Who has a pet in here? A dog? A cat? Anything? Anyone got a really weird pet? Anyone got any designs on getting a strange pet?
Today on off topic, let’s talk about pets.
When I was growing up in Scotland my parents had a lot of dogs. At one point we had eight goddamn dogs. German Short-Haired Pointers It was pretty intense. Walking them was a nightmare and they were really, really noisy. My parents used to breed them, so at times we could have eight dogs and a litter of puppies in the house. I’ve actually delivered puppies into this world. Intense.
You’d think these kind of experiences would put me off pets for life, but strangely, ever since I left home, I’ve always wanted to get a dog. Not eight dogs. Just one. Maybe a beagle?
Now that I’ve moved out of my apartment into a house, it’s a possibility. I want my son to grow up having a dog around. I have this weird little idea about them running around the house, sharing adorable adventures together.
Anyway — what’s your experience with pets.
Comments
73 responses to “Off Topic: Pets”
I’ve got two cats. They’re mortal enemies. Never a dull moment. Constant state of warfare.
Three seems to be the best number of cats. Constantly shifting dynamics and temporary alliances. Adding a third certainly calmed my place down. All rescues, all different personalities, and all lovely. The middle one is probably the most rewarding as he was not well treated before, but he’s really come out of his shell.
Although cats walking in front of the telly leads to many embarrassing deaths in gaming… “move move move there’s something behind you bloody cat arse” *respawn*
DOGGIES!!!!
KITTIES!!!!
THEY’RE FUCKING FANTASTIC.
We have a budgie. He’s very noisy.
We have two “goldfish”, one of which has lost all it’s colour and is now more of a “silverfish”. Both have grown waaay too big for the tank. Anybody with a big tank want them?
Never want a dog or a cat.
We had to find a new home for my most favourite cat ever when the baby was born 🙁
Two dogs, Arny my timid Brittany Spaniel and my sisters Chocolate Labrador Ollie.
Arny is 15 and has slowed down considerably but he gets along pretty well with Ollie which is great given he’s a lab and licks everything in sight.
Nothing currently but considering getting an ex-racing greyhound next year.
With the adoption program? A client of mine raves about his two greyhounds from adoption, they come to you in pretty awful shape but once shown some love they’ll be fantastic after a week or two of settling in.
Yeah that’s the idea, I hear good things.
Not even sure if I want a pet though, all that responsibility and needed attention and exercise and money… And people keep saying you should get two dogs so they have company /o\
We shall see.
Lol yep, he has a boy and girl greyhound and he reckons they are up at 4am on the dog begging for a walk and a feed. If you’re a morning person keep that in mind!
A work colleague does greyhound rescues, and has three herself. They’re beautiful animals, with loving temperaments, in spite of all they’ve been through.
I have a dog that’s so old she no longer counts as a dog. Now she’s more of a hair pile that does nothing but eat and sleep. So she’s a cat.
I got a blue heeler – he’s fantastic. Most loyal pet I’ve ever had (and we’ve had a few). Only downside is he loves to lick everything as the nipping has been bred out of him. Love him to bits.
I have a german sheppard
He likes bubbles and jumping on my crotch.
I’ve always had dogs. Beagles when I was with my parents (they tend to wander if they get out though).
My fiancee and I have a Golden Retriever now, she’ll be 2 in February. We have just enough backyard (inner west Sydney) for her while we are at work but it also forces us to go for walks.
You do end up having to pick up a lot of shit though…. But she’s a lark and Goldens have unbelievably cool personalities.
Isabella (Izzy): http://imgur.com/AbDMQQd
I have two sibling Greyhounds, they are crossed with something we don’t know.. but looks to be Pitbull and also a whippet who dominates the other two, somehow.
Love dogs, with exception of maybe two years total, I have always had at least one dog through my life. Best companions, unless they are barking.
I grew up with dogs but once I moved into my own house I never bothered to get one, I think I just like playing with them but don’t want any of the responsibility that comes with owning a dog.
I did have a couple of budgies but have recently relocated so gave them away.
So now it’s no pets.
I have 2 golden retrievers, brother and sister both getting on in the world now (11 years old). Never regretted getting them as they are the most loveable and loyal dogs I’ve ever had. One wants nothing but cuddles and the other just wants to be a very large lap dog. Everyone who meets them just falls in love with their beautiful nature, even people who profess to not liking dogs. One of the best things you can do is having a pet, just make sure you get the right breed otherwise they will make your life a nightmare.
