As I get older, I worry about what would happen to my dog Seymour if I died alone in my house. Now, I don't mind the fact that I was alone, or that I died necessarily, since we all have to sometime, but I do think about what would happen to Seymour if no one found me for a few days.
I mentioned to my daughter that sometimes I leave my bedroom door ajar so that if I died, Seymour would be able to leave the room and find his food and water. But I don't always do that. Matter of factly my daughter responded, "Don't worry, he'd eat you." Becoming a meal wasn't something that was a concern - before. Now it is. Thanks.
Being pragmatic, I guess it could happen since he would have to survive some way. So, should I bring a big bowl of water into the bedroom each night now? Or should I bring food and water and stave off his animal instincts a bit? But would he choose kibble over fatty protein? Should I eat a lot of garlic each night to make me less tasty - or would he like garlic? Is garlic bad for dogs?
Even during play, Seymour has never even accidentally bit me, so he doesn't know what I taste like. He does lick me a lot. . . could licking be his appetizer? It might just be my imagination, but sometimes I see him looking at me and licking his lips.
Luckily, Seymour is only 7 pounds and not a big eater so even if my daughter didn't come looking for me for a couple of days, I think I would be left mostly intact.
If Seymour died before me, I know I wouldn't eat him, so I can only hope that he would give me the same consideration. Besides, I'm working on being the pack leader and that should have some benefits.
Thanks, dear daughter, for reminding me that I am edible. I needed a new worry. I was running low on them!
Monday, April 19, 2010
Friday, April 16, 2010
Pets for Adoption
I am not looking for another pet but I have to admit I check out the "Pets for Adoption" websites. I think there needs to be rules on those websites. The first one being "If you can not spell your pet's breed, you can't post an ad". Seriously, when I have to sound out the letters to try to figure out what type of dog it is, something is seriously wrong. "Chiouou"? "Spits"? "Dacksun"? Are those really your pets or should I check under the "Lost Pets" ads to see if any of the pictures match? Are they names for "designer dogs" I didn't know about? "Chihuahua + Hound"? "Spitting dog?" "Duck + something fancy"? Or are they all just fancy names for mutts? But it makes me question a $350 rehoming fee for a "Dacksun"? If you want that much, I would think you have some paperwork that shows the correct spelling for the breed.
OK, now that my blood pressure is going back down, the next rule is that I want to know why you are re-homing your perfect pet? Sometimes, I have to read the ads a few times to try to get a clue. If they were honest, their ads would read:
"Beautiful 3 month male Dacksun. Friendly to everyone, crate trained, potty trained, very protective of me. Comes with food, crate and ear plugs."
"One year old Chiouou. Loves to play, needs energetic family. Only barks when it first meets people - or other dogs - or cats - or it's food bowl. Mostly potty trained. Have papers."
"Two year old Spits. Need to rehome by tonight. Great dog but doesn't like men or children and I have a date with a single father tonight."
The last rule would be that the rehoming fee should be less than your rent. What is with a "$450 rehoming fee" to ensure that they go to a good home? Really? It sounds more like you are ensuring that you can keep your good home. I think there have been so many complaints about high rehoming fees that now people write "there is a rehoming fee, contact me for more information". To me, that's like walking into a high end dress shop and not being able to find the prices on the clothes. If they aren't priced, I can't afford them. If I have to call someone to find out the rehoming fee, I better have my loan officer waiting in the wings.
If I ever do get another pet, I will go to a shelter where I know the animals have been checked out physically, emotionally, and given some training - and I know the fees up front. They even sometimes have sales. My dog, Seymour was a "1/2 price" dog from a shelter. He was the best bargain I ever found.
But I still read the ads.
OK, now that my blood pressure is going back down, the next rule is that I want to know why you are re-homing your perfect pet? Sometimes, I have to read the ads a few times to try to get a clue. If they were honest, their ads would read:
"Beautiful 3 month male Dacksun. Friendly to everyone, crate trained, potty trained, very protective of me. Comes with food, crate and ear plugs."
"One year old Chiouou. Loves to play, needs energetic family. Only barks when it first meets people - or other dogs - or cats - or it's food bowl. Mostly potty trained. Have papers."
"Two year old Spits. Need to rehome by tonight. Great dog but doesn't like men or children and I have a date with a single father tonight."
The last rule would be that the rehoming fee should be less than your rent. What is with a "$450 rehoming fee" to ensure that they go to a good home? Really? It sounds more like you are ensuring that you can keep your good home. I think there have been so many complaints about high rehoming fees that now people write "there is a rehoming fee, contact me for more information". To me, that's like walking into a high end dress shop and not being able to find the prices on the clothes. If they aren't priced, I can't afford them. If I have to call someone to find out the rehoming fee, I better have my loan officer waiting in the wings.
If I ever do get another pet, I will go to a shelter where I know the animals have been checked out physically, emotionally, and given some training - and I know the fees up front. They even sometimes have sales. My dog, Seymour was a "1/2 price" dog from a shelter. He was the best bargain I ever found.
But I still read the ads.
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