Sanvean

Oh, HF, he must have been really special. This particular dog was not MINE (Macy is my first dog), but I loved him very much. He was my grandparents' dog, Spike...he belonged to my dad when he was a teenager, but Grandma and Grandpa kept him when Dad moved out. He was a black and white springer/setter mix, and he was the sweetest, gentlest dog you ever met. He even chased away their horrendously mean kitty (it's a wonder I ever grew up to like cats!) when she got near me. I remember once he got scolded for stealing hamburgers off the counter and was sitting under the dining room table, pouting. I was about 6 and sat right down there with him. He died probably almost 20 years ago, but when I still see one of those pictures of him wearing a Santa hat, I remember him like it was yesterday.

Boxer: 1 Kelpie: 1 Labrador: 4 Mini Poodle: 1 Papillon: 1 Foxhound: 1 Standard Poodle: 2 Toy Poodle: 1 Lhasa Apso: 2 Mini Schnauzer: 1 Chihuahua: 1 Pit Bull: 1 Malamute: 1 border collie: 1 Maltese: 1

Ohhhhh...I'm SO jealous! Can't wait to see more photos!

Macy is ALWAYS on a lead, except in our own fenced back yard. I worry too much about her getting hurt, stolen or attacked by a larger dog.

Please let us know how poor little Pepper is doing.

Natural Balance kibble with a little bit of the rolls added for flavor in the morning. She gets the kibble with Missing Link at night. (Kitties also eat Natural Balance.)

I definitely got my love for animals from my parents! My mom is a HUGE kitty lover...she likes dogs, but not as much as cats. (She does love Macy, though.) My dad also fusses over the kitties like you wouldn't believe.

Angel, have you seen the one where the guy tries to get his wife to bring him a beer by singing, "Beer, beer, beer, beer" to the tune of the Meow Mix song?

Ummmm...never, actually! Jay picks up Macy's poo before he mows the lawn. (They're just tiny, so that's as often as we need to.) She never goes when we go out for our walks. She prefers to poo in the yard.

Frankly, I think it's a load of crap. I've worked with dozens of rescue pits, and none of them that I knew of were fought and/or rolled. (We don't live in an area with much fighting, and none of them had any kind of scarring.) They were all fine dogs. If I can get a good dog regardless of whether or not I fight it, I'll go with NOT fighting it every time. It just isn't worth the risk.

Hi, Amber! I noticed you're from Flint...I went to HS in Swartz Creek! (I live in Lansing now.)

It's a really, really, really, really big bone, and that's why we call it Jumbone!

I'm in complete agreement, Mei Mei. I don't like and don't trust people (ESPECIALLY women) who don't like pets.

Charlie is a husky mix that my animal rescue group has had for over a year. Because he does not care much for cats or other dogs, he has not been able to be placed with a foster home and has yet to find a family. (He is also a very large dog.) Being in a kennel for so long has not done him any good, and we are at the point where we may need to make a decision soon as to whether or not to euthanize Charlie. One of our volunteers is going to foster him for a few weeks, work with him intensely and see if he improves. Please pray for poor Charlie that he finds a loving family! He is a sweet dog, and he will be a blessing to the right family if they have a lot of patience and no other pets. You can see Charlie's photo here: [url]http://www.petfinder.com/pet.cgi?action=2&pet=1762610&adTarget=468doggeneral&SessionID=3f5de43f7fb9008d-app2&display=&preview=1&row=0&tmpl=[/url]

Oh, the puppies are just darling!

They're both darling! Can't wait to get an update!

OMG! I am DYING from a cuteness overdose!

I don't know about jai alai, but I believe lacrosse is somewhat similar. However, lacrosse is not a particularly popular sport, either!

K, I was thinking of an apartment with elevators! But I forgot that in some areas, that isn't so common. Most of the bulldogs I've known were indeed couch potatoes, but I will defer to your expertise in this area!

I guess your post isn't quite clear, Shellie...did Muffy die of a disease? If so, you may need to wait a certain amount of time before getting a dog, because many canine disease will lurk in your home and/or yard for quite a long time. In addition, if you don't feel you can keep a dog safe from cars, you should wait to adopt until you do. While it is hard to hear about dogs being euthanized in shelters, it is certainly a better way to die then being hit by a car and possibly suffering for hours.

The first site DEFINITELY has some chihuahua mixed in. Can't tell so much on the second site, but I think you're right with the pom.

We had a discussion on this topic awhile ago...I think most of the folks here agree that there is NO reason the world needs more mutts. I can't imagine any reputable breeder who does health checks, etc., breeding cockapoos, maltipoos, labradoodles, etc.

I ADORE bulldogs...they are very sweet and are good for apartment living, but there are several caveats: 1. They burp, fart, snore and drool. (That's what I have a DH for -- don't need it in a dog!) 2. They cost a FORTUNE, because most pups need to be delivered by C-section. 3. There are a lot of health issues to consider. I do suggest taking the quizzes above. Most of them suggested dogs for me that would be very appropriate for my lifestyle. (Bichon is always the most highly recommended for us, but I just didn't think they were as cute as Maltese!)

Great post, HF! Macy is as calm, gentle and loving a dog as anyone could ever want -- she's 6 pounds of perfection! But she was bred by a top-notch breeder, socialized from the day she was born (with people, dogs and cats) and has lived her whole live in a loving environment. While we do spoil her to an extent -- the way any loving dog owner would spoil their dog, with comfy beds and lots of toys, etc. -- we DO treat her like a dog. She is expected to walk nicely on a lead, not to bark excessively, not to jump on people. I do NOT think aggressive dogs are "cute," no matter what their size. Unfortunately, there is a huge demand for toy dogs, and many unscrupulous people breed without regard for temperament, health or conformation. I once saw a frightened, sickly-looking Maltese puppy on Wizard of Claws being sold for $4000 and she had EARS THAT STOOD UP! Ears on a Maltese should never, EVER be erect, and you won't pay more than $2000 (at least in Michigan) for a show-quality Maltese pup.

I find that a lot of people are wary of Macy...which cracks me up, because she is the sweetest tempered dog in the world :D But I know there are a lot of nasty little dogs out there, so I guess I can't blame them!