[Dailydrool] Rabies-shot adventure

[dpmcquade at verizon.net]

Yesterday our town had their annual free rabies vaccination day. I took both Dexter and Holly, who were due. Holly is twelve and Dex seven. Ages when you'd think respectable behavior in a line of dogs would be expected. But nooo waay!

The woman in back of me came with a cairn terrier who just had to sniff at Dex's private parts. Well, he may be blind, but Dex knew just what was going on and didn't like it. He spend most of his time trying to escape and wrapping himself around people's legs. Just when he was happily safe, I'd unwrap the leash and drag him back into the line of fire. Funny thing, some of the folks with little dogs didn't appreciate being shields for a basset and let me know in uncertain terms. Then Holly had to go off in another direction and wrap folks up there. I spent a lot of time unwrapping six-foot leashes from human legs--oh, why hadn't I brought the short leashes?

Halfway to our destination, Dex decided to roll in some nearby leaves. Finally, we got inside the firehouse and got the shots. By then I had learned I needed to step on their leashes, to shorten them, so things were better. But a kindly woman suggested that I go to the town hall at another time to pay for the licenses; I guess someone must have complained. No way I Was wasting more time and risking a late fee, if I forgot. We soldiered on and got the silly things paid for without incident--or so I thought.

Later that night, I realized Dex was stinky. It appears that the attraction of the leaves was that someone had pooped in them. I washed him off as best I could without doing a bath. All seemed fine, until this morning, when I discovered that both his harness and collar had received poop too. Nice to think that he was in bed with me last night--how did I miss the stench? Everything on the bed is getting washed today.

Next time I will:
 
1) Only take one dog at a time.
2) Use four-foot leashes.
3) Try not to get next to a wild terrier on an extendable leash.
4) Bring Drew along, even if he is working a couple of states away.

I never had that problem when I brought my other dogs to get shots. Jane and Bel had no difficulty at all. But I brought them there with Drew, who was quick to point out last night that if he'd been there, the hounds would have obeyed.

Well, that was the point, wasn't it? I was all alone. If I had his muscles and loud voice, this wouldn't have happened. Even if I'd only had one dog, it wouldn't have been a problem.
 
It's so nice when a spouse points out your failings to you. Note that it wasn't the hounds' fault at all.
Pam, ineffective food slave to the Dashing Bassets, who were certainly dashing yesterday