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Posted by Jenn on September 25, 2008, 1:35 am, in reply to "Re: Have you considered a rescue at all??? nm"
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Thank you so much for all of your thoughts eup! You are a riot! "Something silky and white to ruin your life" ROFL! Thank goodness for the internet--it is so helpful to dog owners in every aspect. It is my mother who volunteers for the bichon rescues. There are 2 of them that she helps/donates to but I am not sure of their names. She also has been networking with the same group of people (not rescues but bichon fans) for years via the internet regarding her bichons. They exchange information, trade products and services and even get together for what they call "Bichon Bashes" where people even have come from other countries and meet all in one place with their dogs for a reunion. I have been to one of those. That is incredible to see about 50 white fluffs playing and on their best behavior. Some have even vacationed together for a few days. They exchange Christmas gifts for the dogs during the holidays. My mother's 2 dogs get more Christmas cards than my mother, stepfather and myself combined lol. It truly is a very nice group of people. They didn't even mind including my American Bulldog on their website at times. And sent sympathy cards when he passed. I'm sure they'd welcome my Malt and maybe I'll even be able to find a nice group of Malt owners to exchange info and pics with.
I will talk to JMM further and I will look into going to some dog shows and I also want to speak to my local kennel club to find out what type of courses I can enroll a Maltese in. Of course, the worry-wart in me wants to be sure I won't risk the dogs knees etc.. I am interested in finding out about the "Canine Good Citizen" but am wondering if that would entail taking my dog to hospitals or nursing homes. I WON'T have that at all. I really don't know anything about it yet. I have worked in a nursing home for many years and am pretty well-schooled (unfortunately) in the super-bug MRSA. Dumb SOB vet (sorry but I'm very angry about this) tried to tell me dogs don't get it when I feared it was a possibility for my last dog before he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Vet called a brain surgeon to ask him if dogs get it. Brain surgeon said no--what the heck does he know about dogs?!?! I said I'd give him lots of literature that says dogs DO get it but I didn't need to after one of my co-workers dogs died in his office with it. (He was diagnosed somewhere else.) I suggested the owner not take the dog to that vet because how could a vet treat a condition he knows nothing about and furthermore doesn't even believe that dogs suffer with the condition at all. She didn't listen--she said that the vet was a friend of the family and would take good care of the dog. Scary thing--I wonder how many have had it and it wasn't recognized. Many dogs contract it right at the vet's office! I cringe when people bring their dogs and children to work. It is risky enough that we go home to them everyday carrying it. Maybe there is another setting available for canine good citizen. I'm rambling again about something I haven't even checked into yet, sorry--thanks again eup and have a great day!
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