It's Ripley's Birthday!

Everything that doesn't fit anywhere else!

Postby TheRedQueen » September 30th, 2010, 10:08 am

The old man in the house turns 13 today...

My first Aussie, the most independent of them all, my little fuzzball.

I met him at 8 weeks old, when he was brought into the pet store where I worked, stinking from the urine and feces from the pups caged above him in the semi truck. I was immediately smitten with the little red and white fluff. I watched him grow up in a cage...we had an open crate policy...so people could pet all of the pups. But this little Aussie would climb out of the crates and escape to run around the store...so his lid stayed on. If you opened the door, he'd rush out and run around. He was a handful. :shock:

The pet store went out of business...there were three pups left, ones that no one wanted...a giant Irish setter pup (6 month old), Ripley (4 months old) and a wiemaraner with bowed front legs.

The other pups were given away...and I snatched Rip up also...without even thinking about the consequences. Long story short, he became my puppy.

And what an AWFUL puppy he was! He got into EVERYTHING! Books, plants, homework...he chewed and destroyed everything he could get his teeth on. He once dragged a potted plant through the apartment...leaving a black soil trail all over the white carpets. He found a way to escape out of the back patio...and I'll look out of the kitchen window to see him gallavanting through the apartment complex. He had diarrhea endlessly...and the only thing that seemed to help was Pedigree dry food. He was terrified of men...and would go crazy on leash when he saw other dogs...
He was rotten...but I loved him.

He grew up, and tried everything I threw at him...he did flyball (of course), agility, disc dog, carting, sheep-herding, swimming, service dog work, therapy dog work, lure-coursing...though he was never to excell at anything, he always enjoyed himself and we had a great time.

Now he's been retired from everything for the past few years, as he slows down with arthritis, and fights the demons that take hold due to his thyroid issues. He's survived a cancer surgery this year...and just keeps chugging along. He moves to the beat of his own drummer, my Rip does.
"I don't have any idea if my dogs respect me or not, but they're greedy and I have their stuff." -- Patty Ruzzo

"Dogs don't want to control people. They want to control their own lives." --John Bradshaw
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Postby pitbullmamaliz » September 30th, 2010, 10:12 am

Happy birthday, old man!!! Keep on keeping everybody in line!
"Remember - every time your dog gets somewhere on a tight leash *a fairy dies and it's all your fault.* Think of the fairies." http://www.positivepetzine.com"

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Postby madremissy » September 30th, 2010, 10:19 am

Happy Birthday Ripely!!!!!
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Postby Hundilein » September 30th, 2010, 10:32 am

Happy Birthday Ripley!
Sarah and Renee - aka wild child
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Postby PetieMarie22 » September 30th, 2010, 10:56 am

Awe! What a sweet story. Happy Birthday Ripley!
Kathleen (and George)
Petie Marie - spoiled rotten Pit Bull Terrier
Sunshine Honeysuckle Smith - DSH cat that lives under the couch
Sasha Marie - Bombay Mix = DIVA
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Postby Pit♥bull » September 30th, 2010, 12:28 pm

Happy birthday youngster 'fuzzball' :)
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Postby Malli » September 30th, 2010, 1:23 pm

happy birthday Ripley!
I can only please one person per day. Today is not your day, tomorrow doesn't look good either.
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Postby TheRedQueen » September 30th, 2010, 1:57 pm

Rip says thanks for the birthday wishes! He's chock full o' treats, chewies and goodies...we hit two pet stores today for special treats...so he's quite happy. :)
"I don't have any idea if my dogs respect me or not, but they're greedy and I have their stuff." -- Patty Ruzzo

"Dogs don't want to control people. They want to control their own lives." --John Bradshaw
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Postby iluvk9 » September 30th, 2010, 4:19 pm

HAPPY 13th BIRTHDAY RIPLEY!!!

You sounded like QUITE a fiesty guy in your younger years! 8)
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Postby PoodleMaMaKat » September 30th, 2010, 10:12 pm

Happy Birthday Ripley!!!
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Postby Ino » September 30th, 2010, 10:35 pm

Happy Birthday, Ripley!!! :D
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Postby ArtGypsy » October 1st, 2010, 8:20 am

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Your Boy!!

Give Him Some Butt Scratches From Me,,Out Here...,,*today I get to say Illinois, instead of Nebraska*
“Hope has two beautiful daughters: their names are Anger and Courage.
Anger that things are the way they are.
Courage to make them the way they ought to be.”----Augustine
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Postby CinderDee » October 1st, 2010, 8:47 am

Happy Birthday Ripley!!! Great story!
Dee
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