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We're baaaack (long)



 
 
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  #1  
Old July 15th 03, 04:34 AM
Kevin Michael Vail
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Default We're baaaack (long)

Toby and I got back Sunday from our trip to the wilds of upstate New
York. He had absolutely a marvelous time, and I'm so glad I went and
took him with me.

He was a little nervous when we left, but that's because I had to stop
at the vet's on the way out of town and pick up a prescription for him.
Once he realized we weren't going to *stay* there, or even see a doctor,
he was fine, and relaxed. He slept a good bit of the way up.

We stopped at a Burger King near Thurmont, MD, where he got to bark at
the drive-thru attendant (fierce dangerous thing that she was--laughing
so hard she could barely hand me my order) and we walked along the grass
at the back of the parking lot, between that and the fence to the
highway. Toby drank some water and ate part of a plain hamburger I'd
ordered for him, without the bread. He thought a picnic was the best
thing ever.

We stopped every hour or so in order for him to get something to drink
and to pee, if he needed to (and he always did, of course). The only
time I got to pee was at a rest stop somewhere off I-81 in Pennsylvania.
Hertz had given me two keys for the car, so I put Toby in his den, left
the car running with the A/C going and the doors locked, was careful to
park near other dog people, and literally ran in and out so that I
wasn't gone for more than about a minute.

We checked in to the Holiday Inn in downtown Ithaca, and then
immediately went over to the house where a bunch of the people had
gathered...Gwendolyn, the organizer of the gathering, had fallen in love
with Toby when she visited me in DC a few months ago, and begged me to
bring him right over. He wandered in calmly and went around sniffing
everyone's legs, and then started doing the circle-and-sniff thing with
her dog Nicholas, a dachshund--Toby was fascinated to see a dog shorter
than he is. They got along very well, and (for the most part) Toby got
along well with the people there. He did not seem to think long dark
pants were appropriate in July, though.

The next morning, the hotel called to tell me they'd gotten a complaint
about the dog*s* in my room (apologetically: "We're not actually sure
it's coming from your room" but I was). I made arrangements for Toby to
spend the afternoon at Gwendolyn's, playing with Nicholas. He was much
calmer the remaining days in the hotel, so I didn't have to do that
after that...he learned that not all of the noises in the hall were
things coming to get us.

Toby got to meet a great number of people who had been hearing about
him, including Melinda. He got to sit in the Ithaca Commons, holding
court, barking at other dogs, but mostly just sitting at my feet and
watching people go by. I did discover that a father taking his little
girl down off of his shoulders appears particularly threatening to Toby,
though!

I took him pretty much everywhere with me except restaurants, and
skipped a couple of events that I couldn't take him to so that we could
have some quiet time back in the hotel room.

The rest of the week we spent at my friend's house in Pavilion, NY.
It's the first time Toby has ever been anywhere with two floors, so the
first time I went upstairs without him, he circled around through the
downstairs looking for me...then suddenly he stopped at the bottom of
the stairs and realized that they actually *went* someplace, and trotted
on up to find me. He got to bark at kitties (my friend has three, who
didn't put in much of an appearance while Toby was there!) and walk all
over her yard, which fascinated him...I think I have all of the burrs
out of his fur.

On the trip home, he just curled up and went to sleep right away, waking
up whenever I stopped, or sometimes just sitting there enjoying the
ride. He got really excited when he realized we were getting close to
home, and was glad to see Fidget and David--David was very glad to see
Toby, but Fidget was somewhat less so.

I wish I'd done this with Toby last year, while he was still healthy, so
that I could think of doing it again. Alas, this is his final trip.
But we both had a marvelous time. He got to spend almost all of his
time with me (my friend Leslie remarked "He's absolutely content as long
as you're in sight") and didn't have to share me with another dog. And
because we were not in his territory, he didn't feel it necessary to
defend it, so it was almost like having a normal dog for a week (he
still felt it necessary to defend *me* from random people).

I'm probably not going to try to read all of the 2000+ postings that are
waiting for me, I have too much else to catch up on. But I wanted to
drop a note to let people know we were back and that Toby is still going
strong. I hope that continues for a long time, but if we end up having
to take him to be put down next week, at least I will know that he had
one really happy special week.
--
Kevin Michael Vail | Dogbert: That's circular reasoning.
| Dilbert: I prefer to think of it as no loose ends.
http://www.vaildc.net/kevin/
  #2  
Old July 15th 03, 05:26 AM
Chris Williams
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Lovely, Kevin. A memory for a lifetime.
Hugs to Toby ...... well, Fidget, too, I guess.




















Just because humans are slow and can't smell or hear
very well doesn't mean they don't possess a primitive
type of intelligence.


  #3  
Old July 15th 03, 05:31 AM
misty
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Kevin wrote:
snip

I wish I'd done this with Toby last year,
while he was still healthy, so that I could
think of doing it again. Alas, this is his
final trip. But we both had a marvelous
time. He got to spend almost all of his
time with me (my friend Leslie remarked
"He's absolutely content as long as
you're in sight") and didn't have to share
me with another dog. And because we
were not in his territory, he didn't feel it
necessary to defend it, so it was almost
like having a normal dog for a week (he
still felt it necessary to defend *me*
from random people).



I enjoyed reading about your trip... but this part put a lump in my
throat.

May sunrises brighten your days..and evening stars your nites.

Toby has good dads..and a stinker for a brother ;-}

~misty N~Zelda

  #4  
Old July 15th 03, 05:45 AM
Rocky
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Kevin Michael Vail said in rec.pets.dogs.behavior:

I wish I'd done this with Toby last year, while he was
still healthy, so that I could think of doing it again.
Alas, this is his final trip. But we both had a marvelous
time.


This was a great story. I'm glad that you decided to do the
trip with him.

--
--Matt. Rocky's a Dog.
  #6  
Old July 15th 03, 11:47 AM
Dimpled Chad
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On 14 Jul 2003, Kevin Michael Vail opined:

Toby and I got back Sunday from our trip to the wilds of upstate New
York. He had absolutely a marvelous time, and I'm so glad I went and
took him with me.


Cool beans. Kevin. Give Toby (heck, Fidget too) some lovin from us.
I'm glad you had a good and fun-filled trip!

Be well,
Chad

--
Looking for a pet? Adopt one! ** http://www.petfinder.com
Info for a healthy, happy dog? * http://www.dog-play.com


Their very silence is a loud cry. - Cicero






  #7  
Old July 15th 03, 12:35 PM
Cate
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"Kevin Michael Vail" wrote in message
...

But I wanted to
drop a note to let people know we were back and that Toby is still going
strong.


So glad to hear you had a great trip with him. I'm sure it's a comfort to
know you'll always have the memory of it.

Keep truckin', Toby.

Cate


  #9  
Old July 15th 03, 01:22 PM
Suja
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Kevin Michael Vail wrote:

Toby and I got back Sunday from our trip to the wilds of upstate New
York. He had absolutely a marvelous time, and I'm so glad I went and
took him with me.


So good to hear that a good time was had by all, Kevin. Scritches to
Toby and Fidget.

Suja
  #10  
Old July 16th 03, 01:15 AM
Melissa S. Frye
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We stopped at a Burger King near Thurmont, MD, where he got to bark at
the drive-thru attendant (fierce dangerous thing that she was--laughing



Hey I know that one! (I work in Frederick.

Thinking good thoughts for you all.

--
Melissa S. Frye
Skyrocket cockers www.mfrye.com/skyrocket/


 




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