Faces to best friends

**SOTSDO** · 05-07-2013, 11:36 PM

I've commented elsewhere about how having a pet is setting yourself up for grief. I understand the feelings towards dogs, cats and the like, but having to put down a loved pet every eight years is more than I care to deal with.

A few years back, I was taken with the idea of keeping either an octopus or a cuttlefish. Both are extremely intelligent and have personalities of their own, which is pretty extraordinary for animals that share more with snails than they do with mammals. (Octopuses (the true plural) can even escape from a poorly guarded tank, walk across the corridor to an adjacent fish tank, climb in to the fish tank, eat the fish, and then crawl back into their tank and sit there, staring out at anyone who dares to suspect them.)

Two things put me off of the idea. One is that you need a huge salt water aquarium to maintain them in good health and spirits. Salt water tanks are hard to maintain and very intolerant of any variation in water chemistry.

The other was the clincher, however. Both cuttlefish and octopuses have a lifespan measured in months rather than years. Having one as a companion for a short time would not be worth the grief in losing them.

**pete** · 05-08-2013, 02:40 AM

Originally Posted by SOTSDO

I've commented elsewhere about how having a pet is setting yourself up for grief.

A great philosopher once said that life = pain. No pain, no life.

Aaaaaaannnyhow, one of life's amusing turns happened about 15 minutes after I made my post: a neighborhood dog decided to invite himself over. My wife insists she just left the door open for a minute. Yah, that's it. Well, we are trying to find the owners of said doggie. He has a collar, but no tags. My wife went to the vet to return some of Jonah's unused meds and also took the neighborhood dog in to check for a microchip. Nope. No tattoo in the ear, either. We've talked with a lot of our neighbors and no one knows who owns it. Unfortunately, I'm very allergic to the dog (who, of course, likes me a lot), so the dog will be going to the animal shelter this weekend if owner isn't found.

Oh. It's a black & tan Dachshund. Probably about 2 years old. Has a red collar. He looks well fed, but not overfed, so I'd assume someone's been taking pretty good care of him.

Many years ago I had an aquarium. Fresh water, because Terry's comment about salt water is very true. My cat couldn't get at said fish. However, she could get at the thermostat. She cooked the fish one day I was at school.

**sideC** · 05-08-2013, 03:45 PM

Pete, if you have to take the dog to a shelter, I hope you take it to a no kill shelter. My wife and I have been rescuing cats for as long as I can remember, and we've found two no kill shelters in our area.

Julian

**pete** · 05-08-2013, 07:22 PM

We'll call around. http://www.dachshundsonlyrescue.com may be an option, depending on if they consider Mesa part of Phoenix Metro. There are a lot of no-kill/never kill shelters in the area.

**Twist_Of_Fate** · 05-12-2013, 02:28 AM

I've had to say good-bye 6 times, but also felt the joy of having 6 wonderful companions.

**SOTSDO** · 05-12-2013, 04:14 PM

A great philosopher once said that life = pain. No pain, no life

If pain is needed for a life, then I've already got more life than I can deal with...

**jbtsax** · 05-12-2013, 05:45 PM

I hold it true, whate'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.

Alfred Lord Tennyson

**pete** · 05-12-2013, 07:25 PM

Originally Posted by SOTSDO

If pain is needed for a life, then I've already got more life than I can deal with...

Same here.

I definitely miss my doggie, but I've got lots of other pain, too. Have I told you about my nerve damage ...?

============

Dachshund update: my wife and youngest daughter are currently taking him to his new home at a farm. IIRC, the new owner has five other dogs of varying sizes and two horses. Couple of teenager kids, too, I think.

I'm still surprised that nobody contacted us on the "lost dog" thing. He's a beautiful and very friendly dog. You'd think the owners would have done more checking.

**Twist_Of_Fate** · 05-13-2013, 03:26 AM

Originally Posted by pete

Same here.

I definitely miss my doggie, but I've got lots of other pain, too. Have I told you about my nerve damage ...?

============

Dachshund update: my wife and youngest daughter are currently taking him to his new home at a farm. IIRC, the new owner has five other dogs of varying sizes and two horses. Couple of teenager kids, too, I think.

I'm still surprised that nobody contacted us on the "lost dog" thing. He's a beautiful and very friendly dog. You'd think the owners would have done more checking.

I wished I lived closer... I have a pack of dachsies and would adopt him in a heartbeat.

**pete** · 05-13-2013, 09:01 PM

Update on the update: so, the "dachsie" was taken to da farm. He got out of the car and immediately tried to attack one of the really, really big dogs. (I had watched the dachsie play with a couple Chihuahuas earlier in the week and they didn't have any problems.) New owner called my wife back and said that she'd have to find a new-new home. Probably without dogs. New-new home was found later in the evening.

**Twist_Of_Fate** · 05-13-2013, 10:30 PM

Sounds like a typical dachsie; they are a big dog in a little package. My cousin lost his dachshund when he attacked a German Shepherd. They are a fearless breed, especially considering they were bred to hunt badgers. Dachs = Badger in German.