The Fix Is In

Day 3

First thing this morning Opal was checked into the P.E.T.S. clinic to be spayed. No pictures for today's update. Some things just don't need to be seen on Facebook.

How is it that a dog who was a total stranger a mere 40-odd hours earlier can be physically and emotionally missed mere moments after she's gone? Damn dog.

She came through the procedure with the proverbial flying colors. Folks at the clinic couldn't brag on her enough, although I suspect they heap praise on every patient. But in Opal's case, all the good things they had to say about her were absolutely true!

This evening she is up but minimally active. As I write she is curled on the bed beside Annie. Some pain and discomfort registers in her eyes, and she certainly isn't bounding nor galumphing anywhere. She has taken fresh water, asked to be let out to pee but turned up her nose at food.

Oh, yeah! Opal apparently came to us house trained! Thank you, Lord! Two days and two nights without letting loose in the house, and this evening she walked to the backdoor, asking to be let out. She took care of business, checked the perimeter, whoofed at a dog barking up the alley, sniffed a couple of pee mails from Beano, then asked me to escort her back to the cozy warmth of our shared den and Annie's bed.

And there's the crate thing....

Annie picked me up from the dealership this afternoon, and we set off in search of something called a KONG , a rubber chew toy that can be filled with treats. Jan Herzog, our friend from the shelter and Opal's true rescuer--suggested a KONG as a tool for crate training. Jan said KONGs are the toy of choice among dogs on long, crate-confined road trips. Like from Texas to New York.

Our local Petco offered more options than you can shake a toy chihuahua at. Plus, they had TOTALLY rearranged their store since last I had called! Half an hour and some 25 bucks later, I was out the door with a KONG Classic, Large, and a box of KONG STUFF'N.

Some nice voice from the clinic called around 2:30. Opal was ready to be picked up anytime before 5. She was subdued, not her "bubbly" self, but if she was pissed at us for what she had gone through, she hid it well. Frankly, I think she was groggy from the drugs and too uncomfortable to be angry.

Back at home, Annie was on the desktop. Opal slowly made her way to the desk and curled up at Annie's feet. She did not want to drink. She did not want to eat. She did not want to squabble with Beano over Beano's smelly old cow. Yes, she seemed glad to be returned to what (we hope) is beginning to feel a little bit like a home, but she clearly did NOT want to be bothered!

Which was cool with all concerned. Oh, Beano made a few overtures toward her, but reluctantly backed off, whining softly, when Opal refused to be enticed. We all left her to her recovering, each doing his or her own thing, including Beano.

Opal takes to Beano's crate

After an hour or so, Opal got up and silently slipped into Beano's crate all on her own. Discovered, she gazed out, somewhat forlorn-looking, as if to ask, "Is it okay?"

We let her stay, thrilled that she had CHOSEN to excuse herself on her own. We would have been more thrilled, perhaps, had she chosen her own crate. We are quite aware of the potential problems that can arise if Beano feels like his space is being invaded by this come-lately hound, even as we are careful to give him the attention and acceptance he has come to expect in his forever home.

Then, after napping out in Beano's digs for some 20 minutes, Opal again got up on her own and walked directly to her borrowed crate in her borrowed bedroom!

All things considered, Opal's very bad, no good day turned out not so completely horrid after all.