Is there a 12-Step Program for Dog Addiction (Canine Dogs, that is)

[Totally Judy]

What is wrong with me? I see a picture of a beautiful Lhasa Apso older puppy, and I have to get her. I must have an addiction. I don't know where to go to seek help.

I stayed home from work yesterday - took a Mental Health Day. So around noon I check out Facebook, and right there, taunting me, is this photo:

Not only is she a gorgeous Lhasa Apso, she is a BLACK Lhasa Apso. Blacks are my most favorite color for Lhasa Apsos. My first 4 were Blacks. Then a white/gold, and a black/white. I found a breeder who had gorgeous Blacks, and I knew that my next Lhasa Apso was going to be a Black from her.

Nope. I got a Lhasa Apso from her 4 years ago, but she was an imperfect show-dog, bite was not breed standard, and she would NOT show for the breeder, just dropped her tail all around the show ring. This was Sophie, my gold sable, who I took to the National Specialty in 2007 and she took 3rd Place in her class, right behind her two littermate sisters who took 1st and 2nd. Some imperfect show dog she turned out to be, huh? While I was there, I saw a woman I knew who had 2 puppies, one was black and the other was NOT black. Cute puppies.

Then I get home from the National Specialty, and realize that the breeder I wanted to get a Black from may never have a companion Black available for me. So I ended up buying the Black puppy I saw at the National. So I got a Black, but from a different breeder - that would be Ninja Dancer, aka Mongo.

So last year I rescued a cream sable Lhasa Apso from the Shelter. A genetic nightmare, but she was so sweet. I couldn't let her be euthanized. I named her Weezie because she has a congenital lung problem and wheezes all the time.

Now I am up to 5 dogs, and I'm only allowed to have 4, or I need to get a kennel license. Sheesh - they are all spay/neutered, what is the problem? So one is registered with the County to my next door neighbor. But Weezie visits me often (24/7!).

So, back to yesterday and Facebook. I see this apsolutely gorgeous Black. And I know the breeder very well. In fact, she had my Dancer before he was named Dancer - she had renamed him Disco because she didn't like his name of Tango. He was the pick of his litter and was going to be a kick-butt show dog. Oops. Another imperfect show dog. One of his testes had not descended - which disqualified him. That is why I had seen him at the National Specialty - he had been a returned item - open box.

So meet Midnight Confession, call name "Whisper." She is practically perfect in every way, except that her bite is opposite the breed standard for a Lhasa Apso. Another imperfect show dog. She has to go to a pet home. That would be MY home! I need her. She is a Black! She is MY Black. Her face was only on Facebook for 15 minutes before I said, "I'll take her! Send me an email!"

Oh, small problem. She is in Illinois. I'm in California. Yesterday I posted a thread looking for a way to get her from Illinois to California. She arrives July 15th at LAX with my sister who is flying in from Illinois for our family reunion.

Why do I need 6 dogs? I now have a 6-Pack! But I will have 2 Blacks! Neither of them from the breeder of Blacks who I thought I would get my Black(s) from.

Sigh. Someone shoot me in the head.

But I am gonna love this sweet little girl. Sh-h-h-h-h-h.... whisper.

 

[Bob W]

I love dogs too. But that's not a dog.

A Great Pyrenees on the other hand, now that's a dog!

Seriously, congratulations on the new pet. :thumbup:

 

[Alann45]

Is there a 12-Step Program for Dog Addiction

I think you have to take the "Just Say No" approach, rather than the 12-step.
When I was a kid I accumulated 6 strays who followed me everywhere. Ranged from a Chihuahua to a Great Dane.

If I'm around one for long it seems wind up at home with me. Now I just run and hide when I see a new one.

I love dogs too. But that's not a dog.

Aw c'mon, its adorable. You know it would look great sitting in your lap.
Mom got a miniature poodle at one time to keep her company, didn't exactly thrill me not being a "mans" dog...but whose bed did it wind up sleeping in? Mine, of course. Smartest dang dog I ever owned.
Only thing I put my foot down about was the groomer putting ribbons on his ears.

A Great Pyrenees on the other hand, now that's a dog!

It is! And a handsome breed.

 

[dalefuller]

Actually, dog addiction isn't a "problem". It's the state of bliss one enters when one finally and fully understands the real purpose of humanity. Like the "Westminster"(named after the dog show, I'm sure) Catechism says: "What is the true purpose of humanity?" "The true purpose of humanity is to love dogs and to enjoy them forever." After all... "god" is simply "dog" spelled backwards.

 

[Totally Judy]

I love dogs too. But that's not a dog.

A Great Pyrenees on the other hand, now that's a dog!

Seriously, congratulations on the new pet. :thumbup:

I think Great Pyr's are wonderful, big, snuggly dogs. And Whisper isn't a dog... she's a Bitch!

