Dog Grooming

Madigan had his hair cut at the North Shore Vet Hospital. I don’t think he was easy bccuase the staff weren’t as friendly and enthusiastic as normally I gave me Trazadone 100 mg the night before and another in the morning along with 200 mg gabapentin. It was because last time he woke out of the anesthetic. Dr Biernecki is fine tuning the grooming process each time, 

He’s quite terrified of grooming since a bad experience with a groomer.  He’s even quite defensive, snarling and growling if I have to clean his bum hair when his poop gets stuck .  With medication I think he gets a bit psychotic a bit. He was really doped when I took him in.  He was all groomed and looking really  dapper when I picked him up. A Rodeo Drive outcome. 

 

He actually loves Dr. Biernecki and the girls at the North Road.  He bounces out of the car and rushes to the door like we’re going into Bosley’s whenever we visit, I told Sabrina that ‘not even my patients are as excited to visit.” 

He had several great grooming events then after one the groomer was angry and didn’t do half handing him back to me. I don’t know what her problem was but she really was a bitch to me and poor Madigan, After whatever happened he’s been terrified of the groomers. I am so thankful that Dr. Biernecki came to the rescue. The fact is, he’s the most amazing vet, and I can ask him everything. He’s taken care of my dogs and cats for years.  His advice has been incredible too. So I really was  thankful when I told him the problem and he said they could sedate him  and have him groomed there,  This is the third or fourth time. It’s so fantastic.  I really don’t know what we’d do, 

 

He grows such a great coat and it’s okay for part of the year but  in  summer here it’s just a nuisance.  I go south to Yuma Arizona in wintrr and his long hair he collects burrs and won’t even tolerate having those taken out,  With his hair short I have a spiffy  coats and fashionable sweaters if it’s to cool . He has a blue Canucks Hockey Team sweater that gets lots of praise,  I like his Cowichan native sweater too.   This routine of a couple of visits  to Dr. Biernecki each year has worked so well.

He’s a dapper handsome fellow today all happy relaxed and back to normal.  I’m frankly a bit of a mess.  I call the little guy  a nutbar. He’s really my alarm dog, therapy dog, emotional companion, physiotherapist walking me each day in fall hunting season he even fetch’s the partridge I shoot.  He even at times gives me purpose. I figure if I’m not here others will manage but he needs me.

With a dog I never have to eat alone. He’s always up for a ride in car, truck or on my Harley or Vespa.   He  loves my friend Laura too, She treats him like a baby and he doesn’t mind at all.  He loves my sister in law and nephews and their two cocapoos.   His loves his friends here too,  Dave,  Peter’s,  Mack  Nicoleta. He loves coming to work with me and meeting patients and seeing his best friends,  Karen and Belinda. Mary Lou  and he anre friends too.   He  even has his doggie friends, Peter’s,  Bella and Luka and Fritz, Priest Emily’s dog. He connects me to the community.  I’d wanted kids younger but now I’m thankful for the pets.  Today I’m especially thankful for Madigan.  

They really are angels.  Thank you God. Thank you Jesus for Madigan.  

Riverhaven RV Park, Hedley , BC - Glamping!

Glamping Hunting! That’s as best a description I can come up with for this last 5 days.  Riverhaven RV Park is a glorious find on the Similkameen River. The owners are a delight. Everything is proper. Cute little cursive signs “Beach”, “Dog walk”.  There’s even a horse shoe pit and a place for children to play.  It’s compact but takes double trailer pull through.  I remember the first time I came a decade or more ago I had to use the pull through because I didn’t know how to back up a trailer. The new owners still helped me guiding me in backing up my F350 and Adventurer Camper  and ATV hauling utility trailer   last year.  We in the spring. We’re coming back again later in the fall.  I’ve got the hang of backing up with the utility trailer finally. 

It’s quiet. Beautiful spruce and pine and only the sound of the Silmikameen River after 10 pm. Children playing on the sand beach and dogs on leash.  Everyone friendly.

Meanwhile I’m the killer among them. At least the ‘wannabe killer’.  A trail off from the park connects to endless miles of forest service road and trails.  I must have done a couple of hundred at least this week .  I had my green Honda 420 Rancher literally loaded for bear.  My Ruger Stainless Steel 30:06 on the front rack alongside the Excaliber cross bow.  Black bear season for rifle was open along with bow season for elk and deer.  I had the new Kolpin soft back seat and bag  which Madigan ,the cockapoo could very comfortable.   I tied on the cased Nikon camera at the front and wore a GoPro camera on my helmet too.  

