Dog

[DryGuy]

My now wife and I adopted a dog this weekend.  She's a Great Pyrenees and looks like she's had a rough life.  She is around 5-6yrs old according to our vet and was picked up off the streets by one of the local shelters.  They think she may have been used for breeding then kicked to the curb.  She is shaven down by the shelter because she was so matted, she also has multiple skin infections(they're getting better on ABX), as well as Lyme's disease(on doxy).  She has some arthritis that everyone thinks is likely from being a little weak in the limbs from malnourishment and also from the Lyme's/  She's under weight, weak, and depressed.  She's a sweet heart tho and we thought we could give an older dog a new lease on life and some much needed love.  We picked her up on Saturday and she has really come around and seems much less depressed already.  If I knew how to post a pic on here I would(any ideas)?  We named her Belle!

[litliwlowa]

Awesome, DryGuy!!

Welcome to the family, Belle!!

[Joe S.]

That is fantastic! We have a rescue also.

[finallyadx]

Congrats - how great for all of you - especially Belle!

I am not certain how to post a picture but I think you may be able to copy and paste it???  I am sure someone else will be able to tell you how to post a pic - there have been some pics on the forum in the past...

How wonderful of you and your family to take in a stray who has so many issues.

Sending positive thoughts your way.

[stillinshockwithsjogrens]

YAY for Belle (and you, of course!)  I've owned rescues all my life (rather, they've owned me.) Three right now. The new life you're giving her will exponentially increase the happiness in yours.  There's nothing like unconditional love. 

Can someone please help with instructions to post a pic??

[quietdynamics]

Ah.. congratulations.. just married and starting a family so soon..lol

All of our furry friends have been rescues.
One had to be shaved too.  Sphinx dog? 
We did look at a Sphinx (hairless) cat, and some other 'orphans'.
Did Hospice for Mom's dog.. we turned him into a lap cat, we are convinced he lasted longer than estimated because he kept stealing the cat food, yes to Omegas.. silly red Labrador. 

So Welcome Belle. A re-birth babe for sure.

Did you look into pet insurance? Does come in handy.

Looking forward to the 'family photo'.

If you upload photos onto photobucket, then you can copy the URL.
click on button under the B and insert. 
Wondering if you can do the same after uploading/posting onto facebook?
Right click for "copy image url" and then use that?

If it does not work.. do not worry. We have brain fog.. and may not notice..til page 3.. 

[eye2dry]

I am so glad to hear you and Belle have "found" each other.

Love, patience and kindness will have such a great impact on her and she will relax

and love you both back so much.

This is so new to both you and Belle but it's just the beginning of

a wonderful life together.

eye2dry

[MarieB]

Congratulations!  And thank you to both you and your wife for helping Belle.  I hope you figure out how to upload photos.  I would love to see her. 

Marie
--Until there's none, rescue one. 

[sassygal]

Congratulations! So happy for Belle and you and your wife. Thank you for rescuing this lovely sweetheart!

Great Pyrenees dogs are the best. Their personalities are so loving. We have had 4 in the past. (none now...but have a Great Dane) The Pyr's were more mellow and lower activity than the Great Dane, although she is still young yet.

Has Belle started with the Pyr paw yet? Ours would sit next to us and have to put their paw on our laps as if to hold us down so we'd keep petting them. We had two of them (rescues) that had to be shaved, but the fur comes back thicker and fluffier. I do miss our Pyrs.  Ours were MR. Macadoo (BIG Mack), Sophia Lorene (Sophie), Muldoon (Sophie's son) and Coolhand Luke (Lukey Boy) who came to us at the age of 12. The owner had taken him to our vet to be euthanized because she couldn't take care of him anymore, and since I already had Pyrenees, the vet called and asked if I would take him. The lady agreed and signed him over to me. The only problem he had was some hip arthritis.

A previous poster mentioned pet insurance, which may be something you need to consider. We have been involved heavily in dog rescue, through organizations and on our own, footing the bills.
Unfortunately, you don't always have history on these animals, but more often than not, they have not had the best of care, which sets them up for medical problems.

Large breed dogs cost more in veterinary bills because of their size. Many are prone to hip dyslpasia which is very painful and requires expensive surgery. Belle may truly have only arthritis, but as time goes on and symptoms increase, it could turn out to be much more serious. I have
taken many dogs in for surgeries for different reasons, and it does get expensive and a single surgery can costs several thousand. I guess it's like insurance for people, sort of a gamble... if you never have a claim it feels like a waste, but if something comes up that is serious and expensive, it can be a lifesaver.

Enjoy your new baby and as soon as you figure out how to post a pic, we'd all love to see your new family member! 

Give Belle a hug for me!

[Suslew]

Congrats to you and your wife and Belle!

[DryGuy]

So this dog that we decided to rescue killed our best companion the other day.  We are both devastated to say the least.  He was a Sun Conure named Altair.  He's been a shining light thru my depression with this illness.  We would dance together and he would come and lay on me and what not.  We are both absolutely heart broken.  It was a total freak accident and we don't know what to do.  We thought we would have Altair another 20 yrs at least.  He was so healthy and vibrant.  We are trying to figure out whether we can give this dog the love she needs after killing our best friend.