I think you have to take the "Just Say No" approach, rather than the 12-step.

I say "NO" all the time when people ask me if I want a dog. And several Lhasa Apso breeders have told me over the past several years that they had puppies available. I wasn't interested. But the moment I saw Whisper's photo - I wanted her. And it just so happened she needed a home. Want + Need = Whisper will be mine!

Actually, dog addiction isn't a "problem". It's the state of bliss one enters when one finally and fully understands the real purpose of humanity. Like the "Westminster"(named after the dog show, I'm sure) Catechism says: "What is the true purpose of humanity?" "The true purpose of humanity is to love dogs and to enjoy them forever." After all... "god" is simply "dog" spelled backwards.

I couldn't agree more! You will enjoy this video:

[youtube]H17edn_RZoY[/youtube]

 

[Alann45]

I say "NO" all the time when people ask me if I want a dog. And several Lhasa Apso breeders have told me over the past several years that they had puppies available. I wasn't interested. But the moment I saw Whisper's photo - I wanted her. And it just so happened she needed a home. Want + Need = Whisper will be mine!

I believe the "No" has two parts, the second, and probably most important, is saying NO to yourself.
I take the run and hide approach, because I know I will break down given the slightist excuse.

In this case, I think you made a great decision (like you had a choice ). Whisper should be a wonderful addition to the family.

 

[Totally Judy]

I believe the "No" has two parts, the second, and probably most important, is saying NO to yourself.
I take the run and hide approach, because I know I will break down given the slightist excuse.

In this case, I think you made a great decision (like you had a choice ). Whisper should be a wonderful addition to the family.

Normally, I limit my pack to 4 dogs. Weezie was a rescue who I placed with my neighbor, but she couldn't deal with her, so I had to take her into my pack. But I couldn't allow her to be euthanized - she deserved a good home.

I have no interest in other breeds, or mixed breeds, at least not since I was given my first Lhasa Apso 24 years ago. So it is not a problem for me to say no, and I don't even have to run and hide! I just say, "Sorry, I already have 4 (now 5) dogs."

I really was not looking to add another dog to my pack, especially since I am already over my self-imposed pack limit of 4. Whisper was just one of those situations that happens when everything happens for a reason and just fall into place. And you are right, I really didn't have a choice! It is a very good decision. In another couple of years, I'll be down to a pack of 3 or 4, depending on how Willy, DJ, and Weezie's health goes - they all have some issues - either natural aging problems (arthritis), and then Weezie with her bad lung and other genetic problems.

Whisper is a win for me!

 

[Bob W]

Aw c'mon, its adorable. You know it would look great sitting in your lap.
Mom got a miniature poodle at one time to keep her company, didn't exactly thrill me not being a "mans" dog...but whose bed did it wind up sleeping in? Mine, of course. Smartest dang dog I ever owned.

Oh I'm sure they're nice, but you'd have to staple a dozen of 'em together to make a regular-sized dog.

Only thing I put my foot down about was the groomer putting ribbons on his ears.

Good for you! :thumbup:

 

[Bob W]

Normally, I limit my pack to 4 dogs. Weezie was a rescue who I placed with my neighbor, but she couldn't deal with her, so I had to take her into my pack. But I couldn't allow her to be euthanized - she deserved a good home.

Great story. And there's a special place in heaven for those who care for elderly dogs until their natural end.

I'm a jerk to people most of the time, but I make up for it by being nice to dogs.

 

[Codger_64]

Confession time. My Llewelyn Setter now has black vinyl nail caps.

Hey! They look spiffy! And they give him traction on my hardwood floors and protect me from his claws when we play. I have a "thin skin" condition on my hands and arms and it doesn't take much to get the blood flowing. My daughter is a groomer and she came up with the idea. I'd never heard of them but...

http://www.softpaws.net/

And no, my boy doesn't have ribbons in his hair. I did buy him a life jacket though. Damn. :foot:

 

[Alann45]

Confession time. My Llewelyn Setter now has black vinyl nail caps.

Jumping right past the initial response for laughs.....thats a dang clever idea!

I wish I'd known about it when I had my 60-pound Dalmation. When he wasn't chewing on the driveway (I swear), and we would rough house he would fight like a dang cat, I always had multiple huge scratches on my arms.

 

[Totally Judy]

When my dogs were being groomed by a professional groomer, I didn't even have ribbons put in their hair. However, the dogs in full coat (long) usually had their headfall banded in 2 "ponies." (like a top knot, but hair parted in the middle and the hair banded to fall over and to the side of the eyes.)

