A Visit to the Vet

I love my dogs.

Anyone that reads this blog knows that. But they are pricey. They have to go to their doctor every year, and that ain’t covered. Sorry, It’s cash on the barrel head for that service, Mein Freundes.

Aria is a rescue. Her mom was adopted by a family in our neighborhood. Their longtime, beloved dog had died and they were looking to fill the void. When they did, they found that the dog they wanted was knocked up. So they fostered the puppies. They did a fantastic job. Aria is an amazing girl. Super loyal, super protective, a flat out daddy’s girl, to the consternation of my wife and daughters. She challenges any and all females that enter our house. It took our niece a few weeks to get in Aria’s good graces when she was here for her studies. But after that? BFF girl.

When we first went to look at her, I brought Jethro along. Her foster “mom” cried out “I KNOW THAT DOG! I SEE HIM EVERY DAY WHEN I RUN!”

And so she did. Every day when I walked Jet, I’d pass her running the mom, then Aria and her Mom. They loved each other from the start. And that family is now part of our extended family. How lucky is that?

When it came time for Aria’s one year visit to the vet, the foster lady told me how the vet the agency used was intimidated by big dogs and put Aria in muzzle. Yeah. That went as well as you’d expect. So she was interested in how the visit with our vet went. Our dude is a Shepherd expert. He used to import them from the old country. He laughed when I told him that story and said that if you were intimidated by big dogs, you had no business being a vet.

So they took ‘girlfriend’ away to do tests.

He came back and said “She’s a really cool dog! Man, I’ve seen some great dogs coming from these rescue places” I had to wait to leave as the staff were playing with her.

Why do I mention this?

Well, the timing is such that Aria and Jasper’s vet visits are about the same time of year. So they go together. Last year, Jasper’s was his four month visit, hers a year. So they go together.

BTW, our vet is a cool old dude. Tons of experience. Full of outstanding advice. With two, and probably three, shepherd mixes, a dude that knows their physiology inside out is a blessing. And as pet care gets assimilated by big business, he’s a stalwart independent dude.

Back to the story.

Jasper isn’t a little puppy any more. He’s a puppy still. But at 60 lbs, he’s a ‘baby huey‘.

Our vet came in the office a while after the techs had taken the dogs for their exams.

He said “It’s great you brought those two together. Aria’s a calming influence on Jasper. As long as they were together they let us do anything we needed to do. The clearly love each other.”

I’m beaming, of course. But then again, Jasper being with Jethro would have the same result. He worships the two older dogs. They keep him in line, for sure. One of the videos I posted was of Jasper singing because he knew for sure girlfriend would give him a beatdown for crossing that line.

I’m in a bind.

As I drove them to the vet, I felt my lungs seizing. I can’t be with them in such a small vehicle. I didn’t notice it in a Sequoia, but I feel it in a RAV4. Bad.

I’ll figure it out.

But it was a good visit. When the dude asked if I had any issues, I told him these two were trouble free. the can eat the most gawdawful stuff and poop modeling clay. Nothing, but nothing, bothers these two mutts.

The only issue I have is the big pet business changing their food. And I’ve started countering that.

They love me unconditionally.

And I love them back.

Now that my kids are gone, they are my kids.

I spare no expense. Just as I did with my human kids.