconsistency really confuses the heck out of a dog. Or a child.

As long as the dogs realize that the food is actually YOURS and they are being allowed to have it if they obey the rules (like eating out of their own bowls and not showing any food aggression) scheduling doesn't seem to be that much of an issue.

We have no dominance issues in OUR house and, in fact, we have the reputation for being very good at working with primitive breed dogs with behavioral issues. In the local rescue community, a dog that we've fostered and vetted is usually considered worth its weight in gold.

[nashville_brook]

88. yeah, i was such an over-researched first-timer... i wanted them to have

every advantage b/c i wasn't sure what i was doing. the food thing gave me something to hold on to. HA! it's MY consistency.

oh yeah... something you said earlier reminded me of something i heard on Fresh Air. there was an author by the name of KATZ who wrote a book on DOGS. he said that dogs are nothing more than food eaters as far us humans are concerned. if they were to run off to the neighbor's and receive food they'd forget about us in about 5 minutes.

i think that's a bunch of crap. at least with these guys. i dog sit a Boston Terrier sometimes, while his family goes back to johnson city to visit. we've kept him for as much as 6 days and he's NEVER "forgot" his people. he pines for them. totally misses them.

what do Katz know about Dogs, anyway!

[Mythsaje]

93. Yeah, I think that book is nonsense too

There is absolutely no way our Pom would eat food supplied by someone else. I can't say that about my Shiba, but he's very food oriented, which is weird for a Shiba. Our Jindo doesn't trust people easily (she was abused before we got her) and we're still working on socializing our Pincer.

Dogs are fiercely loyal creatures, and have a remarkable memory for people. My wife ran into one of our old fosters last weekend and he noticed her before she noticed him. Even after two years or so, he broke loose from his new owner and almost knocked my wife over in enthuastic greeting. No one can tell me he didn't know what he was doing.

A lot of people make assumptions about dogs because it fits their world-view that we are the only really intelligent creatures around capable of feeling "higher" emotions like love and loyalty. I definitely don't believe this about dogs. Now, cats... <shrug> I think they're ultimately more adaptable. Ours don't happen to like strangers much, but in general I'm not sure that's usually the case.

[nashville_brook]

95. if dogs are a gift from god to teach us love and how much we are needed

cats are a gift from god to teach us how small and unimportant we really are.

[PittLib]

99. Sounds like my mini-herd ...

a pit-shephard mix, a Jack Russell, and a chihuahua who is the alpha dog in this house.

[goclark]

72. The way Bush treats Barney makes me sick!

I'm so afraid he will drop him when he exits the plane and salutes while he holds him.

Puke on Bush.
Love Barney.
I reported * to the DC ASPCA and they didn't respond.

[wellstone dem]

30. They really do understand

My first dog, Mandy, was incredibly smart. I could never train her, but we worked out a loving and peaceful accomodation with each other. If I gave her a treat she'd do anything, but otherwise her attitude was "what's in it for me?" She'd chase a stick til she dropped from exhaustion, but wouldn't sit on command except for a treat. One day I was in the tub and she barked, I couldn't tell what she wanted, without thinking I said, "Pardon me?" And she repeated her "where are you?" bark.

I got my most recent dog Lida by mistake. I wanted my daughter who I adopted at age 9 and who suffers from depression to volunteer. We went to the humane society, where I've gotten all my dogs, and there was a puppy who was just shaking in her cage. She shook even when other people held her. I went back in the room later, and there was my daughter holding the puppy, who had stopped shaking. My daughter said, "this puppy reminds me of how I felt when I was waiting to be adopted." Needless to say that puppy came home with us. (I always say that I'm glad I didn't take her to a nursing home to volunteer, we'd have a new grandma living in our house.)

[Mythsaje]

39. We have a Shiba Inu

and they're notoriously hard to train. You want to talk about the "what's in it for me?" attitude, a Shiba might well have invented it.

Mine definitely understands off-hand comments, and will go off to sulk if he feels insulted. He can also open child-proof caps without chewing them off. It's a good thing the only thing he's ever gotten his paws on are empty pill bottles. LOL.

He's too clever by half and his real saving grace is that he absolutely LOVES people, including kids...he was a pet store purchase before we knew anything about pet stores, but thankfully he came from a decent backyard breeder and was highly socialized by the pet store owner. It was learning about the mistake we COULD have made by buying him that led us into rescue.

