Mad as a Hatter

Had a good day yesterday... and so did the dog.

For the most part, it was just another day on the island. Hanging out with the family, etc. Fun, but not much to really talk about. A few people went home yesterday, though. I took the dog for a walk to see someone off at the ferry (the kids' old babysitter, who had come for a weekend visit).

It was a long, hot walk, especially for the dog (fur coat, five sweat glands). We rested in the shade for a while, but he was still dragging. And I was hungry. So I decided to do something fun and special. The nearby ice cream place had a line out the door and almost around the corner, but I knew of another one a few blocks away. Dog was reluctant to go further, especially since he knew perfectly well that it was out of our way to go home. But I encouraged him and guided him and he came. I told him it'd be worth it.

Now, I knew that there was no way I'd be able to take him inside to put in the order. And I didn't want to leave him tied up by himself outside. My plan was to find some people at the end of the line, ask them to add our order on to theirs, and give them the money to cover it. Just as I got to the place, I came across a group of people heading that way. Some kids of varying ages, a few adults (some of whom seemed to have vaguely british accents). One of the adults stopped to ask me a question (if I wanted to go by or something). Perfect. I explained the situation, but before I could propose my solution, he offered his own... He'd hold the dog while I went for the ice cream.

I thought about it. The island is kind of a special bubble where people are nicer and more trustworthy and there's a spirit of good will and all that jazz. Getting less so every year, unfortunately. More actual cops running around. Higher crime rate. Ruder people. But still. And he had kids with him. And they were going in for ice cream at the same place. And the dog was too tired to go anywhere. I sized him up, agreed, and told the dog not to go anywhere without me. (The guy reassured me that it'd be fine.)

Went in, kept an eye on the dog through the window, and got a dish of chocolate for me, a bowl of water for him... and a dish of vanilla for him, too. He had trouble with it at first. His licks were enough to overbalance the dish, turning it upside-down on the sidewalk. I tried putting my foot in place to hold it, but it didn't work. So I sat down next to him, held his dish while he ate, and took turns to set it down while I ate my own.

So we had a 100 lb golden retriever sitting in the shade, his person sitting on the ground next to him, holding a dish of ice cream while he enthusiastically lapped it up. Quite the scene. More than a couple people commented on it. Only one of whom emphasized the fact that the dog is obviously rather large. But hey, it was hot, he'd been walking, and he deserved a treat. Not like it's a regular thing. Heck, it was his birthday (or thereabouts).

Ice cream, cold water, rest in the shade, attentive person... Happy puppy. Still hot and tired, though. We had to stop and rest a few more times on the way home. But still... a good outing for both of us. :)

Then, that evening, Mom and I went to the movie theater (the only one in town, since the other one closed last year). Never been to that one before. A little room with 80 seats in the back of a restaurant. They used to show artsy stuff, mostly. But now that the bigger, more mainstream theater closed, they're showing more regular stuff. Which is cool with me.

We saw... Underdog! Fun movie! Very silly, but not little-kid silly. Some of that, I suppose. But enjoyable for kids of all ages, I'd say. Mom and I certainly loved it. True to the spirit of the old cartoon (there were even some clips in the opening titles), but longer and with live action and something like a plot and more characters and Underdog even has a human family and a secret identity!

Of course, the best bits were in the trailers (still love the 1978 Superman homage with the "cat burgler" climbing up the side of the building), but there were a lot of other good bits and the whole thing was just plain fun.

Oh, and Patrick Warburton in a supporting role. Never a bad thing, IMO.

All in all... a good day and a very doggy one.

(Still dog tired, but what can you do?)

Thanks for the comments last post. Sorry I haven't responded individually, but they are appreciated.

Today's test seems to indicate that it's not the heart, after all. But now we have no idea what's going on with the lungs. So... more testing. But at least it's a good sign, mostly. Whatever it is, it's probably more easily treatable than the heart condition we thought he had.

And he's been better lately. Coughing less, less fragile. Still not nearly 100%, but better than he was. Hopefully, he'll continue to improve.

Meantime, shortly before all this started, we switched him over to a new food: Pet Promise. Came across an ad while going through the click2donate sites (I start off with Global Warming and click my way through. I do The Hunger Site family, too). Checked it out, seemed worth a try. Stuff costs twice as much as his old Pedigree stuff, but man... he absolutely loves it. And it seems to be clearing up his long-standing digestive issues, too. So at least he's had some good stuff happen this past week.

(And yes, we asked the vet if switching foods, even gradually, could have done it, and he said no.)

So... we'll see what the bloodwork says. And just keep treating him carefully. Hopefully, he'll continue to improve.

Anyway, just wanted to update you guys. Thanks again for the support. :)