I AM ONE SHITTY DOG OWNER

I had an interesting experience over the last few days involving Wrangler.

Let me start this with a couple of admissions.  I really love this dog.  I didn't think I would ever love or even like a dog again.  And I am not sure if it is just that the dog is amazing and easy, or if he is part of Monte...who I miss horribly.

And in the light of all honesty, if I could, I would keep Wrangler and willingly eat a bucketload of crow.  I am very aware of all the things I have said in the past about dogs.  But alas! he is Monte's and will be going back to Monte as soon as I get back from China.

But, even as much as I love this dog, I still can't be that person, that dog crazy 'I will lay down and die for you' dog person.

So as you know I took Wrangler into a rip off vet and got him shot up and clipped, in preparation of a stay in the kennel.  I got hold of them only to find out that you don't just get a copy of his shots and drop him off.  No no no. Nothing that simple.

  First of all I had to fill out eight, count em, eight pages of forms.  There were pages of info about me, my family, my emergency people, my phone numbers, my vet number, my routines with the dog etc.....  Most of the questions I could figure out and answer without too much trouble...although I realize now I gave them an incorrect address.  I put 1575 instead of 1570 Freshfield Road.  And I thought of that mistake like a bolt out of the blue in the middle of the night.  I actually had to get up and check my address just to make sure.  Jeez!  What a loser.

Then there were the dog forms.  Oh.  My.  God.  They wanted to know every single little thing about the dog.  WTF???  I don't know!!!

First of all his birthday.  I don't know his birthday!  I know hes around eleven but thats all I know.  What little info Monte was told when he adopted the dog was lost in his brain or in his dysfunctional van or upside down apartment.  So I put my birthday, except I put 2007 instead of 1952

Then they wanted to know his personal living history.  Oh come on!!!  So I told them he had lived with one old couple his entire life.  Then the old man died and the old lady had to go into care so the dog had to be put up for adoption.  Sounds good to me!  

Then they wanted to know all about his dog training.  Seriously?  Are you kidding?  So I told them he had gone to a fancy dog academy in Victoria somewhere and he was super trained.  Actually he is pretty good.  He could fool them about that one if he doesn't get too excited.

Then they wanted to know how he interacted with babies....oh great I said, children...loves them I said, cats...ignores them I said, other dogs....plays and sniffs and loves them I said, people in general....loves all people I said.  Hahaha!!  I couldn't tell you about any of those.  I know he is friendly with everyone that comes into the house so he probably is good with all those things.

Anyway, you get the idea.  I don't think I knew the answer to any one of the questions on the dog forms.  It was kind of fun creating a dog out of no knowledge.

Then the kennel tells me that before he could come and stay he had to have a one free night trial run.  What???  Are you kidding???  Jeez!  What a pain in the ass!!!

So that trial run is today til tomorrow.  So I got up early, got his food baggied, got his ratty bed, found his leash and off we go up past Knutsford to the Pet Resort.  Mmm hmmmm.

Theres rules.  You go in first.  Then you take in the paraphernalia. Then you take in the dog.

I go in and guess what....another info paper full of questions they ask you and fill in.

There was one lady in front of me and about six behind.  It was the lady's first time too.  "What exact breed is Kingston?"  'Oh he is a purebred doodleyorkiepom'  How old is he? 'oh he was born in Royal Rhodes Vet Hospital at 9:23 am on July 10, 2010'   What is his exercise regime? ' Every morning at 7:35 am he is taken for a half hour stroll.  At 4:05 pm he is taken for a fifteen minute extreme workout at the pet gym.  At 9:00pm he is taken for a calm down gentle walk for half an hour."  What kind of food is he fed?  And on and on.  

Then its my turn.  What breed?  Umm mostly Australian shepherd with some healer...we think.  How old?  Not sure but around 11.  His birthday?  same as mine...why not?  Where was he born?  Pretty sure in BC somewhere. Exercise?  Hahaha...sure.  His food?  Fishy dog food.  Brand?  Whatever the drugstore sells.

  Clearly I am not a very good dog mom.  And Wrangler took a big dump right there on the floor, in front of everybody.  I luckily had a nice pink dog poo bag in my pocket.  Which reminds me, its in the back of the jeep.  Gotta get it out of there. TTYL