The first day I did hours of afternoon ATV road hunting.  I had to pass  through the barb wire fence, mounting, dismounting, moving the ATV and remounting,   opening and closing the gate so the cattle didn’t get out.  Up the mountain in a clearing, I sited in my Ruger again. I was using Federal 180 grainNosler Partition ammunition.   A few expensive shots confirmed I was shooting true.    On first shot with the Excalibur I hit one inch from the centre at 50 yards so didn’t spend any more bolts. Razor blade pointed bolts are expensive but the weight affects the shot. I target practice with a standard bolt but shot one of the heavier deer killing bolts to confirm accuracy.  Madigan wasn’t at all bothered by the noise , happily running alongside me back and forth between the target and the ATV.  My little cockapoo was in dog heaven.

I saw lots of grouse. Whole coveys.  Madigan was riding behind me on the soft Kolpin seat with a leash from either side of the back ATV rack connecting to his red harness.  When I’d stop I’d let him off to sample cool creek water then he’d bound up to take his seat again.  “Let’s go.” His expression always said.  The pines and spruce were glorious against the blue sky with the mountain ranges rippling like huge waves out to the horizon.  A few white clouds drifted by. I love this time of the year. I was only in my new khaki ‘tactical’ cargo pants , a Harley tshirt and a vest. Later I’d wear the blue jean jacket coming down the mountain.

I was up at 630 dawn but didn’t get away till 8 the next day. The next day it was a 730 start and finally I was able to get away at 630.  I doddle in the morning. Love my stove top expresso.  If it weren’t for my cheerleader Madigan I’d crawl back into the warmth and joy of bed with Laura. Madigan now that he knew what was coming was whining to get going at 600.  My thermos is critical and hand ful of Nature Valley crunchy granola bars. And yoghurt. I popped some Aleve but while my back had been more painful when I arrived, the relaxation and  the rolling camel ride motion of the ATV, like my offshore sailing ship, loosened me up more than a chiropractor. I slept like a dream too.

I enjoyed meeting the father and son. The boy must have been about 10 or 11 yo.  They were both dressed in cammo and the father was on the ATV. The boy had a tripod and 22 rifle and just missed a grouse when I came along. The proud father said, “He got his limit yesterday.”  It was youth grouse season. I missed  the year when we could hunt grouse with bow as well as deer. It cost a lot in bolts but I did bring home some grouse. I only saw one buck this year. I thought it was a buck . I was driving about the back trails slowly on the ATV when I saw it and thought I glimpsed a spike horn.  That’s where I’d come the next day.  For bow hunting you really need to sit by a deer trail.  I drove 27 km back into the woods that day enjoying the weather though it’s was a cooler overcast day.

The next morning heading back to the same spot I saw the deer, finally having got away at dawn, I’d surprise a big cougar. I was creeping along the back trail when this beautiful animal came up out the ditch and turned around after almost running into the front of the ATV.  Not more than 20 feet away in the ditch it turned around again and we stared at each other. I was thinking whether to grab the rifle or the camera but believed cougar season wasn’t till November.  I’ve never shot cat but ate delicious cougar when I was a flyin doctor in the Yukon.  I had a tag but reached for the camera rather stupidly unafraid.  I am a predator and he recognized it. I suspect he was equally curious about the little excited quivering puppy behind me, some sort of human dog cyborg ATV machine.  I couldn’t get the camera out fast enough but watced him slink so gracefully back into the spruce.

I left the ATV where I’d spooked the deer and walked a few hundred yards along the  trail to where I had a good view down the mountain ravine deer trail.  I had my rifle  filled with ammo and had cocked my bow and loaded an arrow. I had my Nikon P2000 telephoto. I had my thermos and pocketful of Nature Valley granola bars. I sat down with my back to a tree and tied Madigan to my leg. The day before he’d only been able to be still for 3 minutes not at all ‘getting the quiet still waiting game of the ambush’.  This day he was magnificent. A couple of hours passed as I dosed in the heat of the morning sun. I drank a couple of cups of thermos coffee and shared some crunchy granola with Madigan who was mostly content to chew sticks and listen and watch.  What a great little hunting dog companion!

