Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Petty moves from a petty man.

Fuck these fucking interesting times.

If a good thing happens for a bad reason, it’s still a good thing.

Something needs to be done about our bogus SCOTUS.

If you don’t believe freedom is for everybody, then the thing you love isn’t freedom, it is privilege.

Let me eat cake. The rest of you could stand to lose some weight, frankly.

It’s always darkest before the other shoe drops.

Insiders who complain to politico: please report to the white house office of shut the fuck up.

Those who are easily outraged are easily manipulated.

Republicans are radicals, not conservatives.

There are consequences to being an arrogant, sullen prick.

If you voted for Trump, you don’t get to speak about ethics, morals, or rule of law.

Why is it so hard for them to condemn hate?

If you tweet it in all caps, that makes it true!

Innocent people do not delay justice.

In after Baud. Damn.

Republicans do not pay their debts.

Damn right I heard that as a threat.

Hey Washington Post, “Democracy Dies in Darkness” was supposed to be a warning, not a mission statement.

SCOTUS: It’s not “bribery” unless it comes from the Bribery region of France. Otherwise, it’s merely “sparkling malfeasance”.

Seems like a complicated subject, have you tried yelling at it?

The words do not have to be perfect.

This country desperately needs a functioning fourth estate.

Republicans: The threats are dire, but my tickets are non-refundable!

You are here: Home / Pet Blogging / Dog Blogging / Respite Open Thread: Dogs Are Good Quarantine Buddies

Respite Open Thread: Dogs Are Good Quarantine Buddies

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A lurcher is a sighthound (greyhound, wolfhound, whippet, etc.) cross. Traditionally the other parent is either a terrier or a (border) collie, although I’ve only seen retrievers do the digging-in-the-waterbowl dance.

Happy birthday, Bailey! [sob]

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54Comments

  2. 2.

    raven

    I spend a good part of the day taking care of these aging pups and I would have been covid or not. Lil Bit has her eyes done three times a day and has for over a decade. Bohdi’s legs are going, both back and his front right. He still can make the stairs even though we were told over a year ago not to let him. There was a CNN  piece on a woman who lost her 14 year old cocker and was guilty because she felt so awful but there is so much misery in the road. My wife and I talked about it last night and I said “you know, when the time comes we may not even be able to be with them”. I don’t like thinking about it and no one really knows when but we have to face it. So, are they good buddies? You’re goddamn right they are.

  5. 5.

    JoyceH

    I got Jazzy a “flirt pole” – it’s like a big cat teaser. Had to train her to use it but now she’s crazy about it and boy is it great exercise!

  6. 6.

    jl

    The dogs may save us! Been successful for explosives, diabetes, cancer, malaria… This article says big question right now is whether covid-19 infection has enough of a distinctive stink to it. Another article said too few dogs get sick enough from it to be a big problem. Anyway, they need money, since big gummint ain’t funding it. Link to their indiegogo  page in the story.

    Dogs Are Being Trained to Sniff Out Coronavirus in Humans

    BY STEPHANIE VERMILLION APR 17, 2020, How Stuff Works

    https://animals.howstuffworks.com/animal-facts/dogs-sniff-out-coronavirus.htm

  7. 7.

    jl

    @jl: Actually, not sure whether gov funding any of this or not, after reading it again. But I think gov should fund it, if currently not.

  8. 8.

    Gin & Tonic

    @jl: Read an interesting article a few weeks back about a woman who can smell Parkinson’s. As in years before observable symptoms.

  9. 9.

    SiubhanDuinne

    Bailey is in desperate need of a trim! (Happy birthday, Bailey!)

    And watching Rio just made me happy.

  10. 10.

    Mai naem mobile

    RBG is in the fucking hospital with a ‘benign gallbladder infection.’ Because JFC we don’t have to worry about enough shit. Like the guy said on the Twitter machine. I want the fuck off this ride. I voted for the pantsuit lady not the pants full of shittery asshole.

  12. 12.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Gin & Tonic:

    Read an interesting article a few weeks back about a woman who can smell Parkinson’s.

