To start things off

[Snoodle]

To start things off, I'll fill you in on my "family" inside and out. No pictures today but maybe soon.

Many of you already know about Mr. Stripey and Small Brown. Mr. Stripey is a tiger-striped American Staffordshire Terrier (pitbull family). He will be 14 on Christmas Day. He's the old-timer of the bunch. He sleeps alot but he's not quite ready to completely retire yet.

Small Brown turned 7 in August. He is a Chocolate Lab. Small has the sweetest nature of any dog I've ever known. I refer to him as my "comfort" dog.

The newest edition to the family is George. He turned a year old in August. This pup is a handful to say the least but I love him dearly. He's so smart it's scarey. He's half Rottweiler and half English Mastiff. Quite the big boy!

We do have several outside critters (all wild) that I've named. Two rabbits: Flopsy and Mopsy.Three squirrels: Scitter, Scatter and Scutter. Gertrude the garter snake. Slinky and Dinky, the skinks (type of lizard). And Scarlett and Rhett, the cardinals. There are various other denizen that remain unnamed at this time.

[bethina]

There is a cardinal that comes around our apartment building the feeders that we keep filled...we have named him Larry Ray after a friend and neighbor that has passed on

[Snoodle]

That is sweet Beth.

[BarbCA]

We have small herd of deer that visit regularly; two does, a fawn, and occasionally a small buck.
We also had a larger herd pass through the field in back. I think they may have escaped the forest fire as they haven't been seen lately.
Deer love the windfall apples of which we have plenty. One of the does like to graze on the lawn. Very funny because we have never had that before. Watch out for deer if you like Chrysanthemums because deer think they are salad.

It seems that whenever I'm at the kitchen sink there is a nuthatch drinking or bathing in the birdbath. It is such a clean looking bird because it's breast is so white it almost shines.

House critters later.

[Snoodle]

Barb, I'm not sure I've ever seen a nuthatch. I'll have to look that one up. We have a lot of deer around here too. A few years ago, Jeff was walking Mr. Stripey out in the field behind the house. It was dark with just a little bit of moon. It was also rutting season. A big buck ran across the road into the field. It caught sight of Jeff and started to charge him. Mr. Stripey went into protective/attack mode and the buck swerved away from them. A close call.

We also have coyotes. TONS of coyotes. Now that it's cooling off some, we can hear them running at night. Jeff has come face to face with them a few times too as they come into the yard at night. They attacked a small rat terrier across the road but thankfully it lived. It barks with a gravelly voice but at least it's alive. It was pretty messed up.

We live on the outer edge of a small village but a more "citified" area is only a couple of miles away. I miss being completely out in the country, on the farm. I don't like having houses so close.

[Mayebarnes]

my indoor kitty died a little over a year ago .and I will get me a kitten one day... because I miss the love!.

I shop at a good old fashion butcher shop... the live animal kind ,butchered and completely dressed out by the farmers who live there.. the lady who waited on me in the shop. , and I got into discussion about pets and she said she had a Black male cat ,short hair. , 1yr old.. a real lover.. has to be loved and petted... "my kind of cat".. she will even get "fixed" for me. if I will just take him... they already have 5 others. ...now there is a deal that I will have to really think over..!.... I prefer females. for indoor cats .. but.....

keep an eye on this new forum... to see if I do or if I don't..

[Kellie]

I love reading about animals but especially love having them in my life.

Aunt Maye, you should go for it. You know both of mine are boyits and i think if they are neutered they are really loving. I think you would be happy to have a kitty in your life. I will be back sometime this week to update you all on boyit stories.

[Schmitty]

We have three pets here... Marianne has a PitBull...she rescued...he is a sweet dog... but not well behaved.... he has allergies ....is on special food that costs a bundle...but if he finds something he can get to ... he eats it. Yesterday while we were gone... he managed to get a half loaf of bread that was sitting at the back of the counter in the kitchen...knocked off the dish towels that were stacked in front of it...and ate the whole loaf... Marianne found the empty wrapper in the bedroom.. last week...he managed to open the sliding doors on a closet where I kept Snoopy's dog food... took the bag
in his bedroom and ate all that was left in it...needless to say...he was a sick dog for two days. I don't keep the dog food there anymore. Feed Snoopy "Blue" Healthy Weight dog food...
Also Marianne has a small cat...she is a Persian name is Jezebel... stays in her cage and I let her out during the day.... have to watch her....she will pee on throw rugs... has not done so here yet... if she is out... she usually lays on Duke's bed and sleeps ... or lays by the water bowls and sleeps. I put her back in her cage if she starts to wander... just in case...let her out after an hour or so. Everyone is familiar with my dog..Snoopy... he is a Shitzu....

