doberman pincher

Wow, that's very old for a large dog. What does the vet say?

What does the vet say?
The vet said a dobe hade a life span of 8-10 years. He was the runt of his litter when I got him and he was about to be put down because he had a white spot on him, so I rescued him. His vet said @ 10 wow! at 10 I put him on senior vitamins and put him on a piece of broccolie and baby carrots dipped in a speck of peanut butter with his Iams dog food. I swear it has helped him I bought him his Poland Springs cold water daily he loves it. He gets his half gallon a day. And his Milk Bones. The vet told me just give him dog food. I did the rest on my own by talking to a homeopathethist for dogs and she told me what to do. I guess it has been working. So far so good. But I want him to live forever!

Nancy

Your dog
I like how your dog looks. He is so cute. I think the key has been, never taking chances with him. I never let him out wild without me around or alone. I watched what he ate. I also keep him on the best food--either science diet or Iams. Now he is on Iams. It is premiun food. He gets his teeth cleaned once a year at the vet. I brush them every day with baking soda and them wipe the baking soda off his teeth. I bought a cheap 7 dollar electric brush at stop and shop and he lets me brush his teeeth. I started him first in seconds, then mow for two minutes about! He is cool about it!

Nancy

Thats neat ... and good for you for taking such great care of the pup. I once had a Great Dane live to 14 - passed peacefully in his sleep, while still possessed of his dignity. Though he couldn't do stairs anymore, and he was pretty much deaf and blind, he could eat and take care of his necessary functions well enough. That was over 20 years ago, and not a day goes by I don't think of him. One of my current pups is an 11-year-old Rottweiler, a very sturdy, stocky, hefty beast, who is still quire active and energetic; he in fact is the alpha dog in our pack (well, I'm the alpha dog, really, but he's my deputy, and all the rest know it). He sleeps more than he used too, and doesn't play as long and hard as he once did, but I can say pretty much the same about myself

The "projected life spans" are nothing but guides - medians. Some pups will not get that far, others will go well beyond. Good care of course is important, but even with the best of care, it isn't up to you how long the pup will live. We recently had the sad occasion to come to grips with the necessity of putting down one of ours (it happens from time to time) ... a 9-or-10-year old spaniel who developed and rapidly succumbed to a quick-spreading cancer. We miss her, yeah, but we celebrate her too. She was a good pup and gave us a lot; we thank her and remember her for that. I think thats all anyone, pup or human, can ask for.

Your dogs
It was so good to hear from you again. I know it isn't easy when you had to put your baby down or when your baby dies. You really never get over it. Kids grow up and leave, but a dog never leaves. They are always there--love is always there!

Each day when I come home home from whatever I am doing, we eat together, he gets every bite! Always the last bite. Before I leave I tuck him in with his blankets and leave out hid two holes for his nose. He stays like that while I am away!

Glad to hear that you made it to be the alpha dog:)! He gets his teeth cleaned without anasthesia since he was born. He is that well trained. I sent him away when he was 6 months to Maine for two month. The vet said she never does any other dog without anasthesia--only him!

Be well!

Thanks for writing!

N

Any more dog stories?????

Wow - you sound like a good mom!

chai tea
Thanks so much! I have been wondering how you are! Yes I try hard with my dog. I appreciated hearing from you ,how are you doing?

n

Sounds like you're doing a lot of good things. Oh, and the avatar isn't my dog (currently dogless, my husband and I are both out working about 50 - 60 hrs/week so it's just not fair for a pooch), just a dog I liked online.



timber, I'm sorry about your spaniel.

Our Jake (big galoot dog, mostly Mastiff and Rottweiler) only made it to 8, poor big lug. We still miss him, and he passed away, hmm, in '98.

timber
I have a friend whose dog died over three years ago and she still cries every day. She loved him so much. I know it must be hard when you love love the dog!

n

When your pet dies
When a good friend of mine lost her pet and was heart-broken, I went to the local undertaker and asked him to have cards made up, a box of those cars you get when you go to a wake. It had the dogs mane on it, with a woman and her dog walkinking by the sea with a prayer on the back. The end of the prayer said this it was beautiful:

"If love could have ever saved you, you never would have died!"

She sent them out to all her family and friends and it helped in the healing process!