[FreedomAngel82]

50. Aw

That's such a sweet story. :cry:

[nashville_brook]

60. that is so sweet...

i mentor a child (actually just hang) with a boy with aspergers/depression. he's so responsive to animals his parents adopted a rescue mixed breed this year for his birthday. it's very therapuetic to hold and care for little creatures. hubby and i recently let the dogs jump up on the bed and sleep with us occassionally. we've noticed we sleep MUCH better with the dogs in the bed. it's really weird, but having something calm and warm snuggling next to you takes you to new levels of sleep-ability. and i already thought sleep was pretty much the best thing in the world. :)

[FreedomAngel82]

49. I think so too

A cousin of mine used to have a lab and he could count (by barks) to four and he was a pretty good dog around kids and stuff. And I agree. We should treat our animal friends so much better than some people do. :(

[Mythsaje]

62. Labs can be pretty smart

but they tend to stay goofy for a long time (long puppyhood) and are probably generally more socially intelligent than many other breeds. They probably "get" people better than some smarter breeds do. Which is possibly why so many of them keep the whole clown persona longer than they might otherwise. People like to laugh and they know it.

[davsand]

73. With ANY LAb expect to still have a puppy at 18 months.

I have yet to see a Lab that grew up any time before 18 months. I do love them--but they ARE a goofy dawg. Something else about Labs that a lot of people don't realize is that they are extremely capable of showing aggression in defense of their alpha.

My Lab was the biggest goofiest dawg I'd ever known. She was awesome. I could take her anywhere anytime and she loved everybody. I never had a single incidence of aggressive or dominate behavior from that dog in all the time she was with me. I could trust her with other animals, kids, food--anything.

That same dog almost took out a guy who came up on us one day when we were out doing water retrieval training. In a split second she went from happy puppy to absolute and total ferocity straining at the end of her lead with lips pulled back and hair on end.. I only saw that behavior that one time.

Since then, I have talked to a couple of different folks who breed Labs and they both told me that Labs will do that only in extreme cases. I have always wondered what it was about that guy that freaked her out so badly, but I also have felt that there was probably something she knew that I didn't that day.


Laura

[Mythsaje]

94. Even my Shiba has done that a time or two

even though he's the friendliest dog I've ever met aside from a lab in general. Not with me, but with my wife. Me, I think he assumes can take care of myself. Our Jindo is the guardian, though. She gets really upset if one of us goes outside without her doing a quick check of the yard for intruders.

A former co-worker who had Akitas told stories of them 'handling' her when she took them across the street from her house to a wooded lot there. If either of them sensed something untoward, one would half wrap herself around her while the other went out to scout. They worked as a team to keep her safe, communicating their intentions to one another without her even knowing it before-hand.

Dogs amaze me sometimes.

[davsand]

96. Pack behavior from human socialized canines--isn't it amazing?

Dogs are just too cool. They socialize so well with us human folks that we forget how pack motivated they are. Additionally, it is almost too easy to anthropromorphize them--and that really doesn't give them credit for how astounding they are. Think about how many generations removed they are from feral life--yet the pack instinct takes over in times of need. That is just too amazing.

I have wondered for a long time about dogs and how they relate to male humans vs female humans. My dogs have always been part of the "pack" meaning they live underfoot with us and travel with us. They go where we go and live where we do. I have observed that they DO tend to exhibit more assertive protective behaviors for me than for my husband.

I always assumed it was because I am usually the one to fill food bowls. I am the "meal ticket" to put it in human terms. Maybe from the dog perspective I am seen as needing "protection" more than my husband--that had not occurred to me. Does our gender really register on dogs? Wow...

Hug your dogs!


Laura

[Mythsaje]

97. I'm not sure it's the feeding thing

since I'm the one who usually feeds them. I think it's because they recognize that she's more vulnerable than I am. Pretty amazing when you think about it.

Oh, yes, dogs recognize our genders. Our Jindo doesn't like young males at all. She likes and trusts women and girls far more easily. I'm one of two men she's ever bonded with (the other being her foster-dad in Portland--we go down for a visit once a year and she's always happy to see her foster-family, including the other dogs.)

I'm not sure it's unreasonable to anthropromorphize them. No, they are not human, but I consider them intelligent, social creatures as well, and as long as we remember that they don't see things quite the same way, understanding that they are motivated by much more than simply instinct is vital. They are thinking, emoting creatures as much as we are.

[davsand]

98. They get underestimated.

I probably did a lousy job of articulating that aspect of my views. We humans do companion animals a disservice to forget that they are canines/felines that are human adapted. They really ARE driven by a lot of things that are too easily dismissed when we see them only as companions to humans.

My first real understanding/awakening of animal human relations came with kitties. Sounds odd, but I spent a huge amount of my childhood observing and living with cats. They are predators, first and foremost, but they also DO choose to interact with people on their own terms. There was a book about cats that is excellent called something like 'The Tiny Tiger on Your Sofa' and it examines this very subject.

Much the same can be said of dogs, however, they are more socially driven that cats. Both species feels emotion, both feel a drive to bond with us. Both choose to be our companions in spite of our usual lack of understanding and ignorance of their customs. I have always kind of seen animal human relations as being "cross cultural" rather than cross species...

