Dog Days
It's all about dogs these days. Eloise, our cocker spaniel, recently had surgery on her knee (ACL problems and arthritis)... it's a three (!) month recovery period and we weren't looking forward to it, but had to be done. Tom built a handicap ramp for her out the door (no steps) and we made things a bit more comfortable for her around the house (dog beds in every room, rugs in the hall so she wouldn't slip on the wood floor). The first night was miserable - pain meds weren't working, she was crying, I was crying and exhausted. Fortunately, our vet is also a good friend and by midnight I was on the phone with him begging to up the medication. We doubled it. It only lasted 2 hours. By 5am, we doubled it again (apparently Eloise has a high tolerance for drugs). Finally we got the dose right and for the next few days, my schedule revolved around keeping her doped up. If I was going to run to town, I'd have to leave just after giving her the meds and be back within 3 hours for another round. We are into week 3 and she's doing better - moving a bit faster than she probably should, but no pain and she's taking the confined activity pretty well. I do have my doubts about how we'll keep her on restricted activity for three months - she's a busy girl and nicknamed "Helen" (hell on wheels), by our friend, Heather, who had the pleasure of chasing her around the grass seed fields behind us one afternoon - there are times when a walk in the hills is like herding cats.
Due to the surgery, both Eloise and Bogart missed Silverton's annual Pet Parade last weekend. This is by far my favorite event of the year! Kids of all ages, parade through town with their pets and farm animals... there's the usual mix of dogs you'd expect (many dressed in costume to match their humans), cats in carriers on wagons, chickens, rabbits, hamsters, horses, cows goats and I don't know what else. There are as many or more folks in the parade as are watching it (along with their dogs getting in on the action). Our first year, I walked in the parade with our vet and his pups... we were following a herd of goats and Bogart was thrilled when he got to sniff a goats behind!
Which leads me to our first dog event. Friend Kristine and I decided it would be fun to host a Spring Soiree for the dogs after the Parade... pups could roam the farm and get 10% off in the gift shop, plus a lavender dog biscuit. While we managed to get listed in the calendar of events for two area papers, our local rag dropped it (inadvertently I'm assured). We handed out flyers at the Parade and seemed to have good interest. The weather was better than expected, Kristine came up to help and Bogart wore his purple bandanna to celebrate (I planned to leave Eloise in the house). Five hours, 2 women to host, 14 visitors (including 1 reporter), and about a dozen dogs - it was a total flop! I will say, everyone that came had a grand time - the dogs got to play and socialize (so did the humans), Eloise got a turn at hosting her doggie friends, everyone enjoyed the lavender dog biscuits (including Tom) and I got to spend an afternoon hanging out with Kristine. After careful analysis, we concluded: we didn't market as well as we usually do, there were about 4 other events in town the same day, not everyone who owns a dog wants to take him to a beautiful farm to play, and we never have to do it again. That's one thing off my list for next year!
Due to the surgery, both Eloise and Bogart missed Silverton's annual Pet Parade last weekend. This is by far my favorite event of the year! Kids of all ages, parade through town with their pets and farm animals... there's the usual mix of dogs you'd expect (many dressed in costume to match their humans), cats in carriers on wagons, chickens, rabbits, hamsters, horses, cows goats and I don't know what else. There are as many or more folks in the parade as are watching it (along with their dogs getting in on the action). Our first year, I walked in the parade with our vet and his pups... we were following a herd of goats and Bogart was thrilled when he got to sniff a goats behind!
Which leads me to our first dog event. Friend Kristine and I decided it would be fun to host a Spring Soiree for the dogs after the Parade... pups could roam the farm and get 10% off in the gift shop, plus a lavender dog biscuit. While we managed to get listed in the calendar of events for two area papers, our local rag dropped it (inadvertently I'm assured). We handed out flyers at the Parade and seemed to have good interest. The weather was better than expected, Kristine came up to help and Bogart wore his purple bandanna to celebrate (I planned to leave Eloise in the house). Five hours, 2 women to host, 14 visitors (including 1 reporter), and about a dozen dogs - it was a total flop! I will say, everyone that came had a grand time - the dogs got to play and socialize (so did the humans), Eloise got a turn at hosting her doggie friends, everyone enjoyed the lavender dog biscuits (including Tom) and I got to spend an afternoon hanging out with Kristine. After careful analysis, we concluded: we didn't market as well as we usually do, there were about 4 other events in town the same day, not everyone who owns a dog wants to take him to a beautiful farm to play, and we never have to do it again. That's one thing off my list for next year!
posted by trina at 1:09 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home