May 18, 2003
09:30 a.m.
Dusty slept very normally last night. As soon as she woke up, she started to lick her incision. It was easy to distract her with a toy and she hasn't bothered with it since. She has peed this morning, but no bowel movement so far (I could write a novel about my dog's bowel movements). Right now she's sleeping, and every grunt or whine has me on the edge of my seat.
I was planning to go to High Park this morning (it's a gorgeous day out) and I think I may still go. I'll just plan to take it easy, bring a blanket and sit on our favourite hill reading and let Dusty rest.
8:30 p.m.
Okay, we didn't go to High Park. I thought that Dusty should 'rest' even though she never once acted like a dog who wanted to rest
The lump is still there and I'm still perplexed, but I'm not going to take her to emergency yet. We just have to get through tomorrow and I can take her to the vet.
We had a great day. She was so good on our walks! She's become so good at greeting other dogs and being calm as we walk past other dogs. Unfortunately, not all of them return the favour.
We were walking through a park in the afternoon when we encountered two dogs. The first dog ran right up to us and the woman seemed a bit annoyed that I wouldn't let Dusty stay and play.
Dusty politely sat and waited to be released before going to greet the second dog. They just stood there and said nothing, but when Dusty attempted a polite canine greeting, the dog lunged and attacked her. I stepped between them, and rescued my dog. "Sorry" the guy said, "My dog isn't friendly."
"I wish you would have told me that." I exclaimed and he just shrugged (he had plenty of time to sound the warning, that's for sure).
This attitude just infuriates me. Either people are unhappy that I don't let my dog 'say hi' to other dogs or their dogs are aggressive (or their dogs 'say hi' when I've expressively requested that they leave us alone). There rarely seems to be a happy medium.
Nearly every day I cross the street to avoid a small terrier who explodes like a firecracker when we pass. Dusty walks calmly and the woman walking the terrier always cackles "Ha, ha. Can you train my dog?"
*sigh*
I've heard of one trainer who won't allow her dogs to walk in public places or dog parks to avoid these types of confrontations and I admit I can see the logic. Between nasty dogs and nasty little kids, it can be a jungle out there.