Poked and Prodded

Thursday - May 26, 2011

My partner spent the morning doing strange things. She went all around the den taking all the pictures off the walls. Then she wrapped them in towels and put them in boxes. I dropped some of my toys in a box too, like I did the other day. I like to help my partner!

My partner usually grooms me right after my noms in the morning. Well today, she brushed me again really good right after she stopped packing. I'm still shedding and by the time she got done, the living room carpet looked like she had slaughtered a rabbit! What a mess. After that, my partner geared me up and we were out the door for an adventure.

We ended up at our Veterinarian's office. I like to go there; they are very nice to me and give me treats and visit me when I have to stay in a kennel run or a cage. This time I was taken into a room and realized I was probably going to get a stick poked in my butt and sharp sticks poked into my back. And yup - I was right! A very nice human came in and pushed that stick into my butt - but I stood very still like my partner asked me to cause I'm a good doggie.

Then our Vet came in - I went straight to him and licked his hand. I knew what he was going to do to me, and he had operated on me when I was very sick and caused me great pain, but I trust him. He put a black and silver thing all over my chest that was connected to his ears. Then he put his hands all over my body, stroking me, squeezing me, checking every inch of me. He peered into my eyes and deeply into my ears. He always says I have the cleanest ears of any dog he examines and that surprises him because I'm a long coat with feathered ears. 

The only thing wrong with me was a teeny tiny spot/sore on the inside of my right ear. He told my partner to keep a close eye on it, as it was possible it could have been a tick bite. We are hoping it is just a sore caused by my partner being too zealous in her ear cleaning. Then the Vet surprised my partner by telling her to follow him to the back to kennel me. That they would draw my blood and give me my vaccinations later, and then Uriel would groom me.

So we followed the Vet back to the kennels. My partner started breathing really fast and hard. I wasn't happy about being put in the kennel - I kept trying to get past her to escape. I tried jumping on her to tell her she was getting sick and needed me and couldn't leave me behind - but she hugged me hard, turned her back and walked away from me...

While my partner was gone, I got all the shots that I needed - three of them!! My blood was taken, and they honored my partner's request to not shave my leg to find a vein. And my friend Uriel came and got me and gave me a wonderful shampoo and brushing. He also trimmed my nails and shaved the long feathers on the top and bottom of my paws. I sure was beautiful and fluffy and gorgeous when he got done with me!!

It was 11:30 when my partner and I arrived there, and 6pm when she finally was notified that I was ready to go home. After she paid my bill, she was allowed to come back to the cage area where I was crated - they had to remove a barrier so I could have 2 crates because I'm so big. As soon as I smelled my partner coming down the hall - yes, I could smell her through the closed door - I began talking to her, telling her where I was so she could find me. I was so very happy she was coming to take me home at last!

While everyone is so nice to me here, I still wanted to be with my partner more than anything else. They give me cookies here, visit with me a lot, pet me, spoil me - all so very nice of them, and I like it a lot while I'm there. But I sense when they are done and I'm put back into the kennel or into the crate, and then I'm a bad dog...

When it's time to go home, a nice human usually comes back, puts a leash on me with the intent of leading me thru the maze of hallways to my partner. But it ends up with me dragging that human all the way to front. I'm choking and gagging as I practically yank that human off her feet - it's all they can do to remain upright. It is very embarrassing to my partner to see me be so disobedient, and to see me hurting myself. So this time that finally allowed my partner to go back and get me herself. 

Well, it wasn't a whole lot better! Like I said, as soon as I knew she was coming, I started talking to her. When she took me out of the crate, I was talking louder and louder. Everyone was laughing at me as I crawled over my partner in joy at seeing her at last. I froze for a few seconds as she put my harness vest on me. Then I went blitzo with happiness and joy again at the knowledge that I was going home at last! I did everything in my considerable physical power to drag my partner out of that place. But she was VERY RUDE and kept stopping and making me slow down and walk properly.

I guided her straight to the SUV, she put my seat belt on and lept into the back seat. As soon as we got home, she ordered me to pee in the front yard - boy, did THAT feel good. We got inside and after my gear came off, my partner spoke those special words she has for me when we get home after I've been a good girl. Normally she gives me a special treat, but since it was over 2 hours past my noms time, she just gave me a little cookie, then fed me & NuNu.

After we had all settled down, I jumped up on the sofa to comfort my partner. She was still a bit out of sorts for having spent so many hours without me. That always upsets her very much. I let her cuddle, and she always strokes me with one hand, fondles my ruff with the other, and buries her face in my ear. She loves to inhale my scent, and says it is new today because of the shampoo I got from Uriel. And my coat is now even softer. She says I am even more beautiful than before! That makes me very happy, so I will keep on keeping on.

Kalifornia Kota