Thread: To know one another.....

Hello everyone,

I've been reading these threads and have noticed that we seem to be quick to judge or discredit one another very easily. I'd like to take this opportunity to tell you about myself and hope that others will follow. By doing so we may think twice about telling someone they don't know what they're talking about. We all have different opinions and are entitled to them but some background might give us that extra credibility.

I am 24 years old and have been involved in 'animal care' since my first memory. My family had our own rescue sanctuary when I was little and that's where it all began. When I was 12, I started my OWN business. It consisted of pet sitting from farm animals to household pets, dog walking, minor pet healing, and more. My father was(as he is now deceased) a renowned Horse trainer, which he passed on to me. His farriar was also a dog tranier, which I learned a lot from. When I was 16 I started working in a Family owned pet store and volunteering in two vet hospitals.

I now still work in a Pet Store (not big warehouse,privately owned and well respected in our community for our very informative staff) as a pet counselor/nutrionest. I have been through uncountable seminars and courses to get where I am today. I am well respected, and though I do not claim to know everyting, I do have a lot of credibility.

I have a lot of talents in other fields, but this is what I choose to do...I am an animal lover. I would to hear about all of you, and welcome any questions on my life. I believe this place is somewhere we can be friends and help each other out, I hope I continue to feel that way.

cjac&mac: What a great idea! I think it might be a good way for us to know a little more about everyone! Sounds like you have a big heart for animals! That's fantastic!!


Well where to start...

I am 20 years old and, although I am taking this semester off, I'm a college student in Northern Arizona. I am originally from England (hence the name) and I moved to America when I was 7 years old. I suppose my first experience with a dog (although I vaguely remember it) was between the ages of 3-5 when I used to share a water bowl (yes the dog's water bowl) with my grandparents Long-Haired Daschund, Jason.

When I was in second grade I started BEGGING my parents for a dog. I would always want to go to friends house more to play with their dogs than them. When I got to fourth grade and still didn't have a dog I thought the day would never come. My parents did want a dog, but my brother was still pretty young at the time and we were still settling into America and everything. Anyway, I was ALWAYS talking about how much I wanted a dog, so much so that my fourth grade teacher would ask me every day if my parents had gotten a dog yet. He even mentioned it to my parents in the parent-teacher conferences. So FINALLY one day my dad came home and asked us to turn the tv off and come into the other room. At first we were angry to be missing our tv show, but when we saw this adorable puppy he had brought home we were elated! Sandy was a 4 month old chow/lab mix that my dad saw at the shelter and couldn't turn her down. When he asked the staff about her he came to find out that she was due to be put to sleep the next day or two.

When Sandy was about 6 years old we got our second dog, that we think was a lab/sheperd mix of some kind. My sister was out walking with a friend and watched two guys stop their van and drop this adorable (roughly) 6-8 week old puppy onto the ground by a construction site. Of course my parents told us we could keep the pup and we had him until he was a little over one. At that time we planned to move back to England and at first didn't think we could take either dog. (In England they do not (or at least didn't at that time) have rabies so they would of had to be quarantined for 8 months!). We decided that since we had had Sandy for 7 years we couldn't give her up, but we couldn't take both dogs. I had a good friend from work who had been looking for a dog for herself and her daughter and she was so happy to have Ben. Sadly, we decided several months later that we weren't going to move, but didn't have the heart to take Ben back after they had grown to love him! (They still have him BTW and he's doing fantastic!)

So after I moved out of my house I lived with my current dog Bridgette(dalmation/pit bull mix who's now 2 1/2) and my roommates red heeler mix, Billy. Now I live elsewhere with just Bridgette, my 2 cats, gerbil and fish.

When I was younger I also had my own pet-sitting business and starting today I am volunteering at an animal shelter here in town! I am so excited about it too!

Sorry this was so lengthy!

Oops I forgot to say I am in school to become an elementary school teacher, but I have only done alot of general education classes so far so I am thinking about getting in bio/zoology or something so that I can either become a Vet Technician or do something in the animal field...possibly be an officer for the ASPCA.

I am 26 years old, I was born in England but moved to Canada when I was 9.

I graduated high school in 1999, and went straight to working full time in a factory as I wasn't sure what I wanted to do, so I wasn't ready for college/university.

I've always been an animal lover, especially dogs. I've also had a lot of other critters as pets, including: mice, rats, guinea pigs, chinchillas, a tegu lizard, a horse and cats.