I know that some animal behaviorists say that the response to specific gender traits by animals can be a matter of fear or fondness. (ie If an animal was abused by young men it will establish a fear of young male attributes/traits.)

I had a rescue cat that had been abused by a house full of college aged men. As a result, she HATED all young men for a long time. Similarly, I had a terrier that had been maced by a meter reader, and that dog went nuts when anyone in a white uniform shirt got out of a car. Those same animals were both fond of females and had no real issues when introduced to new female humans.

I have long thought that the truth lies someplace between cogent thought by animals and instinct level response. I agree with you that they have emotion, they have very direct preferences and personality traits. I do think that like a lot of people they stereotype...

Peace.


Laura

[Mythsaje]

101. Our Jindo WAS abused by a young male

at the shelter. She dislikes young males in particular and anyone in uniform. But she'll accept our vouching for guys and will calm down and accept them, provisionally, if we say it's okay. That suggests that she's able to put a conditioned reflex on hold based on our judgment alone.

One thing that's also notable about both cats and dogs is that each has his or her own personality, just like humans. I've never known a "generic" dog OR cat, even members of the same family or breed.

[dsc]

5. my dog, who I found, behaves similary upon my return from work

and even worse if I am gone for a day or two. He either ran away or was abandoned (I suspect the second) and clearly has memories of that. At least mine likes car rides thank God.

[FreedomAngel82]

51. About two/three years ago

before my great-grandmother died she lived in the country and once there was this really cute little dog (I'm not sure what type but he had brown and white fur) and it just came up to the house. My family and I were up visiting and my uncle's step kids were there visiting and the youngest (at the time) went over to play with the dog. At first the little dog was afraid and shaking but the boy was really sweet to the dog and the dog quickly warmed up to the boy and my great-grandma gave him some food. The boy wanted to take the dog home but my uncle and aunt (his mother) didn't think so since they didn't live in a big place and other factors. My grandma (she was living with my great-grandma) ended up taking the dog to a pound in the area. I hope the little dog found a good home.

[TorchTheWitch]

8. That was so beautiful

Damn me, I'm getting all choked up and weepy again. I just want to thrust both arms through my monitor and hug Troubs so hard he flattens. And for saying all that lovely stuff so profoundly and far better than I ever could, I could just... just... lick you all over the face!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for saving Trouble and giving him so much love and care and being so understanding of his special needs... and... I just have to run off and hug my little furry boo-boo again!

Later (post boo-boo hugging)...

Ok, confess... who besides me put their lips right on their computer screen and smooched a pic of the pooch? Come on... I know I'm not the only one! ;)

[nashville_brook]

17. when i was a kid, my grandmother would take me to the grocery store

and my favorite part was sitting in the cart and going down the laundry soap/dog food aisle. she'd be getting detergent and i'd be grabbing the boxes of ALPO and kissing the big dog pictures. i'd make her hand me every box so i could hug the dogs.

i couldn't have dogs when i was a kid b/c my grandmother was made too sad about losing them. at least that's what she said. and she had a good point, we never had enough money or the yard or anything to have a dog.

i guess it was a goal of adulthood to have a house with a yard and the full ability to have that dog we've always wanted. well, my hubby wasn't too keen on the idea. it was my birthday in 2000...i was 36...fired on that day...and my husband's band broke up on that day. it seemed like everything had been pulled out from under me. being unemployed, i could be full-time dog mom while dispensing the family house in florida. it was immaculate timing. i should write a dog memoir instead of the damn boring people stories i've been working on. :)

[CrispyQ]

9. I would love to give that sweet pup-dog a kiss!

Thanks for the wonderful post & great photos! He is precious!!

Hugs to you & Trouble!

[Straight Shooter]

13. Your dog has had the worst of luck and the best of luck.

From horrid beginnings to a lifetime with YOU.

Our dogs challenge us to be better people. Think of them as agents of God. He really can't be around a hundred percent of the time, so He's left his buddies here to keep an eye on us. When God comes back, if he's anything like me, he'll be greeted by his dogs and they will TELL HIM EVERYTHING.

Awesome writing.

[nashville_brook]

20. i'm such not a "religious" person, but i crave these manifestations

of "spirit" for lack of a better way of putting it.

i used to love reading castenda because it was like dr doolittle with drugs. it's really about animals those books and badly written. almsot unreadable to me anymore. but im glad i was able to absorb the spirit animal enlightenment those lessons offer. slow down and let nature instruct you. it's all gonna be okay.

[Straight Shooter]

21. I'm not religious either

Unless you count being a dog worshipper as "religious" :D

I do love my dogs, ever so much, each and every one of them has been a gift that I would not trade for anything in the world. I'm sure Trouble feels the same way about you. I guess both of you are very lucky that way.

