Roscoe's Bad Week

So last week Roscoe got the big shavedown. Roscoe's breed doesn't shed which is nice-- but their hair gets all tangled and matted up pretty easy.
And if you don't comb it out-- it gets like dread locked out and needs to be shaved off. Like so.

And after he gets his haircut he acts weird for like a week. Sort of insecure and embarrassed. In need of extra attention. Like, usually he doesn't need to be on the couch with me when I watch TV (rightfully so, he is more interested in looking out the window to see what's what). But lately he's more into being on the couch with me. And he seems more comfortable wearing his jacket around the house. He walks prouder when its on.

Also Roscoe usually has butt issues for a while after the big shavedown. Not sure what the story is with that but for like a few days he'll all of a sudden freak out and scamper and then just sit with a tucked tail and look at me like, 'My butt feels weird!!! Why does my butt feel weird!!?' That sort of thing. Basically he just gets out of sorts. I've seen it before. It's a post-shavedown weirdo phase. So that's where he's been at. Not fun. But dealable.

Yesterday, I went with Roscoe and a friend to dog park and we had a good time. He seemed ok. Like he was getting used to the idea of not being fluffy and cute and being more dorkily aerodynamic. And on the way home we passed by little public park (non-dog park) where a few dogs were running around. A woman called out for us to come play. So I let Roscoe off the leash to do some extra running with the three dogs. It was two Labrador looking dogs and a dog that looked sort of like Roscoe (but Bizarro Freak Roscoe). They all start mixing it up and the woman taking care of the three dogs seemed friendly enough. She said the two labs were hers and Bizarro Freak Roscoe was a friend's dog.

When Roscoe plays he likes running circles around dogs to try and get them to chase-- and I noticed Bizarro Freak Roscoe seemed to be getting pissed at that. Like a dick. He'd sort of growl and snap at Roscoe as he'd fly by. And Roscoe doesn't like being growled and snapped at. And he doesn't like being told to stop running. And if Roscoe gets pushed to far sometimes he gets into fights. I think his tolerance level is right though. He lets it go for a while. Then makes it clear that he's willing to fight. Gives a few good warnings. Then if the dick dog keeps at him-- it's Go Time.

So Roscoe gave Bizarro Freak Roscoe his 'step off!' warning growl and Bizarro Freak Roscoe went crazy. Not just regular tougher growly crazy. Bizarro Freak Roscoe turned to biting. We jumped in to stop the fight (still not sure what the best way to do this is) but this time Roscoe got hurt. His side hyde was like torn open a few inches. It wasn't bleeding but I could see his like muscle in there and stuff. Totally gross! He didn't seem too thrilled about it none neither. The woman who was taking care of Bizarro Freak Roscoe seemed shocked out and apologized or whatever. I think she was thinking what she's going to say to her friend about her a-hole dog.

Long story short Roscoe goes straight to my vet and they're like. Yeah, he needs to be knocked out with anesthesia and stitched up. Told me they needed to cut away the torn skin before they stitch it up so it's gonna be a bigger looking wound. Four hours and $700 later (yes I have pet insurance! which feels pretty dang good right now) I pick up a very woozy Roscoe who is stitched up like a stuffed animal with a friggin Cone of Shame strapped on his dopey head. (Really looks more like an Umbrella of Shame) And we walked home together. Everyone we walked passed laughed at Roscoe's dopey looking umbrella head. Big joke. Far from the cuteness calls he's used to. He kept looking back at me every time he heard a cackle like, 'Is it me? Are they laughing at me?! I don't get laughed at! I get compliments! Always!'

Fortunately, he doesn't seem to be too bothered by the stitches so I don't make him wear the cone of umbrella shame while I'm home-- but I strapped it on him for a couple pictures. See Umbrella and Stitch pics HERE!

Don't feel worry about him. He's ok today.

And it was pointed out to me-- this is probably the first bad week he's ever had in his life.

ok bye!
tOdd

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