petobsessions

[petobsessions]

I had been telling my boyfriend for months that I wanted a cat, and he gave Nav to me as a christmas present about 3 years ago!

He is the most loving cat I’ve ever met he really acts more like a dog than a cute. He always makes me feel happier I swear he knows when I’m sad!

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Barney is a very grumpy old man with oddly specific quirks. He headbutts people like a cat for attention, he likes to bury treats all over the house. One time my grandpa took him on a walk to a pet store and Barney was offered a treat because the workers thought he was so cute. Instead of eating it like a normal dog, he dragged my grandpa all the way back home so he could bury his gift in the house. He’s comically picky about his food and barks at thunder (but only if he’s inside and can’t see what’s happening). The story if how we got him was really funny. My grandmother had given me very specific parameters for any potential dog, and I had finally found one that fit online. We decided to go to the adoption event the next day to get him but he had already been adopted. The volunteers told us there were some yorkies coming in in a couple of hours so we decided to get lunch and come back to look. When we did, we saw him sitting there because someone had returned him for a very trivial reason. We were so elated, it was like fate!

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Ugh, SO MANY REASONS 😭 Henry’s life before I adopted him is a big ol’ question mark but it left him with a lot of aggression and trust issues. We’ve come so far together and he’s still got a ways to go but underneath the sometimes scary exterior he’s the biggest softy and loves to cuddle. Oliver on the other hand has probably never worried about anything a day in his life. He’s the sweetest, flirtiest dude and all he wants in life is a friend to play with, unlimited access to human food, and full body scratches. They balance each other out surprisingly well and I can’t get enough of either of them!

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Delilah - she started it all. I had just been hired as a dog trainer at Petsmart not because I had any actual experience with dogs (I never had one growing up, my mom didn’t like them, and most scared me after I was tackled to the ground in greeting repeatedly by extended family’s dogs most of my childhood) but since I had a background in elementary education and they figured working with Kindergarteners is close enough to dogs (accurate haha). I had recently dropped out of what I thought was my dream school and career path because of depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation. I walked outside during a shift and saw Delilah’s eyes staring right at me. I had moved back in with my mom and knew I couldn’t bring a dog home, so I started training her on weekends and showing her and the tricks I was teaching her off to anyone that was interested. The problem? She had severe anxiety about being indoors and was a feral pickup off the streets. BARK had never seen her trust anyone before me in the 6 months they had her. Three weekends of this and I knew she was my dog. I moved out to adopt her and I have no regrets. She taught me so much as we patiently and painstakingly worked through her anxiety and subsequently my own panic disorder and agoraphobia that was developing as my depression lifted. She later became my Medical Alert Service Dog and was able to alert me to subtle changes in my body and keep me safe-all things she started herself and a job I wouldn’t have even known how to ask her to do at the time had she not taken it upon herself. We have legitimately spent the majority of our time together these past 14 years and can read each other like books. At 15 now she slows down a bit more each day, is almost fully deaf, and losing her sight. She panics when she wakes up and cant find me so during the rare times I leave the house in 2020 she always comes with me. I know our time left together is limited but I cherish every moment and hope I age as gracefully as she does.

Oliver- I knew I wanted a second dog and was going to start looking soon for a Sheltie mix to compete with me in agility. Ollie and his (then second set) of parents were in my group dog training lessons at the time. As soon as he walked in there was just something about him that drew me to him. I thought he was a puppy at the time-I had never seen or heard of mini Aussies. A few weeks later his former family contacted me around midnight on Facebook asking if I knew of anyone who was looking for a dog like him as they were about to be evicted for his separation anxiety barking and he kept harassing their cats. Ollie has been more of a challenge than I anticipated with his multiple anxiety disorders, but I wouldn’t trade him for the world. He also knew how to alert to my medical issues, but struggled in public to not worry too much about me and everything else going on in the world around him. When Ollie looks at me I feel like he is staring right into my soul.

Ash- Oh my little demon. I knew he was going to be a project too as home number 4, but looking back wouldn’t have taken him on if I had realized the extent of it. The amount of malice this dog has when something comes between him and food or when a child exists is extraordinary. He has taught me so much patience, the ability to recognize triggers before the dog does, and I am able to much better empathize with similarly struggling clients after living through his problem behaviors. Prozac helps, but he will forever be my demon and I’m glad I was able to take him and keep him from behavioral euthanasia <3 He loves cuddling and is forever my littlest spoon.

