Hello all,

I was reading about what to feed my dog and it triggered a childhood
memory. When I was a kid, back in the sixties, we had a terrier mix,
and my mother, a city girl, used to insist on feeding it store bought
dog food, I think mostly alpo types, maybe because the advertisements
said they were especially formulated for dogs, who were always happy,
healthy and running for some reason. I remember my father thinking
this a little unusual, but this was one of those things that fell
under my mother's jurisdiction as I later learned, and on such
subjects he rarely if ever questioned her (when I was about 25 I
discovered the truth that my mother ran everything and gave my 6'3",
veteran of 2 wars father an allowance!) However, my mother lacked the
energy to police the ingenuity of two sons and a terrier mix. between
the 3 of us the dog rarely ate "dog"food. It took my mother almost 5
years to give up, but she finally did, since the dog wouldn't even
come near alpo by then. long story short, this dog lived to be 18
years old on table scraps, cupcakes, corn on the cob, hamburgers,
tacos, pizza, lasagna and even a little beer when we became teenagers.
All the while my mother insisting we were poisoning the dog, it would
die any day now, and then we'd be sorry. We also used to take the dog
to the ball field in the bike basket or running behind, on the boat,
walking in the woods, to the beach, etc., all of which I rarely see
kids doing today. one of my dogs greatest joys was to ride in our
little john boat and go fishing with us or just riding around. she
loved to stand with front paws on the bow leading the way. we learned
to tie her down so she wouldn't jump out.

My father said that when he was a boy growing up in the Appalachian
sticks at the dead end of a holl'r in the 20s, he had never heard of
'dog'food and when he eventually did, he thought it meant the stuff
that got thrown away such as innards, skins, inedibles, bones, potato
and other peels, butter and cream 'waste' or leftovers (ironically the
only milk I drink, skim), used up greez, etc. They had hunting dogs
that fed themselves on critters in the woods and served as a kind of
hillbilly (I mean that in a respectful way) trash disposal, as a kind
of diet supplement. Which reminds me, when Heehaw first came on, my
Dad didn't get it since he couldn't understand what everyone was
laughing about, but said he did enjoy the singing (and I noticed he'd
ask us to fetch a beer for him when nurse goodbody and co. arrived,
wasn't sure why till 13 or so then he had to fetch's own). The dogs
spent their whole lives outdoors, usually on the back porch when they
weren't hunting. The only time they came in was winter when all of
them slept together with my dad and his brothers by the fire or stove.
There was no such thing as a vet and when the dogs got sick, they were
kept by the fire and fed the broth of whatever was in the kettle till
they got better or died (he knew first hand exactly what the phrase
'sick as a dog' meant). when they died grandpa dug a hole out back and
buried them, surrounded by the family and all the dogs and followed by
a short prayer. He didn't find out what dog food, indoor dogs and vets
were till he joined the navy to go over and kill that little hitler
feller, but ended up in the pacific. Dogs never got lost and always
found their way home when they got sick, hungry or lonely. A stray dog
would occasionally show up and not go away for a month or so, then all
of a sudden it would be gone, none knowing what became of it. On rare
occasion he would find a dog of his living at one of the neighbors a
mile or two off. The dogs were family members but also tools to help
the family, not toys, and if they didn't carry their weight they
couldn't survive long. He said when the depression hit, they quit
feeding the dogs altogether, since they needed every bite for
themselves, but he couldn't see any harm 'cept a few ribs sticking out
and they were away hunting more often.

Anyway, guess I'd better end this book, mostly just nostalgia and
sentimentality anyway, few dogs in the states live this way anymore,
but I suspect it still occurs in poorer countries. When I go back
home, I see some of the dogs way out live somewhat like this, but few
hunt the woods like they used to. I just couldn't help noticing how
much things have changed for dogs, they're really more like only
children now. I'm sure there are many good things about the way we
treat dogs now, but few dogs now have a fraction of the freedom those
dogs of the past had. I sometimes wonder if the dogs are happier now,
living indoors sometimes in cramped little apartments, eating fancy
special foods, being put in little jail houses, having to wear the
silly outfits owners strap on them, not being able to hunt and run
free. well as I said, I suppose this is all just sentimental nonsense
on my part and it really doesn't matter. maybe we enjoy pampering our
babies and playing with our dolls too much to let them do what they
want. for myself and my dog we think he'd rather be free as possible
and do what makes him happy than live another year or two. some might
say I'm just a bad helicopter.

this is just remembrance of things past, no offense intended, I hope
none will be taken. I know everyone on this board loves their dogs and
takes the best care of them they can, as I do mine.

just wondering if any of the older folks might remember such changes

Thanks, contemplate

On Wed, 13 Feb 2008 17:25:35 -0800 (PST), bandit
wrote:

I was reading about what to feed my dog and it triggered a childhood
memory. ...

Thanks for that wonderful reminiscence. I really enjoyed reading it,
and though I never lived in the country and I didn't have a dog until
I was 50, I found your description of the dogs of your youth very
appealing.

Thanks again!

