I did a post that started as a description of our trip to the vet's and it ended with how to keep the dogs' coats shiny. It got so long, that I decided to start a seperate post on what that post's main objective was supposed to be.
We took the dogs to the vet yesterday for their annual check-ups. I was so impressed with Missy as she didn't pee on the floor even once while we were there. Now let me explain, Missy is very submissive with humans and new things or certain actions scare her. At these times, she will pee all over to show her submissiveness.
One thing that really gets to her is having her back end held up - especially when she is around strangers. At the annual check-up, the vet always wants to feel the tummy area in order to check for lumps or unusual intestinal activity. This, of course, necessitates that Missy's back end be held up. We always warn the vet that she will probably pee during this part of the exam, so the exam is always done on the floor (as opposed to lifting her onto the table). This time she did not pee!
I'm hoping that this trend continues. I have been working with her during brushing sessions in holding her back end up with one arm, while using the other hand to brush her tail and hindquarters (this is done outside most times in case she does let loose). I had been allowing her to lie down while brushing her back end, because she wouldn't get as nervous that way - but I wanted to teach her that it was safe for her back end to be handled while she was standing up. She has done very well in this for the past month or two, but I wasn't sure what would happen when she had a stranger poking and prodding her. I could tell she was nervous, but she didn't let loose, so I am very happy with her developement.
Prince also made a grand move, after we left the vet's. I guess I should start by explaining (for those that have not read about the dogs before) that Prince is a runner. Any time that he is not on a cable, leash or inside a fence (or dwelling), he will run off if given half a chance.
When going to the vet's, we put him on a leash to walked him to the truck. Once he was in the vehicle, we left the leash on. This is a precaution in case he tries to bolt once the door is re-opened; we would still get a chance to catch the leash if we missed catching him on his way out. Everything went fine at the vet's and WS put Prince into the truck for our drive home. When we got home, I picked up the leash and urged Prince to jump out of the truck. When Prince alit on the driveway, I realized to my horror, that the leash was not attached to his collar.
I had assumed that WS had left the leash attached, but he hadn't. Prince took off for the trees in the middle of the driveway, and I was standing there with a leash in hand and a dumbfounded look on my face. I called Prince but he didn't even turn around. He single-mindedly found a tree to hike a leg up on.
I thought I could leap and just grab his tail, but a rock rolled out from under my foot (imagine, a rock - in this part of the country - ha) and I went down. I couldn't move my right leg for a minute because I had jammed a rock up under my right kneecap. So, there I was, on the ground and unable to reach the dog. He trotted away, but to my surprise, headed around the front of the truck which put him heading in the general direction of the house and WS.
WS, hearing my swearing came around to find out what the trouble was. "Go get Prince," I snarled (I tend to do that when in pain and/or looking stupid). "He's fine, he's on the porch," was WS's calm reply (he's used to my snarling).
"Go put him in the house, NOW!" I ranted. I certainly did not want Prince to get bored and decide to cruise the neighborhood. WS put the dogs in, then came back and helped me hobble into the house (that was cute, the cripple helping the cripple).
The first thing I did when I finally got into the house was to give treats to the dogs; Missy got a treat for being so good at the vet's and Prince got a treat for going to the house and not running off. Then WS and I joked about how we could stand together, tie our bum legs together and between the two of us have 2 1/2 good legs. My knee, however, felt and worked better after a few minutes and is now doing fine - although there is one nasty bruise on it.
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