wash your pet pet

It was an exciting night for Vicki when she was picked up outside our building by Sunny from wash your pet pet. He handed me a card and said, "I'll have her back in 1 to 2 hours." Vicki was a little unsure of this set-up but went along with it anyway. A couple of hours later she came back a primped princess.

Our Vicki is not really the little pink bow kind of dog but she looked great. Wash your pet pet is a mobile pet grooming service here in Hong Kong, the land of every convenience known to adults. Of course there's a mobile pet grooming service.

She smells good for the time being. She doesn't look drastically different but her nails are clipped without bleeding (as she did when I attempted it) and her ears and face are impeccably clean.

Every now and then we'll treat Vicki to a visit with Sunny and the pet pet mobile.

Vicki's Internet Friend

Take a close look at the photos of this handsome fella. This is the face of another lucky dog rescued from HKDR shortly after we got Vicki. His name is Duke or affectionately known as "The Duke" by his mom whose name is also Laura.

I wonder if our happy HKDR dogs will meet someday perhaps on a light stroll or even in this year's Peak to Fong fundraiser.

Duke was slightly underweight when he was adopted but that doesn't seem to be an issue for him anymore. He now looks like a happy, healthy and well-fed pooch.

This could be a match made in cyberspace.

Couch Cleaning

Today we have two lovely men in cleaning our couch. It was a three month old piece of furniture when Vicki arrived on the scene and today it looks about 10 years old.

I've said it before and, I'll say it again, she loves company. The poor thing doesn't get much attention from us you know. She shamelessly puts on the full-body tail wag and is just about the right height to lick dangling fingers. I mean most people might pet her just to wipe the saliva from their fingers, for our Vicki this is mission accomplished.

She's in the bedroom now with the door closed and hopefully not causing too much trouble. Once she's released we know the couch won't stay clean for long.

Vicki Screams for Ice Cream

  

Laura doesn't share food or drinks with Vicki and yet the pugnacious one will persist. She sticks her snout in my glass of juice or looks longingly into my eyes as I dip the spoon into a container of Ben & Jerry's to soothe my sore throat and comfort a cold. It is hard to resist her charms but that I do.

Greg is definitely more kind-hearted as he allows her to clear a plate. Hmph, I don't think this indulgent behaviour helps my cause as it rewards Vicki's begging ways.

Admittedly, slurping at a plate preoccupies her for a short while.

Staying a Step Ahead

Sometimes it feels like all we say is "no, Vicki" or "no bark" or "down, girl." She rifles through the garbage in the bathrooms so we must keep the bins up on the counters. She drinks the coffee, juice and wine from our cups so we must keep them out of reach.

Everything must be Vicki-proofed. We must put away our shoes because she''ll chew them and so forth. On a good day none of these situations causes too much of a challenge but some days I think it would be best if she went back to fat and unenergetic.

Adjusting to this fit version of our Vicki is fun. She has a new lease on life and we're happy about that and, well, she keeps us on our toes too.

Counting Our Blessings

Vicki doesn't really know how lucky she is. The world is full of horrible news that sometimes feels like it is getting worse everyday. Dogs need rescuing but much more importantly people need our help. I created this blog to connect with my friends and family. Just a little spot to bring a smile and maybe for us to think it's not all bad.

Some reading this may get offended that it is not high-minded enough. Where is my lofty purpose? My purpose is not lofty but it is nonetheless important to me and the few who follow my blog hopefully got the message long ago.

Please stop and count your blessings. If you haven't done so already. I know people that follow this blog have heart.  Give a little something to the people of Haiti. A simple text will do:

Red Cross: Text HAITI to 90999 ($10 donation)
Yéle Haiti: Text YELE to 501501 ($5 donation)
United Way: Text HAITI to 864833 ($5 donation)
Intl Medical Corps: Text HAITI to 85944 ($10 donation)

Sunny Morning Stroll

We realize that with Vicki, her pace of walking is somewhat related to our enthusiasm or reluctance. However there are times when she must stop and sniff a spot or when she just isn't having fun.