At a bout 10 am we walked back to the Honda and loaded up.  More roaming about and exploring. Such beautiful country. Normally I drive on the main at about 20 to 30 km per hour in 3rd or 4th gear while in the back trails I crawls along between 5 and 10 in 2nd or 3rd gear.  I confess on the main logging road I enjoyed at times gunning it finding I could do 55 km/hr in 5th gear easily. I loved deep breathing too smelling the rich aroma of cut logs when I passed active logging sites. The smells in the woods are incredible. Here and there a touch of smoke scent still from the old forest fires of the summer. Then the musky marshy smells by the rivers.  The outdoors is such nose and eye candy. I loved it.

I loved all the birds, magpies, whiskey jacks, falcons, hawks, crows, stellar jays, chickadees. 

Each day I’d come back around 3 and plan for an evening hunt but after lunch and a nap I’d rather hang out at Riverhaven with Laura. She’d spent the day puttering and reading. . I’d put up the Caravan Mesh Screen Tent so we sat outside for dinner and reading. There were very few bugs this time of year and the screen tent kept the rare ones away.    Because all the kids were doing it and an our neighbour had a blow up dinghy, everyone one seemed to be down on the beach playing in the water, I actually put on the Tevas and bathing suit did too. I walked in the shallow water out into the middle of the stream where the chill water was above my neck.  They’d walled off a shallow area with rocks so thanks to the foot wear I was able to walk over that and enjoy the brisk mountain stream cool rush.  I completely immersed and it felt so good but I didn’t linger. Back in the camper I showered and shampooed with hot water.    I love this glamping!

I’d brought the new Motorino folding electric bicycle and rode it down the highway to the provincial park.  Mostly tents with the occasional small RV compared to Riverhaven with only a few tents and mostly buses and fifth wheels. Each night I’d walk the dog around the campground and look at the neighbours. People mostly barbecuing in the evening or sitting about chatting. One older couple were watching a wide screen tv that opened out of the outside wall of their big bus. They were sitting in lawn chairs and I didn’t hear any sound so expect they had it connected to hearing buds.  The provincial fire ban had been lifted so several had campfires going and marshmallows roasting. 

Laura and I read after dinner but as I had to be up early we were in bed by 10 pm.  It was wonderful to lie in the comfort of the camper queen bed looking up through the sky light at the stars poking out amidst the tall spruce trees.  I sleep so well in the country and have the best dreams of my favourite peninsula and the mansions and meetings.  

It’s been a spectacular 5 days.  Bowhunting with Laura has always been sweet with beautiful company and glorious BC fall weather and the dog.  Riverhaven RV Park with electricity, city water, sewage, wi fi and cell service has been more Glamping than Camping. I was even able to do some work though I wasn’t able to load the large company files only keep up with social media and emails.  Because everyone was using it loading pictures took too long for my patience. I did down load another western from Kindle when I finished one.  I expect some of the kids were streaming movies and games.  I expect God stopped Oscar loading to keep me from working all weekend.  Without the main program and the ability to fax in prescriptions I just took the calls and saved the work till I got back phoning pharmacies as needed. It really wasn’t onerous sitting in this heavenly campground. Several of the neighbour men were obviously doing some executive work at their camp tables with laptops, someone having to pay the outrageous high price of gas taxation.  It takes money to haul these homes about even if it is wonderful to have all the comforts of home in the great outdoors. 

Each night I barbecued . Laura made up salads. We had barbecue chicken which Madigan loved, pork and steak.  We had Hagen daz ice cream bars for after dinner.  Sleep was glorious. 

Now its time to pack up. Not much to dismantling camp. The natives in the old days could have their teepees down and horses loaded in an hour or two  and that’s about how long it takes us. I enjoy the moseying about, no hurry.   I used to go for a morning hunt on the last day but now I don’t.  I m just so glad to be off the clock and a way from the rush and pressure of work. Laura loves being out of the city where the Covid downtown is always angry with sirens and windows being kicked in.  She says there’s shouting all night and she loved the relaxation and quiet here and her wonderful sleep.  

Thank you God for a grand place and a fantastic holiday.   

Riverhaven Motel and RV Park

We are so happy with Riverhaven RV Park just past Princeton, near Heldey on the Number 3 highway. I booked a full service spot for our truck camper weeks ago. 4 nights over Easter weekend. Laura has been exhausted with so many demands at her medical clinic from so many immunocompromised patients with anxiety about Covid. Only a couple of months back their nurse contracted Covid so everyone was quarantined for a week. Fortunately only the nurse tested positive and recovered quickly. Masks and anxiety and constant concern about sanitizing,for over a year,  has taken its toll.Laura and I are at least thankful we’ve had the vaccine.

