RENEWING MEDS AND ACQUAINTANCES

Where do you go to meet old friends and acquaintances? Apparently for me, it's the Veterinarian's office! This is really depressing. It is similar to the period of time when I knew the phone number to the small animal clinic at the University of Illinois by heart, and could (still can) give detailed instructions on how to get there and exactly how long it would take.
(It never takes me as long as everyone else.)

So today I had to go get more meds for Cooper and a couple of shots for Nigel who has diarrhea and while I was there leaning on the counter the door flew open and a whirlwind came in. I glanced over and it was my friend Pauline, the ultimate dog trainer, the Person Who Never Stops: who I have not seen for---ever?

 This is Pauline awhile ago with one of her top-winning obedience Goldens. It might be Caper. I am not as good at knowing her dogs as I am at knowing Belgians and Bassets and I apologize, but Goldens are outside my realm of experience.

I met Pauline when I had Quiller. Quiller was a bit of a problem child. He had a bad habit of grabbing the leash and pulling, facing me. The trainer I first employed nearly destroyed this dog, and I was too stupid to know that the old methods of punitive training were definitely contra-indicated. By the time I knew we were in trouble, we were really in trouble. Quiller never got over the holding the leash thing, altho we channeled into something else. But it ruined him for show or almost anything. As soon as he became anxious (and he was an anxious boy) he'd grab for the leash.

Anyway this is when I met Pauline. She is so good at what she does that it is frightening. She can watch you heel your dog and suggest you lower your hand a quarter of an inch, and suddenly a sit with the butt sticking out is perfect.

On top of that, she is a good sport, a dry wit, and a great person to have as a friend. I'm glad I saw her. I had forgotten how much I miss her company.  (Because I am not showing, I rarely see her.) So I guess I need to spend more time at the Vet's office, altho that hardly seems possible.

Hello Pauline. It was great to see you for those ten seconds that you were actually standing still....