Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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Ok, I am sitting here crying over something so silly. I knew you would all understand. I have always had a sort of hope that Ty would send my a dog. It would somehow just show up. So today, I get home, put away my groceries and took down my clothes that were on the clothesline. The weather has been wonderful here. So with it being 2 days until 4 months that Ty left, I guess I am just extra sensitive. So, I see my 2 dogs go running around the house towards the driveway. Here was the family that boards their horse at our barn. Guess what is sticking out of their car window. You guessed it, a Black Lab head. Well, I am almost in tears at this point. I had just been thinking, not logically, that maybe my husband was going to surprise me on my b-day. they actually had 2 dogs, the other was a sort of Poodle looking dog. I only had eyes for the Lab. They said they had found them in the road. They were going to go straight to the shelter, but could not do it without giving me a chance to see this pup. Now we live in a pretty rural area so I started thinking that they have to belong to someone. They had collars, but no tags. The Lab seemed a bit thin and looked to be a year old or so. Still intact. He got along famously with my 2 and he gave me the best hug. Actually jumped up and put his front legs around my neck. I know, bad manners....but...Something just did not feel right. If they had not had collars, then maybe. I knew what I had to do. I started knocking on doors. I found where they live. They did not look pampered by any means and no one was home at the house. I am not sure that they had not been outside loose all day. The guy's neighbor said "oh yeah that is Hank and Molly. I will watch them till he gets home." I asked if he thought maybe the owner would consider giving Hank away, but he said "No way! He wont give up Hank!" As much as I do not think these dogs were quite taken care of the way I would, I could not in good conscience, basically steal someone else's dog to fill a hole in my heart. I cannot break someone else's heart to fix mine. I was really hoping though that I would not have any luck finding where they belonged. I hope this brings a lesson home to the owners, get tags and most important, do not go away and let your dogs run loose and unattended. the next person may not be so honest. Notice that I just thought I would be allowed to keep him if the owner was not found, hey my husband could not have said NO to a gift from Ty now could he. It was not the right time, not the right dog, but for a few moments, it sure felt like it was.
TY GUY, Best Black Lab ever! Diagnosed and had amp in January, 2014. Kicked MRSA's butt. Earned his angel wings on April 16, 2014. Run Free my boy and don't forget a shoe. Ty is a proud member of the " April Angels". Ty sent us Daryl, a Tripawd rescue in Sept. of 2016. Daryl is 5 +or -. We are also Pawrents to Chandler, a Border Collie mix who is 15 and 1/2, Lucy, a Corgi who is 7, 2 minis, 2 horses, and a feisty cat named Zoe. Zoe had a non skeletal Osteosarcoma removed in July 2015. No Chemo, she was at least 16. She is going strong although she is now completely blind. She is now close to 20 and her hobbies are eating and sleeping in front of her personal heater.
Lori,
Nope, Ty hasn't found the perfect pup yet........these kinds of situations with dogs drive me insane, too. I just have to accept that not everyone cares for their pets the way we do, or the way we think they should. While they may not be neglected per se', sometimes I feel like they surely don't get the love and attention that they deserve.
You will get that Ty-sent new pup love in your life, don't worry. I know Polly will send mine as well, but I have decided to fly by the seat of my pants, and not pursue any pups at this point......Polly was my one and only pup, that came to me very unplanned, and spur of the moment, and she was THEE BEST dog I will probably ever have. So, I will wait until that unplanned, spur of the moment pup comes into my life again.
Love,
Bonnie & Angel Polly
Oh Lori... that stuff makes me bat crazy MAD too.... people like that shouldn't have dogs! But I digress...I can certainly understand that feeling... Ty is still looking. He wants to make sure you have the perfect pup! And he knows that Lucy and Chandler are taking care of you for now (as Pearl is for Bonnie). I think Shelby sent me Jasper so quickly because she hated to see me so sad all the time and being lazy and not having much desire to be outside - at all. I literally would go an entire weekend w/out leaving the apt or talking to anyone else. Shelby knew that wasn't my personality so she threw me a real challenge! 🙂
I know that the perfect pooch will show up when you least expect it! Until then we can look for dimes, pennies and rhinestones! XOXO
Alison with the Spirit of Shelby fur-ever in her heart (and little Jasper too)
Shelby Lynne; Jack Russell/Shiba Inu mix. Proud member of the April Angels of 2014.