I’ve been working virtual but am now back in the clinics part time. So much despair, depression and anxiety. Families breaking up, people relapsing or succumbing to drug and alcohol, suicide attempts and confusion with conflicting messages. We both were looking forward almost desperately to this vacation.

We had to load the Adventurer  camper and tow the new Lowe’s Utility trailer carrying the new Honda 420 Rancher ATV. So many moving parts. Dewinterizing the RV, testing Hester and pumps and water systems. Everything working. We left  we left Vancouver at 10 am and I overshot our destination going an hour further to Keremeos. We finally arrived at 5 pm with the sun still out. I was pooped to say the least with the first trip of the season.

We pulled into Riverhaven RV camp elated. It felt like my off shore sailing days when I’d finally reach a safe harbour. The young folk at the office were just so welcoming. A beautiful lady and a fine young man. He walked ahead of me to show me the site. Just perfect. I wasn’t sure how I’d get in with the utility trailer but an older gentleman, still much younger than me, suggested I unload the ATV, unhitch the trailer and back my truck and camper into the spot. My brain wasn’t working after the long drive and loved the caring suggestions. I was in. There was room to hand maneuver the trailer and a place to put the ATV.  I was so thankful for the efficient help. Then he was gone, almost like A super hero. I’m not good at backing anything up, especially when I come off a long drive.

The campground was pristine. All the hook ups appeared relatively new. All the signs fresh painted. Laura liked that there was room between us and our neighbours. I had the struts up and the camper leveled, shore electricity and city water attached. I’d attach the sewage hose the next day. 

It’s really a family centered place with quiet after 11. Dogs welcome but on a leash. Outdoor fires in spots on site and a ready supply of wood brought round each day. The Similkameen River runs below the campsite with a sand beach alongside it. There’s games and a small gift and canteen in the office. 

Because of Covid everyone was in their bubble and frankly we liked that. I felt like I was at Disney though having not seen so many children for along time. Big rigs, buses and toy haulers each seemed to have two or three children and at least one dog. There were the Europeans, too, I think Germans, a group of four enjoying outdoor dining and  fireside laughter.  They’re consummate campers.

I barbecued steaks and boiled carrots and potatoes with butter and sour cream. Another night pork chops and salads. Another night ribs. I like to barbecue and Madigan and Laura don’t discourage me. The air was so fresh. The  campground is in a spruce and fir grove. Birds are plentiful. We woke to birdsong and the scent of woodsmoke and bacon. It inspired me to fry up bacon sandwiches. Another morning I fried eggs. No restaurant is as good as the food you cook yourself in the great outdoors.

Each afternoon I loaded up the Honda 420 with camera, guns, pack sack and Madigan with his harness attached to a box. There a trail that leads out from the campsite up the mountain. I had to open and close a barb wire fence gate then I was able to head across the lower steppes to connect with the forest service road that goes over the mountain for miles. 

This Honda is the fourth generation of ATv’s Previously I had a Polaris, The great Yamaha 450 quad, the terrific Honda Pioneer 500 side by side, and now after a typical intermittent stint with 2 wheel off road motorcycle, this last one, a KTM690 , I’m back to 4 wheels with a place for Madigan. 

I just love the Honda 420 Rancher even if I had to look up on internet how to get the emergency brake to work. At Riverhaven there were several others with ATv’s. Across from us the young couple with young children had the amazingly futuristic Polaris Razor side by side. Others  had older quads or side by sides. We’d see them head out and come back or we’d pass each other on the top of the mountain where trails go for miles. I’d explored these years before with the Yamaha in fall. Late fall is when the hunting is good on the far side of the mountain, This side there’s no hunting private land and the ATV’s keep the game and hunters on the far side of the mountain. This was my first time up here early spring with snow still on the ground and the air chilly compared to the valley

Madigan my 6 month old Cockapoo puppy loved being with me on the quad. I’d brought my 20 guage /22 combo rifle and the 30:06. I wanted to introduce Madigan’s to guns. It’s a big moment in a haunting dogs life. Madigan passed the test with aplomb.. The first 22 shot startled him but once he realized I’d made the noise, he stood beside my leg for another 5 shots. I continued with the 20 guage shot gun firing off two shots that didn’t phase him. I could tell he thought the Ruger 30:06 was loud. I find it loud but again he was nonplussed even though I fired off several shots. Madigan was a gun dog. He’d passed his gun trials with flying colors, He was  so pleased that I was so pleased with him. My big little boy!We ate a can of sardines together at the top of the mountain later. It’s good to have a hunting buddy.

