She gets very annoyed with me when she can't play with ALL the friends though.

Yeah, after the exam room door is shut, Kato will lie on the floor with his nose to the door, oh cruel fate that has kept him from the other dogs!

I can't give Mr Peabody credit for its being a warning nip; I think he bit as hard as he could, but she at least jumped away quickly.

My previous two dogs hated the car, because they were convinced that all car rides ended at the vet. Mr Peabody is neutral about the car. He doesn't get excited about car rides, but he jumps right in. He looks around when we're going slow enough for him to see things, and otherwise he sleeps. He likes the vet waiting room, but starts getting anxious when we go back to the exam room, and he shivers in terror on the table.

I had one cat who was hell to take to the vet, because she was so panicked by any kind of carrier that she would stick her head through the smallest of holes and then get stuck. The only thing that worked was to throw her in the car and drive with my fingers crossed.

He doesn't get excited about car rides, but he jumps right in.

When I bought my car (a LONG time ago), I took it over to my mom and stepdad's to show them. Their dog came out with them, and when I opened the door to the backseat, the dog strolled over and hopped in, like "It's a car; I'm a dog. Let's go!"

Their dog came out with them, and when I opened the door to the backseat, the dog strolled over and hopped in, like "It's a car; I'm a dog. Let's go!"

In my family, we refer to this as "With Dog." Rosie the Dog is continuously baffled at our inability to understand that she, as With Dog, should Go With at all times.

sarameg said it better than I could, Connie. I'm sorry it's so hard. Sometimes 'fuck this!' is a totally legitimate response.

I drove out to the lake today. I should do it more often, it's less than five miles away. In the summer, though, they charge money at the gate, bah. At this time of year, though, it's wide open. The last time I was there, the quiet was a physical pressure on me. This time there were a few families out enjoying what is probably going to be the warmest weekend left in the year. But it was good. Light wind through the bushes, movement of water, the occasional bird. Quiet is finally good again instead of a doorway to thinky thoughts that hurt. I left the car radio off as I drove home, not wanting to lose the quiet.

Ah, my mind quieted just reading that, Connie.

That sounds lovely, Connie.

That _does_ sound lovely, Connie. Peaceful.

But once we're at the vet, it is PARTY TIME for him. "Oh my god, all these smells! Are there other dogs here?!? Are you going to pet me??? Score! Oh my god YOU HAVE A TREAT FOR ME!!!"

This is Cagney, particularly because we go to the hipster vets who are awesome and do all their work on the floor.

I'm not sure how they manage it, but there is NO smell. No icky cleaners or medicinal smells. Each exam room is furnished with a rug and arm chair. There is a collapsible metal table, but I've never seen them use one.

The lobby is all, cool mismatched furniture, including a church pew.

Cagney lurves them and their awesome attitudes.

Speaking of same, I had to buy him a 'pillow' collar, as opposed to an e-collar, because he's dug a terrible hole in his head. I thought it was healing, but he kicked the scab off today and walked into my office looking like Night of the Living Dead.

Thank goodness I could walk to the pet store for the collar because Cagney waited until 3 hours after all the area vets closed. Urgh.

We have an appointment for Thursday, but I'm thinking we'll need to visit the hipsters sooner rather than later.

Oh, poor Cagney! I hope he lets it heal and quits digging at it.