Sorry to hear about the loss.

I am home for lunch today. My daughter heads back to college tomorrow and my son starts next week. I am hovering just a bit, soaking up what I can from these two young people I love so much.

I was looking for some pictures I have stored on a remote hard drive to show the kids...early photos, sentimental stuff. Thumbing through the pics I found a picture of my old Lab Earl with Cassie, our Red Heeler.

The photo was taken in December, 2006 and Earl passed the next summer, 2007. My heart still skips a beat when I think of Earl. The picture, frankly, floored me. He was 13 in the photo.

Cassie is raising the new young man, Rika.

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Hi Sam,

Condolences on your loss. Tomorrow is not promised to any living thing so hug your loved ones - tell them you love them, and of course take lots of film.

BTW, is Sam your 2-legged or 4-legged boy?

All the best,
Baz and the girls

Hi Paul,

Thanks for the nice sentimental post - it's an honor to know someone with your values and character.

Thank you also for sharing that fantastic photo of Earl and Cassie. It's one of the nicest I've ever seen showing the best side of man's best friend. Earl's eyes tell a story for sure...look at all that wisdom and love! And Cassie is doing what Heelers do isn't she?

Hope you continue to keep us posted on both 4 and 2 legged kids...

All the best,
Baz and the blue girls :)

Here's my pup. Great dog. Have had her 5 years come october. Greatest dog in the world. She is a Golden Doodle. I love big dogs, hate the shedding thus went doodle.

Shortly after we got her 2 mos.
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here at about 8 mos.
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all grown up.
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I've posted pics of my boys before. I lost Kona a year and a half ago. Still miss him every day. The other guy Hooch is happy but losing mobility fast. My ex wife now has him more as work has gotten crazy and she works from home most days.

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NeedSpace,

Our neighbors got a Golden Doodle and the dog sheds as much or even more than our Golden, so you may have gotten lucky with yours! We love our Daisy, even with the shedding. We have a Bosch 14amp vacuum cleaner that makes easy work of cleaning the hair from the rugs, furniture, etc...

Yes, some doodles get more of the retriever genetically so some can shed. Ours is 3/4th doodle 1/4 golden.

jhaynes, beautiful dogs, sorry about your loss. I still miss out labradoodle Holly that died 5 years ago. It is amazing how much they impact your life.

Jerry - Sorry for your loss.....that sucks man.

Never saw another yellow VFR before either - thought mine ('87 700) was exclusive.

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Thanks. He was by far the toughest to get over that I've had. When Hooch goes I'll be a wreck.

The VFR is a 93. It was custom painted yellow years ago by the original owner. I've always thought about taking it back to it's original pearl white. This may be the opportunity. Silver lining as they say.

I have a question for you guys. I am currently dog-less, as we (me and my ex) had to put down our Irish Setter five years ago, and she got the Basset Hounds in the divorce three years ago. I am renting a condo with my girlfriend, and looking to buy a house in the next year. We are mid-50s, no children. We both love dogs, and we would like to get two dogs at that time, probably rescues.

In the meantime, I would like to get some much-needed "dog time" by volunteering at a place where the dogs need some walking/ exercize/ attention. I would like to volunteer at the dog shelter, as well as one of the rescue homes if possible. Do I need to be "vetted" before they allow me to be a volunteer?

Vetted.... :)

Roger

_

Tahoes or Suburbans are preferred, as they have more dog-friendly room.

Hi Roger,
I volunteer at a rescue and love it!
Why are you worried about the vetting process? Something to hide?;)
You're not a dog eater like our feerless leader, are you?:D
GO FOR IT, YOU WILL NEVER REGRET THE TIME SPENT!
Who knows, one of the pups may pick you as their human and rescue you.

DUH... on the Vet/vetted pun.
Takes me a bit but usually catch on.

Matt, yeah that was a super corny pun about getting "vetted"... :)

I'm not sure how the vetting process works. I assume they'll check me out somehow. I will pray to be an angel of love and joy for the dogs every week. Volunteering at a rescue home will be a nice change of pace. I'm so happy that you are volunteering! I'm excited and looking forward to all of this.

_

Thanks for making the pic brighterhttp://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1345068623.jpg

Oscar, now 4 months old. He's gonna look a whole lot different tomorrow after his first haircut...

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That's impressive. I've had 5 liters of husky pups and could never have got 1 liter still for a shot. 7 pups sitting for a shot. DAMN!

For those who (like me) started off with just one furkid...and wondered if they should get another.....go for it - two's always better than one....


