A Day at the Spa

Although Katie strongly feels that water is solely for drinking, she really looks forward to her visits to the Spa (Pampered Pets in Oakhurst). Water has never been her idea of fun. We'd take her to the lake, she'd chase the ducks into the water and look at me with an "eeewwww, this is wet," come on shore and then repeat the process. We'd do the Wiggle Waggle Walk in Fresno and all the other dogs (okay, a lot of the other dogs) would jump into the pools set up for them. She avoided them at all costs. She wasn't a big fan of grooming either. I remember when she used to throw all four legs out to avoid going through the door. She loves Venessa and eagerly runs through the door and into a kennel to wait her turn. She usually goes in for a shampoo, light trim, and a pedicure (as a therapy dog, her nails must be kept rounded and smooth). Yesterday was the full treatment, she got her summer cut. It's taken me a while to adjust to her summer "do" without the skirts and ear fuzzies ... she looks like a whole different dog, like her personality was in her coat. But, since she's happier with this cut in the summertime, so am I.


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On a different note ... Tuesday I took a friend out to lunch and got hit with an anxiety attack. I was able to get my friend back to the elder care residential home and me back to my home but was really drained when I got here.

Kate's normal routine in the morning is to come in, jump on the couch, put her head in my lap and give me good morning kisses, then she's ready for breakfast. During the day, if I'm sitting on the couch, she lays on the floor resting her head on my foot. However, if I'm not well, she picks up on it and goes into caregiver mode. When I got home and hit the couch she leaped from her chair, jumped up on the couch, cuddled, kissed and otherwise comforted me. I lay down and she immediately crawled up and lay with me, nuzzling me occasionally, while I slept and stayed there until it passed. Then she was content to again be on the floor next to me. For more reasons than what I've spent on her at the vet's and the emergency clinic, this little girl is worth more than twice her weight in precious metals and gems!