Semi-annual Doggy Rodeo

Whenever it’s time for the traveling vet to visit, it turns into a doggy rodeo around here, and today was the day…a day I always dread.

Because we have three dogs, it’s easier to bring the vet to the house than it is to take each dog into town and sit with them in the waiting room while they shiver and slobber all over. They still shiver and slobber, but they only do it for the few minutes they are actually getting poked, prodded and injected, not all during the trip and while waiting to get in to see the vet.

Cricket and Bonnie are finished rather quickly, but since Belle is too big to carry out to the van, we corner her in the house, tackle her and then hold her down so the vet and her assistants can come inside to administer to her. Of course, she always leaves a puddle when you catch her, so we try to make sure she is on the tile when we catch her.

After receiving her scheduled treatment, we have the vet clean her ears. Some Shar-Pei’s have strange corkscrew-like ear canals that are extremely difficult to clean, so we prefer to let the experts do it instead of possibly hurting her. This process takes three of us about twenty minutes, and when done, we’re covered with hair, slobber, and the cleaning liquid she shakes from her ears. All this time, we’re sitting or kneeling on hard tile, and I’m too danged old to take that for very long.

All the dogs checked out healthy this time, so now we can relax for a few months before their rabies shots are due again.

If anyone wonders why we love Shar Pei's, this should give you an idea. How could you not love something that looks so goofy?