Each morning I wrote a chapter of the book I’m working on, typing out about 5 pages each day. There’s internet and cell coverage so I was able to handle emergencies from the clinic and keep in touch with patients. Laura has loved reading, drinking coffee and walking around this very peasant safe camp ground. The owners house is right there and they walk about and deliver wood. They are not at all chatty intrusive sorts just observant and available. 

When Madigan bit through his harness and escaped from his box today everyone whistled so I looked and there was the little escape artist on the road by the side of the ATV. I was thankful people watched out for each other. It’s that kind of place. Madigan spent the afternoon being spoiled by Laura who calls him ‘her baby’. After passing his gun trials I was glad he was spoiled. Without him on the Honda I confess I sped faster and made more daring climbs.

 I sighted in the Ruger .223. I keep my rifles in storage so gathering them in for this outing was one of the things I had to fit into my week of clinical work as well. I forgot a clip so had to use the rifle as a single shot. All the rules of storing rifles with multiple locks and separate from the ammo resulted in me without the clip. Despite that I awkwardly loaded single shot and confirmed that all my rifles were shooting okay, roughly the same as when I’d used them last fall. I saw one other fellow target practicing in the backwoods, thinking we were probably the only ones at Riverhaven who were ostensibly hunting. If I’d seen a bear I might have shot it. But I didn’t see anything but Chickadees, Magpies and Clark’s nutcrackers.. I enjoy photography as much as hunting at this point in my life and am glad that I didn’t have to drag game out of the forest and do the work of butcher. The last bear I shot took me 6 hours to get it out of the woods and skinned and butchered from the time I shot it. I confess I’m happy to rest on my laurels as a hunter. My favourite hunting remains upland bird and I can tell already that Madigan is going to be a great grouse dog like his cockapoo predecessor Gilbert. Gilbert chewed off his harness when he was a pup too. I just have to learn to take it off him after he’s been riding in the vehicles.

Laura and I are so thankful for the care, cleanliness and hospitality and Riverhaven. It’s been an immensely re energizing vacation around the best of people. The air is filled  with the  exquisite scent of evergreens and mountain stream. It is so fresh it makes Sleeping idyllic. We look up through the ceiling hatch at spruce and star studded skies.

It’s Easter too. Today is eastern Sunday. Christ has risen. Hallelujah! Normally we’d be a church and the north shore round up. But here we are taking a much needed break from Covid in God’s cathedral of trees. Hallelujah, Christ is risen! 

Gilbert the Cockapoo, 10 years old today

Today is Gilbert’s birthday. He’s 10 years old.  That’s a wonder and a miracle.  My buddy, that long, so many adventures. So many cuddles.
Plane flights, car trips, boating,  truck and camper excursions.  All the friends.  He’s a blessing.  Blessed by the Bishop.  A church dog and a puppy that gleefully showered under the shit of the  first cow he met. I had to rescue him fearing the cow would step back onto this crazy puppy glorying in a steady flow of shit.
Like he’d arrived at a candy arcade. It was almost as good as the dead fish he rolled in on the way to work one morning.  I’ve never been able to look at a perfume counter without thinking of the eau de dead fish my dog would revel in.
I loved his company hunting and sailing.  I loved his company riding on the motorcycle. Ride for Dad. I loved his company bicycling.  He’s been a constant companion in all the play and fellowship and coming to work as a loving therapy dog as well.  I have the fondest memories of his visitting Dad and my brother Ron. Dad called him “monkey dog”.He’s a good guy.  He alerts me to risk.  More false positives for sure.  But he’s on duty. He finds the grouse and raises them for me to shoot. When he  became blind and his hunting duties were reduced he just increased his cuddle time.He loves his friends Max and Dave and Shane but his best friend of all is Emory. It’s taken some time but Hank is warming up to him. He likes his  Corgi mate too  and a few other friends like Lucy are best buddies. Down east he sure likes his cousins,  Pepper and Eva.Laura is his mommy but he just loves women. He’s a little lady’s man.  A love bug. Laura’s “Little Bear.”  My sister in law Adell is a special favourite. Then there’s Belinda and Karen at work and his friend Anna with all her human puppies. He loves the Bustards out camping. Likes visiting Kirk. Loved getting into trouble with Tom. Loved George.  Always  demands girls  rub his tummy forever, roiling over on his back just to make it easier for them. . All my female patients have been commandeered for tummy rub duties. He misses Joannea,Hannah and Aim who worked with me and he thought were his assistants. He just loved to drag Aim about the community on their walks,. “He’s so strong,” she’d exclaim.  Gilbert would puff up.
Today he’s 10.  A lot of fun years.  I’ve got to get out and pick up some steak to barbecue and share. He loves to share. He’s just so happy to  be part of all we’re doing.  He especially loves to cozy in between Laura and me on the bed ensuring he gets twice the pets.  I’m convinced he’s here to teach us love. He's here to teach us to have fun and love.

