Sunday Selections #88

Welcome back to Sunday Selections!

Originally begun by Kim at Frog Ponds Rock as a way to show off old photos that have been languishing in your files, now continued by me.

Rules are very simple:
1. post photos (old or new) of your choice under the Sunday Selections title.
2. Link back to me.
3. Leave me a comment so that I know you've joined in.
(Then I can visit your blog and look at your photos).

This week, I am showing photos of some of the many pets I've had over the years.

Most recently.....Chippy, my Siamese Fighter.

Chippy was with me from January 2008 to mid 2010.

Chippy used to love to sleep nestled within the arm of his statue, until he got too big to fit.
Then he would sleep down near the coloured stones, close to the air bubbler.

Going back several years, while the kids were still at home, I had Harley.
A tiny orange (marmalade) tabby given to me by my daughter T.

Harley had his own toy kitty to play with, rose coloured, so I named her Rose.
Does anyone out there remember the song Harley and Rose?
I think it was sung by the Black Sorrows. Correct me if I'm wrong, I won't mind.

Harley and Rose.

We would toss Rose up onto the couch and Harley would wrestle her back on to the floor.

He loved climbing, as all cats do,

...but sometimes would just sit and watch the TV too.

J and Harley often played together.

And after long hours of playing...

....Harley would fall asleep just where I wanted to put my feet up.

When Harley was about three years old, he developed kidney disease and cost me quite a bit in vet fees. Then the vet told me he would have to stay on a special diet for the rest of his days, a highly priced, available only from the vet, special diet. I was on my own by then, with the kids and couldn't afford it. I had Harley put down and cried for days.

Before Harley, there was....

Mad Max the third. This is the dog who turned on me one day when I disciplined him, I still have marks on my arms from his teeth and claws. He was always a bit timid and became a "fear biter". I had him put down the very next day.  Sad, but necessary. We lived in a street where there were many small children, I couldn't risk him getting out and attacking one.

Even earlier still.....


Mad Max the second.
BEST DOG EVER!!  He learned very quickly which day was shopping day and would hang his paws over the garden gate waiting for us to arrive home with his beef shin bone.

 As a puppy aged just ten months he saved our home from burglars, keeping them at bay even after they hit him on the head, until the woman next door called the police. She'd glanced out her window to see why he was making such a racket. We were at work and were called home by an officer who informed us that the burglars had broken into several houses that day, but had been captured thanks to our Max holding them off and the woman next door calling the police. Thanks, Lyn.


When Max was three years old, we had to sell our house (don't ask) and move to a rental. They didn't allow pets, so we gave Max away to a lovely family who already had two dogs of their own and children for him to play with.  We heard later that he settled in very well and was happy, treating his new family the same way he had treated us.
I still miss this dog very much.  He'd be 25 now....










Comments

  1. Some might be critical about putting pets down, but it is only being practical. Spending thousands on pets, as some do, is really questionable. Like kids, I expect, some pets really enter your heart.

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  2. Should mad max the second still be alive today he would be 175 years old in human years, mind boggling indeed.

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  3. Hi River, here's my post :) Great that you are bringing Sunday Selections back. http://sleepydwarf.blogspot.com.au/2012/09/east-coast-retreat-sunday-selections.html

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  4. I still miss our "best dog ever" too. He was only 7 when we had to put him down, it was one of the saddest times of my life.

    Mad Max the second looks like a wonderful dog. That is such a fantastic story about him saving your house :)

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  5. A lovely post, but I have quite a lot of tears as well. They wind their paws deep into your heart strings don't they.
    I grew up with German Shepherds and learnt to walk pulling myself up on the dog's tail. He was apparently supremely patient and walked at a speed I could cope with. I also teethen on his ears - and all he did was turn his head and look sad. Someone baited him - tossed the bait over a ten foot fence into his yard. Grr.

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  6. What beautiful animals, even MM3. I love marmalade cats.

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  7. It's so hard to let go of critters that you love

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  8. They live in our hearts forever don't they?

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  9. If I spend thousands to save a dog's life what the hell business is it of yours Androo?
    How should I spend it, homo attire and cosmetics?

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  10. Andrew; I'm not happy at putting pets down just because you're sick of them, or any other sill reason, but when it's a lifelong expense facing you, or putting others at risk, I see it as the only sensible thing to do. if I'd been able to afford the specialised diet my kitty needed, I wouldn't have put him down. I'm looking forward to another cat as soon as I retire.

    Windsmoke; 175!! Holy cow!! I bet he's bossing around all the carers and other doggies up in doggie heaven.

    sleepydwarf; I'll check your post the minute I finish here, lovely to have you joining in. I'm going to miss Max2 for the rest of my life.

    EC; I grew up with German Shepherds too, Dad always named them Ace. We always had a cat, a dog and a galah. Dogs can be trained to not eat anything you haven't handed them.

    Joanne Noragon; they are/were all beautiful. my first marmalade cat was when I was 5, I named him Ginger, since then I've had black/grey tabbies or plain black cats, with one exception, a smoky grey fluffy kitty which I named Shadow.

    peskypixies; yes, it is. I get teary thinking of Max2 even after all these years.

    Delores; that's why our hearts are so big.

    R.H. play nice or stay home.

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  11. You should see the dirty email I copped from this pansy.

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  12. The vet bill for one of my dogs was $2,463. I paid it.
    MY decision.

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  13. I still miss Felix, our marmalade cat who stayed with a house we sold a few years ago. He looked just like your orange cat - so many memories!!

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  14. R.H. if the dog lived a happy, uncomplicated life after that, then it was money well spent. i was broke at the time, with two kids still in school, the cat had to go.

    Red Nomad; I have great memories of all my pets. Felix is a great name. Remember the Felix the Cat cartoon?

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  15. I'm not having a go at you about the cat.

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  16. The dog I'm holding up in the photo broke her right hind leg where it curves. The break was near the joint and there wasn't enough bone at the joint to knit it so two pins had to be put in. A bow-tie professor came down from Werribee vet college to do the job.
    There's a bulge in the bone where the break was and the leg is slightly bent outwards but there's no disability. I'd been told that without surgery the dog would have 'carried the leg' the rest of its life and been better put down.

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  17. R.H. I knew you weren't "having a go", I was just explaining my reasons.
    I'm glad your dog was saved by surgery, did she live a long time?

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  18. For all the animals we've loved and lost, eh. My dog cost me $2k when he got run over at 1 years old. Devestating it was. He bounced back though (amazingly) and is still going strong at 8... but I figure he's had all his money up front! :) You have to draw the line somewhere. As horrible as it is.

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  19. My dogs live in comfort, they die of old age.

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  20. "OOOOOH!" they say, "He spent all that money on a dog!!!"

    Yes, but it's trustworthy, unpretentious, funnier than you.

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  21. CarrieBoo; I'm glad your dog is well and still going strong. Do you have vet/pet insurance now?

    R.H. Living in comfort to old age is great.

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