Active Now

Element 99
Shuhak
Discussion » Questions » Animals (Pets/ Domesticated) » National Pet Day, What Is Your Favourite Story?
Benedict Arnold

National Pet Day, What Is Your Favourite Story?

Last month I visited friends in Iowa, and came down with food poisoning...well you know what THAT's like, up and down all night...
Then I heard a scrabbling from inside my friend's bedroom, and her 17-year-old dog, Missy, appears...how she got the bedroom door open, we will never know...
Well aged old Missy of unknown pedigree is more withdrawn and introverted now - but she stayed by me all that night.

Well, Missy has always been a natural therapy dog; when Ruth was director of the local women's shelter, Missy would go unerringly to the woman in greatest physical or emotional distress, and just stay close.

Then when Ruth got up in the morning, she was frantic; where was this precious old dog, could not find her anywhere!
"Ruth, come in my room a minute..."

* * *
The next night Missy came in at bedtime, looking me over and sniffing...I must have passed muster, because Missy never stayed with me again, before or after that night I was S"O"O"O sick.

Posted - February 20, 2017
Tags : None

Responses


  • Dogs and cats do seem to have a sixth sense that we cannot rule out I think.
      February 20, 2017 12:18 PM MST
    4

  • DDBTD, I have always rather believed that, and now it seems incontrovertible.
      February 20, 2017 12:22 PM MST
    1

  • Nice story, Virginia. Dogs can be so very perceptive.

    Many years ago in late autumn we had taken our dog, Honey, for a midweek walk along the Nepean River. We were well out of town and she decided to go swimming. Well, why not? There was nobody about.

    Of course, as soon as you take your clothes off in a public place every man and his dog will turn up and that's just what happened. A young guy came paddling down the river in his canoe, with his dog sitting in the prow. He was of for a week's camping in the wild. He stayed to chat for a while but an hour later the Nepean Belle, a paddle-steamer/restaurant hove into view with a horde of tourists. At least we saw her coming and were able to absquatulate before she arrived.
      February 20, 2017 12:32 PM MST
    6

  • Oh Dozy!
    ...I feel sure Murphy must have a law just for that very situation...
      February 20, 2017 1:17 PM MST
    2

  • I'm sure he has but, as O'Toole said, "Murphy was an optimist." 
      February 20, 2017 1:24 PM MST
    2

  • 6
    Growing up we had a dog named Sam. Around Christmas, we would give her presents to sniff and she would determine if it was a "good" present or not. A good present to a child would definitely NOT be pajamas!
      February 20, 2017 12:33 PM MST
    6

  • Now that TRULY illustrates the giftedness of our canine companions...
      February 20, 2017 1:18 PM MST
    1

  • 6
    She definitely was a keeper, Virginia. She lived to be 17 years old. I was in college when Mom had to put her to sleep. Awesome dog - miss her!
      February 20, 2017 1:29 PM MST
    1

  • I'm walking my Alaskan Malamute, on a leash, and the next door neighbor's Chihuahua comes running out of their yard, barking and making a fuss, and runs right up under my dog's snout. Barking, jumping up and down and just being a pain. 
    My Malamute calmly reached down and picked the Chihuahua up with his mouth, held him in mid-air for about five seconds and dropped him. The Chihuahua took off running back to his house.

    A couple of days later, I spot one of the neighbor's kids (who owns the Chihuahua) and I asked him if their dog was okay. The boy said, "Yes, but we couldn't get him to come out, from under the bed, for two days!"
      February 20, 2017 12:44 PM MST
    8

  • Oh Alf...I laughed and laughed...do you know if that perceptiveness is typical of malamutes?
    ...just to assert a little bit, but not hurting?
      February 20, 2017 1:20 PM MST
    2

  • I'm not sure. He's the only malamute I ever had. He was very mild tempered, loved playing, children and would have been a terrible watch dog. This post was edited by Benedict Arnold at September 5, 2017 4:08 AM MDT
      February 20, 2017 1:32 PM MST
    3

  • Great story! 
      February 20, 2017 1:25 PM MST
    4

  • 10026

    Long, long ago a puppy was left on Don's (for those of you who don't know, Don is my husband :)) front doorstep.  He came with a collar, a piece of twine, a bowl, and a bag of Purina Puppy chow.  He was tied to the door nob.
    Don met this puppy on his way to work one morning.  He opened the door and in flew the puppy.... with the door nob. 
    Being the contractor he was and getting an early start, he didn't know what to make of it.  He lived in a canyon where his nearest neighbors were 2 acres away.  I'm not sure who was more surprised.  The puppy or Don.
    Not knowing what to do, but to give the poor little guy some water and food, he scooped him up and took him, his bowl, his bag of puppy chow, and his twine to work. 
    Don named him freebee.  Because, he was, well, free! Don quickly noticed the markings on this little guy were those of a beagle.  Neither of them knew what or how being a beagle was about.  That didn't matter.  They figured they would figure it out along the way and became the bestest of friends.
    Freebee was Don's sheer love and fascination.  Together they learned about what they both needed and how entertaining they both were together.  Until that infamous day.  Freebee thought he might try taking his excitement up a step. He was so happy to be with Don, he BARKED!  He barked so loudly it knocked him right on his puppy bottom! 
    It scared Don and Freebee!  Don jumped back, Freebee looked frantically around wondering who and what made that noise?!?!?! 
    They looked and looked and didn't find any other being in the room.
    Together, they came to the conclusion that Freebee had taken his first step to being a full on howling, barking, loving, tracking, and by all means mischievous Beagle.  Freebee has long sense passed, but his first bark on the world will always sing the magic of love that humans and puppies can bring. This post was edited by Merlin at February 20, 2017 5:27 PM MST
      February 20, 2017 12:58 PM MST
    7

