My Day

 I thought you might all like an update on Aslan's progress.  He's growing well and I think he's absolutely gorgeous.   Aslan is the most laid back puppy I've ever encountered.  He's the love of Cleo's life as well.  Even Graeme says he's cute although he doesn't play with Aslan as he did when Cleo was a pup.  He thinks that Cleo has Aslan for a  playmate now and vice versa so there's no playing with squeakies any more.  Cleo and Aslan still manage to keep him busy though, putting up fencing around my garden.  We keep finding new bits of garden that has been trampled flat during St Bernard games Graeme borrows more sheep fencing to put up yet more barricades to allow the garden to recover and to keep large puppy bodies out.


Yesterday began with giving Aslan a bath. He had an appointment at the vet's in the afternoon for his vaccination and check up.  First up I had to lure Cleo into the laundry so I could lock her up during the bathing procedure because she likes to get her nose into everything I do and Aslan is not in the mood to be shoved around by Cleo's nose when he's enduring a bath.  After Cleo was incarcerated with a rawhide bone to console her, Aslan's bath began.  Aslan isn't a fan of baths but he takes a very mature approach to the whole sordid incident and thinks of other things while his body is drenched, soaped, rinsed, conditions and rinsed again.  When that is over the good part begins.  Aslan loves being towelled dry.  Why he gets such joy out of it I don't know, but even since he was a tiny pup sitting on my knee while I towelled down his paws and tummy from the wet grass, he has been in seventh heaven while being rubbed down with a towel.  I'm sure he thinks it almost makes the whole bathing beforehand worth the indignity.

Then it was time to change dogs over - get Cleo out of the laundry while putting Aslan in.  Cleo prefers to be wherever Aslan is, but after a bath he's just not in the mood to be thoroughly checked over by a big black nose.  He prefers solitude to contemplate and dry off.  Changing the dogs over therefore took a while.  Cleo kept trying to get back into the laundry to be with Aslan and Aslan kept trying to get out of the laundry to find a nice spot of dirt or mud to roll in.  Finally they were on the correct sides of the laundry door and I was able to come inside, change my clothes and do a bit of housework.  Aslan and Cleo were eventually reunited and spent most of the morning snoozing on the  laundry floor.

In the afternoon we headed off to the vets' for Aslan's third vaccination.  He was very happy to visit there - more people who love him.  Cleo came too as usual because she frets when Aslan is out of her sight for too long.  Cleo loves car rides so it was all win win for her.   Aslan lay down and let the scenery pass by, but Cleo likes to wander around the back area trying to find the best window to look out.  A couple of times she planted her great big foot on Aslan and they had words.  I got into the conversation when Aslan growled at Cleo.  He swore it was an accident but I have zero toleration for growling.  Cleo barely noticed Aslan's growl and just moved over to the other window saying the view was better out that side of the car.  I don't know how she can tell because she's slobbered all over all the windows so it's hard to see out anyway.

When we got to the vets' the dogs had to stay in the car and wait for a house call - or I suppose a car call.  The vets' recommend that puppies who aren't fully vaccinated be carried and not put on the floor inside but my carrying Aslan days are over and Graeme didn't want to take him in to the vets'  without me for some reason.  Cleo would fret if we all went out of her sight, so the back of the car it was.  Rose, Aslan's personal vet, absolutely loves him.  When we visited the first time she asked me if I would let her carry Aslan into the surgery.  I was more than fine with that after having Aslan sit on my lap for quite a while in the busy waiting room.  Rose and Aslan bonded during that visit and she told him he was her new favourite patient. Yesterday wasn't any different.  Rose (whose real name is Rosemary by the way) came out with a vet student and made a big fuss of Aslan.  The vet student spent most of her time patting Cleo, but that was because Cleo kept putting her head under the student's hand and nudging her in a significant way.  The vet clinic has five vets but Rose made sure she was the one to come out to the car to give Aslan his check up and inoculation.  Everyone was amazed at how much he'd grown in such a short time and and how big Cleo was.  Rose said she thinks Aslan is going to be a very big St Bernard based on how much he'd grown and the size of his paws.  Cleo muscled in as often as she could and made sure she got her fair share of pats and attention too while Rose was checking him over.  Cleo was shameless.  While Rose had her head bent over Aslan checking his tummy area Cleo leaned over, despite being on her lead tied to the cargo grate, and gave Rose a bit lick right up the side of her head.  Rose laughed and gave Cleo a pat.  I told Rose she'd need a shower and change of clothes after her visit with us.  Rose agreed.

Aslan passed his check up with flying colours.  I asked about his weight because making sure he gets the right amount of nutrition is always at the top of my mind.  Rose said he was perfect, so both Aslan and I were very happy.  Graeme has been saying for a while that Aslan is too fat and I've been assuring him it was fluff, so Graeme can stop the insults now.  We have an expert's opinion on his weight.

Just before Rose returned to the clinic she asked if we'd allow her to take a photo of Cleo and Aslan for the clinic's Facebook page.  Both pups are always happy to pose for photos and after his had a bath in the morning I was happy to have his cleanses recorded while it lasted.  Rose returned with the camera and both  Cleo and Aslan assumed cute poses while Rose snapped away.  Rose returned to the clinic and I got her purse to pay for the visit and returned to the office as well.  When I opened the door I heard Rose saying to John, another of the vets, "You want to see a lot of cute?"  She then scrolled through her photos so John  could see all the photos she'd taken.

Here is the one they put on their Facebook page.

  
The link to the page if you want to see it is https://www.facebook.com/moorongvet?fref=photo  Sadly they called Cleo Chloe, but I'm sure Cleo will get over the insult eventually.  I'm telling her to concentrate on being a star.

Aslan still clean and fluffy this morning so I'm sure he'll be looking for some mud and disgusting farm type stuff to roll in and Cleo is sis sure to know the perfect spot to take care of all this fluffy cleanness.