    Sounds like a highly specialised form of synæsthesia.

  15. 15.

    Adam L Silverman

    This is Genni, she was my first dog all on my own as an adult. I got her right before I started my PhD and she was with me through January of my first year assigned to USAWC. She was a lurcher – either a greyhound/terrier mix or a whippet/terrier mix. She had the rose ears, the hare paws, the barrel chest, and she was fast!

    Respite Open Thread: Dogs Are Good Quarantine Buddies Respite Open Thread: Dogs Are Good Quarantine Buddies 1

  22. 22.

    Gin & Tonic

    @ziggy:

    I thought we were keeping her in an airtight bubble?

    Uh, might not have the effect you’re hoping for.

  23. 23.

    Percysowner

    One of the few good things about shelter at home is that dogs and cats are being adopted and fostered in large numbers. My shelter was going to foster dogs over spring break, but moved the dates up once Ohio went to shelter in place. They have had as few as 4 dogs in the entire shelter, with the rest fostered or adopted. They are scheduling visits and people keep taking the dogs. Most of the dogs seem to be “foster fails”, because as of tonight there were only a few dogs listed as being in foster and not being adopted by the foster. I hope everyone decides they can keep the dogs once things get back to whatever normal will look like in a few months, but right now, all over the country, dogs that would have had a hard time finding a home are finding people who love them.

  27. 27.

    Kifaru1

    If you follow @BlairBraverman on Twitter one of her dogs (Flame) loves to wear clothes. She has a huge following because her photos and descriptions of her sled dogs are amazing….their personalities really shine through. #uglydogs

  29. 29.

    Steeplejack

    @raven:

    I thought about you and the pups when I went through the end with the housecat last month. My regular vet is closed, and I had to use the 24-hour/​emergency place (which I had used before a couple of times). Even they are down to curbside service; they come out to the car to get the pet in the carrier and do all the consulting over the phone.

    But—and this is important—the one exception they make is for euthanasia. So I was able to spend some time with Stella after they kept her overnight, and I was with her at the end.

    You might want to check on who you would use now if one of the pups has a crisis, and maybe check on what their procedures/​policies are if things should come to the worst. You’re not committing to anything, but it’s good to know what the range of options is.

    Sorry if this is clumsily phrased.

  35. 35.

    Old Dan and Little Ann

    My lab will be 2 in August.  We’re 7 weeks into this.  He’s one happy son of a bitch.

  44. 44.

    Miss Bianca

    @?BillinGlendaleCA: Regal!

    @Steeplejack: I’ve had a thing for salukis for quite some time. Someday, perhaps…well, maybe not. We are surrounded by miles and miles of open (if steep) terrain around here…s/he might run off and never come back!

  46. 46.

    mrmoshpotato

    The cops need to stop by to ask why trampoline dog has no audio.  IT’S A DAMN CRIME!

  48. 48.

    beth

    In late February I had the talk with my vet about my 15 year old lab, who’s deaf, half blind, semi-incontinent, and whose weak legs require me to lift her out of some spot she’s gotten herself stuck in numerous times a day. She had gotten to be too much to handle while working full time.  But in true lab fashion, she’s happy as can be and eagerly goes for the world’s slowest walks every day, sniffing every mailbox post we pass.  In a way this virus has been a small blessing since I’ve been able to care for her 24/7 and spend her last few weeks loving on her instead of being upset and frustrated at dealing with it all. I’ll be heart broken when I have to make that last vet visit but I’m thankful for this time I’ve had to dote on her.

  49. 49.

    Kattails

    Dear Adam, cute pooch, but looking at that second pic–was the dog assembled correctly after it came out of the box? :-)

    OK I don’t have a dog to talk about but since it’s respite good news:  My 91-year-old mother successfully underwent cancer surgery last week.  She did not want to do endless chemo, and surgery was a viable option, and she went for it.  Since she lives in Florida and I’m in NH, getting down there is not doable at this point.  She’s married, but he’s 89. They were both widowed and got married two years ago. (Someone at the time had asked why and my response was who the hell cares, they’re late 80’s, srsly, why not?)