Adora- With a full time dog training business consisting of dogs regularly boarding and training in my home and two mini Aussie problem children, I decided to get a dog through a responsible breeder for the first time to ensure I had a bomb-proof demo dog, ability to tap her for service work should the need arise, and calm guiding presence for the boys. I brought her home last August thinking Delilah would only have a little bit of time to teach her the ropes before passing, and instead blessedly still have Lilah to help me raise her. Adora is one of the smartest dogs I’ve ever met and an amazing cuddler. She loves being pet and will gently direct me to her desired spots with such clear communication it blows me away. She has the silliest sense of humor and the first time she outsmarted me she was just 4 months old. I had hidden the toy she wanted behind my back while sitting at my computer since she was incessantly squeaking and throwing it around. She alerted that she needed to go potty, so I got up to let her out and she immediately grabbed the toy instead. I’ve been more careful since! Adora has never met a stranger in another dog or human and she deeply trusts me to do things like fix when a stick is caught in the roof of her mouth rather than panicking and flailing the way even Delilah will if in pain despite all our years together. I can’t wait to see how our relationship deepens and grows from here.

Jasper- Oh my kitten...now almost 3 but forever will be kitten to me. I had kept my ex’s cat after our breakup until his living situation stabilized and his cat had only recently moved out. I was grieving in so many ways and insisted I wouldn’t get another cat. Not long after I was teaching a reactive dog lesson outside of a dog park and she sauntered out of the woods screaming for food and following me and the dogs. It took some time and patience but I got her much to the relief of the feral cat feeders who had been trying for weeks. My ex was unfortunately continuing to harass me- I was so hurt and scared by his behavior I didn’t think I could love again but fell so deeply and quickly for Jasper that she reminded me how much unconditional love I have to give. Her health began to decline a few months later and she went blind despite repeated vet visits. Eventually we figured out she has leukemia and her first test was a false negative. But through it all she has stayed the most cuddly and loving cat. Jasper has taught me just how much you can train a cat! Not just tricks but practical things like commands to help her navigate her environment as a blind animal. She was given a few weeks to a few months to live over a year and a half ago. I love her even more for her persistent love of the outdoors despite not being able to see and how losing her sight hasn’t slowed her down one bit.

[petobsessions]

Clara always cares and gives love and smiles. She is such a positive energy added to my life. I love that she chose to love me!

[petobsessions]

Cornbread’s fur is as soft as cashmere and though he’s an 80 pound dog, he loves to snuggle. My favorite is when he spoons with me on the couch. He’s the best warm blanket.

He’s adopted and comes from a litter of all thanksgiving themed dogs- cranberry, stuffing, and turkey were his brothers and sisters.

[petobsessions]

Kodak is a really goofy and care free dog. He also is a great emotional support dog and knows when I’m sad. He is the dog version of me! He is unique and tries his hardest to be human.

[petobsessions]

I would like to digress and say that I am not sure I am truly “obsessed” with Marvin, but I venture to say that my wife, adult daughters and our friends may beg to differ.

Karen and I have been married since 1976.  We have had three dogs during that time.  Butler passed at age 15, in 1991.  We got April as a puppy in the spring of 1992, when our youngest was 6.  All three of our dogs were rescues. April was put down in 2008. We then went 6 years without having a dog.

In 2014, I was running Security and Life safety programs for 5 downtown Chicago office buildings.  The company I worked for began to sell the buildings and in April of that year, my job “went away.”  I was offered a job by a vendor, but at that time I was 62 had been working since 1974.  I had had several high stress positions and I turned down the offer from and decided to retire.  I did some consulting on an occasional basis for several years after that.

Karen said: “Let’s get you a dog.”  Chicago has many fine non-profit dog adoption agencies but we decided to start where the need was the greatest:  Chicago Animal Care and Control (the city pound).  Going through there would break the heart of any dog lover. The dogs were in chain link cages on a concrete floor and there were many sad looking cases.  After looking at may dogs, I came across one named Marvin.  I will include photos.  He made eye contact with me, and I said hi.  I asked him if he knew “sit” and he did. He licked my fingers thru the cage.

He was about the size of our previous dogs, about 40 pounds.  The pound estimated that he was 6 months old. He eventually grew some and added about 20 pounds.

CCAC staff put us through a bit of a screening process, even calling the vet who took care of April until 2008.  They wanted to ensure that we wouldn’t give up on him. A family had brought him to CCAC and said they found him.  But the staff believed he was a “surrender,” and the family didn’t want to be put on the list of those who’d surrendered dogs.  We took Marvin home that day.

We had some challenges with him the first year.  He had and still has, separation anxiety.  He would pee in the house even though he knew better. He chewed rugs and furniture and each of his first five dog beds. Including a bed that was advertised as “chewproof.” But he was very loving, smart and fun.

