...but that was before the rest joined in...
Somewhere around here is a pretty good-sized pack of hunting hounds. So far, they've managed to get excited about once an evening. They sound a fair piece away; I can't imagine what it's like to be in the same yard. You've gotta really love dogs, I reckon.
Me? I'm already missing my cat. As chatty and intrusive as she is, she's downright laid-back and quiet compared to even one dog, let alone four. There's something to be said for a pet that is capable of quietly amusing itself for however long is necessary.
Marko used to joke that having pets was like having toddlers that never grow up. You spend ten years and more yelling "Get out of there! Put that down! Don't put that in your mouth!"
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Meldrim Thompson used to be Governor up there, and a guy I worked with hunted coons with him. A real character.
A guy drove by him one day, saw the NH1 license plate, flipped him the bird (must have been a Democrat, I just got the same thing done yesterday for a conservative bumper sticker), then took off for Massachusetts.
Meldrim chased him over the state line, cut him off, then escorted him back to N.H. at pistol point and had him arrested.
Booze is much cheaper up there, so Connecticut started putting an unmarked State Police car up at the packy in Hinsdale to record CT plates and bust them when they crassed over into local territory.
Meldrim always put a N.H. State Police car next to the Connecticut cop car, left it with lights flashing and a sign in the window saying "CT. COP!".
Me, I go to a buddy's place in Brattleboro VT, just over the bridge, and borrow his car for the pickup, then transfer the goodies to my beast.
And Tam? You cat is in my lap, purring, as I type this. She's getting more lovey-dovey with every day; I think she hopes if she's good enough, her Mama will come home.
Toddlers don't shed the buckets of hair 24-hours-a-day that a loving GSD does, so there are some trade offs. Get the pet and toddler combination and you've got everlasting entertainment.
But she's off to the giant kennel in the sky as of last Saturday, and the little man misses her so. That's a trade-off too; toddlers generally grow up, pets don't last that long comparatively.
Joy is joy. Enjoy what you can, when you can. That cat no doubt thinks the world of you, too.
We got a dog about six weeks ago; the first canine for us as a couple. She's some kind of hound mix, but never barks and only rarely bays.
The first time she started baying (on her run in the yard), I went tear-assing outside, .38 in hand, to see what the fuss was about. Never did find out, but I was instantly in love with a baying hound.
AW,
"But she's off to the giant kennel in the sky as of last Saturday, and the little man misses her so."
I'm so sorry. :(
Perhaps you need MORE rural time rather than less, Tam. There's a pretty significant difference between the baying of hounds and the music of the yodel-dogs - and then there are the wolves - (when they are in their PROPER habitat).
While on night-watch at 29 Palms some years ago I discovered that keying the radio prompted the coyotes to sing a bit; certainly helped pass the time.
Our two Airdales at seven-months-old are rapidly worming their way into my heart, though taking me back to raisng two man-cubs (pretty successfully if I do say so myself) in many respects (though I didn't use choke-chains to train the bipedal toddlers)
When I worked nights out at the airport, there were a bunch of coyotes that dwelt out in the valley between the runway and the taxiway. They'd often sing to me of an evening.
Boat Guy:
Many memories of 29 Stumps, most of them quite fond, and terriers, especially the big ones, Airdales to Dobermans, are the great hearted, sloppily affectionate clowns of the world.
"Yeah Boss, I'll die for you without thinking twice, but in the mean time can we play?". I do miss mine.
Ever call to a coyote? I used to be able to howl and they'd howl back. I used to have long drawn out conversations. I wish I knew what I was saying. As they never showed up, I assumed it wasn't "Free lunch here". I became a more or less reguar part of the party, while I lived in that area.
I think she hopes if she's good enough, her Mama will come home.
Having had cats, I very much doubt that's what she's thinking.
No, she's actually telling you, "After I've fired Tam (IE murdered her in her sleep) for leaving me without permission, YOU, Roberta, will have the privilege of being my new slave. I command you to rejoice!"
Our Virginia suburban coyotes don't howl. They know that just attracts attention. Quite coyotes live longer 'round here.
Ed,
The Stumps was a place in time; I suspect it has not changed as much as USMC has in the interim.
These pups are gems most of the time; I'm sorta hoping we get to the point of "Wake up Food Guy! There's an intruder - do you want to shoot him or can we chew on him?"
Meantime I recognize that none of us; Bride, myself nor the pups have done this "raising pups thing" before so I tend to be somewhat forgiving of minor and initial transgressions. I'm already sold on the breed...
Dogs have family, cats have staff.
The cat is of an unusually sociable breed, and the dogs of an unusually independent one, so the cat and the goggies are on fairly equal footing here as far as how much of our time and attention they demand. Everybody naps and amuses themselves for most of the day; everybody wants to say hi and demand breakfast in the morning; everybody wants a snuggle at bedtime before sleep.
When Kang was a puppy, though... ye GODS. A full year before that dog could even fall asleep on her own without being put in a crate in another room.
Also, in my experience, scenthound people that actually hunt with theirs regard the baying of the pack as music to their ears.
Having had both cats and dogs while growing up in Minnesota I can understand your feelings and thoughts. I presently have 5 cockateil rescue-birds. I have found them to be like a 2 year old that never grows up and leaves home. They think can take care of themselves, but really can't. Of course they can hang around for 20 to 25 years so it is a long term commitment.
I've got a German Shepard next door here in Oz that howls in perfect pitch to passing /police/ambulance/fire truck sirens. He gets a real challenge when all three are going by at once.
My son heard his frst wolves this summer when on a fly in Canadian fishing trip. As he was sleeping in his tent alone it made quite an impression. Mentioned something about taking along a large bore autoloader next time.
We have coyotes here in central IL, sometimes it sounds like 20 or more yipping and howling having a party. Our two hounds usually start barking when they hear them, but the other night they started howling with them. I'd never heard these two hounds howl. All I could do was laugh. Goofy ass hounds!
Yeah, living with dogs is like having perpetual little kids around, but every day is Christmas for my puppies, and they are always SO very pleased to see me and Himself. My home is placid and quiet, and they actually only ever bark inside if the yard rabbit sashays through to taunt them, so I'm lucky with that regard.
Around here, someone usually shows up at the dog pen around 6:00 pm with a bucket of food. Since there are several kennels of hounds within earshot of my house, it often sounds like a symphony here in the early evening. They also get more vocal as the weather cools and hunting season approaches. (4 more days and a wakeup, here)
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