Give Trouble a hug for me, will ya? Thanks. Tell him it's from my dog Poopsie in Oregon. That's her nickname.

[skids]

16. Great post.

Of course it must be said Trouble had an unfair advantage in the hospital return part. I mean, your friends probably expect you would react badly to being jumped on and licked, if it was them doing it. :-)

[nashville_brook]

22. i smelled REALLY bad too! liver trouble....

OMG -- LIVER TROUBLE. does anyone have link to the 2nd City RIVER TROUBLE skit? the innuendo piece? it won a comedy central "best of" in like '95. i'd love to do a take on that with dogs doing the dialog!

okay -- time to clean house. i'm gettig silly. i've wept. i've smoked. hubby's wondering if i'm gonna ever stop drinking tea and writing.

gotta run! big TROUBLE HUGS!

[ohio_liberal]

18. I got my first dog just a while ago

I haven't had a dog since I was a kid living with my parents. I didn't want the responsibility I guess. But Abby changed my mind.

She might be a puppy mill dog, I'm not sure. She's just a dog I stole from my neighbors. Yes, that's right, I stole her. Abigail is a German Shepherd, one of the most beautiful dogs I've ever seen. My goddamned neighbors kept her chained to their back porch. Her doggie toes never touched grass-she was walking on concrete 24/7. They didn't ever feed her enough and she was nothing but skin and bones. The neighbors went away for two days and left her. She had one empty tiny bowl of water and one empty tiny bowl of food. I walked over and took her. Oh, I told the neighbors that I had her when they came back from wherever they were. They didn't care. They were happy to be rid of her.

I took her to the vet and got her dewormed and got some flea treatment (she was just covered in fleas). She got her shots, medicine for her infected ears, lots of food and water, and people who love her. She gained 18 pounds in 2 weeks. She's a little mental though, I won't deny it. I think someone must've smacked her around. She's terrified of loud voices and I have to be careful not to move my arms around too quickly or she thinks I'm going to hit her. She never leaves my side, not ever. She sleeps beside my bed, sits beside my chair, lays on the floor beside the bathtub when I'm taking a shower. She's my dog now.

I don't know how people can do the things they do to animals. It makes me sick.

[FreedomAngel82]

53. How sad

:( You were great for taking her in. :hug:

[Kukesa]

56. What a nice story. Thanks for loving Abby. n/t

[Boomer]

83. We stole a kitten from our neighbors

The wife was allergic so they never let the kitten indoors. They often locked it in a carrier on their porch, without food or water inside. So we'd sneak over and let the kitten out to eat -- although it could hardly make up its mind whether it wanted food or petting more. And the food was cheap stuff, not even kitten chow.

When it was running loose and heard us in our yard, it would run over, frantic for attention.

As winter approached and the neighbors still had no plans to take the kitten inside, we finally snapped. One of my co-workers was a real cat-lover, so we invited her over to meet the kitten. It took only a few minutes for her to agree that he was an absolute love, and she whisked him away.

After a trip to the vet, it turned out the kitten was at least four months older than we had thought. It's growth had been stunted, but as soon as he was fed properly he began to prosper and ended up as a large, affectionate and attractive cat.

The only regrets I've ever had are for other animals I couldn't rescue.

[nashville_brook]

89. that is precious and so good of you!

the old drummer for hubby's band lives in a huge south nashville apartment complex that has a major cat rescue need. he's developed a hobby of trapping the strays and having them neutered at the low-cost clinic.

it's so wonderful b/c he's such a big, strong (single) manly man -- with a heart of gold. the work with the strays is like church for him -- totally gives him meaning. he probably spends more on the cats than he does on his food.

[Coventina]

19. That was one of the most beautiful things about dogs I have ever read.

I'm sitting here in the library at ASU weeping over Trouble's story.

I am working on my master's thesis, and it is on dogs.

I may be interested in using parts of your post in my thesis, if that is okay with you. If I did this, I would certainly give you full credit, with your permission.

You can PM me if you want more information.

[nashville_brook]

23. gosh, totally!

PM me too! i gotta run and help hubby clean house but lets talk more!

[StellaBlue]

24. This thread really touched me...

and was pretty well-timed, for me, personally, as I was looking on petfinder earlier at the various dogs in my area up for adoption.

I left my two adorable house rabbits back in the UK, and I am trying to decide whether to rehome another bunny or get a dog. I am going to be living in a small (like 500-700 sq ft) apartment, and working 35-40 hours a week.

ANYWAY... is it just me, or do stories like this, or moments in general when we really stop and think about animals as individuals, which anyone who's ever had a pet or even a livestock animal will tell you is just what they are... do you then think to yourself, even though 'we' don't eat dogs... that you should really be a vegetarian? Pigs are smarter than dogs, after all. And can you really look into the eyes of a cow and then go out for a burger, knowing how cattle are treated?