Darla
Nova Scotia, Canada
--
"I'm still here, you *******s!"
---Papillon

http://www.yougotta.com/DARLA/
--

"Darla Vladschyk" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 13 Feb 2008 17:25:35 -0800 (PST), bandit
wrote:

I was reading about what to feed my dog and it triggered a childhood
memory. ...

Thanks for that wonderful reminiscence. I really enjoyed reading it,
and though I never lived in the country and I didn't have a dog until
I was 50, I found your description of the dogs of your youth very
appealing.

Thanks again!

I enjoyed that as well. When I was a kid, our family had dogs, and I don't
think any of them were neutered, but we just dealt with the leg humping and
the male dogs coming around if our female dog were in heat. We would often
allow the dog to be off-leash when we went into the woods, and there were
not many problems.

Even today, when I visit people who live far enough in the country, it is
just understood that the dogs will be loose, and will greet whomever it is
that comes by. I've been greeted by big ole' farm dogs when I have gone to
places I've never been, and they just check me out to see that I mean no
harm, and then are cautiously friendly. This seems so natural and right,
but it just doesn't work in populated areas and in today's litigious
society.

Paul and Muttley

"bandit" wrote in message
...
It took my mother almost 5
years to give up, but she finally did, since the dog wouldn't even
come near alpo by then. long story short, this dog lived to be 18
years old on table scraps, cupcakes, corn on the cob, hamburgers,


I believe that, like people, dogs can very much benefit from a diverse diet.

In article ,
Paul E. Schoen wrote:
Even today, when I visit people who live far enough in the country, it is
just understood that the dogs will be loose,

I live far in the country, and it is just understood that
loose dogs can be hit by cars and shot by neighbors.
--
Melinda Shore - Software longa, hardware brevis -

Prouder than ever to be a member of the reality-based community

In article ,
Beth In Alaska wrote:
I believe that, like people, dogs can very much benefit from a diverse diet.

I do, too. And I believe that, like people, typically dogs
can eat a diet that's really pretty terrible and do okay for
a very long time.
--
Melinda Shore - Software longa, hardware brevis -

Prouder than ever to be a member of the reality-based community

"Melinda Shore" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Paul E. Schoen wrote:
Even today, when I visit people who live far enough in the country, it is
just understood that the dogs will be loose,

I live far in the country, and it is just understood that
loose dogs can be hit by cars and shot by neighbors.
--
Melinda Shore - Software longa, hardware brevis -

Prouder than ever to be a member of the reality-based community

Nothing new in that. I't just part of the balance of living in a rual
environment.
Peter

In article ,
Peter wrote:
Nothing new in that. I't just part of the balance of living in a rual
environment.

Yeah, but Paul tends to be completely clueless about life
outside the yupburbs but doesn't let that cluelessness
discouraging him from posting, anyway. He's the one who
posted about polar bears as "gentle creatures" who wouldn't
pose a threat to humans if it weren't for global warming,
and it's no surprise that he's got some sort of romantic
notions about the glories of letting dogs run deer, get hit
by cars, and whatnot.
--
Melinda Shore - Software longa, hardware brevis -

Prouder than ever to be a member of the reality-based community

"Melinda Shore" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Peter wrote:
Nothing new in that. I't just part of the balance of living in a rual
environment.

Yeah, but Paul tends to be completely clueless about life
outside the yupburbs but doesn't let that cluelessness
discouraging him from posting, anyway. He's the one who
posted about polar bears as "gentle creatures" who wouldn't
pose a threat to humans if it weren't for global warming,
and it's no surprise that he's got some sort of romantic
notions about the glories of letting dogs run deer, get hit
by cars, and whatnot.

If you would be able to pay attention and read my entire post, you will see
that I said "these gentle creatures (sled dogs)", and it was supposed to be
just a little bit humorous, which may be beyond your ability to comprehend.

I'm quite aware of life outside the yupburbs, and actually where I live is
quite rural in character. But Warren Road is continuously infested with
reckless (but not wreckless) yuppies and Gen-Xers challenging (and often
losing) to the narrow curves and loose rock walls, in their (or their
daddy's) not yet paid for Beamers and noisy wannabee sports cars. And they
are usually distracted by their cell phone, or impaired by alcohol and road
rage, so they are a serious threat to wildlife, pets, and humans.

There are still dangers in more remote areas, but on real farms with
hundreds of acres, I am not surprised to find dogs running loose on the
property, and I think they are more well-adjusted because of it.

Paul and Muttley

In article ,
Paul E. Schoen wrote:
I'm quite aware of life outside the yupburbs,

I'm a big blonde Valkyrie!

and actually where I live is quite rural in character.

Yeah! You were being *stalked*! By a *fox*!!!

There are still dangers in more remote areas, but on real farms with
hundreds of acres, I am not surprised to find dogs running loose on the
property, and I think they are more well-adjusted because of it.

Paul, you're an idiot. I gave up on misc.rural because it
was infested with people like you. One guy was pretty
adamant that he was letting nature take its course when he
allowed his dog to run down deer.
--
Melinda Shore - Software longa, hardware brevis -

Prouder than ever to be a member of the reality-based community