After yesterday’s hard work I thought I’d get my own back by refusing to go out. As it turned out I should have tried harder. Yesterday, I had to go to the vet to have a blood test and for the vet to look at my thyroid gland. Our Mistress is a fast learner, but so am I. She remembered not to put her coat or shoes on before coming to get me, but made the mistake of carrying my harness. Now, if I am just going out in the back garden I do not need a harness, so I refused to get up from my bed. At that point out came the treats and I was ‘persuaded’ to stand up. I won the first round, because after she had given me the treats and put my harness on I went straight back to bed and refused to move.
Our Mistress workd out years ago that it is very hard to move 30kg of solid muscle that doesn’t want to go in the direction she is trying to go. She got the treats out again. I however took a leaf out of Aristotle’s book of negotiation skills and just looked at the treats, looked at my Mistress and said ‘You’re going to have to do better than that.’ Anyway, she went to get the special treats that were a Christmas present and successfully enticed me to leave the room, go out of the back door and get into the car before being given my reward. I really must learn that it is no good winning the battle only to lose the war.
Anyway, things went downhill from there. I have low blood pressure and my veins tend to collapse as soon as the vet sticks a needle in them. It’s been getting worse over the years, but yesterday was an all time low. First she tried one leg and was wiggling the needle around to no avail. Then the other leg with the same result. Finally she got one of the veterinary nurses to come and help and we managed to get blood out of a larger vein in my neck. As you can imagine I was more than happy to get home and the next time my Mistress wants me to move it’s going to cost a lot more than dog biscuits!
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Oh Alfie, what a shame! I hope all’s well. Your mistress isn’t going to like me for this (sorry, Ros), but maybe you’re going to have to come up with a new strategy! Hugs xx
Oh you’re right. She’s now worked out not to bring my harness in, so I’m running out of options. I do like to go into the back garden to have a good sniff so I don’t want to refuse to go out altogether. Maybe I should get my own key cut and only go out when she leaves the house.
Love
Alfie