The above picture is of Juneau pleading with me not to go to work on Thursday morning.
Two big events in the young life of Juneau will unfold over the
next few days. More accurately, these will qualify as two big events
in what my life has become; a life altered irreversibly
by one cold nose and two frightened eyes.
On Saturday, Juneau will get her first bath in the Pevear house. On
Monday, Juneau begins classes at Canine University in Malden -- though
from what I understand, these classes really are more for my benefit
than for Juneau’s. (As it turned out, the first class was for dog owners only. Juneau shows up to begin clicker training on Feb. 9. I have my clicker and bag of cheese bits all set to go.)
During these major events, I will take pictures on a scale comparable
to my children’s christenings and graduations.
The bath is daunting, since I turned my previous dog’s first soapy
experience into something so terrifying, Hayley barely would
drink water after that.
Baths became operations requiring weeks of planning. I had the
energy for only two or three a year. Because Hayley was even more
terrified of trash barrels (don’t ask) than of the hose, I would line up
barrels to corral her in the driveway within range of a soapy bucket
and hose.
Hayley died clean. I had bathed her only the week before. She
succumbed quickly to lymphoma. One day she seemed fine. Five days
later I was crying all the way to Foxboro to cover the NFL Draft.
Anyway, I don’t want a smelly dog on my lap during Super Sunday.
Juneau will be deposited in the upstairs bathtub on Saturday. I have
it on good authority she on Sunday will be watching Puppy Bowl V on
Animal Planet and then rooting for the Steelers. She knows of her
master’s admiration for Hines Ward.