Our Little Satellite Head

I know what you're thinking...you're thinking this is our family's answer to the whole HDTV - Your Own Television Isn't Gonna Work Anymore Dilemma, and based on our family's usual manner of home repair and improvement, there could be a good chance you'd be right, except, in this case, you're NOT.

Nope, Dudley is sporting the very latest in No Lick Attire, worn by fashionable, spoiled, not real bright dogs everywhere. A recent vet visit resulted in a diagnosis of a lick granuloma, which in plain speak means a sore spot caused by excessive licking. In even PLAINER speak it means this adorable, thick as a brick dog sat and licked at the same spot on his leg until he irritated it enough that it became infected. Seriously. I'm not making this up.

A fun-filled trip to the vet was in order, complete with copius shedding and barking (Dudley) and massive anxiety and dread (me). Almost $200.00 later, our vet sent us home with two prescriptions, a huge cone headed dog and instructions to keep Dudley out of the flowerbeds. Right - gotta love a vet with a sense of humor.

It's been a challenge from the minute they slapped the plastic collar on his head. To say dogs live in the minute is an understatement, as in Dudley can't remember from one minute to the next that he has a disk on his head the size of a garbage can lid. He goes through the day repeatedly crashing into things and getting his head stuck in various tight places. I knew we were in for a fun ride when a vet tech, watching us bounce from one wall to the other commented if she only had her camera, America's Funniest Home Videos would be calling HER.

Our daily walk this morning was a treat, too, at least it was for our neighbors. I've come to accept the fact that the dogs and I present a pretty unusual picture. I walk them every morning with a double lead, the way my Dad says they used to train the mules on the farm. Sounds right to me. I realize it's not every day you see two almost 80 pound yellow dogs dragging a middle aged woman down the street. But Dudley, with his cone-headed self, must have put the icing on the cake. Today was the first time I've actually had people stop their cars to stare.

I'm sure trend-setting fashionistas everywhere can sympathize.