I did make an exception for Sophie 2 years ago when she was my "guest" at my boss' wedding reception. Attire for women was "Think Sex and the City." For men "Think Big" (as in Mr. Big - not Mr. Happy). So of course Sophie had to have an evening gown made for the occasion, with matching bows over each ear. It WAS a dressy occasion! Here's her picture from that evening:

She was so well-behaved. She wandered around the reception, greeting people. She did not potty one time until I stopped on our way home and she must have piddled for a full 5 minutes! The reception was held outdoors at my Vet's house (his wife and my boss' bride are best friends).

 

[WA Martin]

Bless your heart, Judy. At least you take in little dogs, instead of Heinz 57/58 mab mixes. I only have room for the two I've got. Wife doesn't understand why I want the next dog to be small!

 

[Totally Judy]

Bless your heart, Judy. At least you take in little dogs, instead of Heinz 57/58 mab mixes. I only have room for the two I've got. Wife doesn't understand why I want the next dog to be small!

I don't have anything AGAINST mixed breed dogs. I do think there are way too many lab/chow/pit/shepherd mixes, however. I wish people were more responsible and would get their dogs spayed/neutered.

Even though my munchkins are not mixed breeds, they are still dogs that needed a good pet home. And I did NOT buy them at a pet store, where most of the dogs are purchased from puppy mills. With the exception of Weezie, the shelter rescue, all of my munchkins came from breeder homes, and I'm not talking backyard breeders, either. The situation, time, and place were all such that my munchkins needed a pet home at a time I was ready to add a dog, but wasn't looking for one. Except for Sophie. I have been waiting for her breeder to have a litter in the future that might have a pet dog I could get, as this breeder's dogs are almost exclusiving sold to show homes. Sophie was supposed to be a show dog, but since she wouldn't show and her bite turned, the breeder asked me if I would consider taking in an older puppy instead of one from a new litter, because she couldn't go to the show home where she was promised. The breeder had to send that show home the show puppy she had intended to keep for herself to show. Of course, Sophie and I proved her wrong when we went to the National Specialty and Sophie placed 3rd behind her 2 littermate sisters! A show dog reject who kicked a$$ at the annual National Specialty. And then I had her spayed the next month!

I know I'm over my limit for dogs. But I am not a dog collector - one of those women who takes in every dog that she sees and ends up with 30-40-50 dogs she can't care for. Weezie I just could not leave in the shelter to be euthanized, and I twisted my neighbor's arm to adopt her, with me paying for all of her adoption fees, and then all of the medical treatment for her pneumonia. She ended up costing more than I am paid for Dancer and Whisper combined, just to get her well. But I don't begrudge a penny of it. Like I already said, Weezie had done nothing wrong and deserved a good home. She had been bred early and often, which caused a calcium deficiency and she has a sway back. The congential defects in her front and rear legs are sad - she should never have been bred at all. And then with her congenital lung issue, she's a physical mess. I won't pay to have part of her lung removed. She is happy and doesn't know she isn't normal, and she just wants to be part of the team. And I couldn't blame my neighbor for being frustrated with Weezie, because Weezie kept urinating on her carpet, even though she had a doggie door. At my house, she still urinates on the floor once in a while, but I found that she only does that after Dancer has marked somewhere (kitchen tile floor - easy to clean).

Of course Whisper is a dog I couldn't pass up. She also needed a good home, but it didn't HAVE to be my home. I could not pass up such a well bred BLACK female. I don't know if you watch the Westminster Dog Show when it is on in February, but the Lhasa Apso who went to Group for Lhasa Apsos in 2008 and 2009 is Whisper's Great-Grandfather. She has a fantastic pedigree. Whisper will be spayed when she is 1-year old (October). Even if she comes in season before then, my males are all neutered, so there will be no litter. I have a large metal kennel I can separate her in during that time.

I will NOT breed any dog and possibly add to the numbers of pure-bred dogs already in shelters who need homes.

 

[dalefuller]

...I couldn't agree more! You will enjoy this video:

[youtube]H17edn_RZoY[/youtube]

You're right... I did. And I shared the Youtube link with several others who'll enjoy it as well.

Thanks!

 

[mr2blue]

Congrats.

I like dogs better than people

 

[jill jackson]

I like dogs and only people that like dogs. If somebody really doesn't like dogs, I find it very difficult to trust them.

 

[Alann45]

I like dogs and only people that like dogs. If somebody really doesn't like dogs, I find it very difficult to trust them.

Have to admit I am probably a little suspicious of folks who don't like dogs. If they were scared or bitten as I child I can understand it, but otherwise I don't get it.

I'm not really a "cat person", but I'll scratch and pet almost any I come across.

I love most animals, even the African Grey parrot I lived with for 10 years, who screamed and had a hissy fit whenever he had to deal with me, and I was the one who trained him!