Uh-oh, dog drama…
In my younger years, my monthly drama was of a more personal nature. Apparently after leaving that stuff behind, I’ve taken on Dog Drama.
For those of you who have dogs, you know they need to be fed and walked daily and be given heartworm pills monthly. They say the heartworm pills are chewable, but does anyone have a dog that will just chew them up without a fight?
The worst is toenail trimming. I can’t even say “toenail” in my house or Abigail turns tail and runs to the other room shaking like a leaf in the wind.
We used to take them to the vet for toenail trims. Since Covid, though, we are not allowed back in the exam room with our babies anymore. The last time toenails were trimmed by the vet, they insisted I give Abigail some pills. Which was fine until we got home. Abigail got loopy and very sleepy. She couldn’t stay on her feet. When she did stand up, her paws just slid out from under her on the slick floor like that scene in Bambi on the ice. I played the part of Thumper trying to prop her up while she just slid back down. Kinda scary…
Since then, Mom and I started trimming them ourselves. The first time we did it, I got Abigail’s a bit close and drew blood. She was not a happy camper. She wouldn’t sleep with me for a month AND that night she went on a 5-minute tirade giving me what for.
I’ve been on YouTube trying to find a better way. Have you seen the guy wrap his head in plastic and put peanut butter on his forehead? Hilarious! His dog was so distracted licking up the peanut butter that he didn’t mind the toenail trim.
For little dogs, I’ve also seen where the owner cuts 5 holes in a cloth bag, inserts the dog and then dangles them in a doorway leaving the owner hands free to trim away. I thought about this with Abigail, my 100 lb Great Dane, but I’d have to rig a pretty big sling and use the tractor to lift her. Although funny to think about, it’s not practical, and she probably wouldn’t speak to me for the rest of time.
Now that we’re a three-dog family since I inherited Mom’s dog Ginger, a 25 lb pug, and adopted Milo, a 2-year-old, 130 lb Great Dane, I’ve tried many methods which include pinning them down on the ground with a towel over their eyes while I have a friend (yes, Denise) trim away or Denise will pin them, and I’ll trim. Abigail and Ginger are both 11 years old, so pinning them is not easy. Still, pinning them is not the rodeo that Milo proves to be.
Sunday, my dog trimming days came to a screeching halt. Kayla is amazing and she agreed to come to my house and do the trimming for me. Ahhhhh. I love you Kayla!!!
Starting with Ginger, Denise and I took turns holding her while Kayla trimmed with the clippers. A scrappy dog, Ginger fought like the devil, but when the Dremel came out, she just relaxed. What a dog. So proud.
Milo came next. It took both Denise and I to hold him while Kayla did his back feet. He seemed to like that, but then it may have been the platter of peanut butter she gave Denise to hold in front of him, right?
His front paws didn’t go as easily. No longer interested in peanut butter, he almost upended Denise. Somehow Milo got her pants leg caught in his collar as he was heading for daylight. I was able to catch Denise by the forehead before she hit the ground and pushed her back up. Yikes.
The second half of that foot was a bit easier. Denise pinned him on the couch while I held his head and Kayla used the Dremel. Then the second front foot was even easier. We pinned him down with his rear end backed up to the gate. He couldn’t back out and I was on top of him so he couldn’t move forward either.
Abigail was a dream after Milo. We pinned her at the front door and trimmed all 4 feet. Wahoo!!!
I’ve got Kayla on speed dial, and we have a monthly appointment on the calendar.
Kayla is my hero!!!
Dogs walking me.