Anyway... I just can't help but make that connection. Maybe I am a freak, but I have more feelings about this dog than about a small child. Probably because dogs ARE so loyal and upbeat, and (unlike most people I feel that) babies are just willful, selfish little creatures. Same as us only worse. haha

But I wouldn't eat one.

[FreedomAngel82]

54. Speaking on your decision

You could always get a little dog if you live in an apartment. You can take them to a near by park or something for fun and exercise. :)

[StellaBlue]

71. That's just what I was thinking...

I have seen some adorable Lhasa Apso mixes up for adoption on various shelter sites... they are ADORABLE... not the full-on, long-haired, pedigreed ones... but the part-Lhasa mutts... so cute... I like the poodle/Lhasa mixes...

I'm probably about a year away from being in a position, both financial and logistical, to take on a dog, though...

[nashville_brook]

100. some dogs actually make great apartment dogs. i know this breed gets

a lot unfair flack right now, but the chihuahua is a wonderful little dog. very personable and quick to train. so many variations in the breed too. i think they are beyond adorable.

a word on small dogs. everyone thinks they want a big dog. they think if a dog isn't a "dog" unless it's a Gaurdian. keep in mind how much a big dog eats. etc. think about how the scale of the dog will fit in to your surroundings. we love having small dogs b/c they are easy to snuggle on the couch. tiny dogs can be great gaurdians without being big b/c they hear and smell things way before you do. they know when someones coming.

[Rowdyboy]

25. Tears in my eyes.....Thanks for sharing that

I "Let go and let dog" every day (6 year old english springer spaniel)

[leftchick]

26. There are many reputable Animal Groups working to Stop Puppy Mills

Last Chance for Animals is one such group and I have donated to them for years....

http://www.lcanimal.org/cmpgn/cmpgn_012_walk.htm

The Amish in PA are heavy into puppy mills...

<snip>

Lancaster County, Pennsylvania -- known as “The Puppy Mill Capital of the East Coast” -- has the largest concentration of dog breeders for any county in the United States. Lancaster is commonly recognized for its large Amish population. Although the Amish are known for their very traditional, religious lifestyle, they also own and operate many of the worst puppy mills in Lancaster. Their involvement with these mills brings them millions of dollars each year.

http://www.lcanimal.org/cmpgn/cmpgn_012_lancaster.htm

Thank you for the wonderful, thoughtful post nashville. Hugs and kisses to your babies.

[ohio_liberal]

27. Oh goodness

I had no idea that Amish people ran puppy mills. That's horrible.

[leftchick]

28. It is terrible and LCA put out a huge billboard exposing them....

LCA's billboard, located just outside Lancaster County on Westbound Route 30 (by Route 82), made the front page of the Lancaster newspaper. The billboard is scheduled to be in place until November, 2005. If you would like to sponsor the billboard for additional months, please contact [e-mail].

[REACTIVATED IN CT]

69. Puppies are a cash crop for the Amish.

The breeders are kept in deplorable conditions. In addition to boycotting any store that sells puppies, anyone who cares about animals should also be boycotting the Lancaster PA area

[DemoTex]

29. Of this I am certain ..

Trouble is a lucky dog to have you; and you, Trouble. Cherish the days with dear Trouble. What ever they are, they will be too short. Believe me.


Sweet Sirius (July 25, 1993 - August 25, 2005)

[nashville_brook]

64. what a sweet buddy --

the pink tongue!

i'm telling the late mr chompers right now to say hey to sirius on the other side of the bridge. i have some video footage i took him right before we left for thanksgiving. for some reason as i shot it i thought "this is creepy." it had that eternal perfect-moment quality that woody allen talks about in Stardust Memories. it felt like requium. here's a link to my mac page with a very short clip:

http://homepage.mac.com/brookhines/iggies/iMovieTheater5.html

[shance]

31. Heart rendering followup to the other PETA thread. Thank you

for introducing us to your precious friend Trouble.

Thank you for sharing the beautiful photographs too.

