I had a big scare with my dog tonight.
We walked to a hill nearby and Richy (my dog) walked into the forest. I usually let him walk around for a bit before calling him. This time it was darker than usual, so I should've taken that into consideration to call him right away, but trying to let him have fun, I waited a bit before calling him. He didn't come to me. I called and called and called but Richy wouldn't come. I walked into the forest and searched him but I couldn't find him. I even fell into some mud.
The hill leads into a graveyard, so I thought I could run around the pavement to get to the graveyard, maybe Richy had climbed up. I got up there and screamed "Richy" but he was nowhere to be found. It had been 20 minutes and still no sign, I decided to walk back to my apartment, get my car and try to find Richy using the headlights to have better vision.
I walk to my apartment a bit quick, but often looking back in case I can spot my dog. I keep hoping that my dog is in the apartment. I turn the last corner before reaching my apartment and I see a black figure on my porch, it is my dog waiting for me. I feel so good.
I hug my dog for a while. So good to have him back.

It is my gfs dog, but its here all the time so here goes:

This is pretty much why we don't have outdoor cats; we'd freak out about where they are WAY too much. Our cat that just died would CONSTANTLY bolt for outside if the door was left open. Can't count the number of times the door MIGHT have been left open a bit and we couldn't find the cat, so turned the house inside and out only to find him in the laundry basket or something.

The 2 loves of my life Romeo, 12 and Caesar 9 hanging out in my kitchen. They do everything together and are such typical Oriental Shorthairs. Overly curious, extremely devoted and very vocal.

Our current cat is like this, and it's really weird but kind of cool. She doesn't meow that much, really, but will have "conversations" with you. It's kind of cool because she recognizes when you are talking to her. It's often obvious, like you are sitting there looking her in the face, but if she is sitting in the window looking out and you call her name, she'll starting "talking" back. It's a funny little chirp/squeak.

Great stuff. It's way cool because u start talking back at them they get into a routine that's very entertaining

Me and reggie last summer, he is a pitbull/boxer mix.

Heh, I've had a couple cats that would go back and forth like that with me too. At least one of them did the same with little games I'd play with them, tapping her tail so she'd flick it about, but then scootch it over to where it was on top of my hand so I could tap it again. And it's usually easy to get a dog into a howling contest. My dogs loved it when I would lead a group howl.

Quite the famous cat you have there.

My little black Monkey terrier blew out her ACL a couple of days ago and it really had me seriously depressed. I feel a bit better after talking to the vet. She blew the other one out a year ago and the vet said it is common (90%) for dogs who have the surgery done to fix that to blow out the other one within a year. She also said after fising the 2nd one there are rarely, if ever, problems with the new rebuilt knee. Seems like the artificial sinew the use is stronger than the original.

So she is on anti-inflamitories and we will see how she is in a few days. If it doesn't up, which it most likely will not, we will schedule another surgery.

Daryn,

BADASS! We need to have a boxer vs. 50 lb. dog with boxer coloration and pitbull head match up if you are ever in NJ, or I am ever up your way. Reggie loves wrestling boxers.

Fish,

Ugh, dog acl tears are the worst. I specifically try to keep reggie from jumping to avoid this...with only moderate success. He's a physical specimen though, so no damage so far.

Great thread,

Some amazing pic and stories here, I have a 7-8 year old choc brown lab got her off a friend who pushed it on me when I was drunk which sounds bad but there was method in his madness. I need to keep moving as much as possible so me and buttons (butts because I sound really effeminate shouting buttons lol) go walking in the woods and fields 4 times a day I get my exersize and she gets to sniff around chase (unsucsessfully) squirrels and jump in dirty streams.

I shall try to get some pics up of her, I am pretty pissed now though I just came back from a 3 month trip and shes huge so we getting some good walks in. The breed though are notorious for scrounging and she will eat some dodgy stuff sometimes in the woods its best not knowing what sometimes and for some reason people always want to feed her. She was rescued from a very bad situation though and can get scared when certain people come near (certain builds hair etc).

Its funny but I understand what people are saying about their pets in the thread I will be devastated when she is gone probally, she sleeps in my room and snores so bad I have seen her wake herself up with it, my gf lives in another country so one day I am gonna go there but I dont know if poor butts will be up too it her back legs are not the best from being kept in a cold damp concrete shed from a puppy makes me sad to see but I have the same problem as her lol.

She isnt the brightest dog untill it comes to food then she is an evil genius I will try get some pics up.

Ya, this dog of mine is very active and runs and jumps and all of that and it is literally impossible to get her to be calm and not do that. It is just a part of who she is though and I guess that is just one of the reasons I love her.

Here's some more visual updates. Dunno which puppy is which though, or who that is in the background:















Last one is a real powerhouse, eh?

Third one looks like me IMO.

Great pictures, Blarg. Those dogs are coming along nicely.

GFD those are some cute puppies. I am glad I don't know you because I would kidnap one/force someone to let me adopt one, and then my wife might leave me since we have a 1 dog policy for now

James

I have always thought that when Harry is no longer with us I would take a break from a dog, but I see these pictures and think...I want one of those!

I know I have posted a lot of Harry pictures in the past but I am going to do it again. My guy is now seven and still a menace.

[IMG][/IMG]

Loves the car and his stuffed toys. We have not lost a toy on the highway yet.

[IMG][/IMG]

Really loves stuffed toys!

[IMG][/IMG]

Loves babies-he is so very gentle.

[IMG][/IMG]

Loves the snow.

[IMG][/IMG]

Hates to be ignored.

oh my gosh i really want one of those pups, Blarg

haha great last picture there!

We had a black newfoundland just like that. Terrible hip dysplasia and I think he died of a heart attack after 3 or 4 years. Such a sweet disposition. Yours looks like a big overgrown sweetheart too.

Me too!!

I grew up with Old English Sheepdogs and we had to deal with the hip issues. One of our puppies had surgery to correct it early on.

No issues like that for Harry. He is incredibly limber-its amazing to watch the vet manipulate his hips and he just sits there thinking he is playing.
So far we are lucky. His family all lived to be old dogs, his maternal gramdmother loved to be 14 years. Pretty amazing for a large breed dog.

Very. Something like 7 years isn't unusual for a big dog, especially with the heart conditions Newfoundlands can have. Sounds like your dog lucked out big time in the heredity department.

Our NF ate gargantuan amounts of food. I assume yours does too?

had a golden retriever who was possibly the most awesome dog ever, but she died, so i went with a lab and she's equally awesome but in different ways. she was bred as a show dog, but didn't have the "personality" for it so they sold her. she's a pure euro-style lab (shorter/thicker than north american breeds), she was born in wales, and she has a passport that shows her show name - "No Nonsense" - and her parents names - "Leroy Brown" and "Crumpet".

when we took her to the vet after buying her from the breeders, the vet told us her 2 back teeth were pulled. he surmised that this was to prevent anyone else from showing the dog. pretty sketchy move, but i don't care.