Does your dog do this?

I didn’t really have a pet growing up, so maybe this is more common than I can imagine. I remember watching countless cartoons and TV shows where you’d see a man/woman/child dragging their dog into the vet. I remember before I ever had a dog people telling me horror stories of their dog not even getting into the car, or getting carsick once in the car, because they knew they were on their way to the vet. Stories of shaking, biting, vomiting, howling, and trying to escape-all because of the vet.

So tell me why Coco is so flippin’ excited to go to the vet…  I’ve never seen anything like it. You’d think I was taking her on some lavish doggie vacation. I will say that I do see one similar action to those dogs that are terrified…before I can even park the car at the vet; Coco begins making these high pitched squealing noises-they are just awful.  Like she’s being stepped on or possibly being murdered.  Don’t be fooled. Coco doesn’t make this noise because she’s scared. This is also what she does as soon as we pull into Darren’s neighborhood, and she won’t stop until I unhook her out of her seat. She does this right before we pull into my mom’s driveway.  She gets so excited that she starts “screaming” as I call it, because that’s what it sounds like to me, a terrible cry-like a baby in pain that needs attention NOW.

I constantly forget that this happens, whether rounding the bend at Darren’s or Mom’s, or pulling into the parking lot at the vet. Never fails…this dog will start squealing.  I really wish I could remember and somehow rig my camera to record this, because it is by far the strangest thing Coco does. And in case you hadn’t noticed, Coco can be pretty darn strange. It’s all I can do to unhook her fast enough, attach her leash to the harness, and open the car door, before it even opens all the way, she’s bolted out and pulling me.  She then pulls as hard and as fast as she can to get into the building. Once there, she is greeted by the usual welcoming party of both “vet people” and “grooming people”...”Oh Coco’s here! Oh Coco, we are so glad you are here today, it’s gonna be so much fun, thank you Ms H for bringing her, we love her!”  Before I can even process what’s going on, Coco has squeezed herself under their little door and has no concern over me anymore.  She just can’t wait to go to the freaking vet.

Now I ask you once again, is this strange? It’s been like this since day one with Coco. I get the same reaction out of her and the staff when I take her to the groomer too. I thought dogs didn’t like these kinds of things???

This morning was no different. Coco had an appointment to get updated on shots, and her semi-annual testing.  These are all uncomfortable things, but I guarantee you this dog will be happy as a clam the entire day there. Each time I bring her, I get a call, “Coco’s all set, she is great, but you can wait to pick her up if you want, we love playing with her here.” Last time she went to the vet, the actual vet called me, which was a first. Usually it’s the vet’s assistant. She called to introduce herself because she was just starting there and wanted to tell me how smitten she is with Coco. “I love this dog! This is the sweetest dog I’ve ever met. Please leave her here for the day, we love having her here” This leaving her here for the day thing is common at the vet here, and quite convenient for me, but I just find it funny that they ask that I keep her there so they can spend more time with her. Maybe everyone gets this. I don’t know. All I know is, this dog practically gets the red carpet rolled out each time they open the door for her in the morning, and when I take her home the groomer is asking when they get to keep her for the day. 

When I go to the doctor or even the hair salon, I do not get this kind of welcoming party, and I am nowhere near as excited as Coco.  For both I am usually terrified, just like the dogs I heard about before Coco was around.

If everyone approached life with the kind of zeal Coco does, then we’d all be very happy people. Or possibly arrested.

I love this dog.