Dogster

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My super amazing totally cool days of my life!

That's the way, uh huh, uh huh, I like it.....

Yup, I did it, I worked the system!! Oh yeah, baby!

Mom and Dad decided to leave me at a "Pet Care & Boarding Resort for Dogs". Resort, HA!! Who came up with that one? Anything that's not MY home with MY things & MY Mom and MY Dad is NOT, I repeat NOT a Resort. However, with that said, I must rate this one a 4-star accomodation. The only 5-Star I've stayed at was Sora's house, because she has the 2nd best Mom in the world!

Upon past stays at not-such-nice-accomodations, I showed my disdain by coming home with a multitude of medical issues - none of which turned out to be anything that a few antibiotics or snuggles from Mom couldn't cure, but I changed it up each time to keep 'em guessing.

This time, however, I pulled off the biggest heist of my life! Upon arrival, I sniffed around the office area and quickly made friends of my new temporary care takers. My cuteness can be mesmorizing.

On the 2nd day of my care, I refused to jump over the 6 inch concrete barrier to my 2nd-rate accomodations after play-time. Although the daily 1 hour "just me" play time and cuddle time on the couch were excellent - I wanted MOM! I figured if I couldn't get into my room, they'd call Mom to come get me, the ultimate freedom.

Of course I knew Mom had shown them my legs and all the metal in them, so they took a little pity on me, thinking I was just having a hard time getting over it. So what did they do, you ask?? Upgraded me to a Suite. The equavalent of a private Doggie apartment. My own carpeted floor, couch and cushions to just get lost in!

Sammie 1, Caretakers 0

But they didn't call Mom! Hruummph!

Obviously I was going to have to up the ante! On the 4th day, I turned my nose up at my breakfast. Okay, okay, those of you that know me, realize that this is serious business when I refuse food. But, extreme circumstances call for extreme measures. So my caretakers made hamburger - REAL HAMBURGER! Oh sweet sweet meat! I had to FOCUS - I could not eat that wonderful, amazing hamburger. For Dinner that night - again, I turned my nose away from my food. So what did they do? They made me Chicken. Dear Lord you have no idea how hard this was for me. I could not look at it, allow it's sweet aroma to enter my nose - nope - I had to FOCUS! On the 5th morning - again I said no to my food and the hamburger and the chicken! This was pure torture!! But I was holding fast to my goals!

About 2 hours later - guess who came to see me?? MOM!!!! It worked! Oh wow, I was hungry. When they brought out my food that Mom had given them, I sniffed the container. Mom pulled out a baggie - I swear dry kibble never smelled so good! Baggie cleaned out in 10 seconds, maybe 8, I wasn't really counting. Of course all my caretakers were dumbfounded.

Sammie 2, Caretakers 0

So, I made my rounds to each of them (5 total). I rubbed against their legs, did a little spin, gave 'em a tail wag, said my goodbyes and went promptly to the front door...

See ya later... SUCKERS!!!

Snow! Ahhh.. a true wonder of the world

Have I ever mentioned how much I LOVE snow? Well, being a Sheltie, these warm days are not for me! I like it cold, blustery and the ground covered in snow!

Mom and Dad moved us to Virginia from Colorado a few years back and well, this place is just not doing it for me!

This whole winter has been unusually mild and very un-snowy! That is... until this week - we got a whopping 12 inches!!!

I got to run around in it, chase snowballs and my most favorite of all - eat it! I could eat snow for hours and hours and hours!!

My new legs are holding up pretty well too! A couple of times the snow was a little too deep and it was hard to pick up my feet, but eventually I freed myself.

But alas my joy was short-lived. The weather turned warm and the snow is all gone!

I will offer generous gifts of frisbee's and greenies to the god's of Snow! Please come back!!!

Murphy's Law! Who is this Murphy anyway?? Probably a CAT!

So just when I thought life was returning to normal, meaning, I could walk, run a little, play with tennis balls again and "love" the cat into submission, off to the Vet again!!!

Mom & Dad were having Dad's parents over for a visit - I love having new people around to sniff and make them pet me by strategically placing my nose under their hand, food, head - really anywhere will do. So, that morning I was quite happy to have them over. I needed to pee - I thought from the excitement, but when Mom took me out - I just couldn't go. It kinda hurt (hmmm.. this was new).

So a few hours later after they all went out for a bit and came back, it was really really bugging me. I tried to "tell" Grandma & Mom & Dad & Grandpa, but no one was listening - they just thought I was "overexcited". Eventually, Mom figured I might need to go out for a bit - WHICH I DID.

Again, I tried and tried and tried. I walked all over the yard - this way and that, here and there & everywhere, but I could do very little. It hurt! So then, just when I thought it couldn't get any worse - blleeechhhh - I threw up my greenie I had earlier. I could tell Mom wasn't happy. When we went back in there was talk of the "Vet" - sheesh! No more casts, pills, shots, please!

Later that night after the Grandparents had left - Mom took me out again. I guess she saw something she didn't like and there was more talk of the Vet.

Early the next morning, Mom wakes me up - loads me in the car and off we go. At the Vet's, they poke and prod and take me outside and make me pee on some plastic. They find lots and lots of blood. They test my pee - lots of blood, lots of protein, and not a lot of anything else. They take me to have x-rays - no stones, tumors or other issues. They take my temp - not raised. There is simply no explanation for why this happened. So the Vet puts me on some anti-biotics and tells Mom, that either I get better or something really bad is going on.

It's been about 4 days and things seem to be back to normal. I guess we'll know for sure next week at my follow-up after the pills are gone. Mom says it was the "in-laws".. HA HA HA... probably not.

Mom actually keeps blaming it on "Murphy's Law". Who the heck is Murphy - some sick sadistic cat? (not that they all aren't, but still). Ater the legs incident, she wanted to get insurance for me, but figured "what else could possibly go wrong". I showed her! So now she wants that Insurance stuff again. She says if she has it, probably nothing will happen to me anymore - that sounds like some good stuff.. Bring on the Insurance!!

I'll let you know how my follow-up goes next week... In the mean time *** A NOTE FROM MOM ***

I was not kidding about getting Insurance on Sammie, but there are so many companies & different coverages out there. Obviously, my primary concern is having testing covered (ie: bloodwork, x-rays, etc). I'd also like to find something with Dental. If any of you other Dogsterers have Insurance and are pleased with the coverage and benefits, please Email me. Both I and Sammie would greatly appreciate it!