Nancy

They're real family members. Who said the family all had to be one species?

family members
I know. Family members live elsewhere. My dog sleeps at the foot of the bed and when he has to go to the bathroom he wakes me up at 4 in the a.m. these days. Some times it is onlt to get a bisquit because when he comes in from outside,he always gets one.

I wanted to ask you, when are you having the Mass. meeting and where. I'd love to go to it and what can I do for it. And is there anything I can do for a2k. I'd love to assist in any unpaid way!

I sent an e-mail but you are busy doing other things I guess!

n

Me, yeah, I'm running everywhere at once it seems. Sorry re the email, hard to keep up with it all these days, y'know what I mean?

We're going to Jasper White's Summer Shack tonight, actually. At about, um, 6:30 PM, 7 o'clock, about then. It's right next to Alewife T station if you know that. Plus there's parking if you want to drive. I'd give driving directions but I don't know the names of the streets (but the restaurant is online, here: http://summershackrestauran.reachlocal.com/coupon/?scid=101901&cid=10533&tc=05121412070858402&dynamic_proxy=0&primary_serv=summershackrestauran and they've got directions, uh, somewhere on their site).

7 definites and 6 maybes - so we could be a pretty large group. Some of us have been there before and they have good food although it is a tad pricey. The place is very casual, benches and paper table"cloths", that kind of thing. The last time, I recall, we got crayons and there was a lot of artistry going on.

I have a red Able2know hat and I'll wear it or wave it around or something. Or follow the sound of the laughing. I am a loud laugher and therefore not too hard to miss.

As for doing stuff for A2K, we'll talk, then or some time later. Or we'll just have fun.

meeting
I missed the meeting. I got it on Thursday. How did it go?

When is the next one?

Nancy

Oh, it was fun, we had 15 people. A very good turnout. Lots of bad jokes and much hugging.

I have no idea when we're getting together again, but it'll probably be when it's a lot warmer. 6 degrees, or whatever it was, was not a pleasant experience.

thanks
Thanks so much for the update. I couldn't go and I really missed it. Glad you had fun. Let me know early enough about the next one as I really want to be there!...If you can ever find me me something that says a2k fan and can you put it under my picture instead if what I got, I love you for it forever! Anything about A2k I'd like. Could you do it for me. I don't know how to do it and you know how to get into my site! Only if you get the chance!

Thanks

Nancyann

Don't know what you need -- you can post a request in forum help and I'm sure someone will be able to help -- a lot of folks here are far better at photoshop and the like than I am.

My wife and I have been owned by greyhounds for the past decade. Our original pair both died at age 11, a year apart, when, in our judgement and with the concurrence of our vet, there were no good days or treatments remaining.

Our current guy has osteosarcoma, a cancer which is the leading cause of death (apart from being destroyed when their racing careers are over) in the breed. We had his bad front leg amputated two months ago, and, statistically, this should give him an additional six months of pain-free life, but it could be as little as three months or as much as two years. He is getting around well now on three legs, and has mastered all the old tricks with the exception of peeing on fire hydrants, which he is working on. I'm glad we were able to afford the operation; six months, if that's all we get, is still worth it.

We are in the process of adopting two more hounds now. The pain of losing them is bad, but think how much worse it would be never to have known them. Our lifespan is so much longer than a dog's, it is almost inevitable that we will lose them rather than they us. And while I would agree no new dog will be able to replace a beloved pet who is gone, each relationship can grow into something special if you aproach it with an open heart. And to give a new dog a chance at a good life is a more fitting and useful tribute to our departed friends than a house forever empty.

Widen the circle, if you can.

beautiful tribute
What a beautiful tribute to your beautiful friend of so many, many years. You are so good as a master to do all that you have done for your beloved pat and when they depart thet with forever protect you and wait for you as they did at the door!

When I read your beautiful tribute, I cried! My baby doberman is 12 3/4 now and this year he has had a urinary tract infection and the beginnings of some arthritis. He is on some remadyl prn when he needs it. He is such a good boy though, brought me such joy for so so many years! I count each day as a miracle when I come home and he is still alive at the door waiting for me!

Keep in touch. Visit ne in my other site under "nancyann Deren, IOLA" "Secular Institut for the laity under religious vows." I'd love you still to keep in touch some more!

Nancyann