October 15, 2000 to April 8, 2014
Our story: Broke rear leg in June 2013 - non-conclusive results for cancer so leg was plated and pinned. Enlarged spleen in September 2013 and had it removed and was diagnosed with Hemangiosarcoma and started chemotherapy. Became a Tripawd January 8th, 2014 and definitive Hemangiosarcoma diagnosis. Three major surgeries in 7 months and Shelby took them all like a champ only to lose her battle to cancer in her brain. We had 8 amazing extra months together and no regrets. #shelbystrong #loveofmylife
OKAAAY...fess up! When exactly is your birthday? I know one thing, Ty had his name stamped on your heart the day you were born...and his yours on his the day he was born!
Gosh, you and Bonnie both have had a couple of close calls as far as bringing a new doggy into your lives. I know I hit a couple ofclosed dorrs when I was looking. Of course, that's because Happy Hannah had Merry Myrtle picked out all along.
I KNOW Tys choice will appear so k n! I just know it!
HUBBY!!! For the love of goD...bring a Lab puppy hime...P L E A S E !!!!
You had me hoping your hubby was pulling off an very elaborate prank, and in the end, Hank would be yours! Counting on you hubby...come on. not too late!
HAP P Y BIRTHDAY LORI! We are all mighty glad you were born!
Love!
Sally and Happy Hannah and Merry Myrtle too!
Happy Hannah had a glorious additional bonus time of over one yr & two months after amp for osteo! She made me laugh everyday! Joined April's Angels after send off meal of steak, ice cream, M&Ms & deer poop!
Well, when my hubby got home last night, I started to tell him the story. He was in a pretty grumpy mood and basically told me to just get to the end. Well, that just set me over the edge. I just outright bawled. He said' "oh, did you want to keep him?" well....duh!!( sorry) Of course I wanted to keep him. I think this dog showed up maybe just to push the door open for my husband a bit more. I have been sort of watching a 6 month old pup on Petfinder. He is a Lab Collie mix. I looked last night to see if he was still there. He is. The only thing is, is that you basically adopt these dogs sight unseen. In other words, if I were to be approved, he would be sent to PA and I would just go get him. I, myself, don't really have a real problem with that, but my husband said that his fear is, that the "connection" (his words) wouldn't be there and I would take him just because I felt bad for him or did not want to see him put to sleep. He is in a no kill shelter or I would have probably already been there. I have to wait until after the 26th, as they won't adopt a dog to a home that has an unsprayed/unneutered pet. Lucy is going on the 26th for that. I just don't know what to do. Is it fair to Chandler, my 11 year old dog to add another? He seemed so happy to see Hank last night. Sort of tore at my heart a bit. Did he, at first think it was TY? the beauty of the situation last night is it was taken out of my hands. This dog just was here. I did not go actively seeking him. So, my husband is softening a bit, I think....And poor Hank, he would have had a total 360 name change. No offense to anybody here who has a dog named Hank, just not a name I will probably ever use. The pup on Petfinder is named McCormick, how cute is that? I would call him Mickey for short. Lori and Ty
TY GUY, Best Black Lab ever! Diagnosed and had amp in January, 2014. Kicked MRSA's butt. Earned his angel wings on April 16, 2014. Run Free my boy and don't forget a shoe. Ty is a proud member of the " April Angels". Ty sent us Daryl, a Tripawd rescue in Sept. of 2016. Daryl is 5 +or -. We are also Pawrents to Chandler, a Border Collie mix who is 15 and 1/2, Lucy, a Corgi who is 7, 2 minis, 2 horses, and a feisty cat named Zoe. Zoe had a non skeletal Osteosarcoma removed in July 2015. No Chemo, she was at least 16. She is going strong although she is now completely blind. She is now close to 20 and her hobbies are eating and sleeping in front of her personal heater.
