To anyone thinking of getting a dog (and anyone else who has one)

[Lucyellensmum99]

10 Things Your Dog Would Tell You.... (This made me cry)

1. My life is likely to last 10 to 15 years. Any separation from you will be painful: remember that before you get me.
2. Give me time to understand what you want of me.
3. Place your trust in me- it is crucial to my well being.
4. Do not be angry at me for long, and do not lock me up as punishment.
5. You have your work, your entertainment,and your friends. I only have you.
6. Talk to me sometimes. Even if I don't understands your words, I understand your voice when it is speaking to me.
7. Be aware that how ever you treat me, I will never forget.
8. Remember before you hit me that I have teeth that could easily hurt you, but I choose not to bite you because I love you.
9. Before you scold me for being uncooperative,obstinate,or lazy, ask yourself if something might be bothering me. Perhaps I might not be getting the right food, or I have been out too long, or my heart is getting to old and weak.

10. Take care of me when I get old; you too will grow old. Go with me on difficult journeys. Never say: "I cannot bear to watch" or "Let it happen in my absence." Everything is easier for me if you are there, even my death. Remember that I love you

This made me cry, too. My sweet little rescue dog is loyal and loving, despite having been mistreated. I don't care if it sounds sentimental or not, but I have the same love for my dog as I do for the human members of the family.

i love my dog :)
Everyone keeps saying that we wont want the dog now we have a baby. WTAF?

I do tend to agree with lizcat re number ten its an individual choice but the end needs to be calm

Just watching this evenings installments of terrier wars, they are so funny, and i can't help but get a huge lump in my throat that one of my naughty boys was a rescue dog and would have been shivvering in a cold kennel if he didnt get a home :( sniffs

My boys are snuggled up snoring after an organised walk with other puggy mums and dads today.

This thread is lovely. Thanks for posting!!

this one always makes me cry

REMEMBER ME -ODE TO THE IRRESPONSIBLE BREEDER

• Trudie James -

Remember me, though I know that you won't
I'm the pup that you bred, I'm the soul that you owned

Remember my mum, though you'll just get confused
She's the bitch that you broke, she's the womb that you used

Remember the vet that you didn't call
When the blood ran so dark in our cold dank stall

Remember how cruelly you kicked me away
When I dared lick your hand - I just wanted to play

Remember the age that you wrenched me from mum
With my hold on life fragile and my weaning not done

Remember the home that you didn't check
That kept me outside with a chain round my neck

You'll remember the blood money you exchanged for my life
You'll remember the goodies it bought you and the wife

Now imagine my fate and cringe with your shame
See my sad lifeless eyes and my skeletal frame

I've known neglect and abuse I feared never would end
When Death came for your pup, it came as a friend

There are thousands just like me in the yard, street and pound
And whilst bad breeders breed this grim cycle goes round

You failed in your duty though I was born at your will
Now I'm your fatal shadow that walks by you still

I hope, my cruel breeder, that your guilt's worth your gain
You filled your car with my fear, bought your beer with my pain

But no act goes unnoticed and no sin goes unpaid
You'll account for my life at the end of your days

I'll be right there beside you when at your Reckoning you stand
You'll remember me then - it's my blood on your hands .
Like

didn't make me cry. really don't like such sentimental tosh.
planning to be with my bunnies at the end, though, if i possibly can, to tell them they've been good bunnies and i love them.

Jamie actually I beg to disagree in your 12
Our dog has problems
We didn't cause them, she is a rescue who came with trunks full of baggage. We have now got it down to a hold all but if anyone judged us on that I would be extremely pissed off
we do take responsibility for her but your 12 felt unfair

That is nice, I would so love a dog, especially a greyhound or staffy for some reason. Wouldn't be fair on one tm though the little ones are too much for me never mind a poor dog, I would apply it to the rats but a few don't really work .

