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.
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.
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