PeaceBang
The manic mind of the minister -- Auntie Mame Meets Cotton Mather. Blogging about Unitarian Universalism, UU Christian spiritual practice, occasional cultural and political ravings, and the inner life of ministry. PeaceBang is the alter ego of a small town pastor serving an historic New England Unitarian Universalist congregation.
Friday Cat and Dog Blogging
June 20, 2008 on 8:13 am | In Cat Blogging, Max Blogging |My little beagle is curled up in the tiniest possible roll on my bed right now as I write this on Thursday evening. He has had his biggest day with me so far — it was a day of testing him as True Pastor’s Dog. His schedule went like this:
11-12:30 Attend meeting with Mom at church. After greeting everyone, slept on floor throughout.
12:30-1:30 Take longest drive yet (on the highway, even!) to nursing home visit. Behave like angel all the way there in little doggie seatbelt.
1:40-2:20 Cheer up 94-year old friend in nursing home and get lots of pets from nurses and other residents. Behave like an angel except for brief naughty moment of jumping on wrong residents’ bed. Pee on lawn before getting back in car for drive back. Drink water out of tupperware in car.
2:20-3:30 Another big car ride, get stuck in traffic, wind up having to go with Mom to next visit. Sleep on floor for 45 minutes.
3:30-3:45 Take a little walk and behave like perfect gentlemen except for unsuccessful mad dash toward horse manure with the objective of eating or rolling in it.
3:50-4:00 Wait quietly in car while Mom picks up soft shell crabs from market.
4:15 Return home. Poop in yard. Eat. Sleep.
I think that’s a 4-star beagle we got there.
As Max snoozes, Ermengarde announces her presence on the bed with a loud “eoww!” She’s missed us all day and wants to know what’s going on. She has developed a slightly bossy big-sister attitude toward Max but there’s definitely love there. Last night at about 3:30 AM (technically this morning), Max started whimpering in his sleep. His whimperings turned into a full-fledged puppy nightmare and he cried and cried as I talked softly to him and comforted him (he had a tough vet appointment two days ago, would a dog have a nightmare about something like that?). As I was sleepily petting Max back to sleep, I heard the familiar *thump* of Ermengarde’s landing on the bed and watched through the dark as she sniffed him cautiously from the back and then tip-toed toward his head. He got two little sandpaper kisses on his smooth little noggin before she hopped back down and scrammed out of there.
I never thought I’d see the day. She’s pretty 4-star herself, little miss tigerpants.
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Since Max is going to be visiting nursing homes fairly regularly you might want to have him become a certified therapy dog. I think Canine College in Holbrook has a program for that, they also do cgc testing (canine good citizen) which is a prerequisite to becoming a therapy dog.
You might find more information on what a therapy dog’s requirements are @ campgonetothedogs.comt is
[That is such a nice idea but a BEAGLE? The very thought of it exhausts me. When he’s around people who aren’t fragile, he doesn’t listen to me unless he wants to. So first, regular obedience training!! I just feel very fortunate that he, like most dogs, has a lovely instinct about when he needs to be very gentle. - PB]
Comment by Juana la loca — June 20, 2008 #
Sounds like you’ve got a really cute family of critters there!
Comment by Lisa — June 20, 2008 #
She KISSED him? I can’t even believe it. That’s wonderful.
Ditto on the therapy dog idea in all your copious spare time. He’d easily earn his CGC, I bet. (Side note: did you see the feel-good story about the former Vick dog now working as a therapy dog?) I bet he was great company for you, too. I’m so smitten with him.
Comment by Peg Schuler-Armstrong — June 20, 2008 #
Peacebang: Be careful on leaving Max in car alone even for ten minutes! In the summer, even with car windows slightly ajar, temperatures can soar dangerously high very, very quickly. Not sure what kind of a day you had in MA on Thursday but here in MS, even with a cooler and less humid day of mid-80’s would have been disastrous for any animal being left in the car for any length of time.
I know you would never do anything to place Max in jeopardy so consider this a public service announcement for your readers.
[And one I’m always happy to promote, Fred! It was sunny yesterday but breezy and low 7o’s. I’m nervous about him overheating and always leave the front windows way down…and never leave him in there for more than a few minutes. - PB]
Comment by Fred — June 20, 2008 #
Aaaw.
Comment by Jane R — June 20, 2008 #
Good dog, Max!
Good cat, Ermengarde!
Comment by Jiff — June 20, 2008 #
That’s super sweet. Ermengarde has apparently adjusted amazingly well.
Comment by sarahliz — June 20, 2008 #
If you have not already done so, may I recommend getting a crate for the car? I recently paid $670+ to replace the seat belt buckle and parking brake assembly in my friend’s car after the beagle got a bit anxious. In his anxiety he appeared to want to chew on soft surfaces that smelled of my hands. Fortunately, he didn’t ingest anything, so there was no Vet bill, he didn’t chew on the steering wheel, so I didn’t have to replace the air bag, and my friend is still speaking to me.
Nicholas likes his special car crate and in the even of an emergency or natural disaster he will be ready to go.
BJ [Oh geez, that sounds awful. So far Max doesn’t even sniff the belt, but I’ll certainly keep your comment in mind. He does have a crate with a handle that is easy to carry and would fit in the back of my CR-V, but he would hate it a lot. Is the car crate really small? -PB]
Comment by BJ — June 20, 2008 #
PB,
Sorry for the delayed response.
Nicholas is a 20 pound, 13″ beagle, so he can stand up, sit down, lie down and turn around in the car crate. After a few months of hauling one crate in and out of the car each night, I broke down and got another one that just fits perfectly snugly in the truck cab behind the driver’s seat (extended cab Toyota). We now travel together in air conditioned comfort during the summer and heated interior in the winter. I am fortunate that Nicholas likes the cozy protection of his crate. When I am loading the truck it is not wise to stand between the dog and the crate when I open the car door.
My best to you and MAX. [Thanks, WJ! Hi to Nicholas from both of us! - PB]
BJ
Comment by BJ — June 26, 2008 #