Pets - tell us about yours

[Music_Freak]

I was just searching for an old thread here about how pets help us with mental illness/health and it seems to be gone, so I thought I'd start another one.

As some of you know already, I have a black cat named Buddy and he's my life, basically. I have no friends or contact with family currently, so he's it. Knowing he's around is a great comfort and during bad periods he's generally the only thing that gets me out of bed.

So, go ahead and share anything about your pets and make us all smile.

[Emmy.]

Love that you have buddy to look after you and give you lots of hugs 🙂

I have a dog called Poochie, he’s a havanese (no one has ever heard of that breed... it’s a type of bichon).

I’m home alone in the evenings so we got him when anxiety and depression entered my life. He’s my best friend. My little companion and can sense my different moods. He’s what’s known as a “velcro-dog” so follows me EVERYWHERE lol.

We take him everywhere with us, and our holidays are usually based on finding accommodation he can stay at with us. We live 2 hrs north of Sydney and he’s travelled with us in the car to; Melbourne, Adelaide, Dorrigo, Armidale... he’s well travelled hehe.

Funny things he does:

• When we got him we noticed every time we sneezed he’d come running over to us... so we started telling him “Poochie when someone sneezes you say bless you” and now if he sneezes or we sneeze he will always come to us. We think it’s his way of saying bless you.

• We only recently got him a doggy door (he’s 4 years old), so prior to that he would just go on command when we took him outside and cause I’m always home it’s easy to do.. anyway if we’d not taken him in a little while he came up with his own way to show us he needed the bathroom. He will come up to us and extend his back leg right out and point it (and arch his back). It’s so funny to see.
• I once bought him a high chair to sit in so he could eat with us at the table lol. (Crazy). He sat in it happy as...
• Whenever the phone rings he always think it’s for him and comings running over to me and puts his paw on my leg. Like he’s saying “who’s on the phone Muma”.
• He knows lots of tricks, “shake hands” is particularly cute.
• I’m hoping to register him as a service dog so he can come on planes, to cinemas and shops with me. Anywhere that triggers panic attacks.

Ok so I’m going on way too long lol. But fun thread you’ve started Narelle 🙂

[geoff]

Good Morning MF, it's 2.20 am but I'm pleased you have started this thread again because there are so many people, including myself that couldn't be without a pet and as you know mine is in the photo and she's called Mindy or Moo-Moo, comes to both of these names.

Like what Emmy says, she barks whenever the phone rings, with a carrot in her mouth or if she's chewing it.

Comes with me everywhere, sleeps next to me and walks up some stairs I built for my previous puppie.

When I take her for a walk she knows the point where to turn back but before this happens she does circles, one way then the other way.

Many thanks, Narelle.

Geoff.

[Summer Rose]

Hi Music Freak and others

I have a little dog named Scout--and when I say little, I really mean it. She weighs just 1.6 kg, just mid-calf height--the perfect black and tan miniature pinscher. She loves to bark, climb on the furniture and in out and the dishwasher to lick the plates (!) and could chase a ball for hours. She makes me laugh every day and reminds me not to take life so seriously.

She keeps me well by loving me, unconditionally. I can feel low, beat myself up for some perceived fault or just be miserable and then Scout will come along, tap my leg and remind me that I'm important to her. That she needs me. And that I'm not so bad after all. And when I say "uppie" and she jumps into my arms my heart sings.

[Music_Freak]

Been distracted this week and totally forgot I made this thread...oops.

Buddy walks on a lead attached to his collar, just like a dog and this is how I take him outside in the yard for a walk. Sometimes we go out on the the footpath, but never get that far.

Buddy's favourite place when it gets cooler is his leg tent. Which is basically me lying in bed and he'll paw at the covers until I lift them up. If my knees aren't up creating the “tent”, he will paw at my legs or head butt it until I bend my knees. He'll happily curl up and fall asleep there.

He is an absolute grub when he eats his dry food, remnants of it end up all over the wall where his food is. I don't know how he does it.

He's not a cuddly cat, but likes to be touching me or leaning on me when he curls up next to me. I call him the leaning tower of cat fur.

That's all I can think of at the moment, but there's sure to be many more stories

[Lici]

Hi all 🙂

I have a cat named jasper. He's 6.5kgs and a big ball of ginger fluff! I've had him since he was born and he's been a real constant in my life. He sleeps on his back and loves the heater (I always say he's praying to the heater gods with the way he lays in front of it).

I have a running narration of his life in my head, I guess that sounds weird, but it's highly entertaining giving him different voices. I included him as a character in one of my story assignments and he was a grumpy, sarcastic cat who was fiercely loyal (the grumpy and loyal part certainly suits him!)

It's funny how animals make us feel better isn't it? When jasper decides that he wants to sit next to me and purrs he really puts a smile on my face.

Enough from me cause I could babble on about him all night!

Kind regards,

Lici

[smallwolf]

A cat named Thomas. My son was a fan of Thomas the tank engine and that is where the name comes from.

Scared of strangers and loud noises. Doesn't like being held. Comes out for food. You can pat him. Sleeps next to me in winter. Meows and generally annoys me when he wants food. But I probably wouldn't want him any other way.

And he is about 14 years old.

[Summer Rose]

Music_Freak said we can share anything so here goes ...

Tonight our entire family was out all night until quite late and my darling dog Scout was home alone. She hates it when the entire "pack" goes out and she's left behind. She's usually naughty. Anyway, when we came in I picked her up for a cuddle and whilst she was covering my face with kisses she also peed all over me. My son was disgusted but I just laughed. I don't think anybody has ever been so happy to see me that they urinated!

[Music_Freak]

Buddy likes my pea and ham soup. Had a bowl tonight for tea and when I went to get bread to clean the bowl, Buddy's tongue was already doing it! He's not allowed on the dining table or benchtops, but he seemed to have forgotten that house rule tonight.

Cheeky bugger!

He steals my seat too...like a magnet to the warm spots. I get up/turn away and he'll be sitting in my spot.

I swear, if I didn't love him so much...I'd get so angry

[Summer Rose]

Hi Music_Freak

Buddy is cheeky and bossy too! I love him already.

My dog Scout like the sun too. I put her bed in the sun and she lounges like a queen. As the sun moves throughout the day, Scout will pick herself to follow it. She then stands in the spot she likes and barks. This is my cue to move her bed for her! She actually has me trained!!! 1.6 kilos and a tyrant but I love her to pieces x