Clean Bear

Bear got picked up this morning for a day at the spa (Pampered Pets in Charlottesville). He's now clean, soft, and shiny, and from all reports he did well with the groomers.

I'm always hesitant about sending a dog to a groomer, especially a rottie who may not trust everyone and who recently had a not so great experience being handled by strangers at the vet's office. But the groomer was forewarned and must have proceeded appropriately because he came back clean and with a good report. There's a big difference between a groomer and a vet in terms of how invasive they are. The groomer wasn't drawing blood, extracting a stool sample, or giving injections.

Bear got a big meal when he got home because he had traveled on an empty stomach this morning. He's only here until Friday, so I'm going to try to keep him as clean as possible.

After Bear was picked up this morning I headed down to Lynchburg with Maya to pick up a shepherd from a shelter down there. I had committed to taking the dog and had told them I'd be there today. When we arrived, I learned that a local "customer" had put a deposit on the dog that morning and was going home to get his dog to make sure they got along. I lost a half day of work and the better part of a tank of gas for nothing. It was their dog and they can do what they want with it, but if the dog had come to me, I know that the adopter (not a "customer") would have been checked out as thoroughly as possible, his vet would have been contacted, and we would have done a home visit. A "deposit" to hold the dog would not have been the determining factor in where the dog went. I hope the dog got a good home, but that's not an experience I intend to repeat with that shelter.

Bear was delivered back home not too long after I got here and it was a pretty afternoon so we got some pictures of a clean Bear. Toquima is here for a two week stay now too. He's already proven himself to be good at playing with the puppy, Felix, which is good because I hope that our current puppy tender, Daisy, will be getting adopted this coming weekend.