My Dog Life

I’m so tired from all the fun I had at today’s family cookout I can barely keep my eyes open. Even with a bone next to me. The cookout was to celebrate me! Just kidding. It was a Father’s Day cookout. But with all the attention I got from so many people, you woulda thought it was a celebration for me. Joey got attention too but he doesn’t like it as much as me. Joey pretty much sticks with mom. I work the crowd. Hope you all had a nice weekend.

This is the only acceptable way to start the day.

Hydrangeas make us happy.

I had yet another unplanned trip to the vet this week. Did you know some dogs only have to go to the vet like once a year? Not me. I’m at that place on the regular. I started acting a bit off on Friday and wasn’t jumping up into laps or on furniture like I usually do. Then, I wouldn’t go down the steps. I just paced and paced at the top of the stairs not wanting to go down. I started to get better as the weekend went on and was going down the steps occasionally. My mom thought I was getting better but when she came home to see me yesterday at lunchtime, I wasn’t even all that excited to see her. Usually I go bananas. She called the vet and they fit me in. How nice of them…

I got to go into the office with my mom and work with her for the rest of the day. For once in my life, she didn’t make me work and instead let me just lay in her lap (okay, okay, she always does that). Everybody makes a big deal when I go to work. It’s like they’ve never seen a dog before. Whatever it is, I do enjoy the attention. We headed straight to the vet when the work day ended. I did my usual shaky shake routine while we waited for the doctor. 

My mom was worried I might have a tickborne illness because I had an episode like that back in December too. When I went to the vet that time, they took an x-ray of my back and all was normal with my bones. I saw a different doctor this time who I’d never met before. She said I looked “pretty good” for a dog with the bile acid levels I have. (I can’t catch a break folks.) This time around the vet noticed I tensed up when she examined my neck. Aha! A pain the neck. Just like my mom is sometimes calling me… Hey, wait a minute!? The vet took another look at my x-ray from December which fortunately had included a neck x-ray too. 

What my mom thought was pain in my hind legs was really neck pain. You see the vertebrae in my neck are not spaced out like they’re supposed to be. I have one spot that’s a little off; it’s just the way God made me. I must have tweaked it by making a big jump or having a tumble. The vet said these things happen “as we get older.” Excuse me, I’m only 5! They sent me home with some pain meds — a medication that’s safe for my wonky liver — and a backup supply for any future episodes. Add this to the list of things “to keep an eye on.”  

Hunting for lizards at my grandparents’ house. This activity kept me busy all weekend. I even caught one!! But my crazy mom panicked when she saw I had one in my paws and she pulled me away and that bugger ran off. I was just trying to make friends…same as last weekend when a big black snake slithered into our backyard. I wagged my tail at him too and got real close to say hi. Mom didn’t like that either so much. She called me away before I really had the chance to get to know that snake. Doesn’t she know I’m a friendly dog by now?

Morning coffee in the backyard. Joey and me prefer to be in mom’s lap than exploring the yard. Hey, we had a long week too.

Clean folded laundry on top. Dirty laundry pile on bottom. When it comes to laundry, I don’t discriminate. It’s all comfy to me.

Happy Mother’s Day mommas!