I had originally received a quote from our vet for an outrageous amount of money to have him neutered. After checking around a bit I found a spay/neuter program that did it for considerably less. I had to have him there by 730 am and my instructions said that check in could take up to an hour. So I got there early. And waited in line. Outside. In the suffocating humidity. While we were in line our sweet Harwell was overcome by some other DOG and proceeded to snarl, snap, growl and bark at Chester the French Bulldog in front of us and Max the Rottweiler behind us. It was humiliating and stressful and awful. I'm going to blame stress and a large number of unaltered dogs on his behavior, because I have never seen him act like that before. This is the same dog that is laying on the floor as I write this, letting Grayden climb on him and pull fistfuls of his hair out.
Anyway, I dropped Harwell off to have his surgery and came home to collect my charges (I babysit and Gary stayed home to watch the kids while I dropped off the dog) and went to visit my friend Elizabeth for a bit. She's having a baby and has been having a rough time so far. We had a wonderful visit and Elizabeth was able to teach me a little bit about how to use my camera and I was able to help her do something or another with her IV.
After our visit it was time to pick Harwell up again. Gary met us at the clinic so he could load the dog in the car (which was a good thing. I didn't think about how I was going get the dog in the car with two kids and a stroller). Two hours, a passenger transfer in order to utilize the HOV (carpool) lane and a very road ragey Kim later we arrived home.
Keeping a 1 yr old puppy from jumping, running, playing or otherwise acting like himself is nearly impossible. We decided that for his benefit we would put the E-collar on him. In the movie Up this is referred to the Cone of Shame, and Cone of Shame it is. Harwell's Cone of Shame seemed to paralyze him. He stood in the kitchen for 45 minutes one of the first times he wore it.
He's getting better and remarkably leaving his stitches alone, so we've (I've) given in and left it off of him. But don't think we won't use the Cone of Shame in this house if behavior warrants it ;-)
Standing in the kitchen (for 45 minutes)
Not really sure what he was trying to do here.. but it looked pathetic
Trying to take a nap in his bed
Trying out his most pitiful looking face
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