The Chocolate Wheel

The latest LAP-ra-dor, to land in this Iowa Girl's lap is Black Dog, aka Sweet Sadie. She came on Halloween and in two short months has had quite the adventure. What we know about Black Dog's before story is this: her human died shortly before our Molly died. Molly met Black Dog's owner in heaven and arranged to have Black Dog meet us. The rest is history.

Black Dog clearly was well loved but had fallen in to some disrepair. She had tape worms, ear infections and fleas. We treated and changed her food. Her coat grew shiny and she grew stronger.

On week number three, we began our first road trip to this Iowa Girl's home state of Florida. My parent's home is a home for LAP-ra-dors. My parents participate in a diverstiy program and there are represented at the Florida home a yellow, a chocolate and a black lab. So upon our arrival, the dogs now out numbered the humans (as it should be). During the Thanksgiving grace, my Dad gave thanks for the National Convention of Retrievers and the dogs all wagged their tails in appreciation.

Black Dog was a most excellent car rider and slept quietly next to Vegas during the trip to and from Florida. She did not embrace sweeeming as most labs do but she enjoyed circling the pool with abandon.

Black Dog has attached herself to all in the house but has a special twinkle in her eye for the other human with whom Vegas and I share a roof and a water bowl. On one weekend when said human traveled west to be with family, Sadie and I had some time to bond together. Apparently, while she was in Florida, her cousin "Black Bart" taught her some stealth Black Lab moves. Lulled into a false sense of security by her timid ways and big brown eyes, I had placed a bowl of dark chocolate in a Christmas bowl. Sadie ate said chocolate. While I was turning out the lights in the house, on our way to bed, I found the empty bown on the floor with not a trace of chocolate to be found. I had confidence that Vegas was not involved in the heist because she couldn't reach the bowl.

I called the animal hospital. "My dog ate some chocolate" I explained. They said, "What kind of dog? How big? What kind of chocolate?" I answered mechanically and they responded, "Yes she should come in". So I piled the girls into the car and off we went to the animal hospital.

They know me there.

They immediately took Sadie in back and began treating her, making her vomit her little heist. Vegas and I sat patiently in the lobby, greeting other parents and dogs. The phone rang and the receptionist answered, pulled out a cardboard wheel and began to spin it while asking the questions, "What kind of dog? How big? What kind of chocolate?" When she hung up the phone, I asked if that was a Chocolate Wheel? Yes it was. Sadie was the third chocolate event of the day and number four was on its way in to the hospital.

I explained to Sadie that a trip to the animal hospital was an extreme form of bonding. Gratefully, Sadie suffered no permanent damage from my poor judgement.

Moral of the story: Do not be seduced by big brown eyes and a sweet smile, even if they come from a dog.