Lori,
I first want to wish you Happy Birthday for the upcoming day. Second, hubbies can be a little dense sometimes but we love them anyway! I'm glad yours is softening to the idea of bringing another pup into the fold...thankfully I didn't have much of a fight with mine when we found Lucian.
I know your next special pup will find its way to your home eventually. Finding patience can be hard when we want something so much but trust in your beloved Ty that's he's finding a perfect match to fit in with your pack. Although it was a close call with Hank I think Ty made sure somebody recognized Hank so he got back to his owner...even though from the sounds of things it may not have been the best home for Hank and Molly.
I'll ask Leland to give Ty a little help in finding the perfect match...two pairs of eyes have to be better than one right?
Hang in there Lori your next fur baby is coming.
Hugs!
Sahana and her Angel Leland
November 17, 2009 - June 30, 2014
May you finally be healthy and running free at the Rainbow Bridge. Until we meet again my sweet boy!
Okay, so maybe this little "preview" of things to come was to give your husband a wake-up call....heeeeeeellooooo..Lori is ready for a dog!!!!
I think Chandler would welcome Mickey McCormick!! Lucy will try and be his Nanny Nurse.
Yeah, I understand the connection thing on your husband's part...but .....shhhhhhh...........we already know Mickey will really be your dog anyway.
HUBBY! You'd better hurry up and get that Lab puppy!!! Mickey's packing his bags!!!
Happy Hannah had a glorious additional bonus time of over one yr & two months after amp for osteo! She made me laugh everyday! Joined April's Angels after send off meal of steak, ice cream, M&Ms & deer poop!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!
And what better gift to get yourself.... the knowledge that you are now ready to open your heart to another!!!!
This was just a test.. you know that... It's unfortunate that these two pups have owners that don't spoil them rotton like I know you would.. and besides... what would happen to poor Polly if you kept Hank? They are obviously buddies and help each other cope through the day!
I think this test was to make yourself realize that you are ready.. and your hubby is realizing it too!
Christine... with Franklin in her heart♥
Franklin, he was the Happiest Dog on Three Legs! Diagnosed 09/26/2012 with Osteosarcoma, amputated 12/4/2012. Had a wonderful 5 1/2 months painfree until he ran for the Bridge on 5/15/2013. Always in my heart, and always a guardian angel of my pack... You can follow his Tripawd Adventures, before and after, in my blog, Frank'n'Farter!
I hope you have a great birthday tomorrow Lori! And who knows, maybe that Mickey pup WILL be the one. I'm so sorry you had to go through such a tough test with the other dog, but it's all for a greater good. Time will tell, as they say, it's just so hard to wait!
As for not knowing if that connection is there...I think if you're an animal lover, you can connect with any dog who just wants love, to please humans and just get lots of praise and care in return. It's a scary leap of faith, but I'm sure there are some clauses that will let you return Micky IF things don't work out. I would ask!
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Thanks all! The connection thing does not really bother me. I just LOVE dogs! Actually most animals. I was holding a rabbit the other day at the fair that was dog sized. For sale too, but I knew if I got that rabbit......well you know. Lucy was a genuine PITA for a long time. She chewed up my furniture and pillows. She herded me which resulted in nips and bruises on my calves. She peed on anything soft and pooped pretty much everywhere else. In spite of all of this, I just could not give her away. It took forever, but she is now quite the lady. I did have to confine her to the back end of my house. She is not allowed in the living room unless I am right there to watch her. She wants nothing more from life than to be where I am and FOOD, she even lays on the bathroom floor waiting for me to get out of the shower in the morning. Most people are saying why in the heck do you need another dog? You have 2. I just may tell them I have some leftover love squeezing out and I need a furry boy to receive it.
