GABIT attendees thread

[Chelle DB]

Chelle, any dog that can dent the truck when he wags his tail isn't really your baby Maybe your toddler.

Ah well yes, my baby is a big baby - at 50kg.

[Chelle DB]

142 days til AT6 Ripples!!

[Celandine]

One thing I might suggest you consider if you find yourself pining for a puppy (while too sane to think you should get one right now) is that you might look into volunteering with a local shelter. That's how I got my animal fix when I couldn't afford to have one. I thought it would be stressful because I would feel bad for the homeless animals, but it was actually very fulfilling. I could spend time soothing the stressed out doggies, which helped me to relax, too.

My girlfriend volunteers at her local animal shelter two or three time a week to walk the dogs. She definitely loves it and finds it very rewarding. I'd recommend it to anyone if you have the time.

[mthet]

My girlfriend volunteers at her local animal shelter two or three time a week to walk the dogs. She definitely loves it and finds it very rewarding. I'd recommend it to anyone if you have the time.

I lasted two weeks doing that - seriously.

I cried every time I left and wanted to bring them all home.

Mock at your leisure

[lame moose (mocha)]

i could never do it. they would have a basket case on their hands. wanted to be a vet at one point but could not do it. if someone brought their pet in to be put down, i wouldn't be able to do it and they'd have to call the men with the straight jackets to come get me.
KEELY actually looking into adopting a great dane.

[Celandine]

I lasted two weeks doing that - seriously.

I cried every time I left and wanted to bring them all home.

Mock at your leisure

Yes, but she has three wonderful kitties to come home to that she loves on to take the 'missing' away somewhat. Plus, she's able to spread the word at work and other places about all the animals that need good homes because she's seen them firsthand.

She has some hilarious stories she's shared with me. One time she was knocked into a bush by an overly excitable lab mix, coming away with bruises in strange places.

i could never do it. they would have a basket case on their hands. wanted to be a vet at one point but could not do it. if someone brought their pet in to be put down, i wouldn't be able to do it and they'd have to call the men with the straight jackets to come get me.
KEELY actually looking into adopting a great dane.

Have you checked on greyhound adoption? I heard they race them for only a few years and then the dogs are retired. Also heard/read that they are very loveable and make wonderful pets. Might be an idea to check on them. Here's a link for you to check out and fall in love with the pictures they have posted.

http://www.adopt-a-greyhound.org/index.shtml - Follow the agencies link at the top to find a chapter near you. There's quite a few in Illinois and a couple within the Chicago area.

[llp]

Yes, but she has three wonderful kitties to come home to that she loves on to take the 'missing' away somewhat. Plus, she's able to spread the word at work and other places about all the animals that need good homes because she's seen them firsthand.

She has some hilarious stories she's shared with me. One time she was knocked into a bush by an overly excitable lab mix, coming away with bruises in strange places.

Have you checked on greyhound adoption? I heard they race them for only a few years and then the dogs are retired. Also heard/read that they are very loveable and make wonderful pets. Might be an idea to check on them. Here's a link for you to check out and fall in love with the pictures they have posted.

http://www.adopt-a-greyhound.org/index.shtml - Follow the agencies link at the top to find a chapter near you. There's quite a few in Illinois and a couple within the Chicago area.

One word of advise...just because they are retired doesn't mean they don't want to still run....they need a very large yard for them to exercise in....if you live in an apartment or have a very tiny back yard...they will be very unhappy and somewhat unhealthy!

[Celandine]

One word of advise...just because they are retired doesn't mean they don't want to still run....they need a very large yard for them to exercise in....if you live in an apartment or have a very tiny back yard...they will be very unhappy and somewhat unhealthy!

Oh, definitely. Never said they were sedentary animals. The site does say they are active and playful, but getting out daily to a park so they can run and stretch their legs might be a great idea for the owners, too, if they're able. Fresh air and a good outing outdoors never hurt anyone.

