Josie, our 7 month-old collie puppy got spayed yesterday. Since she is an older puppy, she’s already about 45 pounds and pretty tall. She has to wear one of those giant cones on her head for about ten days, so that she doesn’t lick her stitches. She looks like a walking, furry funnel. Josie’s being an amazingly good sport about it all. I already know that I will learn a lot about being good-natured and rolling with the punches, from her. When I feel myself being annoyed when she nudges me, making me feel like I am being sucked in by a giant suction cup, I think about how aggravating it must be to navigate one’s surroundings, with a giant plastic cone wrapped around one’s head, especially, when you are a little loopy on pain meds, to boot. Watching her eat and drink with it, is the most fascinating thing to watch. As a claustrophobic person by nature, I’m in awe that the cone isn’t making her crazy. But that just doesn’t seem to be her way of being. She’s definitely a “go with the flow” kind of gal.
Ralphie, our lab, seems a little disturbed with the conehead chasing him around. His new friend seems a bit more ominous with a big plastic vortex surrounding her head. It’s kind of like when a lizard expands its throat or a bird fluffs out its feathers, even though you know that logically, it’s the same small animal, you can’t help but give it a little extra respect, wide berth and a little more breathing room. Maybe Josie is focusing on the positives of this conehead experience – more power, sympathy and respect.
I have a dentist appointment this afternoon, that I’ve been dreading. It will involve some drilling. I’ve already rescheduled it three times. As I look at my fluffy puppy, sweetly trying to gnaw at her chew toy while not being able to hold it steady in her paws, I am gaining some courage and inspiration. Josie is just happy to be home again with her new family who is crazy about her. She’s focused on the positive.
“You’ll have bad times, but it’ll always wake you up to the good stuff you weren’t paying attention to.” – Robin Williams in Good Will Hunting