Camera Shy Doggie

Today, I took Echo to get groomed for the first time. She isn't too keen on riding in the car and so I had my friend Carrie watch Josiah (he was napping) while I took doggie to the groomer.

First, I have to give you a little history about her. We were told that this gal found her and her brothers & sisters (all 9 of them) abandoned someplace as small puppies. Ever since then she grew up on the farm belonging to a couple in my parent's church, where they were taken to live until they were all adopted out to people in the community. She wasn't taken in the car at all except once to get spade. I guess we can all understand her anxiety! Our first trip with her was to take her to the vet to get a rabies shot. It was quite an adventure! I had the 25 pound baby on one side and a 35 pound dog pulling me on the other. I had to ask a nearby gentlemen to get me a cart to put Josiah in (at Petsmart) so that I could give my full attention to Echo. She didn't want to walk across the tile floor (because she slips easily) and I nearly had to drag her across it at first until she decided she could walk afterall. Needless to say, I said I would never run an errand with both dog and baby again.

When I took her to the groomer, she again got pretty anxious in the car (breathing hard and shaking) and then when I brought her in they had tile floors again. Oh boy! She wouldn't walk into the back and the gal there said, "You go ahead and go and then she will trust me and I can get her to walk back here." I thought...well, I don't think that will work, but OK! And sure enough I peeked through the window on my way out and she had to drag Echo across part of the floor at first.

They said she was a bit nervous getting groomed, but that she did OK otherwise. They put little blue earrings in her ears (they wash out with water) and a pretty kerchief around her neck. We have a very pretty girl!!