A few days ago I had to take Cosmo to the vet for his yearly check. Cosmo is a very Vocal little pooch and as he sat on my lap for 20 minutes in the waiting room, He was 'speaking' to everyone in the room ( and in the building next door!). At one point he actually said the words Mawwwmmaw Mawwmmaw Mawwmmaw . ( That's Schnoodle for MAMMA!)
I found Sitting for 20 minutes Trying to hold and quiet a Noisy VERBAL schnoodle quite tense. The tension I felt was small in comparison to what I felt shortly before Dr. Rosen finally (thankfully) called for us. A couple walked in With TWO pitbulls, ONe was on a leash, but the puppy pitbull WASN'T. (puppy, my ass! He was intimidating and LARgE!) There is a HUge sign on the door to the Veterinarians office.. NO DOgs permitted without a Leash. I am a stickler for rules. And despite being a dog lover, I am actually frightened ( with good reason) of strange dogs. I get very perturbed by people who break rules and walk into a business and 'take over'. This Bull was running all over jumping up on people and licking legs left and right. Forcing everyone to calm their own dogs down. I was waiting for the receptionist to intervene but she looked intimidated by these people in general. I am not sure if everyone felt as annoyed (and scared) as I did, but Not everyone shares the Vision that came flooding back to me as I sat gripping my yappy guy and trembling in fear.
When I was a very little girl, my neighbors dog had puppies. My friend Billy asked me to come over and see them. What little girl could resist a basket full of puppies? I ran right over. Billys dog lay in the middle of a large dogbed and her puppies encircled her. He kept reaching down, picking up a pup and handing it to me. After a few pups, I saw one behind the Mom that was THE cutest of all, I reached down myself to pick him up. I was smiling from ear to ear! In one blurry second the Mawwmaw dog Leapt forward and BIT me right in the Open smiling mouth!! My baby tooth, blood and gum were hanging out of my mouth. Billy started screaming. I was screaming! I dropped the puppy (thankfully he landed in the soft bed). My memory of the rest of that day is erased. I assume My gum was stitched up and I know I eventually mended fine. I have no (visible) scars from that traumatic day. As a 'get well' gift and I'm sure a "hope I don't get sued gift" Billys parents gave me the little puppy that had taken my breath and tooth away. I named him Mr. Chips chocolate chip cookies, but settled on Mr. Chips for short.
It's funny that it only takes an encounter with an intimidating dog to bring back that bittersweet memory, and visualize it as if it were yesterday.
Speaking of getting BIT... Have you seen this adorable video
on Utube yet? If not.. Please take 56 seconds and watch it..
See More Visions at sunday scribblings
Posts
14 comments:
This is a bitter sweet post. Poor little LU must have been horrible. Many wouldn't be the dog lover that you are after that incident! Thankfully Mr. Chips cured that! I just love how you describe Cosmos, I remember my guy being the same...they all but hug you around the neck with their paws....maawwwm don't make me go pleaaassse....funny. I hated waiting in the vets office!
Well done...really well written!
Hugs Sherrie
Great storyline! I could feel your tensions!
my sweet adorable moo moo loves people,, but has a propensity to jump dogs she feels may threaten her superiority,, she doesn't bite them per say just has to make sure they know that she is the boss... so i have to make sure there are no animals in the vet waiting area when we go in.. we cannot go to dog parks or other places where there might be dogs off leash,, as even if she is leashed if they approach her,, if they give her "the air", what ever that is,, she will jump them..
it makes her life a lot less fun,, and i have to watch her like a hawk,, and warn anyone with a dog not to allow it to get close to her,, but i love her,, and will do anything in my power to avoid a doggie confontaion...
i will never understand people who think they know what their dog is thinking.. i never know which dogs she will like and which she will not,, and i cannot make those judgments for her,, so i have to be overly cautious instead..
i too have been bit,, and know how it makes you a little overly cautious of dogs you don't know....
got any pix of your puppy????
This was vividly written. Pooch, our beloved non=pedigreed mutt who thought he was an aristocrat, bit only once. It was when we had taken him for a rabies immunization at a public offer of free shots, and therefore were standing ina line of very well behaved dogs (as was Pooch). He watched seemingly impassively until the dog in front of him had had its shot, then calmly bit yhr veterinarian before the vet had even touched him.
Doggie thoughts are not always discernable to humans!
A powerful post. I like dogs but I've been intimidated by some in the past. No, that's perhaps not true - more by some owners who don't control them properly. I don't think anyone is secure around all dogs.
A dog bit me once so I bit it back. It didnt do any good though -it bit me again!
Going to the vet is always an adventure, cringe! I'm glad you got Mr. Chips out of the ordeal.
I never leave kids unattended with my animals, you just never know!
Adorable video! HUGS
i had a similar experience as a kid, left me with a bad taste in my mouth for dogs, and i'll cross the street to avoid one - i can imagine how vulnerable and guarded you might have been feeling there in that office - gives me the heebie-jeebies when i have to take an animal to the vet - i enjoyed your story!!!
oh goodness! I've never had that kind of experience with a dog... how awful! Glad no visible scars are left behind! The video is a hoot!
Loved the video, but enjoyed your post more. What a vision. Memories like that don't go away, do they? I have this thing about pit bulls, too. I don't trust them. My ex used to have one, and he finally came to his senses and got rid of it. We have a dog that's a mix: cocker, black lab, and maybe a little poodle in there. Glad Cosmo got his checkup. Is he named after Cosmo from Seinfeld?
What an excellent post ... aren't people who don't abide by commonsense rules pains in the butt ... your braveness at taking that little biter ... wow a jam packed story that tells us lots about YOU. xo
Lucy, if you have a minute, will you take a look at a post on my journal, not my regular blog, and let me know your opinion. If you don't have time, I understand. Thanks. Diana
http://forgetfulonesjournal.blogspot.com/2008/07/blocking.html
oh my gosh, i just got bit by a dog abt a month ago... im sorry but it made me laugh thinking abt the vet's office... i can hang out there all day... but it can also be stressful i agree when someone comes in w/a dog who takes over...i cannot imagine how terrified you must have been as a little girl... i'd forgotten abt dog bites until just abt a month ago... long story... hand bleeding screaming... thaz abt it... emergency.. sorry no stitches gotta heal from the inside out.. dog owners refused to acknowledge their dog bit me... animal control patrol... the dog was still roaming the neighborhood for awhile... dog bite healed..two big scars..all better now.. but now im kinda more alert walking w/my dog... great story!
I have chihuahua and their barks are much bigger than their bites.
Nice post.
Post a Comment