The dog.

4 dogs.

All Irish setters.

Eldest lady is the only one we got as a pup, she's 11 now and Queen of the house, would train you rather than you train her.

Eldest male, rescue boy who was dumped, had a host of health problems when he was found, and also very nervous. He's maybe 9 or 10 now and is brilliant. He had a cancerous tumour removed last year and bounced back to full health.

Younger male was given up to me for rehoming when he was 18 months old but we kept him ourselves. His family wouldn't let him into the house and he was beginning to develop difficult behaviours that they weren't prepared to deal with for the rest of his life. In fact he was just being a typical lonely dog who wanted to spend time with his family while he languished outside the back door.

Younger female was taken in when her 89yr old owner was going into a nursing home, she was just turned 7 at the time. She rolled into the house at a whopping 37kg, turns out her owner had dementia and had been feeding her probably 5 times a day and she wasn't getting enough exercise since her brother died. She's 23kg now and a far happier healthier dog.





They're all individual, but collectively make up our hairy family. I'd have more if I was allowed. They are brilliant with our 3yr old daughter as well, the eldest female was rolling a ball to the baby when she was 6 months old in the hope that she would throw it.


Just FYI to the poster that wouldn't let "dirty" pets into their home - it's been scientifically proven that children who grow up with a typical pet - ie dog/cat in the house, is far less likely to suffer from respiratory diseases such as asthma, and will have a far more robust immune system than their peers who live in a pet free environment. Living in too clean a house is very detrimental for your immune system. In order for it to function, you must have one in the first place, and there's a generation of kids that are growing up with nervous ninny parents who refuse to have pets and fall victim to the dettol marketing ploy that you have to live 99.9% germ free, and you shouldn't even touch the soap dispenser:rolleyes:.

Woke Hogan wrote: »

So am I. Neither I nor my phone can possibly be dirtier than an animal. I keep my phone in my trouser pocket, which I wash at least once a week, and I personally shower approximately ten times a week. Our dog slept on a mound of hay in the shed and the cats slept in an old car in the garden. Hardly cleaner than a lab in Intel. :rolleyes:

Your phone
Remote control
Cash in your wallet
Door handles
Light switches
Public transport
Public buildings/work buildings
Stair banisters


All things that will have far more transferable germs and bacteria than your average healthy pet. Can you tell me about some of the zoonotic germs that you might have contracted from your pet had they been allowed into your home?

Never known a dog to troll. Bloody great, so they are

Woke Hogan wrote: »

Your tone is very haughty. Google "yersinia pestis" and tell me if it was animals or light switches that introduced it into Europe during the fourteenth century. :rolleyes:

Did you not read the post? Average healthy pet? The ones that are cared for by their owners? Treated for worms/fleas, vaccinated etc. Not the ones left to fester in a barn or an aul car.


And as for your whataboutery, I'd be more worried about plague rats in the 14th century than dog fleas. I was hoping you might be a bit more up to date and maybe be worried about lyme disease as ticks are fond of dogs. Then again they're not exclusively a host, they'll jump on you regardless of whether you've a dog with you or not. There's probably more fleas on a single hedgehog in the undergrowth than all the dogs being walked in a park at any given time.

Ave Sodalis wrote: »

I don't think I would be alive if it wasn't for my dog. He is my best (and at one stage, only) friend. He's the main thing that has kept me sane through all the crap life has thrown at me. He's 12 now, and coming into the last stages of his life (nerve damage), and I don't know what I'm going to do without him. He's the greatest thing that has ever happened to me, and I'm going to have to make that horrid decision of when enough is enough. Thankfully, he's stable and happy on the medication he's currently on and the physio I'm doing with him, but I know in my heart that it's not far off.



I won't be able to get another dog for a long time though. He's a once in a lifetime dog, and it wouldn't be fair to get another when I will just be comparing it to this one. I mean I love dogs, I work with animals... but it'll be many years before I recover from the grief of losing this one enough to get another.

