I Always Get The Wrong End November 7, 2008

I love that Jasmine trusts me.  She lets me fiddle with her feet, look at her teeth, put Revolution flea/tick/heartworm treatment on her, pick her up, give her a bath, and wipe her poopy behind when she comes in from the great outdoors.

It’s also true that she trusts me to watch her back.  Literally.  She trusts me so much that she’s always facing outward when she is on my lap.  She watches everything around her while I watch her…um…back.  Back side.  Rump.

Last night she was up on the bed with us getting lots of lovin’ from hubby.  Of course, this meant that her “fun” end was facing him, and her “not so fun” end was facing me.  As usual.  He had her adorable little face and head accepting pets and I had…ew…a gassy back end.  I tried petting her as well, and she STILL didn’t turn to face me.

Because she trusts me to have her back.  She doesn’t need to keep an eye on me…she knows I’m safe.  I know it’s true, but I like having the “fun” end too.  I wonder if I can teach her the “About Face!” trick?

Two Paws Forward May 10, 2008

Jasmine has been an angel since we returned from our trip.  It’s almost as if, after staying in the kennel, that she appreciates her home more.  The big change is the way she’s interacting with my husband.

I was laying on the floor with my head on my husband’s leg, when Jasmine sauntered on up between my body and hubby’s leg.  She let him pet her, and as she got more and more into the petting session, she nudged up closer to him.  She then did something she never did before–she climbed up onto his lap!  She continued to let him pet her, and for once, she was totally relaxed with him touching her.  It was so sweet…she closed her eyes and sighed with pleasure.  She did this once again yesterday, and today, she walked up to him while he was sitting on the floor and allowed him to pet her.  She’s let him do this twice before, but always stretching her body so he was JUST within reach of her head.  She’s not snuggling up to him without me next to her yet, but she’s within close reach and is relaxing as he scratches her neck.

It’s good to see that she’s giving him a little more trust and a little affection.  He certainly has given her all the time she needs to get to know him.  High five, Jasmine!

Bath Time! January 13, 2008

I had been taking Jasmine to Petco for grooming since I didn’t want her to imprint another negative experience (ala “Mom makes me walk near those evil dachshunds across the street so I won’t walk with Mom anymore”).  I had given her a bath at home once before, and she shivered all through it.  However, she’s been smelling quite “doggy” recently, so I decided to give her a nice warm bath today.

I filled the utility sink with a few inches of water and then picked my little bundle of joy up, removed her collar and gently placed her in.  To my surprise, she didn’t shiver and shake, and she didn’t look like I was about to murder her.  I took my cup and poured the warm water over her, then lathered her up with sweet smelling doggie shampoo.  She seemed to like the doggie massage.  I then used the moisturizing cream rinse on her and gave her a final rinse off.  I drained the water and picked her up in a warm fluffy towel and gently dried her off.  No struggle, no pitiful looks.  I dried her off the best I could and she wagged her tail.  Yes, she wagged her tail!

It’s been cold around here lately.  Maybe she liked the warmth of the water.  Maybe she just liked the attention (not that she is ever in want of attention).  I rewarded her after I dried her off with a nice brushing of her coat (she loves that) and a lovely bone to chew.

I don’t think I’ll go to Petco for any grooming but nail clippings (I still have yet to master that).  I really enjoyed giving her a bath and she seemed to enjoy the process.   Maybe it’s because her trust in me has grown.  Maybe she didn’t like smelling doggy.  Nah, that wasn’t it.  She likes to roll in poop.  “Sweet” smelling is all relative, isn’t it? 

Trusting Me to Do What’s Needed September 21, 2007

In the last two months, Jasmine has been to the vet for:

• Initial check up and shots
• Abscess in her paw, and follow-up visit
• Abscess in another paw (turned out to be a bee sting)
• Ear infection, and follow-up visit

I’ve had to do the following:

• Give liquid antibiotics (she resisted this)
• Give antibiotic pills (stuffed into cheese, this was easy)
• Soak and clean her abscess
• Wrap her paw with a warm compress (hard to have her keep on)
• Flush her ears with an anti-fungal every two to three days (um, not easy to say the least)
• Put COLD drops in her ears twice a day (not easy either…who likes cold drops in their ears?)

What amazes me is that Jasmine allows me to do what needs to be done (okay, sometimes there’s a struggle, but we’re past that). With a trusting soul and a few shivers and shakes, she gets through each procedure. She then allows me to pet her…all is forgiven. The trust she has for me…well, I’m really amazed. I know she doesn’t like the procedures, but she continues to submit to them and still like me afterwards. Good doggie.