Filed under: dogs
In the nearly two years I’ve been working at my current job, I’ve only ever had one Sunday off (Easter last year). Finally I decided to request a Sunday off and here I am.
It has really been a wonderful day. We started off by visiting the Mission Flea Market where I procured a plethora of chucherria (Spanish for “Jen’s favorite things”). We browsed at plants, puppies, and jewelry. I had the greatest thing in the entire world while we were there: Flaming Hot Cheetos with Nacho Cheese on top. Holy God it was heavenly.
Across from the flea market there is a strip of high way where anybody can set up shop out of the back of their truck. You can buy red nose pit bulls, blue pit bulls, black and white pit bulls, AKC (yea right) Shih Tzus, poodles, chihuahuas, mixed cattle dogs, roosters, goats, peacocks (!!!), hay, manure, more random puppies of unknown parentage, BBQ pits (for cooking, not just a strange type of pit bull dog), and more things that I probably missed. Just to humor us, Dad drove us by there and we OOOHHHed and AWWWWed at the puppies (the black and white pit bull puppies were so precious) and Dad’s current obsession, wanting a really nice BBQ pit.
Then we went to a Dollar store and came home for a nap.
An hour later we woke up and took Mackenzie and Spencer to the “dog park” (April’s got a little rash). Now I hate to sound like a dork, but it was SO much fun. The people were really nice and the dogs all got along beautifully. Spence played with his frisbee and chased another dog’s ball whenever his owner would throw it, and Mackenzie ran around trying to get all the big dogs to chase her. It was really nice. If only I could get Sundays off all the time, I would definitely take them every week because I could tell they both had such a fantastic time.
And now we’re home and getting ready to watch The Oscars. 
Today I do believe I met my match. A tiny girl was struggling with bringing her huge Lab into the store. So of course, me being the tough guy that I am, volunteered to help her. And in the process nearly got completely knocked off my feet, scratched the hell up, tripped, dragged, and pretty much had my arm ripped out of its socket.
This coming from someone who prides themselves on being able to handle ANY dog no matter how big, crazy, vicious, out of control, or aggressive. But this guy (Buddy was his name – incidentally my favorite dog name) was the most horribly untrained dog I’ve EVER met in my life. If he didn’t like the direction you were walking him he would balk, stop, back up, take a running start, and then tackle the shit out of you and dig his claws into your body and your arms. He would be following and walking nicely and then all of a sudden he would try to rip the leash out of my hands by running in the opposite direction.
It was an awful experience and once we finally had him in the salon, I was sweaty, ripped up, and so upset with him that I told him he was the worst dog in the world.
Now several hours later I’m still so injured I can hardly move my left arm without being in serious pain.
Filed under: dogs
MACKENZIE’S PHOTO WAS IN THE NEWSPAPER TODAY:
:):):)
Filed under: dogs
I forgot to tell you some other things.
Last weekend was the 2nd Annual Mardi Gras Pooch Parade hosted by the Palm Valley Animal Center (formerly the Upper Valley Humane Society). Mackenzie and I attended. I got interviewed by The Monitor about adopting April Doodles but sadly our story was outshone by a woman who adopted a dog 17 years ago from the Humane Society and the dog is STILL ALIVE. So of course, our story was not that exciting. It has almost been one year since we’ve had April, which is pretty amazing either way.
Mackenzie and I competed in Best Trick, and won for the 2nd year in a row. All of our fans were cheering us on. We got a pretty neat gift basket, but I recognized all of the prizes being from the dollar store, which I guess is still better than getting a free training class.
My eyes are killing me. I do need to write some more, but I can’t handle it right now.
of my job.
#1: A man was looking for a collar for his puppy. Trying to understand how big the puppy is and how big he would be as an adult, I asked what breed of dog he has. The man answered: “Suburban Husky”.
#2: A young girl and her boyfriend came by to admire Mackenzie. We talked about her dachshund and her other dog. The dachshund is 2yo and the lab mix is 8mo. They were having issues with potty training. The dogs were peeing and pooping all over the house. So I asked, “How often do you take them outside to use the bathroom?” She answered, “Two or three times a week.”
#3: I will probably get Ringworm within the next few days from repeated contact with two infected puppies.
