PATSP is a long-winded, intermittently humorous blog which is mostly about houseplants, particularly Anthuriums and Schlumbergeras.
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Wednesday, March 24, 2010
BREAKING: DogQuest 2010
Informed as of about three hours ago that SHEBA IS GO. Repeat, SHEBA IS GO.
In-person allergy check is expected to be around 1-2 PM CDT tomorrow, and if that goes even remotely well, she'll be home with us by maybe about 4 PM tomorrow.
Yes. YES!!!!!!! Please God, let it be so. I tried to leave you a typically interminable comment on your previosu post and it wouldn't let me do it, so let's hope this one goes through. I myself like the name Sheba for its queenly qualities (but then, I named my dog Shiloh), but if you can't stand it, I suggest naming her soemthing close enough for her to recognize it---Frieda comes to mind---so her transition isn't so traumatic. I once got a 1 1/2-year-old golden retriever who'd been called Banjo for her whole life. (Banjo?!! Grrr.) I'd been planning to call my dog Molly, but after opting to get Banjo, I called her Annie---a name she accepted at once---instead. Named the next dog Molly. In any event, fingers and toes crossed for you!!!
I'm with "our friend Ben"--if you change her name, make it something close. Adapting to a new environment is tough enough without being confused about your name! Congrats Mr. S! I hope so much that you can keep her as a part of your family.
While I like the name Sheba very much, according to the Petfinder link to her picture and bio, she was a stray that had come fairly recently to the shelter. Where they, I'm guessing, came up with the name. So she hasn't been Sheba long enough to identify herself as such.
Anyway, animals are adaptable and will learn to associate sounds with important events (e.g. being fed) so the dog will learn that when someone calls "Fido," something nice might be forthcoming.
Well that was kind of what I thought (plus if I remember correctly, she'd already been spayed when she was brought in, so the likelihood seems high that she'd been owned by someone else relatively recently and "Sheba" is a name she's only had for the last two or three weeks), but we're also having trouble coming up with new names, so it'll be Sheba by default until such time as she lets us know what she should be called instead.
Anonymous:
Most likely not. I did some reading about allergy shots before the husband (who has a cat) and I (allergic to all cats) moved in together, and what I gathered from that was that allergy shots are expensive, don't work often enough, and are inconvenient to get, to a degree that made them pretty much a no-go at the time and even more so now. The theory seems sound, but they sound like they're still more trouble than they're worth for a lot of people.
Re the allergy shots: don't go there. I had those when I was a child. They were extremely painful. I stopped getting them when my mother and a nurse could no longer hold me down long enough for the doctor to give me the shot. Shortly after I stopped getting them my allergies actually improved. Definitely not worth it.
As far as allergy shots are concerned - I took one a week for 5 years. Before I'd have attacks 3 or 4 times a year that would threaten to hospitalize me because my throat would swell shut.
Inconvenient - most definitely, I went to the doctor's office twice a week for 6 months, then once a week after that. They really weren't painful at all, very small needle, and hardly noticeable. I don't recall them being very expensive, but I had decent insurance then. So I might have a different opinion now.
I haven't had the shots in about 10 years now, my allergies are increasing now, but no where as bad as before. Haven't had the swelling issue since the shots.
Yes. YES!!!!!!! Please God, let it be so. I tried to leave you a typically interminable comment on your previosu post and it wouldn't let me do it, so let's hope this one goes through. I myself like the name Sheba for its queenly qualities (but then, I named my dog Shiloh), but if you can't stand it, I suggest naming her soemthing close enough for her to recognize it---Frieda comes to mind---so her transition isn't so traumatic. I once got a 1 1/2-year-old golden retriever who'd been called Banjo for her whole life. (Banjo?!! Grrr.) I'd been planning to call my dog Molly, but after opting to get Banjo, I called her Annie---a name she accepted at once---instead. Named the next dog Molly. In any event, fingers and toes crossed for you!!!
ReplyDeleteOh, how exciting! Good luck, Mr. S. I hope it all turns out well!
ReplyDeleteI'm with "our friend Ben"--if you change her name, make it something close. Adapting to a new environment is tough enough without being confused about your name!
ReplyDeleteCongrats Mr. S! I hope so much that you can keep her as a part of your family.
Oh, congratulations! What a fairy tale beginning to your time together.
ReplyDeleteAll my fingers are crossed, though that makes it rather hard to type...
Great news, good luck with the allergy test, hold your breath or something.
ReplyDeleteWhile I like the name Sheba very much, according to the Petfinder link to her picture and bio, she was a stray that had come fairly recently to the shelter. Where they, I'm guessing, came up with the name. So she hasn't been Sheba long enough to identify herself as such.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, animals are adaptable and will learn to associate sounds with important events (e.g. being fed) so the dog will learn that when someone calls "Fido," something nice might be forthcoming.
My friend was allergic to dogs but the allergy went away after 2 years of faithful weekly allergy shots. Would that be do-able for you?
ReplyDeleteGinny Burton:
ReplyDeleteWell that was kind of what I thought (plus if I remember correctly, she'd already been spayed when she was brought in, so the likelihood seems high that she'd been owned by someone else relatively recently and "Sheba" is a name she's only had for the last two or three weeks), but we're also having trouble coming up with new names, so it'll be Sheba by default until such time as she lets us know what she should be called instead.
Anonymous:
Most likely not. I did some reading about allergy shots before the husband (who has a cat) and I (allergic to all cats) moved in together, and what I gathered from that was that allergy shots are expensive, don't work often enough, and are inconvenient to get, to a degree that made them pretty much a no-go at the time and even more so now. The theory seems sound, but they sound like they're still more trouble than they're worth for a lot of people.
WOOT! Hope the allergy test goes well.
ReplyDeleteRe the allergy shots: don't go there. I had those when I was a child. They were extremely painful. I stopped getting them when my mother and a nurse could no longer hold me down long enough for the doctor to give me the shot. Shortly after I stopped getting them my allergies actually improved. Definitely not worth it.
As far as allergy shots are concerned - I took one a week for 5 years. Before I'd have attacks 3 or 4 times a year that would threaten to hospitalize me because my throat would swell shut.
ReplyDeleteInconvenient - most definitely, I went to the doctor's office twice a week for 6 months, then once a week after that. They really weren't painful at all, very small needle, and hardly noticeable. I don't recall them being very expensive, but I had decent insurance then. So I might have a different opinion now.
I haven't had the shots in about 10 years now, my allergies are increasing now, but no where as bad as before. Haven't had the swelling issue since the shots.