Gilbert, Spa Dog

Because Gilbert is flying to Toronto at Christmas he has to be groomed for the flight and the festivities. With all his hair he looks like too big a therapy dog to fly in cabin with me.
 Dogtopia does a magnificent job of grooming him. Being blind they leave him with the Beatles cut at the front that covers missing eyes and gives him some face protection.He’s always excited before arrival and then without his heavy coat is a totally different dog when he returns.  He’s all full of vim and vinegar, my mother would say.

I had him hunting with me but at the top of the mountain in the dawn frost I had to wrap him in a blanket. At noon I was able to go into Princeton to Everything Pets and get him a perfect red and black winter jacket hoodie.  That evening and the next morning he was toasty warm with me.  The fact is, he has several sweaters and coats, including a Canucks sweater.  The problem is I forgot them. He now has another. His own doggie winter wardrobe.

Blind Biker Dog Gilbert

Gilbert has ridden on my Harley since he was a baby. Last year he developed hereditary glaucome which destroyed his optic nerves and required his eyes to be surgically excised. It was a tough year but he recovered running free on the Oregon beaches and has been his old self.  He still brings balls and chases them but it’s a bit slower when it comes to finding them.  George the cat became his BFF after he lost his eyesight. They chase each other and steal each other’s food and sniff each other’s butt, all the good things cat and dog friends do together. That’s been a real plus because George was stand offing before.

I was a little concerned about taking Gilbert out on the motorcycle with me but needn’t have been. One evening I took him for a short spin and he didn’t seem to mind. Now he’s ridden with me as he used to on my commutes to and from the clinics I work at. He’s really frisky after the ride which shows me he likes it again.  When I go out to the motorcycle just like before he comes up  and crowds my leg. He used to jump onto the seat but his back doesn’t allow that and blind he’s as likely to crash into the side of the motorcycle as to land up on the seat.  When I’m riding and look back his ears are flying out behind him and his nose is taking in all the glorious smells.  It’s just so good.

I think he tells Dave’s biker dog Emory that he’s back to riding and the two are happy about that.  Max, Mack’s dog next door has taken to having conversations.  I’ve noticed Gilbert barking over at Max and Max responding.  Mack said one time he observed this exchange and it was like Gilbert said, ‘Did you hear that, Max? ‘

‘Yea what was it?’

‘I don’t know. Could it be the new neighbour car door?’

‘Yea, I think that was it.’  

Max and Gilbert have got along better since Gilbert’s become blind. Mostly the other dogs are really supportive and caring. 

Of course when Gilbert’s high up on the motorcycle going 100 km an hour with the Harley pipes blaring, he’s still top dog, eyes or no eyes.  

Blind Cockapoo, Gilbert

Gilbert is almost 8 yo.  He’s been a joy and a companion for all that time.  He’s a therapy dog who comes to work with me.  So many patients have benefitted from his love and some have actually been cured of their fears or paranoia by his persistence. He has sailed the ocean in my Sailing Vessel, Giri. He is most known for riding on the back of my Harley Davidson Electroglide, to and from work. He’s ridden in the Rides for Dad rallies with his friends Dave and Dave’s dog Emory.  Last year, hearing me say how much I loved the Guess Who when we hired them for the Vincent Massey High School dance for $500 and ever since, he rode on the back of my Harley to Sturges North in Merritt. There he heard the incredible Burton Cummings and loved him.  Given my own history of being shot at, stabbed, held hostage and repeatedly falsely accused by psychotic borderline personality disorder patients or sociopathic drug addicts, he’s been what keeps me getting out of bed going to work.
Last spring he developed hereditary glaucoma, correctly diagnosed by Dr. Christopher Douglas at Oak Animal  Hospital. He was referred to a Veterinary Ophthalmologist but despite best treatment his pressure didn’t come down.  Dr. Christina King his much loved Veterinary Ophthalmologist at Western Canada Veterinary Eye Specialists removed that eye and he did very well. Once the eye was removed the pressure which was like a constant migraine was removed. While he hated the horrid cone of shame that made other dogs think he’d had the dreaded orchiectomy, he recovered very well, returning temperamentally quickly to his old carefree friendly self.  He had months more of sight with his remaining eye. Then one day that eye went red and he curled up in a fetal position despite the drops we’d been giving him.  He saw Dr. King and despite a couple of weeks more of intensive medical treatment the pressure didn’t come down and really was out of sorts. Both times when the pressure first went up he lost his sight and it just simply didn’t return despite treatment.  This apparently was what usually happened as well as the loss of the second eye some time in the year after the diagnosis of the first eye.