In 2003 I purchased my first new car, which was awesome, but even more awesome was in early 2004 I purchased my first home. I'm a go getter and work really hard for the things I want, and was very proud of myself for going it alone and being a homeowner at age 23.

The past year has been a tough one for me. In May 2006 I went into hospital for a laparoscopy, and was diagnosed and treated for stage 4 endometriosis, a contition that plagues me still. I was off work for 9 months after the surgery while I was on treatments, where I had to drop out of the Veterinary Technician course I was taking at the time. (which is ok, after 6 months I realized this wasn't the path I wanted to take anyway, but the study was still very usefull and informative).

I find great joy in my pets, and spend most of my time (when I'm not working) training, taking care of them and researching any and everything I can. Obviously I also love spending time on dog forums meeting other dog and animal lovers. I've had the pleasure of meeting and becoming close friends with a few awesome forum members also! Although I only own Rottweilers at the present time, I love all dogs, and have studied every breed, truly fascinated by the characteristics and temperments associated with each breed. Obviously some stick out more than others for me, and by studying so much on specific breeds, I have found a great variety of future breeds to own that would fit my lifestyle where I can give those specific breeds the things they need.

After being off work for so long, I'm playing a bit of catch up right now, but in the near future will be taking a dog training and behavior course. And hopefully within the next few years will be able to move and purhase some property with some acreage, where I can begin fostering and rescuing dogs. We have only one humane society in the area, which is constantly overflowing. Their goal is to become a no kill shelter by the year 2012, which will be much more do-able if they have outside help in the area also, that's where I hope to help. I'd like to take in the "problem" dogs that show up and work with them to help them become more adoptable. I also volunteer at the humane society, and help out with events and fundraisers.

I would also love to show one day, and get into competing with my dogs in numerous events. From agility, to working, to obedience. I'm hoping my next dog to be a Neapolitan Mastiff or a Greater Swiss Mountain Dog. I am still undecided, but hopefully I will get the chance to own both breeds at some point, so whichever I end up getting first, the other will follow at another time. I also plan on owning a Bengal cat in the near future.

There are so many goals I have, and they will all require a lot of work, time and patience, and obviously if I start a rescue, and want to show and compete with my own dogs I will need some help, but I'm confident I can accomplish all these things, although it may be a few years away yet.

I'm still pretty new here, but I'll go.

I'm 21 years old and originally from Ohio, but we moved to Colorado 9 years ago. My dad just recently retired from the Air Force so I got to see all sorts of places when I was younger (Germany, England, Lousiana, California, South Carolina). He now lives in Quatar as a contractor. My parents are recently divorced and my mom lives in Toledo, Ohio with my 2 youngers sisters, ages 18 and 14. I met my husband almost 2 years ago and we've been married for 8 months. He is a cop in the Air Force, so I guess I'll never escape from the military life, lol. Right now he is on a 6 month to 1 year deployment in the middle east, so its just me and the dogs here.

Rhea has been my seizure alert dog for the past 2 years. I've had seizures for as long as I can remember. My condition has a long, obnoxious name which translates to: I have epilepsy, but they don't know why. Up until May of last year, they've been able to control them with medication, but now the medication has no effect so I rely heavily on my service dog for my day to day life.

I graduated from High School 2 years early (I was 16) and went to the police academy here in the Springs to be a police officer. When I was 18, I finally got to join the force, starting out with shadowing other officers, regular rookie stuff. I loved my job and everything was going great until I had to be taken off the force last year due to my seizures being out of control. (Don't really feel safe handling a gun or anything like that since I don't know when my seizures can hit) So now I'm still technically a police officer, only they transfered me to Canon City Penitentary where I now train police dogs 5 days out of the week. I mostly work with German Shepherds and Malinios, but we're working on training a German shorthair pointer for drug detection. Its an hour away from my house, but they allow me to take my dogs to work with me, so its not too bad.

I've been around dogs my entire life, our first dog was an Irish Wolfhound named Molly. I've also had a minature snauhzer, 3 labs, a golden and a German Shepherd growing up. Now I have a 4 year old Lab/Rottie Mix and a 9 week old Plott hound puppy, both were adopted from the Humane Society. I just got into competing in UKC obedience and rally-o last year and I'd like to try agility this year and tracking with my plott pup when he's old enough.

Well, that's about it. I love my dogs, I love my job, I love my family. Sorry if its kinda long.

I am....apparently old LOL I'm 32, married, graduated from college what seems like forever ago with a BA in Psychology, though I've never worked in that field. My husband and I work for the same company and both work from home.