TY GUY, Best Black Lab ever! Diagnosed and had amp in January, 2014. Kicked MRSA's butt. Earned his angel wings on April 16, 2014. Run Free my boy and don't forget a shoe. Ty is a proud member of the " April Angels". Ty sent us Daryl, a Tripawd rescue in Sept. of 2016. Daryl is 5 +or -. We are also Pawrents to Chandler, a Border Collie mix who is 15 and 1/2, Lucy, a Corgi who is 7, 2 minis, 2 horses, and a feisty cat named Zoe. Zoe had a non skeletal Osteosarcoma removed in July 2015. No Chemo, she was at least 16. She is going strong although she is now completely blind. She is now close to 20 and her hobbies are eating and sleeping in front of her personal heater.
Hey,
What's wrong with the name of Hank? It's a macho, testosterone filled name. I felt bad for you and was going to send you my Hank but I think you would never forgive me. I hadn't gotten a name tag for Hank yet so I put Maggie's collar and tag on him. He's really confused now. I bet when you least expect it your dog will appear and it will all fall into place.
Penny, Macho Hank, Blink and Forever Maggie
I was just waiting to see Penny's reply!
MACHO HANK,......only real.men can wear a girl's collar with a girl's name.on it!
And the song in my ead that won't stop!.....
MACHO,.MACHO, MACHO MAN....I WANNA BE A MACHO MAN!
Lori, I love getting to know Lucy better.and better through your posts! She is quite the character! And Im with you...you can never have too many dogs!!
Happy Hannah had a glorious additional bonus time of over one yr & two months after amp for osteo! She made me laugh everyday! Joined April's Angels after send off meal of steak, ice cream, M&Ms & deer poop!
Happy Birthday Lori!!!!
I love hearing the stories about Lucy too. She sounds like quite the character who has worked her way into your heart and home (albeit limited areas). I still LOL @ the 'cowgirl life was not for her'. I think if it works out with Mickey, you will indeed find the love in your heart for this little guy.... I really believe that rescue dogs know they were rescued and work so hard to be a good dog (Jasper is doing better and my Shelby was a PITA for the first 6 - 7 years of her life - I loved her passionately but boy oh boy was she a PITA)!
Happy Day!!!!
XOXO
Shelby Lynne; Jack Russell/Shiba Inu mix. Proud member of the April Angels of 2014.
October 15, 2000 to April 8, 2014
Our story: Broke rear leg in June 2013 - non-conclusive results for cancer so leg was plated and pinned. Enlarged spleen in September 2013 and had it removed and was diagnosed with Hemangiosarcoma and started chemotherapy. Became a Tripawd January 8th, 2014 and definitive Hemangiosarcoma diagnosis. Three major surgeries in 7 months and Shelby took them all like a champ only to lose her battle to cancer in her brain. We had 8 amazing extra months together and no regrets. #shelbystrong #loveofmylife
You know Penny, I don't think it was really the name Hank. I think it was the fact that when the neighbor said, oh yeah that is Hank. I knew in that moment that this was not meant to be. I think any name would have been the same for me. Hey, I have a dog named Chandler, who am I to name discriminate. LOL I was having these visions of posting pictures on here. Look what Ty sent me and in that moment when I heard the name Hank, well, I had to stop thinking of what I was going to name this guy. It will all work out, I just need to wait and be patient. Lori and Ty
TY GUY, Best Black Lab ever! Diagnosed and had amp in January, 2014. Kicked MRSA's butt. Earned his angel wings on April 16, 2014. Run Free my boy and don't forget a shoe. Ty is a proud member of the " April Angels". Ty sent us Daryl, a Tripawd rescue in Sept. of 2016. Daryl is 5 +or -. We are also Pawrents to Chandler, a Border Collie mix who is 15 and 1/2, Lucy, a Corgi who is 7, 2 minis, 2 horses, and a feisty cat named Zoe. Zoe had a non skeletal Osteosarcoma removed in July 2015. No Chemo, she was at least 16. She is going strong although she is now completely blind. She is now close to 20 and her hobbies are eating and sleeping in front of her personal heater.
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