She was raring to go on her walk today but as we approached the sidewalk I realized I had forgotten her poop bag. Looking around for a loose plastic bag, bit of newspaper or anything to scoop with was to no avail. We had to turn around and go back to get a baggie. Vicki was perplexed looking to me for treats on the way back up. I grabbed the bag and off we went.

The bright day, treats and friends along the way helped to make it an all-around pleasant promenade for us both today.

Lotion Commotion

 The weather here has been dry these days and so it becomes more important than ever to moisturize. The moment I slap on that moisturizer though Vicki licks it off. "Ugh!" I try to shoo her away to no avail. Slurp, lick, grunt - dogs definitely have a few unpleasant past times. She's back like a boomerang.

If I have just applied moisturizer to my face she'll come up on my lap sometimes and cover my face with her wonderful dog breath and saliva. The breath might possibly be strong enough to flatten any wrinkles and perhaps the saliva adds an extra moisturizing component.

While Vicki may love body lotion and face cream, it's not a behaviour I particularly find endearing.

Tails of Woe

Last night Vicki wasn't her usual self. Her tail is usually always wagging but, for some reason, she just hung her head on my lap and sighed deeply.

She chewed the zipper off of her pillow and so I thought that maybe she ate a metal bit. I guess we'll find out later today on her walk.

Maybe she has just run herself ragged with the excitement of being in her own home.

Vicki seems okay today so maybe whatever it is will, um, pass?

Pillow Talk

Vicki got a new pillow over the weekend. It didn't take her long to hunker down into her new plush surroundings. It also didn't take her long to chew the zipper off. The stuffing won't be long for this world either.

A dog's needs are simple with a little food, some affection and a few distractions they will reward you with their loyalty and alert you to what lurks outside. She'll also let us know when we sleep in just a little too late on a Sunday morning.

Bailey and Komrad

Okay, Vicki and Augustus could learn a thing or two from these boys. While we visited family for the holidays, we witnessed the kind of bond sometimes expressed between dog and cat. They groom each other, chase each other and even hug it out.

Vicki and Augustus prefer to mainly keep their distances. Gusty's prime domain is the bed while Vicki's is, of course, the couch. If ever the two do meet it is merely for a quick swat, growl and hiss.

Bailey and Komrad have a special kind of animal love for each other. Vicki and Gusty - not so much!

Harness Hog

Vicki has  several balls, Kongs, string, her Jipi and endless other amusing things for her to chew on. Why then does she insist on chewing on her harness as I attempt to clip it to her body? With a grunt she snatches it from my hand and situates herself on her pillow on the couch. If anyone has seen the video of her with her red squishy ball you know she has a death grip. "Fine." I exasperatedly say. "I guess you don't want a walk then!" As I scowl on the other side of the couch. Like she speaks human or even gets the logic. This scenario lasts about a minute and then I grab her nylabone to distract her from the harness, slip it over her body, snap it on and we're on our way.

Gradual Return to the Groove

Life is getting back to normal for Vicki. Though her sleeping patterns are disrupted due to us dealing with the effects of jet lag. Thankfully, we sleep but at such odd hours that we are awake half the night. Vicki doesn't mind too much as she gets plenty of attention while we stare blankly at the TV screen at 4 a.m.

Problem is her morning walk was non-existent yesterday and a couple of hours delayed today. She is certainly stepping livelier on her walks. Perhaps a change is as good as a rest for her.

I have started to unpack and as the clothes come out, Vicki waits ready to snatch a stray sock or even a bra. We bought her a couple of new Kongs thanks to the suggestion of a friend. Enticing her with the new Kong helps to distract her from the socks and undergarments at hand or, in Vicki's case, at mouth.

Home After the Holidays

Well, Greg picked up Vicki from the kennel today. He said when he got there she was lying right next to the door and when she caught sight of him she jumped up and down and was barking non-stop. When he got out of the taxi on the way home she bounded out and practically dragged him down the street for a walk.

I could hear the clip of her little paws as she returned home. She ran through various rooms and over to me for quick scratches and kisses. All is not quite back to normal but will be soon. We can tell she is happy to be back barking at strange noises out in the hallway, drinking my unwatched cup of tea and generally enjoying the comforts of her home.

Sorry, the camera isn't unpacked yet but my prediction for 2010 is more Vicki pics will be posted.