Cocker Spaniel Fred

We have a Cocker Spaniel named Fred. Fred is 10 years old and was a surprise "please take the puppy" from our daughter. Her neighbor was moving and their little cocker puppy was going to be sent to the Humane Society.....I know, I know, he would have been adopted in a New York minute. But I get so teary eyed when I see the dogs in the society's TV ads that I couldn't let him be sent there.
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Nancy brought him over, and that was all it took....big brown eyes, a reddish blonde coat and a little topnotch of white hair....
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We've had Fred for 10 years.....when we first got him, the question was "what should we call him?" His "real" name was Copper Valley Flintstone....a little too long for every day usage. We mulled a few "call" names, "Honey"...nah "Goldie"....too feminine "Red"....he's not an Irish Setter..etc, etc, etc. Finally Nancy said..."well, he just looks like a Fred" and from then on, he was "Fred, the dog"....
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Ole Fredthedog got himself into a pickle last night....he has long ears with long, curly hair on them. Last night we heard the most awful cries of pain and barking from the back of our yard. We ran outside and there was Fredthedog, tangled up in one of the climbing rose bushes on the back fence.
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The thorny branches were caught in the long hair on his ears and he had been spinning around trying to get loose but only succeeded in entangling himself even more. Poor Fredthedog was panting, whining and howling.
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It was cold, 9:00 at night, dark and the yard lights didn't give us much light, but Ken and I managed to get him free...the plant clippers were in the garage (I think) so we got him loose by using a butcher knife to cut the branches and scissors to cut the hair that was wound around the rose thorns.....now Fredthedog has a lot less hair on one ear.
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He was so scared, shaking and panting. And, since we've had a deluge of rain in Nebraska, the ground was soggy and muddy....so was Fredthedog. We carried him to the house, wrapped him in a towel and hugged and talked to him until he calmed down.....he wasn't hurt but did have some thorn scratches in his ears.
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Both the rose bush and Fred have lived peacefully together for nearly 10 years......hopefully they will live in peace for the next ten!

Fred will soon be getting a "friend" from our local Humane Society. Ever since seeing a heart wrenching story about the many kittens that are overcrowding the facilities and the dilemma the society faces, I decided we MUST adopt one. However I know very little about cats, much less about kittens, I have always had dogs, never a cat. So, I will be visiting Kitten Blogs & Articles for some much needed advice on how to raise a kitty.