Help me, I am new to this group

[tia's mom]

Hi Everyone

I am new to this, but wanted to find a group that has interests similar to mine and who loves their pets as much as I love mine.

I love my pets like they are my children.....since my children are grown, it only seems fitting that my pets take their spot in my need to nurture.

[Barb04]

Welcome! So glad you decided to join us. My pets are my children also.

[Maxy24]

Hi and welcome to Chazhound! You seem perfect for the group we all love our pets unconditionally! Do you have any dogs? I'd love to see pictures if you do, we here really like pictures ;) i hope you enjoy the forum and learn a lot, i know i did :D

[tia's mom]

Hi... thanks for the welcome. I have a maltese named Tia...my baby. My daughter has a lhasa apso, named Dakota (also my baby). My son and daugher in law live in Orlando and have 2 Jack Russells, who think I am their "Gramma" and know my voice when I call. So, as you can see, we are very much dog people. I do have a tabby cat that we adopted from the shelter several years ago, and she tolerates all of us.

I wanted to get the word out to everyone about the potential of drowning for dogs, even though most people think all dogs can swim. NOT TRUE!! I have lost two dogs to drowning and although it has been a year ago for one and several years ago for the other, I still cry.

How can I let everyone know that they cannot assume their dogs know how to swim.

My first experience was with my 14 year old lhasa. I think she had a seizure and fell into our pool and I found her. It was dark outside and we had let her out for the last time before going to bed.

The other experience was with my maltese's puppy. He was a year old. All of them were playing outside and he got too close to the pool. I spent 15 minutes trying to revive him, but it didn't work. I feel extremely guilty every time I think about him, because he was only 3 pounds and was really my baby.

When I tell people this story, they look at me like I am crazy...all dogs swim!!! That is so NOT true, and I want to save someone else the pain and grief I have experienced.

Needless to say I refuse to ever have another swimming pool.

[Maxy24]

I am so sorry about your losses that is horrible :( if you want you can post about it in the general dog chat section, everybody goes there and it will be seen by more people. I don't think I will ever have a swimming pool but if i did it would be fenced in. I'm sorry you had to experience that.

[bubbatd]

Welcome to Chaz !!! You've hit a good forum ... not only are we animals lovers but people lovers !! We can be very serious or goofy !! I'm Grammy to my grand dogs and now only have one of my own (Ollie , mostly Golden Retriever ) after many Goldens for 60 years .

[Kase]

Hi and welcome to Chaz. I'm so sorry for your previous losses :(.

[Brattina88]

Welcome to Chazhoud, you've come to the right place! :D

I'm so sorry to hear about your losses. My Maddie is an avid swimmer, but I always worry and I don't let her in the water unless I know how deep it is, or the currents aren't strong. The bad thing about pools is that even if they can swim for a little bit, there's no way for the dogs to get out because of pools' structures and they tire. ((((((((hugs))))))))) to you :)

[Denaluvscorgis]

Hi...welcome to Chaz....it's very nice to have you here!!!!:)

[Aussie Red]

Hello and welcome. You came to the right place.