Caring for a Three Legged Dog or Cat
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On this Thanksgiving Day, for some reason, I remembered a story that I read a long time ago. For those of us who have lost our best buddies and for all the best buddies we will lose in the future..(.because as Fortis' dad pointed out recently, "Life is a series of dogs."), after the dinner is done and the leftovers stowed and the company has gone home, take some time and read "The Road to Tinkhamtown" by Corey Ford:
http://www.fiel.....page=0%2C0
If anyone has a "dog" story or "dog" book that really made you think, or smile, or cry, or laugh, or gave you hope, I would really like to know about it. Everybody in this community has to have at least one. Let's make a list.
Happy, Happy Thanksgiving to all my tripawd family!
Spirit Opie's Mom
Great idea - I think my all time favorite is Jimmy Stewarts' poem about his dog Beau
Shanna & Spirit Trouble ~ Trouble gained her wings 3/16/2011, a 27 1/2 month cancer survivor, tail wagging. RIP sweetheart, you are my heart and soul. Run free at Rainbow Bridge.
The November Five - Spirits Max, Cherry, Tika, Trouble & Nova. 11/2008 - 3/2013 An era ends as Queen Nova crossed the Bridge.
That is a really wonderful story. That is how I feel. I can be more of myself around my dog then with anyone else. My husband loves me no matter what but I can sometimes be irritating. I don't think Sammy has ever been irritated by my habits. I don't feel like I have to jump up and brush my hair for Sammy either. It is hard to explain, but there is only love.
I think a wonderful story is "Merles Door". I read it every few years. When I look at Lincoln I see the words describing Merle come floating back to me. I don't think they smell the same though, lol! Merles people described him as smelling a good clean smell, like some sort of nut I can't remember.
Elizabeth and Sam
Diagnosed with osteosarcoma in the right front leg 8/23/10,
leg fractured 8/27/10,
leg amputated 8/30/10
http://sammyand.....pawds.com/
I couldn't begin to say how special Sammy is to us. Living and laughing with and loving this wonderful boy is priceless.
I have many favorites, but "The Art of Racing in the Rain" made me laugh and cry. Another great one is "Lost and Found". Also "Dog Years". And then there is this poem, dated but still true. Why do we give our hearts to dogs? It's as Elizabeth said...it's love. The best kind.
The Power of the Dog
by Rudyard Kipling
There is sorrow enough in the natural way
From men and women to fill our day;
And when we are certain of sorrow in store,
Why do we always arrange for more?
Brothers and sisters, I bid you beware
Of giving your heart to a dog to tear.
Buy a pup and your money will buy
Love unflinching that cannot lie--
Perfect passsion and worship fed
By a kick in the ribs or a pat on the head.
Nevertheless it is hardly fair
To risk your heart to a dog to tear.
When the fourteen years which Nature permits
Are closing in asthma, or tumour, or fits,
And the vet's unspoken prescription runs
To lethal chambers or loaded guns,
Then you will find--it's your own affair--
But ... you've given your heart to a dog to tear.
When the body that lived at your single will,
With its whimper of welcome, is stilled (how still!)
When the spirit that answered your every mood
Is gone--wherever it goes--for good,
You will discover how much you care,
And will give your heart to a dog to tear.
We've sorrow enough in the natural way,
When it comes to burying Christian clay.
Our loves are not given, but only lent,
At compound interest of cent per cent.
Though it is not always the case, I believe,
That the longer we've kept 'em, the more do we grieve:
For, when debts are payable, right or wrong,
A short-term loan is as bad as a long--
So why in--Heaven (before we are there)
Should we give our hearts to a dog to tear?
Our greatest glory is not in never falling but in rising every time we fall – Confucius
http://credocan.....pawds.com/
I've bookmarked the Corey Ford story for now, because we're off to the dog park in a sec, but thank you for sharing it here!
A while back, FightingForSammy's Mom Elizabeth started this forum topic about Great Dog Books, check it out.
Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet
Thanks Jerry! Didn't realize. I will check it out and thanks to Elizabeth for starting the thread. Hop the dog park was pawesome! OMD, I love Jimmy Stewart. What a cool poem. The Kipling one also tugs at the strings.
Elizabeth, I am with you. Opie was like an extension of me. For months after he was gone, I would catch myself talking to him in the car (he was always in the back seat.). I didn't realize how much I talked to him...poor Opie. He probably wished he could say, "Alright already. Give it a break. Don't you ever shut up?" Tee hee. I hope with all my being that heaven is Tinkhamtown and for everyone, Tinkhamtown is that special place and times they shared with their own dog(s). If so, my heaven is going to be at the edge of a lake on a sunny day because all my kids loved to SCHWIM!
OK - just as I was listening to Jimmy Stewart read about his dog Beau, who didn't learn his manners evidently... I turned around and Zuzu (who is almost white) was looking in the door with a distinctly black muzzle and distinctly black paws. She likes to dig under our fence to get to the beagle next door, and after all the rain we had yesterday it was just too irresistable. She made me laugh when I really wanted to yell - after taking her to the groomer's yesterday so she'd be pretty and clean for Thanksgiving, her bath lasted less than 24 hours!!!
So his poem was perfect for me today... thanks for sharing!
I recently read The Art of Racing in the Rain and loved that.
Holly joined the world of tripawds on 12/29/2009. She has a big little sister, Zuzu, who idolizes Holly and tries to make all of her toys into tripawds in Holly's honor. And she's enjoying life one hop at a time!
http://anyemery.....ipawds.com
Yay for Zuzu! She would probably say it wasn't her fault. Everybody knows that beagles are irresistable!
Actually, she looked alot like you, Mattie! Except she's supposed to be a creamy color. And the dark coloring was dirt, not pretty hair like you have. She agrees with you - beagles are irresistable!
Holly joined the world of tripawds on 12/29/2009. She has a big little sister, Zuzu, who idolizes Holly and tries to make all of her toys into tripawds in Holly's honor. And she's enjoying life one hop at a time!
http://anyemery.....ipawds.com
I loved Merle's Door too. Maybe it's time to grab it off the shelf again for a re-read 🙂
Tracy, Maggie's Mom
Maggie was amputated for soft tissue sarcoma 10-20-09
Maggie lost her battle with kidney disease on 8-24-13
I will have to read Merle's Door and The one about running in the rain. Thanks!
Probably not exactly what your looking for but I found Hachiko: The True Story of a Loyal Dog to be a beautiful book for children.
I really enjoyed the movie staring Richard Gere Hachi: A Dog's Tale
Fortis'Dad
I just loved Merle's Door, my favorite dog book thus far!
Dane Mom Sue at nova.tripawds.com and Mom to Beautiful Great Dane Queen Nova, a Blind Tripawd, who kicked cancer's butt from 11/08-03/13. The Queen is Spirit Nova now, but her legacy lives on here at Tripawds!
Fortis' Dad,
I am a sucker for kids' books. At work, on the shelf right next to my copy of Fisheries Techniques, Pacific Salmon Life Histories, and The Region III Arctic Grayling Management Plan is One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish and Trout Trout Trout....both really good ones if you like fish. I think they often call my sanity into question when there are visitors to my office. So, yes, I will check out your suggestions.
Fortis said:
Probably not exactly what your looking for but I found Hachiko: The True Story of a Loyal Dogto be a beautiful book for children. I really enjoyed the movie staring Richard Gere Hachi: A Dog's Tale
Fortis'Dad
Oh I just watched "Hachi: A Dog's Tale", last weekend! It was awesome! Cried of course! I didn't realize until the very end it was a true story! I love true stories…a MUST watch and truly amazing.
Tracy, Maggie's Mom
Maggie was amputated for soft tissue sarcoma 10-20-09
Maggie lost her battle with kidney disease on 8-24-13
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