As it may be known my wife and I live with this guy and his grandson. We have lived here since February and know well enough by now when something is bothering him. He usually gets really withdrawn and the most you will ever hear from him will be grunts and sighs. Well, that is how he has been all weekend. Yesterday, after I got back from taking my wife back to work from her lunch break I got yelled at for not locking the door and asked when we could replace the screen my cats ruined after he had gotten a dog... That is not what made it bad... earlier on I had noticed that Lizzie (the dog), a welsh corgi, wasn't around. We knew that for a while she had been getting lose and going for joy runs by herself, but she never went far and she always came back after a short while... I asked him, after getting yelled at, if she had gotten lose. "Lizzie is dead". I asked how and he said he didn't know. He took her out to her pen so she could be outside in this beautiful weather we have been having and when he went to bring her back in she was just dead... She hadn't been sick or not eating. She was just acting like a normal, energetic, happy, young dog and then suddenly, boom, she is dead. He told me that he looked her over and couldn't find any obvious signs of injury. She was sweet and playful and smart, great with kids and even got along with cats... What made it worse is his grandson... A real 'screw the world because the world owes me and it ain't paying up. I'm an unemotional bad ass who couldn't care what happens to the world as long as I get my cheap cigarettes, alcohol, and energy drinks and can hide away in my room playing video games and if you don't like it you're just being an ass.' I wish that that all was just an observational collection of words but it is also things he has said. This is the same kid that last christmas was the only reason my wife and I had any gifts under the tree other than the thing we made for each other. Now, he laughed at the tornado and hoped we would break some death toll record, thought it was cool when a meth head crashed into his grandpa's storage shed, and if he holds true to his current pattern was probably like "Good I'm glad. Now she won't make any noise." I know that it sounds extreme to think that anybody would act like this but I have known him since he was 16 and [granted] after his girlfriend of many years broke up with him, pregnant from another guy, I expected to see him go through what anybody would go through, but he has gone much further. It has been really hard to watch my best friend fall so far. His grandpa loved Lizzie very much... he doesn't like anything that requires any responsibility and/or makes noise unless it's a damn video game. I love to play video games. I once had a playstation 2 for about a month and then sold it and my games to put gas in my car. A year ago, so would he. His grandpa only has three emotions; laughing your ass off, anger, and ignore every body... My wife and I knew that he wouldn't be able to work through it very well and he couldn't just have a drink because all of his money has been going to pay off utility bills that where extreme to say the least [thanks to his grandson {long story}]. So my wife and I decided to try to help him out. Since she works in a liquor store we bought him a nice bottle of quality whiskey. He tried to turn it down saying that he didn't need it but I made it very clear that it wasn't for us it was his; do with it what he pleased. An hour later he was actually able to laugh... It is never easy to lose a friend. I have had many pets in my life, dogs, cats, fish, ferrets, rabbits, etc. No one should go through that thinking they are alone... I know that was long and I'm sorry. I just needed to talk about it...
Wow X, what a story but it sounds to me like Grandpa has a good friend in you and your wife. Pets have a way of worming their way a lot deeper into our hearts than we realize and I'm sure that's what happened here. Very weird that Lizzie died so unexpectedly; probably makes the loss even worse. I hope better times are ahead.
Thanks, Snoot. Though it was never really said out loud it was implied that some one might have poisoned her... They always do manage to get closer to us than we ever expect...
Was there a puddle around of some anti freeze that may have leaked out of a car? The reason I'm asking is because that stuff is absolutely fatal if ingested and, unfortunately, dogs like it because it tastes sweet.
No there wasn't any antifreeze. We disposed of it right after doing the fluid flush. She was just in her pen and the only thing in there was her food bowl, water bowl, a ball, and her dog house.
It's sad that the dog died but even worse that he can't rely on his grandson for a little support. It annoys me what people are capable of.
You said a mouthful, Mr. Well, Xav...it does sound like lizzie got something that poisoned her. Either by mistake or from someone purposely. Were there people in the neighborhood that complained about her? She could have been bothering someone on her excursions. I guess we will never know. The bottom line is that it's just damn sad.
She never bothered anybody. Hell, almost everybody in my neighborhood has at least one dog and they all get along. No mean dogs. No mean people. It is one of the best places in Joplin, really, despite being in the poorer, more white trash areas. I have lived in this section of Joplin for the better part of the decade I have lived in Joplin and when it comes to these little block communities, when ever something like this happens it is almost always from some one outside. The thing I hate to think of, and this is why I mentioned his grandson. With his new found bad attitude he has made enemies out of many of his old friends. Just a block away by some train tracks some spray painted a big F*** YOU CATLIN! (That's the grandson's name...) Earlier this year... just after the 4th of July I think, someone set off fireworks into the front yard and set it on fire around 1 or 2 in the morning. I just fear that some one that he p!$$ed off decided to take revenge... No way to prove it though. Our next door neighbors have 2 dogs and they are really nice dogs, too. The smaller one never shuts up though. I have seen her just stand there and bark while looking around like it was some kind of twitch. I have seen that with a lot of dogs. I don't know. My wife just wants to believe that Lizzie just fell asleep and then died in her sleep from something quick and painless. I won't tell her other wise as this is rather hard on her and she feel guilty because she feels like she didn't give Lizzie enough attention. I told her that she didn't have anything to feel guilty about, that Lizzie was far from neglected.
That is sad, more so because it sounds like the pup was what was keeping the spark in Grampa. On something as fast as this, I have a hard time believing it was/could have been poisned though. If it was anti freeze or just about anything else the pup would have sufferd, they don't just go from perky to death like that....they suffer if they have ben poisoned. Dogs have passed away that fast with no signs of illness just as humans. a couple years back a fellow I work with was walking in the woods with his brother, there kids, and there dog. While walking up a trail, the dog in good sprits running, having fun stopped just before the crest of the hill, turned around and looked at his master and colapsed dead, sadly for the kids to see. Dog was 5 years old, they had to carry the golden lab out of the park. A X-Ray showed a large dark spot on the dogs heart witch was belived to be a tumor Maybe the best medicine may not be booze, that doesn't fix problems, it just put them off IMO. Another dog for Grampa...oh yeah he'll bla bla complain...thats what old men do BUT I'll bet $ that if you went to the pound and brout home a dog, the 2 of them would be just what each other needs
Great suggestion Fat Tedy. Yep gramps may gripe awhile...that's what we do! But another dog might just be what he needs.
The hard part about living around people like that, is you get people like them. A new dog may do the trick is usually works out ok in movies and TV shows. Hopefully, the situation rights itself and you guys are able to comfort each other. That will do more than alcohol like FT said.
Sorry to hear about your friends pup. Another puppy may be the answer but you might want to be sure what she died of before you bring another pup around...just sayin.
Sad, sad story...... No one should have to go through that! And, YES, another dog is what he needs. I too have experienced this, and didnt got me a new dog for almost a year.. It was the worst months of my life!! If you can, get the little ba,,,,d grandson a guinea pig if you have the oppurtunity, maybe a animal will set him straight??
He refuses to get another dog. He does have two cats of his own and they are helping. As for the grandson... I once would have trusted him with kids, but now I wouldn't trust him with a dead rat...