I’ve got 2 lab crosses and cat back at my family home in NZ. Miss them all to bits! Me and my gf bought a kitten (ragdoll/maine coon cross) from a breeder on the Central Coast about 6 weeks ago now I think. He’s nearly 5 months old and literally the best little cat we could have ever asked for. Makes leaving for work even harder and coming home even better. We live in an apartment and he’s being raised as an inside cat. I love dogs and would love a little friend for him to play with, but we don’t have the time or space for a puppy just yet.
Edit: This is our kitten: Big. http://i.imgur.com/3IbnqX7.jpg http://i.imgur.com/o6i3W63.jpg http://i.imgur.com/ggQmRp4.jpg
Got a Beagle that is now 8 months old. Such an affectionate and loveable little guy, and he is obsessed with being around you, even if its just sitting near you. Used to be a Border Collie man, but my Beagle is pretty boss.
Two cats. One needing to lose weight, the other obsessed with coughing up hairballs, although that might’ve had something to do with the rubber band I found in the litter tray that he’d crapped out the other day.
I also want a Daschound, a Dulux dog, a Great Dane and a Spaniel of some sort. I also require a bigger house and larger disposable income
I have a staffy (Dutch) , a cat (Princess Chaos) , 3 chickens (Suzy, Black Dynamite and Ratonhnhaké:ton), two turtles (Speedy Ninja and Captain Turtle) and fish scattered throughout the house in fishtanks and in an outdoor pond.
PUT THOSE SCATTERED FISH IN WATER! D:
No idea what you’re talking about *innocent look*
I have a Siamese Fighting Fish called Shuriken. He goes hard.
I’ve had a few trained indoor birds…budgies and cockatiels.
I’m currently having a great wildlife experience with my 3 year old daughter as we attract more critters to the house. Our property borders a large section of QLD state forest, so we get the snakes, birds, possums etc visiting. Currently we’re actively feeding a small squadron of green lorikeets, pale faced rosellas, a pheasant, and some cheeky butcher birds. The offshoot of that is both the ringtail and brushtail possums come by at night to clean up what’s left in the bird feeder.
…the OTHER offshoot is the carpet pythons come by to clean up everything else! EEP!
We’ve got two crazy Bengal cats, one who thinks she’s a dog and her brother who’s so neurotic he’s on kitty-sized doses of Prozac. Never a dull moment in our household.
I take pride in the fact my parents always came up with sensible names for our dogs (shitzu-maltese-cross and shitzu-something-cross) – Bruce and Charlie were a part of the family. Always wanted a pet now that I’ve moved out, but never had the time or the opportunity.
Heh, our two lab crosses are Buddy and Charlie. The cat is Molly. Nice and simple!
Charlie’s previous owner called him Shadow or some such. Who calls a ten-inch-tall ball of brown fur “shadow”? Incidentally, we also had a Molly way back, who was suprisingly sedate for a shitzu-cross… don’t suppose you’ve got an Angus in your history, too? 😛
No Angus unfortunately. Another solid name.
I have a 6yo dog who is slowly dying of a heart murmur and associated heart degeneration. Spoiler tags for downer bit:
He doesn’t seem to be in pain yet, but he’s off his food and breathing is starting to get irregular.Apparently, he’s perked up a little today, though, which is good, but we’re still probably going to have to make some difficult choices pretty soon.
Discussed it with the kids yesterday. Awful experience.
He’s a pretty great dog. Very patient with the kids and tolerant of all the abuse he’s suffered at their hands. Extremely quiet and loyal, protective when he has to be, and perfectly behaved at almost all times. I don’t think we could ever find another one like him.
What sort of breed? Sounds lovely. 🙁
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. We called him Barkley, because I enjoy basketball.
Great name. Hope the kids handle it well, I can’t imagine how hard that conversation would be..
It was really rough. And I imagine the actual last day will be even worse.
*hugs*
Excuse me, I think I have something in my eye…
Best wishes to you and your beautiful furry friend.
