Who Knew a Trip to the Vet Could Be So Much Fun

Katie figured out today that her doggie seatbelt would allow her wriggle part of her body into the front of the car and closer to her mama.

This morning I took Katie to the vet for her annual shots and check up. We had to wait for at least 45 minutes for the vet to see us because a very sick kitty had to be seen for an emergency first. We made good use of the time by recruiting every person who came through the lobby to help us practice for the canine good citizen test which will be given at the end of March. Katie's weakest area is sitting still while people approach and pet her on the head. She loves everyone SO much that she has had trouble containing her exuberance in the past. We have practiced this now with about 40 strangers and she is getting quite good at it.

Our mutually favorite person in the vet's lobby was an 11 year old girl named Halley. She did lots of training practice with us including a very nice stand for exam. Halley played the role of examiner and Katie stood perfectly still for her. The 3 of us were having so much fun together that we were sorry when the vet tech finally called us to go to a room.

Katie had not been to the vet's office in quite a while, so I wasn't really sure how she would react to the experience. Our vet was extremely thorough. He checked her eyes, ears, teeth, heart, skin, weight, did a heartworm test, all her annual shots, and a fecal. Katie was a perfectly behaved sweetie the whole time. The vet commented multiple times about what a good dog she is. He said "It seems like she is so willing to do whatever you ask of her. Like she is thinking 'just let me know what would you like me to do next'." It was nice to hear this and to realize that my little girl is growing up and becoming more mature. I was also glad to hear that her weight is just right and that her ears were perfectly clean. I have never had a dog with ears that folded down, so I've been making an effort to keep them very clean... it was good to get confirmation that it's working. By the way, I have a good a ear cleaning tip from Bonnie, Katie's breeder. Take a container of baby wipes and dump out the excess fluid then add your ear cleaning solution. Now you have handy wipes to make ear cleaning a breeze. I use a 50/50 blend of rubbing alcohol and white vinegar.

It's always so delightful to take Katie places with me. She tends to brighten the day of most people she meets. Of course, there are always people who are terrified of her just because of her size, but the majority of people we meet seem to take one look at her sweet face and just know that she is a big teddy bear without a vicious bone in her body.

P.S.
Katie and I are now pictured on the homepage of the Little Rock Dog Training Club. It's a small picture, but hey, it is a picture nonetheless. I am in a striped sweater and Katie is easily spotted by her single white paw. Katie feels kind of famous now and I won't burst her bubble by telling her that no one would probably recognize her in that little picture without being told about it first.