Lilly’s routine veterinary exam Monday night became anything but when I noticed a HUGE swollen mass in her left neck / left cheek area. I swear it wasn’t there over the weekend or even Monday morning. First thought … another snakebite, but based on various tests and signs our veterinarian says spider bite:
Thanks for putting up with my NYC report. As a girl who often only sees other people or leaves the mountain once a week, the trip was a big deal to me. And, to our canine heroine too. Here is how Lilly coped.
OMD. A highlight of my NYC adventure was the chance to pop over to Staten Island and visit Sam and Marge from Marge Blog. It required a cab, a ferry, and a train, but to see magnificent Marge … I braved it. Look at me overcoming my big city fears!
While waiting to take the ferry over to Staten Island on Sunday to visit Sam and Marge, I made friends with this big, meaty-headed boy named Dash. He is one of many bomb-sniffing dogs that work every day to keep tourists and commuters safe.
After one key meeting fell through, I had the chance to poke around the city on my own. Other than being the world’s worst at hailing a cab, I enjoyed a lovely day in the city full of cupcakes, friends, and shelter pets.
Call me obsessed. It’s OK. You won’t hurt my feelings. I admit it. I actively sought out dogs as a way to cope with being a rural, mountain girl in a big city during my recent biz trip to NYC. Meet one of my city-dog friends.
Today, I fly to New York City so that I can speak at the upcoming American Society of Journalists and Authors conference. My topic is finding and maximizing your blogging niche. But, first I have a long travel day ahead.
One of the things I love best about Lilly, our canine heroine, is just how earnest she is about life. She takes most things in her day seriously. No matter what she does, you get the sense she truly means it. When she plays, she is all about playing. When she snuggles, she is all about snuggling. When she learns something new, she focuses like a laser on the task. A personal discipline is indeed one of my strong suits, but I could still learn a thing or two from my brilliant, genuine dog.
Back when Ginko needed bilateral knee surgery, the veterinary nurses who prepped him beforehand and took care of of him afterwards declared that he had “The Most Kissable Nose.” We agree.
So, I spent a little time, just a few minutes, working on HOW I might teach Lilly to wag her tail on cue. We’ll have to keep working on it, but I plan to treat the the wag / no wag a bit like an on / off switch. Here is my 5-step plan for teaching this dog trick.
