As Promised: The Last Night of the Trip

John and I generally start packing the night before coming home when on a trip.  It saves time and panic in the morning to have the non-essentials ready to go.  So, as per our usual pattern we began putting away things that we were not going to need in the morning.  It seemed very normal to us, but not to Petey.

Pete got more and more agitated as the evening progressed.  The more things we packed the more he paced.  He was circling the cabin like a little white streak in no time at all.  We wondered if he was upset and didn't want to leave since he was having such a good time, not counting the boat part.  We also wondered if he was afraid that we were abandoning him.  We decided on the former.  Surely, the dog knew we were taking him home.  

I decided the thing to do would be to give him 1/2 pill of his doggie dope.  He's pretty good at taking pills now.  Most of the time, I just hold it in front of him and he eats it.  When that doesn't work I get out the peanut butter or just poke it in his mouth where some of his teeth used to be.  Lacking peanut butter on this trip, my only option was the poke it in method.  Only it didn't work.  Petey learned to spit somewhere along the line.

It took no less than five tries to cram that pill down his throat.  The thing with Pete is, we have to remain calm.  If John or I gets upset with him he freaks out all the more.  So, I am trying to use a soothing voice when I tell him that he's going to take this pill or else.  I'm gently stroking him as I try to pry his clenched jaws open.  I finally prevail.  Petey swallowed the pill.  I'm hoping that he'll be mellow by bed time and sleep through the night.  My hopes were dashed.

At bed time, Petey was as keyed up as ever.  Actually, we decided to go to bed early since he was so freaked out, hoping that would calm him.  Perhaps, if we'd waited another 30 or 45 minutes to go to bed he would have been calmer, but I doubt it.

The bed was pushed against the wall on one side.  I tried to keep Petey between me and the wall, but he would have none of it.  If he couldn't pace the cabin, he'd pace the bed.  Over and over we used our soothing voices to try and calm him.  It didn't work.  We tried to calm him by petting him gently but he would jerk away from our hands.

Finally, he jerked away from a soothing pat and fell off the bed.  Somehow, he managed to fall in such a way that his left legs were between the bed rail and the mattress and his right legs were on the other side of the bed rail.  He was straddling the bed rail and he was hurt.  It had to have hurt.  He hit his underside on the narrow edge of the bed rail.  He set up a wail the likes of which I'd never heard from him.

Of course John and I were right there to rescue him in mere moments.  But Petey always panics first.  John managed to ease him out rather quickly and held him in his lap to feel the damage and try and calm him.  Petey had no apparent injuries, but that did not matter to Petey.  He had to shudder and carry on, while John snuggled him.  Then he peed in John's lap.

Yes, Petey peed all over John and the sheets our last night of the trip.  Cleaning up pee was not the way we intended to spend our last night of vacation.  (Truth be told, we thought that we'd be cleaning it up all week!)

We finally all settled down to sleep.  Petey was curled up against John and would not move.  John didn't sleep so well because whenever he moved Petey was sure to be next to him.  It was like they were attached.  At least no one fell out of the bed any more that night.

I gave Petey the other half of the pill in the morning, and we made it home without incident.  We're not sure if Petey will travel with us in the future.

Petey Takes a Road Trip

John and I had resigned ourselves to not taking a vacation this year.  There were several very good reasons for this, not the least of which being Petey.  He is just too much to be left with anyone.  He is beyond high maintenance now.  We could not leave him with anyone knowing the damage he would likely cause.  We also knew that boarding him would be a death sentence for him.  He would not endure such as that. 

A couple of weeks ago, however, John ran across a pet friendly lake resort.  The prices, even with the pet fee, were very reasonable.  It was a gamble on a lot of levels to take Petey to an unknown place.  Just going to a place sight unseen is a gamble in and of itself.  Adding Petey is a whole new dimension.  We knew already that he is bad in the car.  We knew already that he does not like water.  Yet we forged ahead.

We (I) gave Petey 1 1/2 of his doggie Valium before heading out the morning of our trip.  He fights it so much, that I started about 2 hours before time to leave, giving him small doses at a time.  I was hoping the effect would sneak up on him and he'd be asleep by time to leave.  That didn't happen.  He was pretty mellow for most of the ride.  The trip was just over 2 hours driving time, and he finally conked out just before arriving.  John was fearful that I'd overdosed the dog and kept asking if he was still breathing.  He was.

We got to the lake and found a sweet little family run area that was much like taking a step back in time.  No cell phones, no wifi, but there were pay phones, more than one.  The cabins were built in the early 1950's.

On the inside the rooms made a circle, which Petey loved.  Or at least he walked it constantly.

We were quite surprised how much of the Petey we once knew returned on this trip.  He was feisty and fun, except for the part when we were actually on the lake.

That is him in the boat trying to hide.  Otherwise, he did seem to enjoy himself until the last night of the trip.  That is a post for another day.  In the meantime, here are a couple of shots of the lake and Petey from our week.

Petey and Miss A

I have a niece I'll call Miss A.  I love her very much.  She lives in another state so we don't get to see very much.  Usually two or three times per year is all we get to see her, but we text or email almost every day.  I love hearing from her.  She always asks about Petey.

Sometimes I go to her house and sometimes she comes to mine.  Petey only sees her when she is at my house.  He doesn't like to travel.  He never has.  We've tried to take him places but it just doesn't work out.

When Miss A comes to our house she always gives Petey treats.  He likes that.  He doesn't like most people, but he likes her.  Maybe it is because of the treats or maybe it is because she always asks about him.

It could be that he likes her Mom.  Petey jumped in her lap the first time he met her; one of about 3 people he's taken to right away.  (The other two are not me and John.)  He bit my other sister the first time he met her.  She may be the only person he's actually bitten.  Most of the time he just growls and barks.

Anyway, Miss A is coming to my house in a couple of months.  I have already told Petey so he can look forward to seeing her too.  We can't wait!  We will have a lot of fun when she is here.