D'ya know, I made this thread with Iron_Ranger in mind? :D
I agree. Some types of dogs are lovely. All types can be if raised the right way, I guess. The only ever time I got hurt by a cat is when my brother was playing "WWF smackdown" with it and had pinned the poor thing to the floor. It popped its claws out and I didn't notice, moved my foot, and got stabbed just under the toe-nail. It was good, though, because my lil bro got mega-told off for hurting the cat.
I was attacked by a pair of alsatians when I was around five. I still have tiny bite-marks on my arm. Now THAT'S an example of dogs raised wrong.
But still, think-there are guide dogs, watch dogs, police dogs, not cats. Dogs are more...useful, in some ways. cats are novelty pets, really. They can be loving, and my grandmother's pet cat saved her from a house fire, but they don't really do much but melt the heart [img]tongue.gif[/img]

Aww man, I'm kicking myself.

Dogs are way smart too. We also (at the same time as Nikki the cat) had a miniature Shetland Colly dog called Shandy. As my father lost his sight, the dog (which was ancient even by dog standards) learnt new tricks such as finding empty seats on buses or guiding him to empty places at the pub bar. Once completely blind my dad had two (the first was taken back after about a year because it developed an instinct for chasing cats, broke my old dads heart) guide dogs. The first was an alsation called Gilly, the second was a labrador called Nina. Nina, after my dads death was taken back to be retrained for another blind person. The proper thing to do but still a massive gut wrench for the family.

If you've ever seen a guide dog work with a blind man, you'll know what I mean. They can do things cats could never do. I love all animals btw.

[ 02-09-2003, 05:52 AM: Message edited by: Charlie ]

http://www.frugalsworld.com/columns/dad2.jpg

My dad with his (2nd) guide dog. Nina. A fantastic animal. She lent my dad her eyes.

Good to know somone thinks about me ;)

I have been hurt by cats numerous times..Well, not 'hurt' but you know scratched up, playing with them and stuff. Cat scratches can get really annoying, kind of like a paper cut..Little but painful. One time I was around 6 I guess we had the one cat and I was kind of... agurvating it. Hehe, I wad down on my stomache barking at it (Hey I was 6!!) and clawed the crap out of my cheek :D .

On the other hand, I have never really been hurt by dogs..Well, of course some scratchs, but not stand out significantly.

One time I was outside playing with our dog, kicking the ball around and he would chase it, and chew on it and I would tun up to it and kick it and it would go on like that for a while....Well, it had rained, and still was sprinkling a bit at the time and me and my dog were are a race for the ball he cuts infront of my and I am foreced for jump over him or run him over, so I jump and he decided to jump also trying to nip at my foot or something and BANG slid right through a big ol' puddle...That was pretty cool :D ..I slid at least 10 feet.

But yeah, Dogs can be raised bad and have a bad outcome. You need look no further then pit bulls. Great dogs, but if raised wrong it cant get pretty ugly..So I guess it in fact depends on the person not the animal.

Charlie that's a wonderful story and I love the pic! :D I think I'd be heartbroken if the dog was in the family and then had to go to someone else, but I can see where you're right, if the dog could help some other blind person get around, then it was for the best. [img]smile.gif[/img]

I love cats and I'm pretty fond of dogs, as well. Nacht and I have talked about getting a dog sometime after we're married and once he's got school and work going well enough to have time for a puppy. They need training and that takes a lot of time! :D

CATS RULE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! [img]tongue.gif[/img]

DOGS DROOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!! [img]tongue.gif[/img]

Charlie, that is one gorgeus dog! I am so glad she enabled your dad to get mobility around the place-that's fantastic! [img]smile.gif[/img]

LOL I think they put poison in their claws, don't you? :D They itch so much!! Tuppence always plays ferocious-kitten with me, and her little face is so cute when she's being vicious, obviously to get me into a stupor so she can rip off more of my skin ;)

Dogs. Not that I don't like cats, they just don't like me. Do their claws have to be so sharp? Although there's nothing like watching my friend's cat, Mystic, go loco over the catnip. Ahhh, good times...

You know, I look at my dads photo (sorry guys) and see his left hand reaching, touching that dog. At all times that was his touch/contact with the outside world, the world he couldn't see. He was in 24/7 contact with that dog...and the dog likewise with him. Not necessarily physical but the physical bond (for me) shines through. The mental contact....you need to see and live it. It existed.

Sorry, I'm melancholy. My old dad died 1979 aged 42, shortly after that photo'.

Mate....when I truly take in and digest what that animal done for and gave to my father......And then those that trained her from a puppy and gave her "free" so that my dad could gain mobility....and a semblence of sight....

How can I not be moved?....