I never realized how much of a companion a bird could be until I met him.  Honestly, Altair was more of a companion than most dogs.  All he wanted was to be loved and to love us.  He'd greet us as soon as we came home and was just so happy to be around us...

Heart broken

[sassygal]

OMG Dry Guy!

I am so sorry to hear this! Our pyreenes would never hurt a fly!

Unfortunately, taking in a rescue dog can be uncertain since you don't know much about her history. Since she was so matted, she could have been left outside all the time and perhaps gone hungry and "hunted" her food.

I know it is devastating losing Altair. We had a similar incident happen with a dacshund terrier mix
killing a kitten we had adopted. We had two other full grown cats he was fine with and were slowly getting him used to little Abbey. Unfortuantely, my husband had let Abbey out of the bedroom we kept her in for her safety (only let her out when we could supervise her and keep her safe) and forgot to put her back in. Later he let Gabe, the dog in the house. Being the type breed mix he is, he has a very strong prey drive and we found her dead with him standing over her.

I was, like you, devastated! I was angry at the hubster for not being focused and not putting her back in room for her safety, but really, really mad at Gabe. I wanted nothing to do with him for a long time. He sensed this and would keep away from me and became a bit depressed and always looked sad.

Once I grieved a bit, I realized that I couldn't fault the dog for his natural instinct. It was human error that that got the kitten killed. We failed at keeping her safe until she grew larger and Gabe realized she was a family member like the rest of the critters here. Eventually we became good pals, and my husband and I learned a lesson the hard way. Gabe is a very loving dog that had a crappy life before he was seized in a puppy mill raid in South Carolina. He had been kept in a cage for 4yrs. as a Stud dog (Claimed he was a purebred wirehaired dacshund) and his feet had never touched the ground. He had never been named even.

He came to us as a fearful dog that freaked out when his feet touched grass and jumped 3 ft in the air when a leaf would blow in the wind. He had never been held or petted. He learned how to be part of a family and fit in with our pack of bassets (rescues too). Gabe had gone thru so much,
and come so far that it was hard to stay angry at him. He is a remarkable little guy and I am glad I didn't send him elsewhere.

However, we had Gabe about a year before the kitten came along, so he wasn't exactly a newcomer that attacked a pet we'd already had. 

With being in dog rescue, we went to great lengths to integrate newbies gradually and keep everyone safe. This time, hubby let his guard down and the unthinkable happened. 

I think Belle needs alot of love and direction and probably some good obedience training. You will grieve the loss of your friend. But maybe after a while there will be room in your heart to help this
dog become the best dog she can be, and find a loving companion in her.

I wish you well and again, I am so sorry you & your wife had had this experience.

Gail

[litliwlowa]

DryGuy

That has to be heartwrenching to lose your beloved Altair that way. I ditto Gail's remarks about rescue animals. Been there done that, also typically I took in strays rather than adopt them from say a pound.

Often times, be it dogs or cats, when they are left to their own for survival their instincts kick in. I know with cats it's commonly referred to as feral.

As you grieve the loss of Altair, please do not blame yourself or even the dog.

I agree with Gail's advice also that perhaps obedience training for the dog is in order. The condition you found him in suggests he's been managing on his own as best he can. So he has a learning curve, as well as an adjustment curve. It takes time and patience to integrate a stray in a new home.

My neighbor above me recently adopted a rescue dog - wonderful temperament and nothing is known about his history. She's currently got him in training and he is responding well.

Amanda

[slccom]

I'm so sorry. The dog didn't mean to kill your good friend; you'll be able to get beyond this, but it will take some time and tears.

Some boys who were sons of a friend had a cockatiel, and the younger boy was walking and accidentally broke the bird's neck. It was awful. Birds are frail, and easily killed.

Hang in there.
Hugs, Sharon

[Sleepy In Seattle]

Ugh - how awful...I am so sorry 

We love them like people - so much so that we forget sometimes that they are ANIMALS, and they have different ways of thinking and seeing the world than we do. They have different instincts. Not their fault - we choose to live with them, and must accept them as they are. We can train them and they can adapt to our lives and priorities, but they are who they are, and that doesn't change.

We have always had rescue dogs, and I spend much of each week working with rescue horses. They are animals, and they damage things sometimes. They adapt so much of their lives for us - sometimes we have to understand them and adapt to THEM.

I am certain that Belle did not mean to damage something you loved - if she could have really understood the effects of her actions, she would not have done it.

On the other hand, that kind of thing can be very difficult. A friend of mine who is a large-animal vet has a young horse she has raised from a weanling. When she got a new puppy, the horse reacted badly and kicked out, shattering the puppy's leg. After a lot of grief and thought and agonized decision-making, my friend decided she could never fully love or trust the horse the way he deserved....she just couldn't let go of the image of what happened, or the grief and resentment around it. So she is working hard to find the horse the home and owner he deserves. She doesn't blame him, but she also knows herself...and she really does want the best for him.

So don't feel bad if you find you need to find Belle another loving home. The heart wants what the heart wants....