  • Oh Merlin...yes it's magic.
      February 20, 2017 1:23 PM MST
    3

  • 10026
    It always takes me a while to get to the point; but, thank you Virginia.  I truly appreciate your vote. :) :)
      February 20, 2017 1:24 PM MST
    3

  • Lovely, Merlin. :)
      February 20, 2017 1:27 PM MST
    4

  • 10026
    Thank you Didge.  You know, you are one of my inspirations to write.  This was an opportunity to give it a try, once again.
    It means a lot to me.  Thanks again, Didge! :) :)
      February 20, 2017 1:29 PM MST
    4

  • I miss the three or four times a day of belly rubbing! All three of my Bassets have all loved belly rubbing but Hunter loved it the best! I was always rubbing belly. He would get on the the bed and poke me in the back and when I turned around? I got this.........
      February 20, 2017 1:53 PM MST
    6

  • Rooster I think of you so often during these weeks after you have lost Hunter...so much a part of your days...

    Sometimes i want to ask if you are thinking of another doggie who needs your love, but then I stop...because only you will know when or if. This post was edited by Benedict Arnold at February 20, 2017 7:07 PM MST
      February 20, 2017 7:05 PM MST
    0

  • 10026
    Awwwwwe!!!  That is classic!!!  I know they were a huge part of your life Rooster.  Freebee had those same markings!! 
    They do have a HUGE bark and a fantastic vocabulary.  I've never had the pleasure of a hound dog as a personal friend but Don tells me they have quite the vocabulary.   He said there are different tones they use when they get on a trail.  Freebee had a thing for rabbits.  It worked out quite nicely for Freebee since Don lived in the canyons but raised a heck of a lot of problems for Don and his neighbors, 2 acres away at 3 am.  He and hid neighbors would be out tracking Freebee who was tracking the rabbit.
    One day, about a year into their friendship, Don realized that rabbit make a figure 8 and if they can't get away in that fashion, they will always come back to their hole.  After many miles of fearing for Freebees life in the middle of the night, Don just stopped.  As long as his call was still "I"m on the trail" howl, he knew he would be back in about an hour... when the rabbit escaped back down his hole!!  Big smiles.  It's fun you know about this too Rooster!  (()) ! ;) 
      February 20, 2017 2:44 PM MST
    3

  • My mother had a golden retriever named Dalton. 
    Whenever a person or a friend of ours, of whom she was not too fond of, would come to the house, and upon a secret signal the dog would shoot his nose up an into the unfortunate persons crotch.
    Then she would frantically pretend to pull the dog away for a good five minutes.
      February 20, 2017 2:48 PM MST
    5

  • 10026
    That is funny! :) :)
      February 20, 2017 2:54 PM MST
    3

  • Oh Lago...they can be so unbelievably perceptive, what a story!
      February 20, 2017 7:10 PM MST
    0

  • My new favorite pet story is with my dog last summer. We were laying in my bed sleeping as we do every night when he woke me up with a low growl. I thought he was growling at an animal outside until I heard a crash downstairs. I thought heard a voice as well. I was on some painkillers that night (the reason why is a different story) so I wasnt sure if I actually heard a voice but Sabre doesn't nornally act like that. My dog, his name is Sabre, got up and went over to the door but he didn't leave me behind. I gathered myself and grabbed my pistol just in case. Sabre led me downstairs and around the corner I saw a man and a women had broken in. I was so scared. They were unhooking things from my gaming computer. That thing is custom built, no wonder they wanted it. Anyway, I wanted to call the police but I left my phone on the table the intruders were at so I raised my gun and whistled. I let Sabre do the talking. He stayed between me and them to protect me. They whirled around with a bat and a crowbar. I was too terrified then but now that it's over, it was funny to see their faces when they saw me with a gun and a large German Shepard loudly growling and barking. They stumbled out of there like an episode of the Three Stooges. Sabre started to chase them but I kept him back.

    Long story short, two of my neighbors across the street are a police officer and a detective. I called them and they took care of everything. Thankfully they caught them. Whew! I love my dog! He made sure I was safe. :)
      February 20, 2017 4:17 PM MST
    4