[Catchawave]

32. For Trouble....

http://www.canismajor.com/dog/stopmill.html

[undergroundpanther]

33. dogs are awesome

Your precious dog is a beauty,a wonder,an example to all of humanity. I love her. I'm a cat and I already adore her. Her story is so sad.I hate humans sometimes.I have a traumatized cat,my kitty rustle he is neurotic about food and being alone because as a kittten he was abandoned.He almost starved and got injuries from worms. He was found by my mom and she gave him to me because I adore cats. She told me,he was in a park where a walking trail is and he was running up to any person meowing to be held and safe and no one but a little girl picked him up.The other people just ignored him and walked past. Rustle was an adorable cream ball of fluff as a kitten he was so cute it was painful..Mom says Rustle was frantic, so the little girl took rustle to her parents and asked to take him in but they would not let her keep him,so she left him on the trail again and again he ran to everyone meowing for help. This trail is circular so mom saw the whole scenario so when he ran to my mom the second time she took him...He was 4 weeks old at the time.Now he is very close to us,he still gorges sometimes,and makes himself sick,he gets really anxious when he can't see his food and he's heavy but dammit I can see his pain from so long ago,he waits for us if we go out,and somtimes his anxiety makes him sick while we are gone,And I know he sees my past pain and we cry together.Cats and dogs are examples to us in how to be honest beings,the emotional lessons animals teach us are about how to be heal,if we would just care to listen and learn we could heal together.
here's rustle..

[nashville_brook]

67. i absolutely LOVE how cats never hide their contempt for humans!

my grandmother let me have a kitty we found. we named her Miracle. i was way too young to bond with a cat, but SHE did! it really changed her. Miracle would come when she called. i once had a kitty named Cosmo who would respond to calling. special.

had a cat named Krishna. the most contemptuous cat ever! long hair orange tabby who never aged. she's going on 20 (with my ex-roomie) and still looks like a kitten. she says, "Damn you... damn you all. I flick my tail in your general direction." Krishna -- the worst-named pet ever!

[lildreamer316]

91. My cat does this too..

and she dosen't look a day over 5 (she is 11). Strange name but she is my pain-in-the-ass baby; follows me everywhere.

[undergroundpanther]

34. for Trouble, a story called the pact of fire

The Pact of the Fire

When the world was created, First Man and First Woman struggled to stay alive and warm through the first winter. First Dog struggled also. Deep in the winter, First Dog gave birth to her pups. Each night, she huddled in the brush of the forest, longingly watching the fire, which kept First Man and First Woman warm.

First Winter was severe, so cold that First Dog dared not leave her pups to search for food to fill her own belly, fearing that her pups would freeze to death in her absence. She curled around them, but the wind was bitter.

read the rest..
http://www.legendsofamerica.com/NA-PactOfFire.html

[Pooka Fey]

35. Thank you for posting this beautiful story.

[nashville_brook]

68. that is exactly how i feel.

i mean, FEEL. it seems so hopeless, but it's the true heart of "man." like Be Cool To The Pizza Dude -- and am the kindness i give to the least... something like that.

only much bigger in a very strange way.

[DeepModem Mom]

36. Thank you, nashville, for this wonderful post --

and best to you and Trouble from our adopted kitties.

[Lilith Velkor]

37. Awww what a sweet doggie

I got a dachshund from a county shelter myself. No idea what happenned to him, but he still flinches if you move too quickly toward him. I have PTSD myself, so we have that in common.

He's not clingy all the time, dachshunds are kinda like cats that way. But for the entire week and a half after Katrina hit, he stayed within a foot of me. We were literally howling together as we listened to the scanner. It really does help when you're upset, try it sometime.

Yes, PETA does have a valid point, just like the Church of Scientology has a valid point about Big Pharma. But if George Bush says that 2+2=4, he's right on that too, no?

[Pooka Fey]

38. Nice to meet ya, Trouble!

Thanks for sharing, Nashville Brook. My cat still suffers emotional wounds from a traumatizing incident that happened when he was 6 months old - he is now 12. I don't know what happened to him, he was outside - I think he was kicked or hit - someone broke his leg. It was awful. Thanks to a wonderful veterinary surgeon, he has full use of his leg, even though he had to have the ball joint surgically removed and the leg bone latched to the hip bone to create a false joint. At 6 months! The vet said he would get arthritis, but he really doesn't seem to; on rainy days he may have a bit more of a limp.

Oakley will startle if you so much as breathe too loud, or make any sudden moves around him. I watch who I have over to the house, if they can't be sensitive to my cat's emotional state, they can't be in my home. I've actually had people argue that they have "the right" to stomp around like an elephant while my cat is trying to eat. "No, I don't think so; Buh-Bye."

Oakley is such a beautiful and loving creature. I wouldn't trade him for anything. Animals are the best teachers a human being could ever wish for.

Your dog is a real cutie. :-) :-) :-)

[FreedomAngel82]

41. Poor baby

:( I'm glad he has you though. :( Why is he called Trouble? My dog showed all kinds of emotion. I do believe that animals have spirits just like we do. When I had my dog he was definitley my best friend. I remember he once got in trouble for something with my dad and he whimpered some and we and my brother always had a great time.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

42. Great post and thanks for the pictures!

[Richard D]

44. A dog story from ancient India

The Final Journey

Krishna, after a vigorous and heroic life, retired to the forest to sit in meditation, and a hunter mistook him for a deer and fatally wounded him. Arjuna was griefstricken when the great sage Vyasa brought him the news.

