Reviews from

Animal Antics and Interactions

Viewing comments for Chapter 1 "Perils of a Pet Owner"
Animal that inspire me to record their stories.

46 total reviews 
Comment from Jannypan (Jan)
Excellent
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I enjoyed reading your story, Beth. You described well the many pets and their antics that caused your family distress. I like the picture you paired with your story. The interactions of pets and humans was well expressed. I commend you for not giving up on owning a pet.
Thanks for sharing.
Respectfully, Jan

 Comment Written 07-Jul-2021


reply by the author on 07-Jul-2021
    Thank you Jan. I appreciate the review and comment. I'm glad you enjoyed it.
    Beth
Comment from MAMONIA
Exceptional
This work has reached the exceptional level

It sounds like a bit of trouble owning these creatures. I laughed with tears reading this summation of your trials and tribulations with these animals. Your descriptions are hilarious, and the story is perfect.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and smiled throughout. I could not have handled half of your experiences so well.
What a fine writing job this is.
My best,
Marie

 Comment Written 06-Jul-2021


reply by the author on 06-Jul-2021
    Thank you again. I love it when people tell me I made them smile. I'm so glad you like my sense of humor. The pets gave me plenty of problems, but I love animals and even these animal made my life more fun.
reply by MAMONIA on 06-Jul-2021
    You must have a very patient nature to put up with all of them.
Comment from Bill Schott
Excellent
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This essay, Perils of a Pet Owner, is funny and reveals that you were lucky with cats but unlucky with dogs. Kokomo seems much like my wife's Alaskan Eskimo which was a beautiful tiny white bushy sewer rat.

 Comment Written 05-Jul-2021


reply by the author on 06-Jul-2021
    Thank you for the review and coments. I'm glad you found my story amusing. This one was written over ten years ago. I've posted a part two and there will be a part three.
    Beth
Comment from LJbutterfly
Excellent
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I truly enjoyed every word of this story. I also enjoyed reading about all the antics of each of the dogs, especially since I neither had to house them or feed them. Your descriptions were delightful, humorous, and a pleasure to read. The cats? Nooo! Not a fan.

 Comment Written 05-Jul-2021


reply by the author on 05-Jul-2021
    I'm so glad you liked it. I'm glad you went back and read the first one.
    Beth
Comment from nancy_e_davis
Excellent
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Not all pets comes with guarantees'. I have had so many pets in my life that I could never document all of them, most were good, but I had a few Lemons along the way. Dogs that chased cars. Killed chickens. Barked too much, Etc. Well done. Nancy

 Comment Written 03-Jul-2021


reply by the author on 03-Jul-2021
    Thank you Nancy. I had some good experiences with pets and I been pretty attatched to some of those that misbehaved but some of their wierd behavior make me laugh thinking back.
    Beth
Comment from Iza Deleanu
Exceptional
This work has reached the exceptional level

Funny and witty your odyssey of earning a pet and your conclusion with the friends from the country it made me laugh and cry in the same time. As a child, we used the country excuse to get rid of things.

 Comment Written 03-Jul-2021


reply by the author on 03-Jul-2021
    Thank you Iza. I'm so glad you found this funny. I really appreciate your giving me six stars on it.
    Beth
Comment from Mary Kay Bonfante
Excellent
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What a great story, and very funny! From the gerbil who preferred your skirt pocket to his dream castle, to the cat who defecated on your personal belongings, to the dog who was terrified of fire hydrants, you had one troublesome pet after another!

As usual, here's a list of errors and suggestions, but it's not very long, and mostly suggestions:

Of course, it's possible by some cosmic coincidence, all the lesser life forms, that found their way into our lives were hopelessly retarded,
-->
Of course, it's possible that by some cosmic coincidence, all the lesser life forms which found their way into our lives were hopelessly deranged, [some people might find the term "retarded" offensive these days, whereas "deranged" might actually sound comical, when applied to an animal's personality; what do you think?]

by seeking out their personal belonging on which to defecate.
-->
by seeking out their personal possession on which to defecate. [I just think it might be a better word?]