My parents aren't really "animal people" but I did grow up with a couple cocker spaniels and a few "pocket pets." We were an Army family, so moving every 3-4 years really wasn't conducive to pet ownership anyway. When I was little my mom always told me I could have as many pets as I wanted when I grew up...and I never forgot that

I got my first greyhound 5 or so years ago when I got my first apartment and my first "real job." I was hooked on the breed...met my husband who had four greyhounds to my two greys, we got married and grew our pack...the most we've had at any given point is 15 greys. We lost one of our seniors recently so we now have 14, 2 cats, 2 bunnies and a horse. Senior and special needs greyhounds are what we prefer to adopt.

We have a kennel building that sits on our home's property and we do very limited all breed boarding (3 or so dogs at a time, max!) and primarily use the kennel for greyhounds that need a place to hang out when they leave the track if no groups are able to take them right away. We work with any adoption group or racing owner that needs our help.

We do have a website: www.greyhoundfreaks.com which we've been horrible at maintaining but should be releasing the new version of it at some point tonight <<fingers crossed>> Right now there's just a pretty cool video I made of us and our hounds

Our lives are pretty much consumed by our pets - which is how we like it...we lure course 4 of our younger dogs so that's a couple weekends out of the month doing that.

I guess that's it....great thread BTW.

Well, other than Elijah, I'm probably the oldest one here so you all should just assume that everything I say is dead-on.

It's interesting to me that hardly anyone here uses even a first name. I understand the concern for privacy on the Internet, but I personally think it's hard to "get to know one-another" without so much as a first name.

As for credibility, I think it comes with time and honesty. If you read a lot of posts and really pay attention, you start to get a sense of who knows what they're talking about. Forums like this one tend to be self-policing in the sense that, if someone says something really outrageous, they are unlikely to go unchallenged for long.

Just for the record, I have no particular canine expertise. I have been blessed with several really good dogs, but I can't take any credit for it. I've been very, very lucky.

If you want to know all about Texas state mandates as they affect commercial group health insurance, or about picture framing, then I'm your guy.

I'm learning about Plott hounds through trial-and-error.

Chickadee, I was particularly touched by your story, and not just because you have a Plott hound.

Well, other than Elijah, I'm probably the oldest one here so you all should just assume that everything I say is dead-on.

ROFL

Ron - you are quite possibly one of my favorite posters on the board. And I'm not just saying that because you have a plott hound I love your sense of humor. I may take you up on the picture framing advice...I have a sick addiction to buying greyhound stuff on eBAy (postcards, racing programs, pictures...) and always have a stack of odd sized stuff I need to frame.

btw...my name is Heather

Aww, thanks My name is Stacey btw

Can't wait to see your website Heather. The video is still loading... my computer is so slow lol.

My name is Lorina, named after a Johnny Cash song (but it was spelled "Lorena"). I'm 34, and have been a vet tech for the past 3 years, working at an animal shelter for three very long months prior.

I graduated college with a degree in Painting and Illustration, and worked as an artist for a few years before becoming a web designer. Unfortunately, the company I worked for had a crappy salesperson, so I had entirely too much free time on my hands. Fortunately, this enabled me to work on my own websites (aside from my portrait gallery in my sig line, I run a handful of dating advice sites and a forum), and do goofy stuff like online dating, where I met my husband over 7 years ago. Unfortunately, all the downtime on the job was very stressful to me, fearing the company would go under and/or I'd lose my job, and I developed TMJ, which is basically a slipped disc in the jaw joint. It was like having a migraine headache for about a year straight. It really wouldn't have been all that bad, if the doctors didn't misdiagnose me for about six months.

Since I was on some heavy duty pain pills and muscle relaxants, I had to take time off of work, and while I was out, I got addicted to watching Emergency Vets. It was then, I think during a commercial for a vet tech training program commercial, that the little lightbulb went off over my head: "Hey, you could do that!" As a child, I wanted to be a vet, but being incredibly poor put a damper on that dream. And it didn't help having people say stuff like, "If you're a vet, you'll have to put animals to sleep," which is just terrifying when you're 10 years old.

So when I got better, and didn't have a job to go back to, I started looking for animal related jobs. I just wanted to get my feet wet first, so I applied at places like Petsmart, Petco, and our local SPCA just to see if I really wanted to work with animals. When the SPCA called, I was terrified. I knew working there would be a trial by fire. If I could emotionally handle that, I could work anywhere, in any field. Even if I couldn't watch Emergency Vets or Animal Cops without crying.

