Furry Friends or Pets Photos

[Melanie B in NC]

Yes, TomK - dogs rule! (Cats are very special also - I don't have one now, but had cats most of my life. When the last one died and we moved here to the woods, I agreed not to get another one - my DH almost begged me not to. But I have warned him - if he is silly enough to die on me, I'll have a cat the next day! So he has to stick around to keep the house cat-free). I also had dogs forever until 2009 when my last dog - a big black and tan coonhound died. She (Daisy) lived outside most of the time - weather permitting - and was quite happy. But I wanted a small dog next. Since we were both working long hours, I decided not to get another dog until retirement which came October 2011. I lasted until August of 2012 and then went looking for a TFT. I found my Charlie and he is asleep now on the couch beside me - wonderful dog. Difficult to live with when other dogs come into sight - he will never play well with strange dogs. But he suits me fine and is loving and gentle with us. The "terrorist" part is reserved for strange dogs and squirrels and lizards.

[TomK]

We've had a Beagle and Mini-Schnauzers before our current pack. Loved them all. I'm with Melanies DH when it comes to cats though. I like them, but not too sure they like me. Never lived with one. When I stayed at my cousins home as a kid, they had a cat. I was staring at it once, absent-mindedly. I was not even thinking about it. All of a sudden, it launched and stuck to my face with teeth and claws! My Aunt pried it off me and explained, "You should never stare at a cat." Believe me, I won't!! Where I deer hunt, we had wolves and bears to contend with. I never minded that. In the last few years though, mountain lions are coming around. They make me nervous. You can't hear them at all. I guess I never completely got over my cousins cat.

Glad you started this thread Papa-T.

Tom

[TomK]

I can't forget my feathered friends. I only see them once a year, but they seem to remember me. They are Whiskey Jacks aka Gray Jays.

[papa-t]

Whiskey Jack Deer Camp. Sounds like good times there.

[violet]

this is Oreo he's a very good traveler, walks well with harness & leash, he's very shy & hides around other people

[Carol H]

The first picture is of my camping partner of 12 years Madison - taken on a camping trip on Vancouver Island. He loved to explore new places and did many trips up and down the coast. He would lay on the ground across the trailer door anytime he saw me packing stuff in it just to be sure he was also packed.

The second picture is of my most current camping partner Jagger. Came to me from the US East Coast in late May and already has more than a dozen nights of camping under his belt. He has attended 2 trailer rallies and heading out to his 3rd one next week-end. He will be my shadow for the next 2 years before heading off to do great things for someone who needs his help.

[TomK]

Carol,
Is Jagger a service dog of some type? What is he being trained to do? I tried to read his harness. PADS? I'm guessing Personal Assistance Dog Service? Giving him to someone else after you spend a couple years training him and letting him into your life will be hard for both of you. That's a very selfless act. Bless you!

Tom

[Melanie B in NC]

Carol - when a service dog is kept for 2 years and then adopted by a client, is the dog followed up by "case workers" to ensure he/she is well cared for? Since life circumstances can change, if it becomes necessary for the client to give up the dog, does your organization take him/her back? Is this a mandatory part of the original contract? Just curious - I know you have the dog's welfare foremost in your mind and will do what you can to ensure his/her happiness and safety. I am reminded of the past when my DH and I fostered infants for the now-long gone Florence Crittenden Home for Unwed Mothers in Durham, NC. We kept babies for several months while adoptions were being arranged. Giving them up was tough, but it was made tougher by the fact that we could never know what happened to them - all adoptions were confidential and foster parents simply had to give them a kiss and say goodbye. I know it must be very hard after having a dog for 2 years!

[frank_a]

Originally Posted by papa-t

My dog "Buddy" a schnoodle; 8 lbs. He will be 16 years old in October. Picture taken at the Outer Banks of North Carolina. The glasses are not just cool; they actually help protect his eyes due to cataracts.

We must have Buddy's younger cousin! This is Buckley, our 14# 2-1/2 year old Schnoodle helping Gail drive the F150 hauling the ParkLiner to Allegany State Park a few weeks ago.



He is just the best guy, and very close to both of us.