Chin up mate,
saying goodbye is the hardest part of anything. They give you unconditional love and don’t want much in return but your love back.
just try and remember all the good times and remember the great life you gave him, I am sure he loves you for it.
as far as the kids go I cant really help you there, but they are better for having known the unconditional love of a dog,
as Deecee said Hugs for you my friend.
Both the lives of your family and Barkley are richer for the love you shared.
Best wishes, Shane.
*hugs*
I had to go through something very similar with my childhood dog a few years ago. He had a heart murmur too, and started going off things. Eventually, we made that impossible decision to give him some dignity in how he went. We made sure his last few days were the best. My brother, being a chef, cooked him steak leading up to it all, and Digger (our dog) even had a cheeseburger the morning of his appointment. My brother and I were there, holding him right till the end.
It is the hardest decision we’ve ever had to make, and I miss him everyday.
I have a black pug named Google.
His favourite pastimes are eating which always gets a glorious burp at the end, snoring loudly that keeps me up at night and farting while on my lap.
He’s fantastic!
That’s a glorious name for a pug!
We have a cat, Pain in the butt she is but seeing as we had to put our dog down a few weeks back (he had cancer) she is helping keep us less depressed.
Our house is not good for animals in the past 2 years we have had 2 hermit crabs die about 20 fish die and now our dog, word to all furry things run away from us very very fast.
For the record, I am not available to be anyone’s pet. 😛
I’ve got an English Bulldog and she’s awesome!
We’ve had a few pets around the place. Loads of fish, we also had a pair of rabbits when I was little, a pair of guinea pigs (who were joined by an abandoned one we found later) that we gave away to the RSPCA when it got to the point that we weren’t really bothering to look after them much, then my sister got a cockatiel that we had for about 14 years, up until the start of this year. Poor little guy just keeled over on day.
I was sad that Jimmy died and everything, but in a way I’m kinda glad he’s gone. There’s no more seed and feathers/dust being strewn all around the place, nor is there any of his incessant screeching. I’m not really good with animals, I don’t think. I just kinda don’t know what to “do” with them. Like when I’m at a friend’s place and they have a dog or a cat, I generally just try and avoid them. Don’t like petting them or anything, because then my mind just registers that my hand is “dirty” and I don’t want to touch anything with it until I’ve had a chance to wash it. Also I generally don’t like how pet owners’ houses tend to smell like animals. Almost as bad as going to a smoker’s home.
I’m pretty much happy to go without pets.
My cat (Poisson, French for fish. Don’t judge me!) had kittens yesterday – four of them – anybody want one?
Oh, I also have five fish: Moon, Birdboot, Puckeridge, Inspector Hound and Mrs Drudge.
I have an Italian Greyhound. Never heard of them before I got my little one. She is 6 now, very quiet, very small, very loyal and sweet. Also she is low maintenance which is great when you have a busy lifestyle/lazy.
I have a bunny. He is fat.
2 cats and 2 snakes 🙂
2 male dogs: both Mini Poodles, Toby, 1yr old; Maxwell, 4yr old yesterday
Extremely intelligent, eager to please and they are great mates too. In the almost year they have been together there has never been a fight. Plenty of play fighting, never escalated.
I am going to tell you my families memorable pets:
Cats: hannah, joanna, rebbeca, thomas, rosie, princess, gracie
Dogs: nellie, max, winston, poppy, bobby
Man that is a lot of pets
I have an American Staffy named Bronx, he’s about 7 now and still going strong. Naughty as the day I got him (more so cheeky), he is all love and no brains. He is loyal to me protective of the Mrs and gets on like a house on fire with all the kids in our group.
Once I found him at my house with 3 friends kids playing, one was sitting on his back, the other was pulling his tail and the youngest was poking him in the eye, all he did was sit there with a smile on his face and take the punishment and gave all 3 kids a lick when I asked them to stop beating him up !
Funny you should mention this, I just came home from work for lunch and found that he has now figured out how to open the rear door of the house and let himself inside…..my bread roll that was waiting for me was no longer there and the bed has been given a good messing up. Still couldn’t help but laugh at the mutt though, he thought it was hilarious.
An indoor cat, Veronica (Mars), mostly called Ronnie, and two indoor rabbits, Buffy and Anja. We also have a zebra finch, Flash, who pre-dates my son naming pets after TV characters.
