Buddy was our first experience with kennel cough and thankfully that is over. He throws in a very occasional wheeze just to remind me how bad he was and how far he has come. Now the challenge is cleaning up his skin conditions. He has been sporting a cone of horror for some time now.
We've tried the soft cone, which has one nice perk, he can get in and out of the doggy door with it. It takes some work, and is pretty amusing, but can be done.
We've tried the inflatable cone. He tried the doggy door with that one on, but was rejected over and over. Poor Buddy was seriously confused.
We even have tried the basic plastic cone. No go on the doggy door with this option. We've even tried the plastic cone with the inflatable cone behind it. Now I do have a photo of that. But Buddy begged me to spare him that indignity. I told him if he is good I won't share it.
Here is the deal. If he wants to work on his hot spots he finds a way around the cone. Itchy foot, pick it up and move it within range. Itchy flank, stretch and you can just get to it. It helps 90% of the time, but that 10% is an epic fail.
Isn't that the way it goes? We try and we try. Baby steps forward and then a few big steps backward. So we back up the bus and try to find a new route. It's not easy, but love pushes us through.
For Buddy it means more experiments and a closet full of various cones. Maybe there is a cone manufacturer out there who'd like to donate a cone we have not tried yet. Let Buddy be your independent testing panel. For me I want a cone that gives him full vision, is doggy door flexible and automatically telescopes when it senses him going for an itchy spot. Is that too much to ask? Maybe, but a girl can dream. I dream of a healthy dog casting off those cones of horror. One of these days he will.
Here is the deal. If he wants to work on his hot spots he finds a way around the cone. Itchy foot, pick it up and move it within range. Itchy flank, stretch and you can just get to it. It helps 90% of the time, but that 10% is an epic fail.
Isn't that the way it goes? We try and we try. Baby steps forward and then a few big steps backward. So we back up the bus and try to find a new route. It's not easy, but love pushes us through.
For Buddy it means more experiments and a closet full of various cones. Maybe there is a cone manufacturer out there who'd like to donate a cone we have not tried yet. Let Buddy be your independent testing panel. For me I want a cone that gives him full vision, is doggy door flexible and automatically telescopes when it senses him going for an itchy spot. Is that too much to ask? Maybe, but a girl can dream. I dream of a healthy dog casting off those cones of horror. One of these days he will.
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