'Krishnaâs time had come,' Vyasa told him. 'Remember what he taught you.'

'Every man is responsible for his own death,' said Arjuna.

'Arjuna,' said Vyasa, 'this age has nothing left in it for you. Bhima, your part in this story is done. Yudhishtira, is it not time to take your brothers home?'

So the Pandavas went on their last journey, north, into the great mountains. It was a small troup this time - just Draupadi, the five brothers, and Yudhishtiraâs faithful dog. One by one they fell, victims of time and their own distinctive frailties. Draupadi went first, then Sahadeva and Nakula, then Arjuna, and finally mighty Bhima. Yudhishtira and his dog continued through the high mountain passes against the vicious wind and swirling snow.

And suddenly, there was Indra, in his chariot, offering Yudhishtira a hand up.

'Welcome, Yudhishtira, hero. You have won to my heaven. Come aboard and I will take you there.'

Yudhishtira whistled for his dog.

'Hold on.' Indra smiled fondly at Yudhishtira and wagged his finger. 'No dogs in heaven.'

'He is a faithful and true companion,' said Yudhishtira.

'Sorry, old chap. Just gods and human heros in my heaven.'

'If he cannot come with me, then I will stay with him.' And Yudhishtira stepped down from Indraâs chariot.

'But, Yudhishtira, old warrior, great king. You are the great hero of a great story. Your place is in my heaven.'

'My place is where dharma is constant. This dog has been companion, protector, friend. I will stay near him.'

'Yudhishtira,' said the dog as he transformed into the embodied form of god Dharma. 'My son, I have been with you through your long sad journey, and I am well pleased with your devotion. Draupadi and your brothers await you in Indraâs heaven, they have all left their bodies behind. You alone, great king, alone in all the ages, will enter Indraâs heaven in this body.'

But Indraâs heaven was not quite what Yudhishtira had expected. Duryodhana was there, for one thing, in a place of prominence and honor, surrounded by luxury. And there was Duhsasana, along with the 98 other sons of King Dhritarashtra, and the deceitful Sakuni, all in noble places, partaking of Indraâs glory. Karna was not there, nor Dhritarashtra, nor Drona, there was no one to be seen who had held Yudhishtiraâs love and admiration on earth.

'Where are my brothers,' demanded Yudhishtira. 'Where is the sinless Draupadi?'

There was an embarrassed silence. Then Indra spoke. 'They are elsewhere, Yudhishtira. Now you must try to be friends with Duryodhana, and put the past behind you.'

'Take me to my brothers.'

Indra sent his servant to guide the great king to his brothers. They travelled down, into a foul gloomy realm, where corpses littered the path and rivulets of blood etched a barren landscape. They came to the edge of a broad deep trench, from which rose waves of heat, and rank odors, and the cries of the damned.

Indraâs messenger stopped. 'They told me not to go any further than this. You may stay or return with me.'

'Where are my brothers?' And then Yudhishtira recognized their voices, thick with pain, rising from the foul pit.

'Yudhishtira, stay with us,' pleaded the voice of Nakula.

'Your presence cools us, and soothes our pain,' cried Bhima.

'Stay with us, Yudhishtira.' The voice was barely recognizeable as Arjuna.

And then Draupadi, wavering, 'Stay.'

'Will you return,' asked Indraâs servant.

'I belong with those who have been true to themselves and have done the right thing. I will stay here,' replied Yudhishtira.

And then he felt a cool breeze, and the light rose, and the air became fragrant, and Yudhishtira became aware that the sky was full of gods, radiant in their chariots, their banners waving, their smiles broad. Arjuna was there, and Bhima, and Draupadi and the twins, and their mother Kunti, and Pandu and Madri, and Karna, and King Dhritarashtra, all the god-like heros.

Once again, god Dharma descended and spoke to Yudhishtira. 'All the deceptions are ended now, Yudhishtira. You are home.'

'But why...'

And Dharma explained. 'There is some good and some bad in all beings. All kings must have a glimpse of hell. You had your glimpse and were not shaken from your truth. Now you have come home, and the adventure ends in peace at last.'

-- paraphrased from Mahabharata

[nashville_brook]

103. namaste

beautiful story. thank you for sharing.

[johnaries]

45. I remember seeing that on the news! So glad you were able to

save one of them. I wanted to help, but my house was full at the time.

All of my dogs have been either from the shelter or the Vet. I didn't pick them, they picked me.

Everyone - Please, please, don't buy a pet from a pet store. If you want a loving animal, there are plenty of animal rescue services on the net to help.

