My Experience Having a Dog

In my experience, having a dog has changed my perspective on caring for other living beings. It's empowering to know you can change so much for another being. Having a pet can show you gratitude and love in ways you never would have imagined. Having pets can also show you your capability of caring for someone other than yourself and teach you about selflessness and empathy.

I had my first dog when I was around eight years old. We got him in the winter and he was a Boggle (beagle Boston terrier mix). His name was Zephyr and he was my first pet. He had beautiful brindle fur and was incredibly strong even as a puppy. He was so full of energy and loved to run, he could run faster than any other dog I have seen. His love for running became a problem when he got out because he was impossible to catch. I learned so much about caring for dogs when we had him because I took him outside, watched over him, and learned what chocolate does to a dog when they steal a small piece on Halloween. I learned how to feed him, clean up after him, and how to discipline him. I did not only learn how to care for a pet with Zephyr, I learned how to deal with the loss of a pet with him. He was more than a teacher though, he was a loyal friend that was there through everything.

A few months before Zephyr died we got our second dog. He's a pug named Bamboo and the inspiration for this blog. Having two dogs for a short time was a lot of fun, but definitely had it's stressful moments. Bamboo was a mischievous puppy that loved to play and bite Zephyr. This issue persisted until the last day of Zephyr's life. He was getting old and was always very calm and loved to lay in his bed, but he was being bothered by this little puppy that just wanted to play all day. Aside from that, it was fun to have both dogs and  have two of us take them out and I would always take Zephyr because he was my best friend.

Having Bamboo really saved our family when Zephyr died because he gave us something to care about after such a harsh loss. If we hadn't already had him it would have taken much longer for all of us to heal and even longer before we got another dog. Today, Bamboo is our number one just like Zephyr was for so many years. Learning to accept Zephyr's death taught me a lot in and of itself. I learned about how I deal with loss and how I need to grieve. I also learned how to come to terms with the fact that I would never take him on another walk, or hug him, or comfort him during a thunder storm.

Through all of this I have developed a deep love for dogs. As I have loved my pets over the years I have wanted to show people the love and happiness that can come from having a pet, especially a dog. You can learn from, love, laugh with, and cherish dogs. The purpose of this blog has been to share as much knowledge about dogs as I can and to show the importance of having pets and to explore why humans have such strong connections to these animals.

Zephyr

Bamboo

Animal Shelters in Massachusetts

I want to provide the names and locations of all the animal shelters I could find in Massachusetts because rescuing a dog when possible is (I believe) the best route to go. If I can help any animals get adopted into loving homes, that is what I want to do.

Second Chance Animal Shelter- East Brookfield, MA
Northeast Animal Shelter- Salem, MA
Here Today Adopted Tomorrow Animal Sanctuary- Brimfield, MA
Sterling Animal Shelter- Sterling, MA
Friends of Charlton Animal Shelter- Charlton, MA
Save a Dog- Sudbury, MA
Dakin Humane Society- Springfield, MA
MSPCA Animal Care and Adoption Center- Jamaica Plain, MA
Dakin Humane Society- Leverette, MA
Baypath Humane Society of Hopkinton- Hopkinton, MA
Buddy Dog Humane Society Inc.- Sudbury, MA
Forever Paws Animal Shelter- Fall River, MA
Animal Rescue League of Boston- Boston, MA
Medfield Animal Shelter- Medfield, MA
Animal Rescue League- Worcester, MA
Quincy Animal Shelter- Quincy, MA
Standish Humane Society- Duxbury, MA
Second Chance Animal Shelter- North Brookfield, MA
Animal Shelter- Scituate, MA
Massachusetts Humane Society- Weymouth, MA

The Dog From Chile and The Leonberger

One of the few times we've had to take my dog to the veterinary hospital came with a couple of  interesting stories. We sat in the lobby of the walk in for a long time and saw many dogs come and go with various problems. Sitting across from myself, my sister, my mom, and my dog was this young woman with a rather large dog of an undeterminable breed. We met this dog and learned that he was there to see a behavioral specialist and had been taken in by this woman when she was in Chile. He had been a street dog without a finite genetic makeup. He  had followed her home and from there she took him in and back to the U.S with her. This story has stuck with me because it is so cool to me how she just took in this dog that followed her home. I guess it just goes to show that your life can turn around at any moment.

One of the last dogs I met before we left the pet hospital was a Leonberger.  This is a giant dog breed who's name derives from a German city. They are huge and fluffy and my younger sister was obsessed with them for a while. When I saw this dog I was so excited to tell my sister I had seen a Leonberger in real life since they are more rare than other breeds. When I met the owners and this dog I learned that she had kidney problems and was given a 3 or 4 month life expectancy. Learning this made my heart drop. Here she was, so sweet and unassuming. All I could do was hope she lived out her last days in pure bliss. I will never know if she lived past her expectancy, but I do know that I'll never forget her story because it truly touched me.

Appreciation Post

   
This is just an appreciation post for my dog and who the inspiration for this blog. He's a 2 year old pug named Bamboo. He's one of the best things in my life despite his invasive and messy antics.

"Two poems about what dogs think (probably)" By Billy Collins

This is a short Ted Talk by Billy Collins in which he recites poems written from two different dog's positions.
Link: http://www.ted.com/talks/billy_collins_two_poems_about_what_dogs_think_probably/transcript?language=en

Breed of the Week: Whippet

Environment: Adaptable due to medium size, but if they are in a colder place a jacket is recommended.
Health: Watch out for their teeth, can live up to 15 years
Grooming: Self-groomed and odor free
Trainability: Need positive reinforcement
Family Friendly: Good with children, but not always compatible with cats.

The Whippet was first mentioned in the English language in 1610, but the breed was created in the late 1800's by working class people in Northern England by crossing the greyhound with the terrier. This breed is the most popular among the sight hounds, perhaps it's because they can run up to 35 mph (fast enough to outpace a grizzly bear, whit tail deer, or kangaroo), can navigate in the dark, have 250 degrees of vision (humans have 180 degrees of vision), and have hare-like feet. Whippets are able to run as fast as they do because of their double-suspension gallop which means that with each leap all four paws come off the ground twice. This breed is more common in a shorthaired version than the longhaired version and has a thin smooth coat that comes in many colors. Although these dogs can run fast, they are a very laid-back breed that is good for lazing around the house.

http://www.animalplanet.com/tv-shows/dogs-101/videos/dog-breeds-l-z/

Breed of the Week: Tibetan Mastiff

Environment: Need a cool and dry climate and strong fencing because of their territorial nature.
Health: long lives but have many health problems including- hip dysplasia, thyroid problems, skin issues, and ear infections to name a few.
Grooming: Seasonal shedder
Trainability: Need early socialization
Family Friendly: Loving and protective of their family but weary of strangers.

This breed's ancestors live with nomads in the Himalayas and were brought to Europe by people like Attila the Hun. Tibetan Mastiffs are treasured for their size and bark as well as their heavy build, plumed tails, and their thick double coat (especially on the neck and shoulders). Their size and territorial nature makes this breed posses the strength and intelligence to protect their family and flocks from outside threats.These dogs are stubborn and do not make a good first dog. These dogs are especially popular in China where having a Tibetan Mastiff is considered the ultimate status symbol. They even hold conventions for just Tibetan Mastiffs.

http://www.animalplanet.com/tv-shows/dogs-101/videos/dog-breeds-l-z/