It didn't make me cry but it did make me think, especially a couple of the replies. People don't always understand the bond between dog and human. I got my first dog 4 years ago. I was very mentally unwell and having attempted suicide before, I was on the verge of giving up again. I decided to get a dog. He gave me something to get out of bed for. He got me interacting with others again; phoning the vet, speaking to people who stopped to stroke my tiny 5 pound ball of puppy fluff. He taught me responsibility. He gave me a focus outside of my own pain. He loved me unconditionally, no judgements, no expectations except food, water, shelter and love. He didn't get cross if I cried for hours, he sat next to me. I let myself love again. I felt my confidence return. I smiled at other dog owners in the park. Eventually I began to talk to the other dog owners in the park. Having a dog encouraged me to talk to strangers after years of barely talking to my own family. After years of having nothing to say, I had something to talk about. I began to stretch my brain again; I read books and internet sites about training dogs. Then, I took the ultimate step - puppy training classes. I faced my fear and spent time in a strange room full of people. I never would have forced myself to do that for me. I did it because I loved my dog. I adore him - his kisses, his naughty barks at passing buses, the way he snuggles against me for cuddles, his big brown eyes, his waggy tail greeting me every time I walk into a room. No one will ever truly know what he has given me but I hope this goes someway to explaining it.

Lovely post, crashdoll.

I don't tend to get sentimental over things like this, but I have to say that I remember something on PostSecrets about dogs looking for you when you leave the room, and it stayed with me when we had to put our much-loved terrier to sleep, so I made a point of staying and comforting her while she slipped away. And I'm very very glad I did. But I understand the view that not everybody can do that.

Bronze - my thoughts exactly. We've got a rescue dog, adopted as an adult, who came to us with his dog to dog issues.

Pisses me off when we get judged when we're out and I have to explain our situation (in detail!) to the dog owners who tut and roll their eyes at me when I tell them that my (on-lead) dog isn't good with other dogs when their (off lead) dog bounds up to him.

We've tried training but there's a reason for the saying 'You can't teach an old dog...'. He's better, true, but can still be unpredictable with dogs we don't know. So sorry, no 12 is off the list for us.

My dogs tell me all of that everytime they look at me, amazing what a few seconds of direct eye contract can do.

You know I grew up with dogs and consider myself a dog person, but have not got my own right now as my life currently cannot let me be the good dog owner I want to be. So I wait until I can. It reminds me though why I want one!

I find overtly soppy things irritating (I don't like hallmark type cards etc either, nothing to do with how much I might love my dog) and although I agree with the thought behind some of those points I don't think that my dog completely lives for / to be with me, he has plenty of things he finds very entertaining, like playing with sticks, chewing things, visiting places, smelling stuff, barking with the next door neighbours and generally interacting with the world in a doggy way. Nor are our family the only people he likes or is excited to see.

If he was able to tell me things, I suspect it would be more focused on sticks, walks, food or playing, but then he does have a very happy life (as he deserves).

I'm intrigued by your dog barking with the next door neighbours.

You must have odd neighbours ;)

It didn't make me cry, but I agree and I'd never, ever leave my dog to die alone, or any animal. I don't even like leaving my dogs at the vets for anything on a normal basis, I know that they want me there and I always ask the vet if I can stay where possible.

Crashdoll what a beautiful and moving post.

Beautiful words - I work with dogs and am supposed to be used to things but 9.10 on a Saturday morning i have tears rolling down my face giving my 2 massive cuddles!!

Mine was PTS just over a fortnight ago, I'm still crying a lot. We were all with him, cuddling and stroking him when the vet came - she arrived during his morning nap and he just put his head up to say hello to her and then went back to sleep.

lol Jeezy dear dog and the neighbours two dogs think it great larks to run up and down the adjoining fence barking as loudly as possible and then when being called away are so obviously full of joie de vie that it's quite hard to be that mad. Sounds bloody awful though. One of the neighbours dogs barks at me when I am gardening, which I find less enjoyable. They are left home alone too often I think, but it's considered quite acceptable to leave your dogs out for quite long periods of time where I live (and shut your cats in). Lots of people have dog flaps.