07 July, 2008

The day we nearly lost Tallulah

5 minuets of yesterday will go down as the scariest 5 min of dog ownership in my life. We took Tallulah to the groomers at PetSmart. Normally we go to Brookside Barkery & Bath, but last time they cut her nose and are so expensive, that for her summer cut we opted for PetSmart. When I went to pick her up they said she was fine except that she doesn't like th dryer and was still a bit damp. No big deal, it's 102 degrees out, she'll dry in about a second once we are outside.
We were standing at the front waiting to pay and she was getting lots of attention from everybody, because, quit frankly she is adorable - even with a stupid hair cut. The 3 people around us asked her name and she had been given a treat and was doing well. As I was signing my name to the credit card receipt the front doors open and Tallulah bolted for the outside. Breaking the connection from leash to collar and running into traffic. I ran after her and literally she was feet from being hit by a car. I grabbed her and we ran back inside the store. It turns out that the groomers had clipped her leash to the ring that holds her tags - not the D-ring on her collar. Her tags had flown everywhere but the nice people in line with me picked them up and gave them to me as I collected the rest my things, finished paying and hustled Tallulah to the car (that were she had been running to). We got in the car where I very nearly had a meltdown. I don't what I would have done if she had been hit. I don't even want to think about it.

BE WARNED - THIS NEXT PART IS GROSS - STOP NOW IF YOU WANT.

As soon as we got home she took a giant poop that was full of stringy grass and ended up getting stuck halfway out her bum. Michael had to come out and pull it out with a baggie, because Tallulah just looked freaked out and couldn't figure out what to do and I was still freaking out and trying not throw-up. We then had to re-wash her bum.

OKAY, THE GROSS PART IS OVER.

I now think she ran out because she had to go potty, very, very badly. The lessoned learned for this experience - From now on I will ALWAYS check to make sure her leash is properly attached to her collar - no matter who attaches it. The flimsy wire ring that came with her ID tag from the vending machine does not work for restraining a 50 pound dog who really needs to go.

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