Kitties!!!! \o/
Kitty 1:
http://i.imgur.com/7cIBUzO.gif
Kitty 1 with Kitty 2!
http://i.imgur.com/7v5xW.jpg
Grew up with dogs and cats throughout my childhood and also mice, lizards, budgies, scorpions and other various critters at different points.
Currently have a cockatiel named Geoffrey who was taken in to the vet my mum works at, after being found outside in someone’s yard – a little worse for wear. He was missing patches of feathers from where wild birds had obviously been beating him up.
We took him home and it took him months to warm up to us, but we’ve had him for 3 or 4 years now and I couldn’t imagine the place without him. He’s a little but unusual – a moody introvert who only interacts with people on his own terms, but he loves me and my housemate to bits.
Highlights include uncovering his cage in the morning to him excitedly greeting you as if ‘HOLY SHIT IT’S YOU AGAIN.’ Or arriving home, even after the worst day ever to him excitedly squealing the place down the moment he hears my car in the driveway – never fails to make me smile.
Regardless of your preference, pets are just plain ace and really do enrich your life.
I have:
– 3 dogs (1 rescue)
– 1 cat (rescue)
– 1 horse (rescue)
– 1 sheep (rescue)
– 4 goats (2 rescue)
– 4 alpacas
– 3 catfish
– 2 cichlids
And we just gave away the 2 miniature pigs we had…yes my missus is an animal nut and we end up with all the animals no one else wants 🙂
So Easter 2015 at your place???
On a serious note, when i was really young, i had sheep and chickens. i referred to them as pets, my dad called them dinner.
to add, alpacas, and sheep make the most adorable pets.
Anyone who follows me on twitter knows I have 2 huskies. Because that’s about all I post about 😛
BONUS PICS
Chase: imgur.com/QqitHtQ.jpg
Malak: imgur.com/Y7nmxDt.jpg
LOVE.THEM! *heart melts*
2 fantastic big boofers of dogs… 1 female Labrador x boxer and 1 mastiff x….something :P… Fantastically smart dogs and ever so loving! http://t.co/DRqTKUZ159
And as you can tell they get along quite well 😛
We have 3 cats, and they all love sitting in my lap whilst gaming, my ginger cat even pushes the controller at me across the coffee table if I haven’t played enough for her liking.
I have a 14 year old indoor kitty.
After saying goodbye to 10 year old Hamish the Cat last year due to cancer, we adopted two abandoned kittens, Oscar and Toby. Well, kittens for another week, then they turn 1 and I guess are “cats”, not “kittens”. But they are two brothers and they have their moments, but working from home is great as they’re good company to have snoozing in my office… Toby’s snoring away at my feet now. Furbabies are awesome, be that feline or pooch! Then there’s my tank of Neon Tetras and Cherry Shrimp in my office too. Go animals!
I have two little ferrets, Boo and Atlas 🙂
Gorgeous purebred Old English Sheepdog.
We have a Black & White rescue Domestic Short Hair named Coco. She’s the most wonderful cat I’ve ever met. I wasn’t too keen on cats in the past due to them being rather cold and unaffectionate compared to dogs but Coco is completely different to other cats. Here are some points that i think really make her seem different:
1. She sits and shakes on command like a dog
2. She loves to be patted
3. She doesn’t really care about food and just meows for pats and attention
4. She knows not to jump on the bench or go in the bedroom. Even if we leave the door open, she’ll sit right next to it and never walk in.
5. She lays on her back and likes belly scratches – just like a dog.
6. She never, EVER scratches or attacks people.
She’s pretty much a cat with a dog personality.
Got a cat, Pixel, but he is an a$$hole but aren’t all cats?
I also have a blue tongue lizard, Haku, who is so docile I could mistake him for a rock and leave him outside for a week and if I came back he would still be in the same spot.
I have had a LOT of pets…dogs, cats, snakes (both venomous and non, small and huge), blue tongues, geckos, scorpions, birds (cockatoos, canaries, budgies), fish (tropical and “normal”) and my mum even has a freshwater yabby which is a freaking science experiment gone bizarre (he started as a feeder cray for fish and survived and is now about 30cms long and eats fish!) and it would not surprise me if it takes over the gold coast one day!!
I have a dog and a cat, my cat is constantly pouncing on my dog leading to many laughs