Then there was Blacky, the little part Cocker Spaniel,
-->
Then there was Blacky, the Cocker Spaniel mix,

Bimbo was an adorable fluffy black part- poodle pup.
-->
Bimbo was an adorable, fluffy pup; a black Poodle mix.

He was a full grown, beautiful, but hyper, golden retriever.
-->
He was a full grown, beautiful, but hyper, Golden Retriever.

His toys were tree limbs, which he drug up on the deck to do battle with.
-->
His toys were tree limbs, which he dragged up on the deck to do battle with.

He would leap to the top of the six foot door snarling and baring his teeth, as they shrunk back in horror.
-->
He would leap to the top of the six foot door, snarling and baring his teeth, as they shrunk back in horror.

***

Having read most of your book, I was waiting for Cujo, I mean Kokomo, the grand finale, and I was not disappointed! I am quite a dog lover, but he would have driven me crazy, too... have you considered that his aversion to your dinner clothes might be an aversion to your dining out, because it meant you were leaving him behind? Or is that giving him too much credit, in the intelligence department?

I wasn't sure what you meant when you wrote that you thought Kokomo might be "breeding" the tree limbs; was it because he managed to find so many?

I'm looking forward to your updated version of Shelby Pets, especially the Good Shelby Dog!


 Comment Written 03-Jul-2021


reply by the author on 03-Jul-2021
    Thank you so much Mary Kay. Your suggestion all all great and I've used them all. Unforturnately, we never had Kokamo fixed. He would hump that tree times as he would a female dog. I guess I probably should leave that out or reword it . What do you think?
    Beth
reply by Mary Kay Bonfante on 03-Jul-2021
    You're very welcome, as always, Beth. Maybe it would clarify his behavior, just to say that he had been trying to "reproduce" with the tree limbs, "a hopeless exercise, but one he seemed to like." (You can quote me, and you don't need to use my name.) Or however you want to say it... he was one crazy dog! Love, Mary Kay xoxo
Comment from JudyE
Excellent
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My goodness, you have had some bad luck with pets. Maybe you should try fish! lol

I might have rearranged the commas differently in this passage:
Of course, it's possible by some cosmic coincidence, all the lesser life forms, that found their way into our lives were hopelessly retarded, and therefore can't be held responsible for their strange behavior, thereby excusing us as well. - May I suggest add a comma after 'possible' and delete comma after 'forms'.

Best wishes
Judy

 Comment Written 02-Jul-2021


reply by the author on 03-Jul-2021
    Thank you Judy, I appreciate the review and comments. You are right about the commas being misplaced. As for the fish, they have been a disaster too. My twins at two turned the stand and the 20 gallon aquarium over on themselves and were penned under it with gravel and broken glass and fish flopping everywhere. Another time I put the wrong kind of fish in with my fantail goldfish and they ate the tails off the goldfish. I can't win. LOL
    Beth
Comment from Rdfrdmom2
Excellent
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Beth:

Fortunately, my family has never had a bad experience with any of our dogs other than our Scottish Terrier twins liked to gnaw on our furniture when they were pups. They outgrew it and we never bothered to get new furniture. Thanks for sharing.

Rdfrdmom2

 Comment Written 02-Jul-2021


reply by the author on 03-Jul-2021
    I love all animals but it seems we've had more that our share of problems with them. Still it breaks my heart when I have to give them up. Thanks for the review and comments.
    Beth
Comment from Sankey
Excellent
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What a great read. Pretty long, but good. I saw some slight spags in places but it seems to read ok, generally. If planning to write more maybe make a book out of it and set up chapters.

 Comment Written 02-Jul-2021


reply by the author on 02-Jul-2021
    Thank yoy for reading it. It is kind of long but I hope it was entertaining.
    Beth