Sunday, July 19, 2009

D'Zell has an outing

Last week I had reason to take my son's dog D'Zell to the Vet. We haven't had a great deal to do with each other, so before we left home I set down the rules of good dog behaviour, explaining we were going to the Vet and if he was well behaved he would have a reward when he arrived home. D'Zell is a large dog, lovely nature but suffers from 'hyperactivity'. He bounced happily into my car and after sniffing all about decided to sit with his nose out of the window. This is going to be easy I thought. Finally we arrived at our destination.

Imagining he might be rather frightened in his new surroundings I soothed him and patted him and told him everything would be alright, just follow me. Not so, this dog had no fear, he couldn't wait to fly out of the car and begin his adventure. He raced past me and ran straight through the door to the Vet. He must have thought he was at a party, as he ran about sniffing people, dogs, guinea pigs, cats, introducing himself and looking about him as if to say, 'where is the food'.
I felt as if I wanted to explain this isn't my dog and he hasn't been introduced to dog pre school or Cesar Milan as yet. On the whole people were very patient with D'Zell's meanderings, I guess they had to be, after all they are pet owners aren't they?
Finally, he was called to the Vet's examining room. The poor vet could only watch in amazement as D'Zell charged about her room, knocking over anything in his path. She thought to slow him down by giving him a little snack. No chance, he just gulped it down on his way to demolishing the contents of the rubbish bin in the corner.
The vet gave D'Zell a quick look over and pronounced him ok, and we were allowed to leave.
As we headed for the door, someone came in and opened it for us, at the same time D'Zell's lead slipped off and away he raced out into the car park. Fortunately a very kind young man was out side, he slowed Deez down and slipped the lead over his head, after the dog had banged his head several times on the poor man's bumper.

D'Zell and I have been out several times since this event and as long as I let him believe he is taking me for a walk and I follow along behind him it is working out reasonably well.