buddy
Many many moons ago I had a little back dog that ate a sofa and turned into a big black dog--well, big by pre-Cobie standards, he weighed 65 pounds in his prime. His name was Buddy, he was a border collie mix, and he went everywhere in the car with me.
He also stole Pepsi and put out fires. but this is not about that.
But it's the car thing that I miss most. Open the door, dog hops in, and off you go. The insides of all my window glass was covered with dogsnot smears. If I went to the drive-thru I could put a hamburger on the seat between us and he'd never touch it, although his nose would quiver quite a lot. He knew if he left it be, I'd share. If he made a play, he'd get squat. The dog always gets the last bite of anything that won't hurt him or her. Although it might be a very small bite...
The guy at Wendy's tried to warn me. "That dog is gonna eat your food."
"No he's not."
"You're kidding."
"Nuh uh."
They started having dog biscuits there. We must have been trendsetters, or maybe I only noticed it then, but the practice spread. These days I notice they have dog biscuits at the Credit Union even. But it has been long and longer since I had a car dog.
I guess I should have known not all dogs make good car dogs. Buddy's own buddy, a hound named Bozo, was a carsick dog. He'd get in and go anywhere...but he'd throw up, and then you'd never get him back in the car for the return trip. I remember driving back from the river at two miles an hour while that goofy dog galloped along between the Maverick and the cornfield. Yet it surprised me to discover Hannah hated the car. She'd cry and cry and try desperately to climb into my lap. If I filled the car with kids and took her to the park, she'd tolerate it, but barely.
I'd actually feel envious of those women you see driving around with their heads sticking out of a pack of dogs, or stopped at traffic lights with one poodle perched on the back of their necks.
Now I have Cobie, who gets carsick, and Kelly, who quivers like a bowstring so that I'm not sure if she's thrilled or terrified. They both bound willingly enough into the van any time the door is open, even if we're just trying to unload groceries, but once we're on the road there's the shaking and puking. Cobie can make it to the dog park or the vet, but that's about it.
I don't have the heart to take Kelly places with out him when he wants to go. It's not his fault he's a barfomatic.
So the other day I had a brain flash to take them with me to the school to pick up Zor. The school is so close I'd totally make her walk if not for the matter of crossing an insanely busy road where there's no light or traffic control of any kind. It's hardly worth the hassle of putting Kelly in her harness, but they were so eager to go somewhere, I decided to take them.
Cobie whined and whined. Kelly quivered and yipped. We arrived at the school. More whining, pacing, and yipping. Kelly added climbing to her repertoire and clawed the p out of my arm, ow. Then the bell rang. The first kids started trickling out the door.
Inside the van, silence descended. Two dogs froze, enraptured. Kelly, who was standing with both her back feet in my bra, turned once to lick my cheek.
ZOMG, it's a KID FACTORY! We've DIED and gone to HEAVEN!
We went again the next day, and there was no whining or fussing or yipping. Just quiet, excited, anticipation.
So, that was fun for me. Is my life pathetic, or what? I'm hoping maybe a lot of little trips will get them used to the ride, and maybe we'll expand our car dog range past the dog park and the vet. Or maybe we'll just enjoy occasional trips to the kid factory.
Not like I expect them to put out fires or anything.
Dunno why I felt compelled to share this, but there it is.
He also stole Pepsi and put out fires. but this is not about that.
But it's the car thing that I miss most. Open the door, dog hops in, and off you go. The insides of all my window glass was covered with dogsnot smears. If I went to the drive-thru I could put a hamburger on the seat between us and he'd never touch it, although his nose would quiver quite a lot. He knew if he left it be, I'd share. If he made a play, he'd get squat. The dog always gets the last bite of anything that won't hurt him or her. Although it might be a very small bite...
The guy at Wendy's tried to warn me. "That dog is gonna eat your food."
"No he's not."
"You're kidding."
"Nuh uh."
They started having dog biscuits there. We must have been trendsetters, or maybe I only noticed it then, but the practice spread. These days I notice they have dog biscuits at the Credit Union even. But it has been long and longer since I had a car dog.
I guess I should have known not all dogs make good car dogs. Buddy's own buddy, a hound named Bozo, was a carsick dog. He'd get in and go anywhere...but he'd throw up, and then you'd never get him back in the car for the return trip. I remember driving back from the river at two miles an hour while that goofy dog galloped along between the Maverick and the cornfield. Yet it surprised me to discover Hannah hated the car. She'd cry and cry and try desperately to climb into my lap. If I filled the car with kids and took her to the park, she'd tolerate it, but barely.
I'd actually feel envious of those women you see driving around with their heads sticking out of a pack of dogs, or stopped at traffic lights with one poodle perched on the back of their necks.
Now I have Cobie, who gets carsick, and Kelly, who quivers like a bowstring so that I'm not sure if she's thrilled or terrified. They both bound willingly enough into the van any time the door is open, even if we're just trying to unload groceries, but once we're on the road there's the shaking and puking. Cobie can make it to the dog park or the vet, but that's about it.
I don't have the heart to take Kelly places with out him when he wants to go. It's not his fault he's a barfomatic.
So the other day I had a brain flash to take them with me to the school to pick up Zor. The school is so close I'd totally make her walk if not for the matter of crossing an insanely busy road where there's no light or traffic control of any kind. It's hardly worth the hassle of putting Kelly in her harness, but they were so eager to go somewhere, I decided to take them.
Cobie whined and whined. Kelly quivered and yipped. We arrived at the school. More whining, pacing, and yipping. Kelly added climbing to her repertoire and clawed the p out of my arm, ow. Then the bell rang. The first kids started trickling out the door.
Inside the van, silence descended. Two dogs froze, enraptured. Kelly, who was standing with both her back feet in my bra, turned once to lick my cheek.
ZOMG, it's a KID FACTORY! We've DIED and gone to HEAVEN!
We went again the next day, and there was no whining or fussing or yipping. Just quiet, excited, anticipation.
So, that was fun for me. Is my life pathetic, or what? I'm hoping maybe a lot of little trips will get them used to the ride, and maybe we'll expand our car dog range past the dog park and the vet. Or maybe we'll just enjoy occasional trips to the kid factory.
Not like I expect them to put out fires or anything.
Dunno why I felt compelled to share this, but there it is.