[lame moose (mocha)]

grayhounds are just too fragile looking. i feel like you could hurt them if you pet them too hard. actually i just sent in an application to adopt a great dane, 2-3 years old, male or female, don't care what color or if it has ears that stick up or not. they are known as gentle giants and they are cool dogs. we like our dogs big. the app. takes about 2 weeks to get approved. you need 2 references plus referral from your vet and they do a house visit before they approve you. that's like adopting a baby. i wish they did that for people who buy dogs. then maybe there wouldn't be as many unwanted pets in the shelters. i want to rescue them all.
so even tho we are still hurting and our hearts are still broken, we have a new addition to the family to look forward to. i already have a name picked out.

[Nolamom]

Great danes are wonderful dogs, but not long-lived. Small dogs generally live much longer lives than larger doggies.

[llp]

Great danes are wonderful dogs, but not long-lived. Small dogs generally live much longer lives than larger doggies.

Actually mutts live the longest.....they haven't been bred to near extinction!

[Chelle DB]

My girlfriend volunteers at her local animal shelter two or three time a week to walk the dogs. She definitely loves it and finds it very rewarding. I'd recommend it to anyone if you have the time.

Volunteering is one of the most rewarding pleasures...which is why I'm perplexed at people who screw their face up and ask why I do it as though it's something to be ashamed of.

I lasted two weeks doing that - seriously.
I cried every time I left and wanted to bring them all home.
Mock at your leisure

I couldn't possibly work in an animal shelter knowing how many will not be adopted and what the consequences of that will be. I once brought home 4 kittens from a farm because the farmer was going to drown them - why he just didsn't get his cat desexed is beyond me but the kittens travelled 5 hours home with me only to have the vet say they all had cat flu or something and he put them down. Had I been able to save them I would but it was my mum who made that decision while I was at work - I've never had luck with cats and adore them so much.

Great danes are wonderful dogs, but not long-lived. Small dogs generally live much longer lives than larger doggies.

I love Danes - my uncle had a Dane that lived til he was 16y/o. My Bill has Arab Dane (as well as English Mastiff & Bull Mastiff) in him but because he's a big boy, (I don't think he's that big tho) we've been told the life expectancy is between 6 - 8 years...our big boy Major lived to see his 12th birthday and he was a mix of Boxer, Mastiff, Ridgeback & Staffy.

Actually mutts live the longest.....they haven't been bred to near extinction!

I love the mutts

[Celandine]

grayhounds are just too fragile looking. i feel like you could hurt them if you pet them too hard. actually i just sent in an application to adopt a great dane, 2-3 years old, male or female, don't care what color or if it has ears that stick up or not. they are known as gentle giants and they are cool dogs. we like our dogs big. the app. takes about 2 weeks to get approved. you need 2 references plus referral from your vet and they do a house visit before they approve you. that's like adopting a baby. i wish they did that for people who buy dogs. then maybe there wouldn't be as many unwanted pets in the shelters. i want to rescue them all.
so even tho we are still hurting and our hearts are still broken, we have a new addition to the family to look forward to. i already have a name picked out.

You must be getting some special Great Dane! Application? Sounds wonderful though and I hope you both are very happy once again. Losing a pet is the worst feeling and getting another will never replace those feelings, but it sure helps. Just think of the new memories you can now make.

[SWMBOTGSG]

You have to be careful with greyhounds. You can't let them off their lead out in public. They have been trained to chase small furry things. Tim's workmate has two and they have killed a couple of cats that strayed into their garden. Greyhounds have also been known to chase and kill small dogs. She volunteers for a greyhound rescue kennel and they recommend that the dogs not be let loose. They are actually quite lazy and make good couch potatoes.

Mumsey

[SWMBOTGSG]

Becky lost her black shepherd Jade last year, and they only waited a few days before going back to the rescue centre where they got her (and her predecessor-another shepherd called Boysie). They came away with a siberian husky named Lady. She is the sweetest dog I have ever met. How she came to be at a rescue centre I'll never know. All she wants is to be loved, stroked and played with. If I ever have a dog, it will be a rescue. There are so many out there and some of them have been so badly treated it hurts just to think of it. Good luck to you Mocha, and to your new fur-baby. Post piccies when you have it.

Mumsey