I took this picture of Waffles months ago because he was looking so darn cute but I did not notice the prominent features near his hind end. Today seemed like an appropriate day to post the picture though because those prominent features are gone. Wiffy was neutered this week! Finally! We had made more than one appointment for him before but something always seemed to go wrong so we are thrilled that it is finally done. Our local animal hospital did it for cheap, cheap and he seems to be doing well (after the first day of sleeping and puking and repeat).
Paul and I are such HUGE animal lovers so we are totally committed to keeping the pet population down but we never felt we had to worry about anyone other than our own two dogs. That is, we didn't want Waffles to get Smeagol pregnant but they are both always leashed up outside so we weren't worried about any other dogs. We suddenly felt compelled to make sure it happened ASAP though since A) Smeagol is due to go into heat any day now and B) down here leashes are totally optional apparently. In our subdivision almost everyone has a dog and often they are allowed to just wander around. Most of the time I don't mind that too much, but it scared me that if I turned my back to deal with Smeagol for one second, one of the cute little off-leash girl dogs could run over and 9 weeks later there would be someone at my door with a box of half Boston puppies. So, yay, no more worries.
Well, as it turns out, no more worries in six weeks. I did SO much research before we had him snipped but I never came across the fact that he can still get girl dogs pregnant for another six weeks and in fact will not 'know' he is neutered for that long. As in he can (and most definitely will) 'mark' vertical objects etc. Sigh.
The vet tells us that Waffles was a trooper and that everyone there loved him. They were also utterly amazed at his size. The AKC and, as far as I can find, all other dog associations only have categories for Boston Terriers up to 25 pounds maximum. Waffles is 30 pounds even and still growing! He's a freakin' freak! Smeagol can now run under him without breaking stride. It really pisses him off, though.
It's no surprise to me that Paul and I managed to get the neediest, freakiest dog around. It's also no surprise to me though that that makes us love him even more.
4 comments:
Glad to hear you're the responsible dog owners in the place :) I can just imagine the situation you described, with the box of very familiar puppies, aiee! From all I've heard, you'll have a much more stable dog, too. Eventually ;) Are you ever planning to neuter Smeag, or are you still hoping to breed her one day? Is it "spay" or is that strictly cats?
We would like to spay her (that is the right word) in a way. Here's the thing, we certainly do not want to breed her and spaying would take away the bleeding every six months and help her avoid breast cancer (although not as much as if Paul had had it done in her first year or so). However, it is very expensive and it is major surgery. She is already over five and a not very healthy little girl who almost always has one infection or the other that is being treated. I am deeply fearful that the trauma of a surgery could finish her. So, I think we will just remain watchful with her.
She's pretty bitchy and I can't imagine her allowing any of the big German Shepherds etc. around here to get at her. I've seen her practically scratch Waffles' eyes out when he tried to, erm, mount her, even when she was in full heat.
I still think he looks more like a Boxer than a Boston Terrier.
I'm very pro-fix-your pet as well. When Beau and I lived in Very-Small-Town, Missouri, it was the same thing - everyone just opened their back door and let their dogs run freely around town. It blew me away. It was like a town full of strays. The worst was the cute beagle right across from us. That thing ran wild 18 hours a day, until sometime around dark, they would open their back door and start shouting at the top of their lungs, "SYDNEY! SYDNEY!" We called him "Bandit," because that's what he was, the little thief.
Same thing here, exactly. So weird.
And I know, he looks like a mini Boxer to me too, but our vets have always told us that is is 100% Boston, just a freakish one.
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