"Sick as a dog"

My brother Randy moved in with us some number of weeks ago, and with him came Brian. Brian is a white Husky/Chow mix with one eye that is icy blue, and another that is half icy blue, half brown. He is a beatiful dog. He is sweet and obedient, mellow and friendly. I've heard him bark a grand total of three times, and he never licks my face. His fur is the bane of my existence. Maybe someday, I will chill out enough to not vacuum my couch before I sit on it, but today is not that day.

Yesterday, my husband got up at his normal early hour ( 5:15 am ) for P90X, also referred to as Satan's workout. He came in shortly before he left to inform me that Brian "had the squirts" and he and Randy were unable to do P90X because Brian needed a bath. He told me that he was going to take Brian out again before he left, and that I should keep an eye on him that day.

He came back just a minute later, completely distraught and apologetic. He stated that he "did not have time for this" and that Brian had thrown up just inside the door of Randy's room. His watch battery was dead, there was another puddle infront of our sliding glass door, and he was running late for work.

I laughed and told him I would take care of it; he apologized again, and hurriedly left for work. A minute later I heard four slow heavy knocks at the door. I giggled, got out of bed, and went to the door. As I opened it, I just gave him a look. His shoulders were slumped and he told me he forgot his keys. I laughed and let him in, and he whined a little that he couldn't get out of his own way. So I kissed my poor husband and sent him to work....and went back to bed for another 20 minutes to wrap my brain around cleaning up doggy puke.

We had determined that the most likely reason for his digestive issues was the wet dog food Randy treated him to on Friday before they went to Charlotte for the weekend. So I called my mother-in-law to ask what I should do. After talking with her, I got up and threw on a sweatshirt, put my dirty hair up and went out. I went to: the bank, to put $2,000 on the principal of our car loan;Wal-mart to pick up pepto tablets, body wash, protein powder, and the popular-in-our-home drink mix; BiLo to get ground beef to feed the dog and make chili;Aldi to get yogurt,eggs, rice,milk and cereal; and to Spinx, to redeem my BiLo fuel perks that were going to expire.I saved ten cents per gallon on gas that was priced at $3.05 per gallon. OUCH!

Hurry home to cook up rice and beef, and find a way to get Brian to eat the Pepto tablet. Solution:Peanut Butter. He had no trouble eating the cooked beef and rice. Cleaned up the doggy puke, washed my hands and bagged up the rest of the beef, emptied and reloaded the dishwasher, while swtiching loads of laundy. Then look at a clock and realize I don't have time to shower, as it's 11:20 and I have to leave for work in ten minutes. Just enough time to take meds and eat breakfast!

Three hours later, I was on my way home from a particularly yucky shift-Thank you Lord, that it was only three hours. More cleaning, spending time with Brian,fooling with my blog. Randy came home bearing flowers and chocolate, as a thank-you for dealing with his pup. I had discovered bits of foil wrapper among the stomach fluids I cleaned up, and realized, he also must have gotten some chocolate. Brian was in rough shape yesterday! He loves attention,he will sit at my feet, and will follow me around the house. Not yesterday...He laid on his blanket, and didn't move for hours-not even when I left the room. Randy came home, and his tail flopped and his ears perked up, but he didn't get up. Very strange....Brian knows his boy. He loves people, but Randy is the center of his world. When Randy comes home, nobody else exists for him. On the nights that Randy is late, he gets antsy and paces, listening for Randy's car. When Randy walks in his whole body skaes with excitement, and he doesn't let Randy out of his sight for the rest of the evening. So for him to not move when Randy came in was very strange, indeed. Poor pup.

As much as I am NOT a dog person, I do like this dog. And I have compassion for this one. If I had to have any dog here, I'm glad it's Brian. Now I have to get off the computer and vacuum my couch..and clean my floors....*sigh.