The job, to put it nicely, sucked. Since I had computer skills, I was the "lucky" one to be trained to work the incoming department. So I was the one who saw all the dregs of humanity bringing in dogs and cats they didn't want anymore. And litters of puppies and kittens they couldn't find homes for. I logged them in on the computer, scanned them for a microchip, gave them dewormer and a booster vaccination. I was afraid I'd pass out the first time I had to give a vacc. I'd always been a little afraid of needles. I thought I'd throw up the first time I had to carry a dead animal back to the freezer/morgue. The hardest part for me, though, was that I'd always had jobs where the attitude was "the customer is always right," and it was very hard for me to adopt the attitude of "the customer is considered guilty until proven otherwise." A lot of times, people would bring in "stray" dogs, but upon looking up their info in the computer, you'd find that they had purchased a license for a dog matching that dog's description just six months before. There was a lot of stuff liek that that really makes you dispise humanity.

So I was really happy when I got interviewed for an animal hospital. It's so nice now, working mainly with clients who love their animals like their children. Sometimes they most annoying customers you end up loving just because they love their pets so much.

Dang. I'm long winded.

To wrap this up... I have two cats, Gracie and Gypsy. Gypsy was a feral stray living under my neighbor's porch. Gracie was supposed to just be fostered for 2 weeks while I was at the SPCA, her name is now Gracie Sue - the Sue is short for souveneir. And Beavis, my one-eyed Pekingese. I enjoy painting pet portraits, and "handyman" stuff like home remodeling and refinishing antique furniture. Married five years, and no intentions of having any children who do not have fur and a tail. I used to say that I only wanted kids who had four legs and a tail, but I wouldn't be surprised if I end up with a three-legged pet at some point. It's always the special needs one that grab my heart.

Originally Posted by RonE

Well, other than Elijah, I'm probably the oldest one here so you all should just assume that everything I say is dead-on.

I agree with Heather...you are one of my favorites because you just crack me up!

Originally Posted by RonE

Chickadee, I was particularly touched by your story, and not just because you have a Plott hound.

I agree! I was going to post something, but I was sneaking on at work (as usual lately) and couldn't get back on.



Lorina:
I always wanted to be a vet, but the money and taking all those math classes has pushed me away from it. I am thinking I might get my B/A in Bio and go to Vet Tech school too.

And btw my name is Tasha.

Why do I feel like I’m in The King and I? Anyway, I always thought the best way to know someone was to know their pet peeve. I’ll then simply say popcorn should be banned from movie theaters! Crunch, crunch, crunch. Rrrrgh!

To his friends, he is simply known as “Ric”…though that isn’t his given name. When addressed by his father he was known as “mijo”, and by his mother something to the effect of “he-car(rolling r)-dough”- a Portuguese pronunciation of his given Hispanic name. In elementary school, he was teased with “retardo”, by more people than just his torturing elder brother. He petitioned on many occasions to have his name changed, but his parents wouldn’t have any of it. He petitioned for “Luke”, or “Han”, or “Chewy”…sometimes even “Lord Vader” if he was feeling particularly strong with the force that day, but mama and papa never saw it that way. In middle school his friendly friends called him “Rico”, but his not-so-friendly friends called him Richard’s nickname. If he only had a dollar for every time he said in response, at least I have one, he'd be competing with Gates in the Fortune 500. In high school, a coach called him “Little Richie” – more for his stature, but his friends thought it was a reference to a small Richard…go figure. But through it all Ric had one constant friend, his dog “Lizzybeth”, and that was the only name that mattered.

Lizzybeth was a tan colored basset hound. She had been a mother twice. The first was a rapping by a GSD, the second was planned with a stud for hire - who was ironically named “Gigolo”. BYB’s at their best, he supposed, as he learned one of the excuses for breeding... to experience the miracle of life. Too bad they forgot to mention the antithesis of life…death – as it turns out not all puppies live to be puppies, he quickly learned. And some, like Lizzybeth, are taken from life by cancer.

There was a “Diego”, a tri colored basset that came after Lizzy, but Diego was more his sibling’s dog since Ric was in school studying Environmental Engineering. He later became a registered Mechanical Engineer…Ric did, not Diego. Diego lived only to become another basset/cancer statistic.