Here's just one of many:
http://www.petfinder.com/

[nashville_brook]

82. Pass Pets is just that -- pass right on by!

we we're the first to have Trouble after the wreck. we were still house-training Astra and Mr. Chompers. italian greyhounds are a handful to housetrain and we were first-timers, so it was extra-superb that "the old man" rescued Trouble first and we stepped in to help in out during our loss of Mr Chompers.

http://homepage.mac.com/brookhines/iggies/iMovieTheater5.html

his story is further up the thread. he died on Thanksgiving the weekend before we met Trouble. someone saw our flyers for the missing miniature greyhound and needed to place Trouble with a family b/c his initial owner was going into assisted living. "The Old Man" -- we never got his name -- took such wonderful care of Trouble as a therapy dog.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

47. Trouble looks like TROUBLE

and that's a good thing!

[nashville_brook]

55. my other iggie, Astra (the Destroyer)

is much like the bad penguin in your tagline. she's the instigator. i think she showed mr chompers the open door on thanksgiving, and another time showed Trouble a hole in the fence. she's always the witness. never the missing.

his big adventure thru the hole in the fence was BIG Trouble. a man down the street had taken him in b/c he said, "he didn't seem to be a trouble-maker." HA!

[flvegan]

59. Well said. Very well said. n/t

[mike_c]

63. AWESOME POST!

Thank you!

[stevedeshazer]

65. You are a remarkable human

Trouble was lucky to find someone who understands.

My dog Charlie has taught me more than any human ever could.

I'm going to take him for a walk right now. :)

[shockra]

66. That was a wonderful post!

Recommended. :hug:

[Critters2]

70. It was...thanx

Makes me need to hug the beagle!

[Dinger]

74. Cute Doggie Pics . . . Question

Is that Ann the Man by McCarthy's grave?

[IndyOp]

75. Yes, that is Ann Coulter - she wrote a book

on McCarthy. Lewis Lapham (Harper's) said that he tried to read it - to be fair - but couldn't because it was so riddled with inaccuracies.

:puke:

[nashville_brook]

79. she's my example of conditioning to approval

such the electra

[SheilaT]

76. Dogs (and cats) are so amazing

the way they love us and put up with us.

I have two cats myself, and I've done volunteer work at a local animal shelter. The more I'm around dogs, the more I appreciate them and how smart they are.

I'm doing an internship for an attorney who works out of her home. They have a dog (mixed shepherd and greyhound) they got from a shelter. This dog had become very fond of me, but is still VERY protective of his human family. It's clear that I'm a distant second to his primary family, the way it should be.

I always think that rescued pets are the best. And I have a fondness for mixed breeds, cannot understand the point of many of the purebreds.

Even my husband, who is not all that crazy about having cats, has expressed that he cannot understand why anyone would have abandoned them, which was the case with one of them.

Of course, we all neuter all of our pets, right?

[nashville_brook]

81. un-neutered pet are difficult pets -- another enlightened self-interest

thing. especially cats!

[Gloria]

77. Oh, he's so beautiful!! My stray, Slicker and Tico, the little guy

picked up, kept for a month, then put into the animal shelter outdoor collecting cage with a note, both have "issues." Over time, they become less obvious, but they are there....the fears, especially the fears.

I love every animal I see, they are wonderful. Just look into their eyes.

[yorkiemommie1]

78. all my dogs have been rescues

i tell them every day that i will love them forever.

cubby and tori send their furry best to your babies!

[nashville_brook]

80. their "cousin" is a Yorkie rescue

hubby's parents were given a Yorkie rescue as an intervention. "Poppa," hubby's dad, has dementia and really needs a dog, but would never get one if left to his own devices. "Katy" the Yorkie is a hoot. a REAL terrier. as in terra. as "Poppa" tells us over and over again. it's sweet. he gets so much joy with her and her thunder storm anxiety and rooting for mice.

there's another dog story in here too -- their Golden, "Alex" provided me and pre-hubby a crucial opportunity to "get back together" as it were. it's my DUI story. everyone has either a DUI or an abortion story. :) we're all rescues.

[Robeson]

84. As a fellow Nashvillian.....

...I'd like to give you a big...:hug: . What an awesome post, and bravo to you. Trouble is a beautiful friend. Thank you for helping Trouble.

[newfaceinhell]

86. Thank you, wonderful post

I too have seen the suffering caused by the abominable practice of puppy farming and support all that you say 100%. And Trouble is adorable.

[Pharaoh]

87. wonderful! and nominated

[OneBlueSky]

92. my dog is my spiritual advisor . . .

from him I have learned things like . . .

- unconditional love
- forgiveness
- living in the moment
- detachment from possessions
- what's important in life (eating, sleeping, playing, and shitting)

and much, much more . . . :)

[Scout]

104. goddess, help me become the person my dog thinks I am. n/t