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I've gotta quit looking at this thread. I'm missing my pooch now that he's living mostly with my ex and not having a dog around for the first time in forever is hard. Just not set up right now with work and living by myself to have one. *&^%(*&

This is something that always makes me feel so sad for the dogs and equally sad for the human race.

I have seen many dogs being walked to the euthanasia room. They go with the handler wagging their tails and so happy to get out of their imprisonment. I always think that they believe that they are going home or for a walk or maybe to go get a toy. Since dogs literally can smell death (that is why they are used as cadaver finders), they usually slow down and then stop entirely before entering THAT room. They feel it, they smell it, they sense it. They do not want to go into THAT room but then they look up in the eyes of the HUMAN who is holding that leash and follow the human blindly into the room of death. WHY? ?? Because above all else, above the smell of death, above the fear of what will soon befall them, THEY TRUST HUMANS. ABOVE ALL ELSE.

Yes, I feel sorry for the human race. What HAVE we done to this dedicated and loving companion called DOG? What ARE we doing?

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Blountville, TN I am sorry to say that Micah and his brother were PTS today. RIP sweet boy, run free with your brother now.

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Carolina ACD Rescue & Rebound

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Well said. I have no words, just lots of tears.

Jerry, it is very hard to read this thread. This thread makes me smile big smiles, and cry big tears. It is very emotional. This thread is what prompted my decision to volunteer at the shelters. Unlike you at this point in time, I work less than full-time, so I have the time to volunteer. I know it's not the same as having a dog of my own, but I'll see how it goes. I'll report back to you on my experience. In the meantime, I hope you find a woman who deserves a wonderful guy like you. Don't be surprised if I try to set you up on a blind date. ;)

Steve, I'm looking forward to your next picture. I'm sure I will laugh out loud! Baz, thank you for this thread, and thank you to everyone for contributing! :)

_

My pup has been coming to my office for he last month.
My lunch breaks are better my breaks are away from a computer walking about. He is really quite I hope to make this permanent.

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Baz,

Today has been stressfull to me. I've held my dogs and cats for their finnal shots far too many times.

Just heart breaking about those two brothers.

I've nueterd all of my dogs that I didn't plan on breeding. My next dog will be a rescue. Cole will not take it well. but he'll learn to share our house.

You're a good man, Jim.

I wish everyone would spay/neuter.......<sigh>

Please give Cole a cookie and belly scritch from the girls ;)

Here's Lily enjoying the view of Downtown Miami from the Hilton.

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This was taken during my work / vacation in July of last year.

Oscar turned out to be a handsome young lad under the big fluffy coat...


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He told me screw the scratch! He said he wanted a piece of tail but he's a ball less wonder:eek:

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EMMY RIP 2011 13yrs (Rescue)
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Bam now 1-- picture at 4 weeks
looking to add a rescue next year
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Kayla RIP 2011 14yrs

Just watched a story on the news about the shepard(?) rescued from a mountain at 13000 ft. after being abandoned there by his/her owner. Don't know all the facts, but want to believe i would make it or not WITH my buddy. The owner is trying to get the dog back but the rescuers are not agreable.

"Until one has loved an animal,
a part of one's soul remains unawakened." Anatole France

"He is seen to come crouching along, to lay his force, his courage, and all his useful talents, at the feet of his master." Oliver Goldsmith

Baz, I know the pup is not a heeler, just a dog, but GOSH...Kidding of course!

Matt,

I didn't know about this but just now looked it up.....I'm with you.....how do you abandon your dog and then not go back to get her????? :rolleyes: Screw that guy...what a POS selfish idiot scumbag!


Hiker Who Rescued Dog in Battle With Owner Who Abandoned Her on Treacherous Hike | KSEE 24 News - Central Valley's News Station: Fresno-Visalia - News, Sports, Weather | Local News


Hiker Who Rescued Dog in Battle With Owner Who Abandoned Her on Treacherous Hike

Two Denver hikers are locked in a bitter battle over the fate of a German Shepard named Missy, who was abandoned by one and then rescued by another at 13,000 feet.

Scott Washburn found the dog bloodied and near-death atop Colorado's Mt Bierstadt and then organized a search and rescue party to save her.

He wants to keep the dog, alleging that Anthony Ortolani lacks the ability or compassion to care for the creature, which went without food and water for eight days.

But Mr Ortolani says he didn't abandon the animal, an oncoming storm forced him to choose between staying by her side and perishing, or going down the mountain without her.

