The value of pets in the Civil War

[LincolnMan]

According to the Fehrenbachers in the Recollected Words of Abraham Lincoln , the President, upon hearing a complaint from Thomas Stackpole that a pet goat was troublesome, said:

It interests the boys and does them good; let the goat be.

The Fehrenbachers give the remark a "C."

[Gene C]

Dogs can detect emotion in human voices, study shows

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2014/02/22...p=features

I could have told you that without all that fancy, schmancy research - Fido

[LincolnMan]

So the science is catching up with we pet lovers have always known. Good eye Fido on spotting that news item. It's good to know you're always on alert.

[L Verge]

I loved that news item when I saw it! When my daughter was young, we had a German shepherd who seemed to know almost exactly when the school bus would be dropping her off in the afternoon. Lucky would walk out on the front lawn and wait patiently for about ten minutes each day and then escort Jen back to the house.

Lucky was an outside dog with her own large, fenced yard. However, once my husband left us, we could not get Lucky to stay in her yard. No matter what we did, she would dig under the fence and come to the carport. We finally gave up and built her a sturdy "house" under the back stoop, and that's where she lived for years until her death. She knew she had to protect what was left of her family,

Being a shepherd, she inherited the hip problems so common with in-breds. I ended up having to have her put down. Worst experience of my life. It would have been easier to euthanize the ex- than that dog! Sorry, but that's how I felt at that time. Jen was away at college, and I was struggling to pay her tuition by myself.

Another dog reminiscence is about my last one, Maggie, a cocker spaniel. I had my mother living with me for the last twenty years of her life (died at 94). I don't know who loved Maggie more - my mother or I. It was obvious though that Maggie was my dog, and my mother swore that, every day, Maggie knew exactly when I was leaving work and would go and watch out the front window for my car to pull in the driveway. She was always bouncing out to greet me as soon as I unlocked the door.

For the first time in my life, I am without pets. I miss them terribly, but am too old for the responsibility. When I get the urge for their TLC, I visit my daughter's house, where her puggle is delighted to pay attention to me. Thanks for bearing with me - as you can tell, I'm having one of my mushy moments.

[MaddieM]

I'm a doggy person. My boy is a samoyed, and so loyal that he sits on the window seat when I go out and looks out for me until I come home. I adore him, he's like my child. Everyone else in the family adores him too. When went through a particularly hard time, he was there for me when people weren't. I shall be devastated when he goes.

[KateH.]

Pets are amazing creatures. No matter the species, they all have the ability to make us feel great when we are inclined to feel otherwise. I have one of these special friends, a Siberian Husky named Ginger who I love dearly

[MaddieM]

(02-22-2014 05:39 PM)KateH. Wrote:  Pets are amazing creatures. No matter the species, they all have the ability to make us feel great when we are inclined to feel otherwise. I have one of these special friends, a Siberian Husky named Ginger who I love dearly

He's beautiful. I love huskies.

[L Verge]

Kate, does he have those gorgeous blue eyes?

Maddie, how do you keep your beautiful dog so white and well brushed? I must admit that my blond cocker needed constant grooming, so I ended up keeping her curls more closely trimmed in order to not have to brush her every day.

Sorry, Roger, didn't mean to turn this into Dog Grooming 101...

[KateH.]

Yes, she has the blue husky eyes. And also needs to be brushed a lot or else I have dog hair everywhere

[RJNorton]

(02-22-2014 08:16 PM)L Verge Wrote:  Sorry, Roger, didn't mean to turn this into Dog Grooming 101...

These are beautiful animals. Very enjoyable to see. All Vicki and I ever see nowadays are small dogs. The community where we live has strict rules on a dog's weight. No dogs over 24 pounds are allowed. So the streets here are always full of folks walking small dogs.

[MaddieM]

(02-22-2014 08:16 PM)L Verge Wrote:  Kate, does he have those gorgeous blue eyes?

Maddie, how do you keep your beautiful dog so white and well brushed? I must admit that my blond cocker needed constant grooming, so I ended up keeping her curls more closely trimmed in order to not have to brush her every day.

Sorry, Roger, didn't mean to turn this into Dog Grooming 101...

He stays pretty much clean, amazingly. Spitz breeds have no doggie smell, so they stay fragrant for much longer after a bath. He was the most adorable puppy.

[L Verge]

My parents had a young American spitz when I was born - my mother always swore that Dad married her just to get the puppy! Butch actually taught me how to walk, according to his adoring "parents." When I began to crawl, he would walk over and stand in front of me. His tail had been clipped, and I would grab onto his stub tail, stand up, and he would walk very slowly ahead of me.

This will probably turn some of our harder readers away, but Butch died when I was in the fourth grade. Dad was still in the Air Force, and when he told his men about the death, they made a coffin for Butch. Dad brought it home, and Mom and my grandmother lined it with material from an old velvet evening gown and placed one of my baby crib pillows in it. Butch was then buried as my grandmother read the Episcopal burial service from the Book of Common Prayer.

Such a thing never happened again, but I have cried so many tears over beloved pets. They love you because you are you. My father used to say that he never trusted a person who did not like animals.

[BettyO]

Nico is so beautiful, Maddie! Ginger is also a beauty....

I love ALL animals. I have two cats now, Punkin and Percy. My dog, Cocoa, a chocolate lab/German Shepard mix died a few years ago and my mom doesn't currently want another dog. I've had Cockers all my life and will probably get another one sometime. Either a Cocker or a Schnauzer. They are good little dogs, too.....

But yes, I think that animals and pets played a BIG part for soldiers in the war and to the Victorians as a whole; sentimental beings that they were.... I know Arnold had his Dash; Herold had his hunting dog, Powell had his dogs, cats and a mule as a kid and a favorite mare as a Mosby Guerrilla; but does anyone know if Booth had any other pets besides his colt, Cola?

Quote:My parents had a young American spitz when I was born - my mother always swore that Dad married her just to get the puppy! Butch actually taught me how to walk, according to his adoring "parents." When I began to crawl, he would walk over and stand in front of me. His tail had been clipped, and I would grab onto his stub tail, stand up, and he would walk very slowly ahead of me.

This will probably turn some of our harder readers away, but Butch died when I was in the fourth grade. Dad was still in the Air Force, and when he told his men about the death, they made a coffin for Butch. Dad brought it home, and Mom and my grandmother lined it with material from an old velvet evening gown and placed one of my baby crib pillows in it. Butch was then buried as my grandmother read the Episcopal burial service from the Book of Common Prayer.

Such a thing never happened again, but I have cried so many tears over beloved pets. They love you because you are you. My father used to say that he never trusted a person who did not like animals.

Beautiful story, Laurie. You are so right!

[Angela]

I love dogs - but cats are fine too...as long as they've got their priorities straight.
Right?

[Eva Elisabeth]

What a great photo, Angela, and you cat is so lovely (what a pity one can't pet it via the touchscreen) - and sure a personality, since it (he?) has such a strong agenda!