So the surgical date , a thursday , was set and his eye was removed. The cone of shame was especially difficult now that he was completely blind.  As well he’d just about figured out every way to avoid the tramadol pain killer I”d been giving him since the second eye pressure went up.  I tried peanut butter, liver, roast beef, ice cream.  He’d find that tramadol and spit it out.  The Metacam NSAI he accepted very well, the manufacturer having obviously considered taste whereas the tramadol folk lacked a dog palate.   For 2 nights he was in pain, the first with me holding him most of the night and the next with Laura coming over for the weekend calming him half the night. Mostly he was lonely and afraid and confused.  He hated the cone banging into everything with it.
And all the other dogs wouldn’t play with him because they didn’t want their genitals or butt banged by the hard plastic edge of the cone. He couldn’t even lick himself.  We reassured him. It wasn’t personal and wasn’t even sexual.  He was a good dog. I said that every sentence.  It was such a hard time. Good dog, Gilbert. Good boy.  And Laura reassured her little fur baby too.
Dr. King took off his cone last week saying that he’d healed just fine when she took out the sutures. “I”m sorry to tell you but the eye’s all okay but you dog has fleas.”  I felt as ashamed as a parent whose teacher tells them her kid has scabies.
He’s on monthly Sentinel. I’ve sprayed all his beds with industrial dose flea killer and even took him in to Oak for the nuclear subcutaneous Men in Black 3 bug killing one shot injection.  Still he’s got fleas.It’s been a bad year. My patients have human fleas, lice. Vancouver has the highest priced property in the world and everywhere there’s bed bugs.The rats come up from the shoreline and run through the $500 to $1000 a night hotels.  It’s all quite absurd. Despite working through the Aids epidemics with the Aids Dementia patients I had my personal melt  down, despite my doctor denial armour, when a patient dumped a bottle of bed bugs and lice on my desk to show me  "how bad it was.”  I didn’t need that.
Two bottles of Kwellada total body washes for a couple of days immersion healing got me back into my standard denial. So many of my patients have resistant staphylococcus infections, cellulitis, hepatitis, AIDS, injection site abscesses.  Now my dog had fleas. So I went through all the treatments, sprayed everything and concluded that maybe George the indoor cat was passing them back and forth. But Laura and I both looked George over and no fleas and no eggs and no scratching.  I just don’t think the Sentinel is working so plan to see the veterinarian and ask if Sentinel resistant fleas have come along.
George, Laura’s rescue cat, a skittish surly guy, has become Gilbert’s best friend and confidant since Gilbert's sbecome blind. Each morning Gilbert wakes up and goes off to rub nose with George then the two of them play before Gilbert and I head out to work.
My nephew Graeme sent Gilbert a toy for blind dogs, a ball he rolls about with his nose.  When the toy moves it  groans and laughs. Gilbert loves it. We knew he was back to his old self when he began throwing his wee hedgehog toy at Laura for her to throw back to him. I throw him a ball but he loses it. He likes the Kong toy filled with peanut butter. He smells that out.
He’s only slowly learning to locate things purely by smell. I have to remember that it's only days he's been totally blind and that he'll just keep learning.  In time I may teach him a blues  guitar and get him some gigs on the road to bring in doe for kibbles..
His nemesis is getting caught behind a half open door. He’s woofs then, unable to turn around and not quite sure how to back up. Laura and I have both rescued him several times from that dilemma.
In the new motels and cabins we’ve stayed at he’s had difficulty the first day orienting himself but by the next he’s pretty settled. Strange sounds upset him.  He’s thoroughly at home at my place but even now sitting outside he barks when he smells something but there’s nothing I can see.
Hunting on the weekend I took him along in the evening in the truck.  He liked being along.  He’s a bird hunting dog and always found my grouse for me when I shot them.  He retrieved the birds though they were as big as his little head.  When I shot a deer once he raced to it before I could get there and when the deer started to raise it’s head he jumped on top of it holding it’s head down till I arrived and put the deer of it’s misery. I always feel sorry for that deer in deer heaven shamefully explaining he was killed by a cockapoo.