It's part of the reason why I have at least 3 -4. The thoughts of losing any of my dogs fills me with dread and I worry for them as well, because if I had only 2, then it would leave one on it's own. So I have to have at least 3, so that when one goes, at least they have each other. Rescuing the 4th was an added bonus.

borderlinemeath wrote: »

It's part of the reason why I have at least 3 -4. The thoughts of losing any of my dogs fills me with dread and I worry for them as well, because if I had only 2, then it would leave one on it's own. So I have to have at least 3, so that when one goes, at least they have each other. Rescuing the 4th was an added bonus.

I would if I could afford it! Maybe when I get fully qualified and have a much better income.

Aw I have a lurcher, a maine coon and a tabby!

The lurcher I rescued when she was ten days old, her mother was very sick she was 11 years old and the family that owned her had over bred the poor thing basically to keep the females for more breeding. I had only set out to Foster her for two weeks, to feed her every three hours 24-7 was a full time job, but we kept her in the end.

Altho fairly hesitant about it, as I had never had a dog before in my life only cats, it was the best decision I've ever made. She's my best friend now she's an absolute dream, who lives for getting hugs and kisses all the time. She has the funniest personality, and altho wild as a kite, she's the most affectionate lurcher in the world. She would kill you with kindness! She's 1 and a half now and currently asleep in the bed with me! There's so much to be said for owning a lurcher, I wish people would adopt more lurcher and greyhounds. There seriously diamonds.

The main coon we got seven years ago, and he rules the roost. One day he actually let a meow out that was like a bark.... Ha ha very strange! He acts like a dog tho.Hes the best cat you could find! Extremely affectionate- like unreal. Spends his days lounging around, he is the gentlest soul you could find. But an absolute killer when on the loose for a mouse or a bird. He brought me home a chicken one day. #proudday..... Not, mortified the neighbours might have saw!!

The main coon and the lurcher let on to be enemies, but there not fooling anyone. Every evening the coon would hop up beside the dog and start to groom the dogs ears, and luna the lurcher just stares off into the distance with the most awkward I'm actual loving this look he could give, with out giving it away. Who's he fooling? Hilarious.

Then we have the tabby who we rescued, he was taken away from his mammy way too young and was found trying to suckle on a dog for milk, dog was having none of it tho. Funny that. The cat isn't right in the head tho, he went a bit funny for a couple of years, he couldn't meow properly but he seems to be fine these days! Hes still a mentalist tho, but at least he can meow properly!

Him and the dog, don't get on tho, harmless scraps between the two of them. Ya can nearly hear the boxes the cat gives him. Ha ha

My house is a bit mental most of the time.

Wouldn't have it any other way tho, loves coming home to them all, with their own quirky personalities!

The feeling when you get home and the dogs are so excited to see you. Adorable.

then face the teenagers who just grunt and snarl. Why cant teens be as lovable and loyal as the dogs

Johnny Dogs wrote: »

Yep, I'll often get the "can't believe you said hello to Shane before me this evening".

My reply is usually along the lines of whenever you greet me at the door by howling with excitement, and then licking me enthusiastically, and exposing your chest for me to rub, you could jump the queue any evening you fancied.

Soon takes the wind out of her sails.

I have 3 (dogs not teens T.G) and to see them vying for my attention is so funny
It.s like a competition to see who gets the most hugs

I am 68.
Six months ago I got my first dog, two rescue dogs, and they are great.
They are a total mismatch, the big dog is five times the size of the small dog.
I call the little dog the wee dog, and it is not about her size.

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

I've a lovely old Jack Russell. He's as thick as two short planks but I love him all the same.

I asked the Vet yrs back to check for any sort of head issues but he says he's fine.

Our 6 month old cat is like Einstein compared to the poor bastard. She already has complete control over the house but also shows affection towards him which is quite sweet.

I had a boxer like this. I'm convinced he was dropped on his head as a puppy. He once got stung in the mouth by the same wasp about 4 times because he kept trying to pick it up and swallow it again even after spitting it out cause it had just stung him in the mouth. His entire head swelled up like a particularly misshapen pumpkin and we had to make an emergency stop at the vet. God, he was a big loveable gobsh!te, though.