*Please prepare yourself for a rambling and occasionally disgusting tale. If you make it through, you will be rewarded with adorable photos at the end.*
Did you know that Home Depot allows customers to bring their puppies into the store for socialization?
I read about it online a few weeks ago when I was researching ways to get Teddy out and about as often as possible, and while I thought it sounded wonderful, I was pretty doubtful I'd ever try it. Even if dogs-allowed is the official policy, I'd never seen a dog roaming the aisles of good old HD, and I felt it would be awkward to ask.
Well. This all changed on Saturday morning, when we had to make an unexpected trip to the vet.
Since we brought him home, Teddy has had what I would generously call pimples all over his tummy and, um, other areas. They went away and then came back every few days, and we mentioned them several times to the vet, but he was always blissfully unconcerned. Teddy didn't seem to mind them either, but they looked pretty awful.
(PS -- speaking as someone who has battled breakouts for basically a decade, of course my dog WOULD get "puppy acne." Awesome).
Anywho, as Kyle was playing around with Teddy on Saturday morning, he let out an "oh my God" and made me come over to check it out. Right there on Teddy's, well, you know, was the mother of all underground pimples.
via (it was like this, except not on the bridge of his nose)
Kyle, ever the jokester, said that Teddy must have gone out on the town and picked up an STD (nice, huh?) We both decided we'd have enough. Whether or not it was harmless, we were getting little Ted some antibiotics, and fast.
It's important to remember here that this was Saturday morning -- you know, St. Patrick's Day. Pittsburgh has the second-largest parade in the country, and driving through downtown to reach our vet's office was no picnic. Now that we were out of the house, however, I was very keen on going to the parade after Teddy's checkup.
For Kyle, however, that was a no-go. He didn't want to walk our little diseased puppy around big crowds, he didn't want to find parking, this wasn't part of the plan, blah blah blah. We reached the vet's office without reaching a decision on parade attendance.
A new vet took one look at Teddy's underside and was all "Ooooh, ouch, that looks like it hurts," and we were all "That's what we've been saying!" and finally, finally Teddy got the drugs.
And then we were off!
Except that the parade had started, so we couldn't drive back home through downtown. First we drove off to a Giant Eagle Get-Go for breakfast sandwiches, then we bickered on the drive back in home's general direction about going to the parade. Kyle wanted to go home, I wanted to go party. Medicated-Teddy snoozed in his crate and had no opinion about our destination.
Last minute, we decided to do something we can always agree on -- go to Home Depot! We had big plans for yardwork over the weekend anyway. Plus there was a McDonald's nearby, and I had a hankering for a mocha frappe that Get-Go alone could not satisfy.
As we continued driving, we started puzzling over what to do with Teddy. Would one of us go into Home Depot, and the other walk him around the parking lot? Short trips in and out, risking possible heatstroke, while he continued sleeping? Then the clouds parted and I remembered -- we could take him shopping with us!
Except I had to awkwardly ask Guest Services, because I still wasn't 100% certain that this was kosher. You can't always trust what you read online, you know? This wasn't on Home Depot's corporate website, after all. This was on some chat room, and the things discussed amongst dog people in dog chat rooms are questionable at best.
via
Turns out that the manager was very enthusiastic about a puppy visiting the store!
And so, look who came along...
Riding dirty
Fortunately no one tried to pick him up, thus exposing themselves (and Ted) to total horror. Look how adorable he is though!!!
Here is some more dog eye-candy, a special Wednesday morning treat just for you...
Playing.
Treats (Bailey, hunchbacked and open-mouthed, has no shame).
Teddy showing his big sister how it's done.
Snuggles.
I'm happy to report that things are clearing up for him down below. The vet checked his chin for pimples too, but his face is free and clear. For now.