After college and career came a time to focus on a home - a home that is now filled with the splendor of an “Elsa”. Although to call it a home is a bit of a stretch since the home in question appears to be more of a storage unit. The one man construction crew that is Ric currently resides here, evidently, with Elsa. When not hammering, drilling, saw cutting, patching, plumbing, or painting, Ric enjoys a warm cup of green tea when alone, or a fine tawny port when with friends. Cheers dogforum.com!

As for free time, Ric would rather spend it with Elsa, but “Adidas” and “Trek” often call for him too with chants of “Go Pre! or Viva Lance!”…sometimes Elsa joins in on the inaudible fun. Ric also finds fun volunteering to walk dogs at animal care centers he helped to engineer. Who knew designing HVAC systems would lead him closer to everything dog, but it did. An academy with the S.F. SPCA will be the next step towards his personal utopia…probably in the year 08 between marriage and New Zealand.

To end, Ric would like me to pass along this sentiment… He has thoroughly enjoyed spending time with his friends at dogforums.com, but not as much as he’s enjoyed getting to know all these personalities with names.

Well my name is Sue but my native american grandmother use to called me aponi. I am 36 years old the youngest of six. I've been around animals since day one of me being here on earth. My family raised hunting dogs from Coonhounds to Beagles we also had Pekingese (my moms favorite breed), Cocker Spaniels and a Karelian Bear Dog. When I was growing up people called me Elly May because I always had an animal with me. In my time of growing up I've also took on the roll of saving unwanted animals. My parents would get upset with me sometimes because every time they turned around I was bring home a stray. After graduating from high school I went to school to become a herbalist I got my masters in that field. I also worked at vet clinic for eight years until my first born arrived. Then I became I stay at home mom for a while. About two years ago I got my Level II in Reiki. I run my own business of helping people and animals with in the field of herbalist and Reiki. I am getting ready to start school to become and animal nutritionist. I also have been owned by other animals growing up cats, rabbits, hamsters, horses, a number of reptiles, birds and to many others to name. Well I think that sums me up a little.

Originally Posted by lovemygreys

We do have a website: www.greyhoundfreaks.com which we've been horrible at maintaining but should be releasing the new version of it at some point tonight <<fingers crossed>> Right now there's just a pretty cool video I made of us and our hounds

.

Wow, great video. You really do love your greys! So many videos play sad songs but you made a good choice for background music, it's happy and makes you want to pay attention. I think you'll get good feedback (more bees with honey). Plus I have a sore spot for Jack.

This thread is wonderful...

I am 26 ( last year had a 1/4 life crisis... didnt even know they existed but feel so silly for having it now)

I got my first dog when I was .... young... lol I forget how old i was, she was a drop off... A BC mix I believe. I had her for 16 years and she passed away of obvious age related issues.
After her I got my Max.... when i moved away to college he stayed with my parents as we lived in a small town and I didnt think it was fair for him to move to the city at all, he was accustomed to his routines. He escaped from the garage one day when there was a giant windstorm and was killed on the road ( RIP Pookie)
After that I purchased my first Rottie from a BYB... sigh... I had him for 3 weeks... he had parvo and was PTS. My boyfriend got me another Rottie who had seizures and passed on due to them ( we are 45 minutes from the closest vet of any kind)
Since those wonderful dogs I have been active in rescue ( fostering and transporting) Aquired Meiko ( my border Collie) and Nikita ( Rott/Boxer mix) around the same time, then Puppy 1.5 years ago ( off an elderly gentleman who was afraid he himself would pass on and Puppy not have a good home, his health is failing, but we visit regularly Puppy and I) and Bailey is my foster failure, ( Icouldnt imagine him not being a part of my life for the rest of his days, so he stays here)

I finally have my dream job, meter reading for Hydro... pay is great and the best part is getting payed to walk and play with many dogs in a day also I love the travelling.

I have no kids and prolly wont ever have any due to fertility issues... im afraid to take Clomid and end up with mulitples so currently my bf of 5 years and I are looking into adoption and fostering. ( Its kinda my calling I think... )
This is getting lengthy now so i'll stop.

Originally Posted by cjac&mac

Wow, great video. You really do love your greys! So many videos play sad songs but you made a good choice for background music, it's happy and makes you want to pay attention. I think you'll get good feedback (more bees with honey). Plus I have a sore spot for Jack.

Awww...Thanks! I just love that song and it's always made me think of my family (DH and the hounds). I put that together just after we lost our 14 year old Annie last year...very therapeutic to look through all the pictures and remember all the good times together

....and our site was apparently NOT released last night Just waiting on DH to finish one last part of it....<<tapping fingers>>