    And I successfully replaced a very old, nasty, two handled kitchen faucet all by myself. I’d been putting off the job forever. The guys who installed it did not put in shutoffs and flexible hose, so the copper ran straight up to the faucet connections. Couldn’t reach behind the really old, real farmhouse enamel over cast iron sink for shit, managed to get one connection undone–not completely–but could pry up the faucet deck and hacksaw the bronze fittings away. Took an hour of nasty work. Cut the copper, got the new in-line shutoff valves and the lovely new brushed nickel single handled faucet installed and the only thing that’s wet is what’s supposed to be, happy dance!!

    I would like to take a moment to appreciate the unsung people who look at something common like a shutoff connection and ask if it could be done simpler, like without soldering, for us DIY folks. Getting the old thing undone took literally ten times longer than installing the new one, even with correcting the old problems.  Anyway, my week’s gone very well.

  50. 50.

    MC

    I don’t mean to bomb the respite thread, but I want to ask for some advice. I’m a lurker, aged 34, partly disabled (mental health) and I live with my parents. I work at a distribution center in the Midwest (not Amazon). My employer does not sell essential items, but they have remained open in spite of the shutdown order. Last week we were informed that an employee had tested positive for the coronavirus.

    My employer is currently allowing unlimited time off, but without pay besides PTO. I stayed away for most of April, using up my PTO in the process. My parents are both in their 60s, with health issues. I have a minor cardiovascular defect. If I lived alone, I think I could handle the risk. But risking my parents is unacceptable, especially for an employer that sells things people don’t actually need.

    My mom has been insistent and adamant that I need to keep working. The pay is good, and I have pretty good insurance. She’s also worried that if I continue staying away, my employer will decide I’m not worth the trouble and fire me. I have enough savings to pay the bills for a few months, but…

    I don’t know what to do. A job is technically replaceable, but loved ones aren’t. I’m really going crazy with fear and despair. Any suggestions? Thanks much, y’all.

  52. 52.

    Steeplejack

    @Kattails:

    Congrats to handy you! I’d love you to come over and replace my kitchen faucet. Another thing I dithered about and is now on hold during the quarantine.

  53. 53.

    WaterGirl

    @MC: MC, I approved your comment just now when as soon as I saw it, but that means that no one would have seen it last night.  You might want to ask your question in another thread.

    You should be able to copy it from here and paste it into a new comment. Future comments will post without a human needing to approve them.

  54. 54.

    Ohio Mom

    MC: You are in a tough spot. I don’t know if my idea is workable but I’ll throw it out anyway:

    How about living as though you are already sick? I am thinking about this article from the New York Times: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nytimes.com/2020/03/24/magazine/coronavirus-family.amp.html

    The husband had Corona and isolated himself in a bedroom. The rest of the family took extreme precautions to not infect themselves.

    I’ve read other stories about hospital workers basically camping out in their garages or basements so as not to infect their families, should they pick up the virus at work and start shedding it before they are symptomatic.

    I’m not saying it would be easy to pull of living that way but it can be done. Sounds like your parents would be supportive and do their parts without complaint.

    Since you have some ongoing medical issues, I’m guessing you see at least one doctor regularly. Can you ask their advice?

    I found my son’s pyschiatrist’s perspective helpful when we had a telephone session and I brought up that Son wanted to go back to his gig grocery shopper job but that Dad and I both check a lot of the most vulnerable boxes (over 60, Dad: diabetes and heart disease; Me: asthma).

    The upshot was that Son gave it a whirl and couldn’t tolerate the mask and gloves. But he is young and still dependent on us, and has SSI. He is in a different position than you. I think your mom might have a point when she places great value on you keeping your job.

    Finally, and this is a long-term project, are you eligible for any social service safety net programs like Social
    Security or help from your state’s Vocational Rehab agency? I would think your local NAMI chapter might be able to help with this (apologies if you’ve already gone down this path, I know there are always lots of roadblocks).

    Please keep us posted — come out of lurking more often! We want to hear from you!

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