[Snoodle]

Maye, you will no doubt enjoy having a cat around again.

Kellie, I think tom cats are more loving than females. Neutering them makes them big cuddly babies. I will look forward to your stories.

Mickie, it sounds like the pitbull has some issues. If he was a rescue it might take time for him to work them out. George was a rescue puppy but doesn't seem to have too many issues. We got him when he was 8 weeks old.

[Nalani]

I no longer have any pets, but since moving here lots of the residents have cats and dogs. Haven't met any of the cats but have met lots of the dogs. I am beginning to learn their names. Yesterday met a new, well two new dogs. One was a large poodle or airdale or maybe a mix. White with big brown spots and very friendly. Didn't ask it's name but hope to run into another time and learn it's name, it's fur sib, and who they own. I was in a hurry to meet Jo and Ellis and didn't stop to chat.

[Paula A]

We have a rescue neutered male cat; it is Becky's that she got before she moved back. He has never sprayed and is an indoor cat.
Roxy is my Chihuahua. She was a rescue puppy, from someone who was over run with puppies and dumped them all. Becky just happened to be around when they were all being taken to the pound and she asked for one. I feel more like Roxy rescued me. She barks like a Chihuahua, and growls if she thinks someone is going to step or sit too close to her, but is obedient and loves to be outside with the kids. Our dogs don't come into the daycare rooms; I have a baby gate to keep them in the other part of the house.
Coco is our rescue Lab, also a chocolate. She is a senior and not sure how old. She is so afraid of noises that even when the wind blows a door shut, she will run and hide or try to stand/sit right next to me. I got her from the friend who rescued her (she was taken to the vet to be put down and Traci said she would take her). Then Traci moved and couldn't take her. I was trying to find her a home but the only one who was interested wanted her for a "shop dog" and she would be outside all day and alone when the car shop closed. She had been at Traci's with kids (she had a daycare, too), and an inside dog. I just finally said we would keep her. By then both Becky and I had bonded with her and now she sleeps in the corner of my room on her same big bed she had at Traci's.
Becky has her dogs, but they will have to wait for another post. Pugs are the happiest little dogs and no trouble at all.

[bethina]

My group we call ourselves the "tree people" because in the summer we all hang out under the trees...have two "group" dogs..a shitzu named toasty and I don't remember what kind of a dog angle is..but toasty is my favorite...he is so relaxed...angle is totally the oposite...being around toasty kind of makes me want a dog like him...I might get a pup when I move to MO to keep me company...

[Snoodle]

Nalani, we refer to the neighbor's by their dogs. In other words, Flex's house. Shiloh's momma. Chesney's place. And so on. And the neighbors across the street are good friends of ours and they are the "cat people".

beth, a dog is a great comfort. A lot of work though.

Paula, I like that you have rescue dogs. They need special people to care for them.

[JoGee]

I haven't had any pets since my lat cats died. That's about 13 yrs ago. And the place we have now is not really large enough for a pet AND us.
However, there are lizards galore in our yard. The babies are least cautious an may get underfoot. (Ick, if they do!). You first see them when they're 2" long. The adults are generally 4-5" long. They do turn dark or lighter to match their surroundings.
They are so curious. They follow me across the yard to see what I'm doing. One wanted to come indoors..an adult bout 3-4" long...so I had to shoo it away or I'd lose it indoors. But outside, they are bit like puppies. Except when you stop walking, they stop a few feet away, whereas puppies are all ove you. lol.

[Snoodle]

JoGee, I love it that you like those lizards so much. It might not hurt to have a couple in the house. They would eat all the bugs.