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I am driving over to my son’s place to walk his rescue dog Red.  Click here for Red’s story. I see this millennial couple walking their black cocker spaniel off leash down the road.  I take note to oneself.  Avoid this lulu lemon-wearing cutie, drinking her Starbucks coffee, with her mental masturbating texting boyfriend.  Don’t get me wrong, no one loves their grande/ half-sweet vanilla/ skinny/low foam/extra hot latte and stretch yoga pants more than me, but these two were the poster couple.  The texting while walking your dog? Really? Are you that in demand? I don’t think so. (Sorry, I digress) but I knew they were trouble.

Sure enough in the park, I turn a corner and bam I walk right into them.  Their cocker bounding over to Red, who is an x-street dog, who comes by it honestly in not being fond of other dogs.  I ignore them, as any smart dog owner knows to do, when they just want to avoid trouble.  She says a sweet hi, with no apologizes about their dog being off leash. With my non- reciprocation, she feels slighted.   Then I walk around the block, and there they are again.  She waves to me and snidely yells, “Smile”.  As I walk pass them I turn back to look at them and he also turns, so I blow him a kiss.  He know she was being a bitch, and all I could say to myself, well at least I don’t have to live with it.

So what is my point?  Remember folks, not all dogs get along with other dogs.  If I had put one ounce of pressure on Red’s leash, he would have known, something is up, and reacted.  Because I didn’t react about the loose dog, neither did he.  Personally, I think they had a shock collar on the dog.  That means they can have a dog walk off leash, and if it goes beyond a certain perimeter from them it gets zapped.  What people like about this, is that it gives the perception you are a great in control dog owner, and have great discipline over your dog.  Disgusting isn’t it?

I can take this one-step further.  When people ask, as they should, is your dog friendly? Or can my child pet your dog?  I just say no.  They look at me in horror.  It’s not that he is mean, dangerous, ect. it means I just want to avoid trouble.  If I say yes, to the parent, and the kid wraps its arm around my dog.  Yikes!  So please don’t be defensive or horrified when you get an answer from another dog owner, that you weren’t expecting. They just want to avoid problems.   Something that a lot of dog owners should heed, and not think that their Fluffy,  wouldn’t hurt a flea.  It’s those dogs, because of their rose color glass-wearing owners that bite first.  Ask any groomer or vet.

You are here: You are here: Home > Cindy’s Blog > The Westie I’ll Never Forget – 1976

Such a happy go lucky breed.

I had a summer job at a huge Veterinary/Kennel Facility in Massachusetts. When you are the lowest person on the totem pole (that may not be PC, if not, please forgive me), I did everything.  I assisted the vets, cleaned the boarding  (400 capacity) &  infirmary cages/kennels, plus gave all the boarders their daily heart worm medication and any other meds.  So I learned and saw a lot. One day in came this Westie that was as wide as she was long in terrible shape.  We put her in the tub, and discovered she was infested with maggots.  Basically she was being eaten up alive.  I don’t know what they do now for this, but we doused her with ether.  There was so many, that they clogged the drain.  Yep, and it was me who had to clean out that drain with my hands.  Believe it or not, this was the least of her problems.  Something else was going on inside her. X-rays indicated, as expected, there were 6 huge puppies in her.  She was in labor, and these pups were going nowhere.  It was all hands on deck, when she had a caesarian right there and then. We each got a huge black and white pup, to swing up and down to get the fluid out of its lungs.  Who knew what she had been bred with.  So there she stayed in the infirmary for weeks, me being the main person who took care of her.  She was such a good mom.  Nursing these pups when she was sliced from stem to stern. The day that I was dreading came soon enough.

Her bill was up to $3500.00.  The vets had doubts the idiot owners would even want her and her brood back.  Plus they could only have her back if they paid cash up front.  I cherished her so very much.   I told Dad & Mom, I’d pay the vet bill and I wanted her.  Thinking back it was awful position to put them in.  We had Blue, and she certainly wouldn’t take kindly to these new intrusions in her territory.  Once again, Dad spoke his wisdom, and talked me through it all.   “Now, Cindy, would you admit that even though these people are jerks and stupid, that if they pay the bill, that they love that dog? And now they have a vested interest in taking care of her, because of all the money they have invested in her?”  I had to admit it, but yes, I saw his point.  If they didn’t however, I was taking her home and they agreed.  Low and behold I couldn’t believe it, they paid cash, and away she went.  I was heartbroken.  I still think about that dog to this day.  She sure was special.