Once upon a time there was a girl. She married a boy. She begged for a dog. She cried for a dog. She might have even manipulated her boy into getting her a dog.She really had wanted a Basset Hound. Or a Bull dog. You know, one of those funny looking, lazy kind of dogs. But the boy wanted a dog he could run with. Throw balls to. Wrestle.
They compromised- because the boy and the girl believed that is what happens in a good marriage. What did they know?
They got an English Springer Spaniel from a nearby breeder. With lots of accreditation's. Lots of papers. Proving there were no diseases in the family. Good hips. Good hips were very important to the boy.
They brought the dog home and named him Baxter.
Baxter was a unique canine. Because God created Baxter to hunt and the boy and girl do not hunt, Baxter took it upon himself to hunt bugs.
Over the years, Baxter has stolen many a loaf of bread. He has been kicked out of several doggy day cares. He has been banned from family functions. Baxter is well known at the kennel. As is the boy and girl's credit card. Baxter is not only a member of the family, he is an investment.
A very expensive investment.
Several weeks ago, not long from Baxter's 7th birthday, he began to limp. The boy and girl were experiencing some financial woes and delayed getting the limp diagnosed. Because sometimes the boy and girl believe that ignorance is bliss.
Once things began to turn around; it was time to face the music. The very loud music.
Because although Baxter has lovely and healthy hips, he had a torn ACL (the girl was later told that is a muscle in the knee.) Baxter has made the girl smarter.
So this year, instead of a lovely beach vacation on an exotic island somewhere, the boy and the girl will be enjoying a new knee in their canine. Because once again, their investment has increased and their vacation fund has not.
The boy now knows he should ALWAYS listen to the girl in the first place. Because the Basset hound would not only have 4 great knees, he'd also be invited to Christmas with the family.
5 comments:
Poor Baxter!!
You did the right thing.
A.S. in Arizona
I could completely relate to this entire post. Except I have a Gordon Setter. Her vet file is about the size of War and Peace. We'd only had her for 3 months when she somehow ingested a grass awn (I too have learned stuff!) which had to be surgically removed (on a Holiday weekend of course) and required 17 stitches and three months of antibiotics which led to other issues and on it goes. She is 8 now and is the sweetest dog I've ever known. Which is most definitely a good thing.
My grandparents had the same kind of dog when I was a kid his name was Hannibal and he ate everything! The cat I had for 16+years spent time at the vet's when he was under 2 and I left for college and he got a UTI, big trouble for a free cat! Dad paid the bills though they were big and never regretted it as my sons still miss the cat that went to kitty heaven 3 years ago!
You guys are way nicer than I am. My Baxter would be in doggy heaven right now!
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