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14895. Macnas - 5/9/2005 4:24:19 PM Groovy looking, isn't he? 14896. Ms. No - 5/9/2005 4:36:14 PM Very. What kind of spaniel is that? My first thought was that it was a standard poodle but the coat isn't right and the face is spaniel-y. 14897. alistairconnor - 5/9/2005 4:37:27 PM ... it's a birrd dawwwg. 14898. Macnas - 5/9/2005 4:40:31 PM Its an Irish water spaniel. Big curly haired chocolate brown dogs.
Supposedly a cross between French poodles, back when they were actual hunting dogs, and the Irish setter. 14899. Ms. No - 5/9/2005 5:05:38 PM Looks like.
I nearly got into a bar fight two weeks ago when a couple of drunks started telling horror stories about Pitt Bulls and PB-mixes. This one idiot -- barely able to stand up straight when he started -- was trying to impress this other idiot -- tottering in her high heels --- with his knowledge of dogs and his special witness status having seen multiple children on several occasions mauled by Pit Bulls. (At least we were led to believe it was multiple since the first time he told the story the child was 3 and the second time the child was 7 and then 2 and then...well, you get the picture.)
Of course he starts this whole thing after we've all piped up about what kind of precious furry lumpkin we all have at home and it's my mention of Billietta that starts him off on the whole Pitt Bull Horror Story Hour.
All of the hysterical fabrications about locking jaws and 5000 lbs of pressure in the jaw muscle and turning on their owners and never being safe around children and my mother's neighbor's son's kid was at a birthday party and the family pit maimed one of the two-year old guests and they had to shoot the dog and then use a crow-bar to break its jaw in order to release the child's throat and everyone almost died.
And the woman is responding with counter-tales about her little Boston Terrier and how he thinks he's a big dog so he's always picking fights with bigger dogs but that he never approaches Pits or Rottweilers and all I can think is "I don't care how little your dog is, he's an aggressive and unpredictable animal and you should keep him out of the dog park." and yet they're both looking at me like I'm a criminal because I take my very well-behaved, never been in a fight, never bitten anyone Pit Mix to the park all the time.
My dog doesn't bite but I sure as hell thought about it.
14900. Ms. No - 5/9/2005 5:06:24 PM And my friends wonder why I lie and claim Billie's a Lab mix. 14901. judithathome - 5/9/2005 5:47:14 PM Can you give us some figures on that, Judith?
Yes, I certainly will! The incumbant mayor, my guy, got 68% of the vote in a 3 way race and the candidate for council, my guy, beat the incumbant by a 72.5% margin. We had the largest voter turnout ever in this village of 2,100...446 voted.
14902. arkymalarky - 5/9/2005 5:52:37 PM Thanks MsNo. It is a very odd sight.
That dog looks like he should belong to a member of Twisted Sister, Mac. 14903. judithathome - 5/9/2005 5:57:49 PM ...or named Rick James. 14904. Ms. No - 5/9/2005 6:00:51 PM Yes!! He does look like Rick James.
If you get one you'll have to name it "Superfreak" 14905. arkymalarky - 5/9/2005 6:01:16 PM I KNEW he looked familiar! 14906. jayackroyd - 5/9/2005 6:09:21 PM Arky--
I'm really sorry to hear about Diva. I look at Gracie lying in her usual spot to my right (it doesn't really seem to matter where I am, she ends up a couple of feet to my right) and can't imagine not having her here. I hope you can find a way to get Mojo a companion soon.
14907. arkymalarky - 5/9/2005 9:13:52 PM Thanks so much, Jay. Diva stuck by me in the house and with Bob outside (her preference). I had Bob put Diva's bedding away when she disappeared (on the floor at the foot of my side of the bed). I had hoped to get it out again, but couldn't bear looking at it. We buried her with her favorite toy. It is hard. 14908. Magoseph - 5/10/2005 1:09:20 PM Hello, dear Arky--how do you feel today? 14909. alistairConnor - 5/10/2005 9:29:28 PM ahhh we're back folks... 14910. Magoseph - 5/10/2005 9:37:59 PM Thanks a bunch, Ali--I am disoriented when the Mote is down. I like my routine, I guess, and it is terrible when the Mote doesn’t come up. 14911. Jenerator - 5/10/2005 10:26:55 PM I just temporarily freaked out and thought that THE Diva (poster) had died!
Still, I am sorry to hear of your loss Arky. 14912. arkymalarky - 5/11/2005 1:38:01 AM Thanks, Jen. Diva and I used to joke about my dog's name--like Bubba's dog CalGal, it was strictly coincidence. Mose named her, because I originally got the dog for her, but it ended up being mine and Bob's.
Thank you for asking Mags. I did better today. We're going to get another puppy in about three weeks because 1) Mojo is very down and I think it will help her to go ahead and get a puppy ASAP (why wait if we know we're doing it?), and 2) I need the summer to train a puppy.
Today we drove about three hours one way and picked out a 4 week old female, similarly colored to Diva, from a very nice young family who has one dog they bred. This is her first litter. Three weeks should give me time to adjust and get mentally and physically prepared. I don't think I could do it any sooner, and much later will make it difficult to get house training and routines established before I start back to work in August. 14913. Macnas - 5/11/2005 9:36:52 AM Excellent news Arky, great times ahead with your new pup. 14914. arkymalarky - 5/11/2005 4:14:57 PM Thanks Mac, Dear. Your input has been very helpful.
The best advice I will implent with a new pup is yours on bringing her in after dark. If Bob's outside at night (which he usually is), he and I can just be sure she's trained to come in when he does. He was Diva's doorman, and no matter what time of day or night she wanted in or out, he or I would oblige her, because she never strayed from the property. She was out free all day every day while we were at work and stayed out very late many nights. She was home running free while I was in the hospital. But it's easy to take a routine for granted over six years and forget that sometimes it only takes one variation from it, and you don't get a chance to correct the problem.
I don't want to go through this again, and neither does Bob. He's grieved more over Diva than any pet we've ever had (and many relatives). I want this puppy to live to a ripe old age and die in her sleep--which, if she turns out to be a problem dog, is exactly what will happen, I'm sure. ;-)
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