I guess the obsession aspect comes from the fact that I was retired and could devote more time to Marvin and developed a strong bond.  Our other two dogs were with the family when our daughters were young until many years after the youngest left for college.  Those dogs were accustomed to playing “third fiddle.”  Marvin just wants to be with us at all times. He also gets upset when visitors leave.  He just wants all of us to stay together.  We follow a strict routine when we leave him, going out through the garage.

I do admit to being more anxious about leaving him, for the evening or for a trip out of town. I have spent more time researching day care for Marvin when we are away.  He never has been to a kennel, he goes to individuals who care for dogs in their apartment or house. 

Other examples of things I never did with the other dogs: t-shirts, mugs, socks and even sneakers with his photo on them.  I brought him a giant bed which Karen hated and eventually was replaced with a smaller version. Nothing odd about that, right?

He gets a lot more toys, treats and chews than our previous dogs.

In his and my defense, everyone loves Marvin.  We have college friends who are cat people.  Genie calls Marvin “the most photogenic dog in the world”.

[petobsessions]

My mom is a huge dog lover. We have always had at least 5 dogs running around my and my cousins joint backyards. My parents became empty nesters when I left for school and their solution to each of their kids moving out was to bring in a new dog. Stevie was rescued during quarantine and she became my world. I spent most of the day with her. She is so bubbly and playful which was exactly what I needed when we had nothing else to do. Rescues go through some pretty hard times prior to coming into our homes so I am very thankful to have her and show her a better life full of crazy toys.

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Ruby isn’t my pet, she’s actually my roommates cat (but)

She’s my best friend, she loves to drink water out of human glasses and to lay on her back.

[petobsessions]

Milo plays well with the grandchildren.

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Rats are some of the most misunderstood animals, so we want to break that misconception. Rats have so much personality, and the babies here are no different! Lulu is obsessed with boxes and it's basically her favorite thing to hang out in. Sasa and Susu are twins but their personality is nothing alike. Susu is an athlete on the wheels and she's smart enough to unblock the wheels when we're trying to sleep at night. Sasa, on the other hand, is the naughty girl who loves to run around and pounce on her cage mates when they're trying to sleep.

Lulu is around 1 and a half years old, and Sasa and Susu are around 7 months old!

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Laila Lemon talks a lot, she does little dances when she is about get food, she loves staying right by my side, she cuddles with me, and she’s very relaxed yet protective.

We had a litter of 10 puppies from one of our dogs and I fell in love with her so I kept her and I’m so glad I did she’s always there for me and makes me smile everyday.

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Daisy is my boyfriend's corgi, he loves her like she is his child. We take her everywhere with us: the ice cream shop, parks, etc.

My boyfriend and I picked her up around Thanksgiving last year, a few months after his old dog passed away unexpectedly. My boyfriend enjoys playing ball and frisbee with her, and she likes going on long walks and hikes. When I go to ride my horses, we would take her with us and she would trail right beside my horse and I as we rode around the property. Her birthday was October 1st.

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I love that shes always there for me to pet or play with. If I'm sad shes the first thing I try to find cause her energy makes me feel better :)

Her birthday is in Feb and she is 3. We call her our 65 pound baby since shes so young, but heavy.  Her name is Carolina Kate but she has a few nicknames: Princess, pretty girl, CK & Lina. 

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Bongo is the black lab and Goose is the white and black walker hound.

I am obsessed with my dogs because they're my best friends and always know what to say without saying anything. They always know how to brighten my mood or make me laugh.

Both of my dogs are strays that showed up at my house in VA. Bongo is definitely a homebody whereas Goose loves exploring and chasing bears or racoons!

[petobsessions]

I absolutely love my cat... I always say that the only reason I am not a cat lady is because I am married. Kysmytt (persian=kismet meaning destiny) is a spoiled pussy kittens. Her Majesty has needs that will not be ignored. She will not just go eat like a normal cat, she insists on an escort to her kibble bowl everytime she comes inside. She will first do her kibble dance which Consists of ballerina toesies(a stepping on the spot on tippie toes with all four feet) her back has fur ripples and a quivering pin tail. This is 10-15 seconds long. Now her servant must escort her the 5 steps to the bowl to eat a kibble or two. This is repeated every 5 mins or so until her bowl is empty. She has also studied with a Jedi master, she sits back straight paws neatly in front and then she uses the force... In my mind I hear "You WILL walk me to my bowl now" all while staring intensely. My husband and I are willing slaves... I have more pictures of her than all the people I know... I will not go away for a weekend or on vacation because I know that No-one will take the time to indulge her the way we do. Everytime I tell her I love you the purr volume increases. We don't have chiildren by choice she is my babycat. My couscous kyssa meow sleeps on our bed everynight, smallest one on the bed takes the most space... There is so much more but her Majesty is summoning me...