I'm coming for you!

[lovelife65]

River (not a great technical photo, but I like her cute intense expression)
Our field lab River by sharonkay finley, on Flickr

[Manfred M]

Sharon what have you done to poor River? This shot has an HDRI + oversharpened look to it. There are some really noticeable artifacts in the trees in the background too.

[lovelife65]

Sharon what have you done to poor River? This shot has an HDRI + oversharpened look to it. There are some really noticeable artifacts in the trees in the background to

LOL. You are correct Manfred. I need to go back in and take a look. What have I/we done to her? Spoiled her rotten ;-)

[escape]

I like how you captured her whole face straight on. I hope to get another dog this fall.

[lovelife65]

I like how you captured her whole face straight on. I hope to get another dog this fall.

I hate what a short life they have. So hard when they go. Yet, I / we can't live without a dog or two (currently four in our household LOL). River is a bit of a handful, as she has a genetic fearful temperament. Needs some extra management. But love her to death.

[escape]

I hate what a short life they have. So hard when they go. Yet, I / we can't live without a dog or two (currently four in our household LOL). River is a bit of a handful, as she has a genetic fearful temperament. Needs some extra management. But love her to death.

Sometime this year I should be moving to rural northern Florida. My wife wants a goat and I want a dog. Their lives are short but they cram a lot into it.

[selig1656]

love the capture of an approaching dog yet too much over kill.

[rpcrowe]

Daniel - generally, the smaller the dog, the longer the life. Some Chihuahuas live for 20-yers or more while the Irish wolfhound has a far shorter life expectancy.

It is claimed that mixed breed dogs have longer lives than purebred dogs of the same size. My 55 pound Goldendoodle (Golden Retriever + Poodle) has just passed her 13th birthday and she seems to still be going strong, although she sleeps a bit more and her hearing is not as keen...

[escape]

Daniel - generally, the smaller the dog, the longer the life. Some Chihuahuas live for 20-yers or more while the Irish wolfhound has a far shorter life expectancy.

It is claimed that mixed breed dogs have longer lives than purebred dogs of the same size. My 55 pound Goldendoodle (Golden Retriever + Poodle) has just passed her 13th birthday and she seems to still be going strong, although she sleeps a bit more and her hearing is not as keen...

Hi Richard. My next dog is going to be a bigger dog. One with a shorter life span to match my own. Now you got me thinking. I can also get an older dog. Will just have to wait and see which dog comes my way. Thanks, Daniel

[rpcrowe]

It's wonderful to rescue an older dog... Many adopters seem to want puppies or younger dogs while older dogs are often a better choice for families.

Our Maltese Rescue California has an informal rule by which we abide. We try to match the ages of the dogs with the ages of the adopters. In other words, we will not let folks in their eighties adopt puppies unless, they have family members who will commit to being backups.

We want to adopt our dogs into "FUREVER HOMES". However, we always let our adopters know that we are available if circumstances force them to give up the dogs they have adopted. As an example, we recently received three dogs from a previous adoption because of a death from COVID and have found new FUREVER homes for them.



Judy and I also follow these guidelines. We are older and will not keep a puppy or younger dog as our own. We also have backups to take care of our personal dogs in case we physically no longer can. We both received our first COVID vaccination a few days go and we have appointments for the second shot on 21 February. This gives us a sense of relief.

[escape]

Richard, I met a person today from my complex. He was walking a really cool small dog. He adopted it from a dog rescue group in Aruba. It cost him $250 and it included all shots and air transportation to NY. Who would have thought?

[lovelife65]

Hi Richard. My next dog is going to be a bigger dog. One with a shorter life span to match my own. Now you got me thinking. I can
also get an older dog. Will just have to wait and see which dog comes my way. Thanks, Daniel

You are wise and kind. When seeking and interviewing families for the puppies river had, I was amazed at some of the responses we got ... I mean, I tried to fair and open minded, but a couple in their 80s with no fenced in yard thinking they could raise a field lab pup? (They said they walk every day but didn’t respond when I asked if it was trails or pavement and what kind of walk).
Had to say no to so so many people.

[escape]

You are wise and kind. When seeking and interviewing families for the puppies river had, I was amazed at some of the responses we got ... I mean, I tried to fair and open minded, but a couple in their 80s with no fenced in yard thinking they could raise a field lab pup? (They said they walk every day but didn’t respond when I asked if it was trails or pavement and what kind of walk).
Had to say no to so so many people.

Oh! Now you're calling me names. Well your sweet and cute so take that! A number of us do share a love of dogs and our pets.

[rpcrowe]

My darling wife is very-very hesitant to say anything to anyone that might hurt their feelings or get them angry or even annoy them... Except in the case of our rescue dogs. When people complain that we will not them adopt a puppy from us because they are two old, I have heard her tell them to their faces, "Listen, I am an advocate for these dogs and their welfare is more important to me than are your feelings!" I gave her a high-five and said. "Right on - Honey!"

We had a family adopt from us who said that they had adopted a child from China with less information provided to the adoption agency than we ask for in the case of our dog adoptions. That was said in jest and meant as a compliment...

[lovelife65]

My darling wife is very-very hesitant to say anything to anyone that might hurt their feelings or get them angry or even annoy them... Except in the case of our rescue dogs. When people complain that we will not them adopt a puppy from us because they are two old, I have heard her tell them to their faces, "Listen, I am an advocate for these dogs and their welfare is more important to me than are your feelings!" I gave her a high-five and said. "Right on - Honey!"

We had a family adopt from us who said that they had adopted a child from China with less information provided to the adoption agency than we ask for in the case of our dog adoptions. That was said in jest and meant as a compliment...

Your wife sounds a bit like me. Good for her and both of you for the amazing work you do for these dogs. You are wonderful human beings.
Given we did not intentionally breed River (don't hate me.... it's amazing what can happen in 2 seconds of distraction) I wasn't about to punish the puppies. We were very very picky. I remember a guy telling us that he had a nice warm kennel for his dogs until they were elderly. Um, no... these dogs stay inside at night and preferably under YOUR COVERS!! ;-).

[rpcrowe]

Most of our dogs sleep in our beds too! Sasha, my rough coated Jack Russell terrier seems to prefer sleeping in a kennel. We have removed the door so she has access in and out at night, although she will take naps with me during the day!

Even my deaf and relatively blind boy sleeps on my bed. At first, I was worried that he would fall off and had a bed for him next to mine. However, he has become quite adept at sleeping on the "people bed" and has never fallen off.

Sometime near the time we get up. he begins to woof. At first I thought he had to go potty but, learned that he just wanted to find me and sleep cuddled next to me. Usually he begins the woof about 4:30 to 5:00 am and when I help him to cuddle next to me, we both sleep until about 6:00 or 6:30 when the rest of the dogs wake up and are ready for their first trip out to our yard...

Our blind boy's greatest joy is to sit next to me in my recliner. He will go up to the chair and woof, whether or not I am sitting in it.

[lovelife65]

What a sweet story Richard, thank you for sharing. I can see that your pup loves you and that translates into making sure to be around you no matter what.
Ours are on and off the bed. Somehow they all find room.
When I get up in the morning, our one pup bounces on and off the bed (she can jump our 6 foot fence... we are making mods)....woofing and carrying on. The whole gang joins in until I get shoes on and go out on the property with them. They can go out by themselves, but decide they want me to go too. LOL.

[lovelife65]

Oh! Now you're calling me names. Well your sweet and cute so take that! A number of us do share a love of dogs and our pets.

hahahah. Yes, I am happy to have found this photography group that also has some major dog lovers on it... makes it that much better. Thanks for your sweet reply Daniel.