Scott Washburn and his wife Amanda discovered Missy on August 11, wounded and near-death atop a mound of bloodied rocks. They gave her food and water and tried to get her out, using their first aid kit to bandage her wounds, but the animal's paws were too damaged for it to walk.

They posted a photograph of Missy on the 14ers.com, a social network for mountain climbers. Immediately, dozens of people tapped into her plight and opted to organize a rescue for the dog - at the same time, wondering who could be so cruel as to bring an animal to the top of a mountain and leave it there.

Eight volunteers banded together to rescue Missy, launching a nine-hour mission to find and recover her. They found her just before a snowstorm was settling in and put her in an over-sized backpack to remove her from her perch.

A veterinarian volunteered to take her in and found that the dog miraculously had no fractures, no internal injuries nor other permanent damage from the ordeal. 'Her survival and shear will to live are astounding by any measure,' Mr Washburn said.

The Washburns grew attached to the dog, but that's when her owner, 29-year-old Anthony Ortolani entered the picture - happy his dog had been saved and embarrassed he wasn't the one who came to her rescue.

'I am at a complete loss of words. My gratitude for the people involved in this is without measure,' Mr Ortolani posted on 14ers.com. He asked for the name of the clinic Missy was being treated at so he could be reunited with her and reimburse them for healing her.

Reading the mounting messages of disdain for his treatment of the dog, he explained his actions. 'Missy was hurt during an attempt at crossing the Sawtooth. It was Missy, a friend and I,' he said. Her injuries made it impossible for her to walk, so the two hikers tried to lower her from boulder to boulder with ropes, but she was getting hurt worse and worse.

'Eventually she just stopped standing or moving at all and I knew she was pretty badly hurt,' he said. 'I picked her up on my shoulders and was hopping from boulder to boulder but I couldn't keep her on me.'

They spent two hours trying to get her down, but with encroaching clouds and mounting fear, they made the difficult decision to leave her behind. 'I called the 911, the sheriff's office and search and rescue and I was told that it was to risky for them to send rescue crew up there for a dog,' he said, adding that 'thinking about her suffering was awful beyond words' and that he convinced himself she had died of her injuries to cope with the guilt of leaving her.

'All I can say is that I am relieved that she is okay,' he said on the message board. 'I am ashamed that it wasn't me who got her off of the mountain, I underestimated the good will and resolve of the hiking community of Colorado, and I am eternally grateful.'

He said that in the days after he left her, he searched the internet for 'dog found on Bierstadt' every days, but didn't find anything. He had just about given up hope when he read about her heroic rescuers and her good fortune.

'I can't bring you all there to when I made that choice and what was going through my head. My kids, my friends son, a lot. I do know that I do want my Missy Girl back. I also know that there are many people that think I don't deserve her back. I can tell you that she would be very happy to see me. I have learned a lot and I am convicted to never let this happen again. Missy is getting another chance, I am asking the same,' he said.

However, now that Missy is in the care of the local law enforcement, things aren't that simple. Mr Washburn thinks that Mr Ortolani is an unfit dog-owner and that he can offer a better life to Missy. He said that he understands Mr Ortolani's choice to leave her, but not his choice not to return.

'My wife and I had to abandon her as well. When we found her on Saturday we knew that we would be unable to bring her out ourselves and with extremely heavy hearts we left her on a rock knowing that she may die,' Mr Washburn said. 'Despite being forced to abandon her, we came back for her.'

The Clear Creek County Sheriff's Office is investigating the case, not to decide who the dog's rightful owner is, but whether or not Mr Ortolani is guilty of cruelty to an animal.

Baz, thanks for the article. Didn't know the guy never attempted to go back after the weather cleared. That guy is a POS of the highest order.

fox news is teasing a story to run around NOW in 2 minutes.
hope you can catch it.

Rika and Jack...

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Saw it this morning on CNN, Matt. I think they are going to charge him now with animal cruelty. Coloradans love their dogs! I hope he gets a huge fine with the funds going to an animal rescue group plus jail time. That beautiful creature spent 8 days waiting for her human to come back. He is a POS of the highest order. :mad:

Blue Heeler puppy in need of adoption - Gaston, NC
 

Laylo (Choctaw for "little boy")

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This cutie was rescued by a good samaritan running down the middle of a busy road in Gastonia NC. His boarding is paid through the weekend. We need RESCUE ASAP! PLEASE email me here on FB or at pchristine.thomas@yahoo.com also, call 704-718-0525 HE ONLY HAS UNTIL MONDAY!!

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