Frank

[papa-t]

To cute. They really are great dogs. Not sure how much longer he will be with us. He just recently started wanting to sleep with us instead of his bed side kennel. Our toy poodle did that about six months before she past at the age of fourteen. We also have a teacup poodle now. She is three. This is Mimi Shea with her favorite toy.

[frank_a]

Originally Posted by papa-t

To cute. They really are great dogs. Not sure how much longer he will be with us. He just recently started wanting to sleep with us instead of his bed side kennel. Our toy poodle did that about six months before she past at the age of fourteen. We also have a teacup poodle now. She is three.

Buddy sure is a cutey too, but we're biased! Buckley has been sleeping with us since about day 1! I hope that is not a bad thing... He's half the reason we wanted an egg with a queen size bed. For such a little fellow, he sure can take up room!

Best of luck to ya with Buddy. We know how tough it is to have one of our best friends pass.

Frank

[Spanke]

Mia - My Camping Dog



Spanke

[Carol H]

Tom and Melanie, Jagger lives with me and is in training as an assistants dog. He goes with me everywhere (shopping, doctors, bank, restaurants etc) as I am not permitted to leave him with anyone (not even for half an hour) that has not been formally trained to babysit him. He is owned by Pacific Assistance Dogs.

PADS is a well respected small non profit organization here in BC and Alberta who's mission it is to provide assistants dogs to those with a mobility disability (as well as a fairly small number of hearing dogs) at a *very* minimal cost to the client. Those dogs that decide they are not into being an assistants dog may go onto to become a Canine Assisted Intervention dog - many of the large hospitals and police stations etc. have such dogs on staff. Or he may do airport or border sniffing work. If none of those jobs works out for them they may become a VIP - very important pet for a family with a child with autism for example.

Yes PADS does continue to assist the client with the dog throughout the dogs life as well as help with the rehoming of them once the dogs working life is over. They are not a really big organization so keeping tabs on the well being of the dogs is not as big a challenge as it is with larger organizations such as Guide Dogs for the Blind for example. PADS does though belong to a large group of non profit assistants dog kennels here in NA and as a result Jagger was born in Pennsylvania - but both parents are seeing eye dogs out of NY. The groups shares pups around NA in order to improve blood lines at each of their kennels.

Jagger actually has his own webpage with PADS where one can follow his and my training journey. Although I have done lots of obedience training in the past this is a whole new learning experience for me as well.

Yes having him with me 24/7 for 2 years and then handling over the leash to another party will be a tough one! Although admit somedays I would gladly give him back - especially after a very trying attempt to get my grocery shopping done quickly with a pup that thinks they need to do a quality assurance check on every item on the bottom shelf. Not looking forward to hand over day but through my volunteer work with Alpine Canada which in part includes working with Para Olympic skiers on an international level, I am aware of the long waiting list for assistance dogs. At the end of the day seeing Jagger making someones life a lot easier will help - I hope!!

[TomK]

Interesting Carol. Not many could or would do something like that. Way to go!

Tom

[Clayton]

Camping with our hound Winston this weekend. 2 Jack Lake, Banff, Ab. Doesn't get much better.

[CindyL]

We travel with 2 Munchkin cats. Munchkins are the "Little People" in the cat world, like Corgi or Dachshund dogs. Munchkins beg easily, so you see Ellie doing it. She knows that if she wants something, that is all she has to do. Toby can do it, but he is not so quick to do it. Here is Toby and Ellie.

CindyL and Kevin Anderson

[frank_a]

Our schnoodle is part poodle (he has poodle hair), and part schnauzer. The schnauzer part really comes out when we go camping...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQyFs1OJ42g

[TomK]

Frank, the video link is marked "This video is private". I was looking forward to seeing Buckley in action. Maybe you can change a setting?

Tom

[frank_a]

Try it now Tom. I can view it, but when I went to YouTube it was apparently not published yet, so I did that, & then checked the settings. It should be public.

Frank

[TomK]

That worked. I can tell he really digs camping. Sorry, couldn't help that. We had two mini schnauzers and they were awesome dogs. Buckley is a winner too! Thx.

Tom