Not a happy Pack
Tara:
Aunties, I hate it! It is horribubble! First I have to wear my harness, and I don't like it much. OK it is lovely red and I look cute, but ever since that horribubble harness arrived I have to do lots of walks without Cato, and I don't like that. I just trot along without sniffing and it is all boring. Dad asked me to go with him for a sausage place breakfast yesterday, but I just looked at him and then put my head down. Dad was sorry, and then he left without me. It would all be OK if that harness disappeared. Walks were better before.
Then even if I DO go for a walk without Cato, when we get home I am not allowed to Bounce. Cato is there, and I am happy to see him, and I go rushing up to Bounce on him and roll him over and stand on his back, and Mum and Dad both go 'TARA!!!!!!' and I have to stop. It is awful. I hate it. I am not allowed to do ANY fun stuff. Nowadays I only get to bounce on him round the corner down the side alley where Mum and Dad can't see, but Cato doesn't come round there with me when I ask him. S'not fair!!! They kjeep shouting at me, or putting me on the lead in the house. It is awful and sad and I don't know wot to do.
Cato:
Hello Aunties. It is all different now, and I don't like it. I hate my harness. Yesterday morning Dad got the harnesses and said 'Come on Chaps!' and I stayed in my bed! I didn't want to go! Ever since my back hurt things haven't been the same. Tara doesn't bounce on me so much, so I don't have to yap at her to tell her off. I like that. But she still WANTS to bounce, and that means I have to keep watching for her. Sometimes she stands at one end of the kitchen and braces to Bounce, so I have to sit at the far end, on the doormat and wait for Mum to notice. Otherwise Tara will ChargeAndBounce, and that can be very hurty. She also wants to stand on me while I am playing Tug'o'War with Mum. And Mum won't let her. And she won't stop. So I don't get to play Tug'o'War.
I like Tug'o'War.
Sometimes Tara goes sniffing down the side passage. I want to go sniffing there too. But I can't. I have to wait until she isn't around, or she just Bounces on me.
I don't think harnesses are a good idea. I think Mum should make them go away. They fit very close, and I can't control Mum as well when I want a sniff. Though if I pull back hard enough, the harness gets a bit twizzly, and then Mum has to fuss me and sort it out. I like that. But I don't like harnesses, and a walk has to be very sniffy and interesting for me to put my tail up wearing a harness.
Can you tell Mum that we need to go back to leads? Please.
If we didn't have harnesses, I could walk more, couldn't I?
Things were better before the harnesses.
Mum:
As you can see, it is fun here at the moment.
Both mutts REFUSED a walk yesterday morning. Tara has NEVER refused a walk before. Cato has only refused 3 I think, every time when he has been ill or in pain.
This upset all of us, especially Dad who treasures his morning walk to the cafe.
Dad is also concerned about his Cato Rabbit-Lifting-Technique and his Moving-Cato-On/Off-Lap technique. Also his Carrying-Upstairs and Into/Outof-Car-Lifts.
As for me... I see a miserable confused Tara (she lives to Bounce), and a miserable depressed Cato (he lives to sniff and explore).
The twice we have taken Cato out without the harness, he has been back to his positive, engaged, sniffy self. The moment we put that harness on, he sits down and doesn't want to step outside the door. I have checked the fit several times. No tightness or rubbing. He just doesn't like it. And once he has decided that he doesn't like something (stairs, stinky fish eggs, walking over drain covers...) then I have never known him to change his mind.
I do have one last trick to try though. Next time we go out on a really great sniffy walk (like Foxy Park) I will take him out to the car on the lead, then put the harness on as we start the walk. He may be so distracted by the fun walk that he doesn't kick up about the harness. Fingers crossed.
I have had to re-arrange his second animal chiropractor appointment. We are away for a week later in the month (holiday, South Peak District self catering dog friendly cottage). So the appt is now for when we get back. It is going to be an interesting holiday, trying to limit Cato so we don't push him too far (chiro lady said no more than a mile a day!), while keeping Tara worn out and also seeing local sites and enjoying ourselves...
The whole Pack feels off balance and uncomfortable at the moment.
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