We walked along way down a logging road, brush and pine and fir trees along one side with an open clearing along the other.  I was carrying the rifle and hoping a deer might come down that hill the other side of the clearing.  I let Gilbert off leash with a little blue flashing light on his collar. He walked behind me as I stalked quietly along realizing Gilbert's flashing blue light and my snapping my fingers and calling to Gilbert might not go unnoticed by the deer.  I ‘d look back and see him following as he usually did. Then he wasn’t there and I remembered in the past he’d take off circling to raise a grouse I might have passed. Only now he was hung up in fallen trees in their maze of branches with me having to call him orient him to the way out. This happened a couple of times with me actually once having to climb over the trees and lift him out of where he’d got himself stuck. After that he stayed close behind me. It’s all a steep learning curve.
He likest to lie on the bed beside me.  Laura saw him jump up on the bed and sit beside me listening to my breathing with his head cocked. Then as if he could see he had his head just above my chest before he lunged forward and lay right across me. This is one of his early morning wake up statements. Normally he’s on my chest but this time he was just off a tad and I had cockapoo draped arcorss my face.  “Good Morning, Gilbert!”  His tail still wags a mile a minute.
He’s vulnerable but loves meeting other dogs. They say blind dogs in the wild stay with the pack and survive. Blindness in older dogs is quite common.  I’m Gilbert’s pack.  When my father went blind Mom who was going deaf became  his eyes as he was her ears. With all Gilbert's growling and barking at strange noises I think he thinks I’m deafer than normal. He’s elevated himself to Guard Dog too, something I’d discouraged before when he was hunter and therapy dog. But it gives him purpose now. In time he’ll be an even better therapy dog and hunting dog.  I might even get him dark glasses and a seeing eye companion dog. I already have a blind dog white leash but draw the line there. My dog’s not getting a cane and cup with a hand printed sign.  I say that now but with the way Canada’s economy is being mismanaged, I might have to reconsider our options.
I like holding him closer more.  Knowing that my carrying him up and down stairs was tough on me,  he began making his way up and down himself.  Since the cone's gone, he's been doing everything he can to be independent again. Better natured than me he's going to adapt. However, he’s had so many treats from Laura and I this past week it will be tough to get him back on his regular kibbles and little caesar’s.  I say that but know he’ll be sharing the grouse I shot this weekend when I get around to barbecuing it.  He's had barbecued steak last week and prime beef on the weekend.
We will prevail.  I think of him as a little biblical Samson as well.  I feel too he’s Gloucester of Shakespeare’s Lear. All the Blinded character’s in history are now here in Gilbert enshrined. He's given me a whole new appreciation for those who are blind and the amazing cyborg eye advances happening technologically.
As I'm adapting to my increasing deafness and loss of taste I can still help Gilbert  who is blind and doing his best to warn me of dangers, albeit too frequently. I’m reminded when I think of the two of us old warriors of the picture I have from the horrific Japanese Changi WWII Prison I visited in  Singapore.  I made a point of going there after having had the privilege of having a surviving vet from that place as a patient.  I brought back the sketch, "Two Malarias and a Cholera"  by  Ray Parkin.
I'm reminded too of the story of the child,  who seeing all the bad news of CNN and CBC,  asked her mother how humans could be so bad.  The mother instead told her to look for the "helpers." “There are always helpers.” she said.
So in Changi when the prisoners fell from disease the Japanese told the other prisoners  to leave them to die not letting the healthier men leave their work to help them. Instead two men with malaria between them helped the worse man with cholera back to camp that day.
Gilbert’s always been a helper.  It’s in the nature of cockapoo.   He’s been the best of little dogs and my heart goes out to him now.  We're in this together and we're get through and thrive.  Like that amazing woman I met , Heidi Cave,  who wrote the book, "Fancy Feet, Turning My Tragedy into Hope."