Mourning

BubbaSo it was decided, by guilting of another family member, that the shihtzus got put down. And this person who decided, decided to guilt my mom into putting down the shihtzus. So on Thursday, they went to the rainbow bridge. Or puppy heaven. Whichever you think they go to. I know that despite the fact that they were shitheads, they'll go wherever all animals go. And I do miss them. A lot. They were assholes. But it's hard. Really hard. They were a part of my life for around 10 years. They were about 12 years old and had a ton of health issues, plus aggression as well. 

Meeko, the one who caused my last bite. He couldn't go up the stairs, was mostly blind and had bitten me twice (leaving marks/wounds) within the last three months. 

Bubba, the one who caused my moms last bite. He would shiver in like 90 degree weather and was only happy if he was laying directly in the sun on a hot day. Had so many skin issues that he would bite his back raw, despite dietary changes and regular baths. Partially blind and has lost most of his teeth so he couldn't eat much. 

Both of the dogs would aggressively go after people. Bubba would growl if we walked near him and has bitten me and latched on like a freaking piranha because I set my foot down off of the couch and he was a foot away.  Meeko would do the same things. It was incredibly frustrating. 

And now they're in heaven. Not what I would have chosen, but it wasn't my choice since they aren't my dogs. I tried to find them new homes and the rescues I contacted that dealt with hard to deal with dogs said that they wouldn't accept them. So basically I just have to think that they're heaven's dogs now. I wanted to rehome them. So their home is now heaven. And it hurts. They were a part of the family. It's amazing what guilting someone can do. ],=

So many updates!

Some good, some sad. 

So it's been a year since my grandma passed. A tough year. But a year. I miss her every single day and whenever I go to my grandpas house, I know she's there. She watches over all of us. 

And now with the good.... I finished a 5k today! In 49 minutes. But it was my first and I am very out of shape, had very crappy shoes and I woke up with my back and hip hurting. I finally decided that it was time to play terribly inappropriate songs and that helped me get through the end of it! Like peacock by Katy Perry, Penis Song by Macklemore, and Jon lajoie songs. It helped. Haha. I told myself and my friend the whole time that I'd never do it again. But I really want to! I'm sore, I'm tired. But I feel accomplished! I had a huuuuge blister underneath calluses and that was painful. Thankfully I have the next two days off work! 

Second good thing is that I am going to grooming academy! Super excited. Nervous. But excited. Not thrilled with how much money I had to spend. Went from having nearly $1000 in my bank account to about $50. Yikes. Kills me to spend money. But it will help with my future and I think it's something I'll enjoy. 

Oh and something to do with both of the good things kinda... There's a 5k for Halloween. And I realllly want to do it. Dress up in a costume and bring Ziggy and have her in costume too. It would be adorable. I'm totally thinking lawn gnome for myself and pink flamingo for her. Including dye and wings for her. Oh man. So ridiculously excited. I can totally figure this out. I need to do it. I'm so excited. Haha. 

I hate shihtzus.

So on Sunday night, I noticed that my mom's shihtzus had such overgrown nails that they were probably two weeks from growing into their paw pads. I trimmed bubba's nails first and he was absolutely perfect. Then onto meeko. He did great for his first three feet. Onto his front right foot. Was able to get three nails done and he fucking snapped. I'm not talking a little nibble or a growl. I'm talking full on tried to eat me. To the point of the meat of my hand hanging out of it. That deep. So I went to the doctor. Had to call out of work. Missed a 7 hour shift. May have to call in tomorrow and miss a 5.5 hour shift. My hand hurts. So much. It's ridiculous. I'm on antibiotics. Having to take Advil like constantly. It has to be elevated or else it just throbs. Even then, it often throbs. I struggle putting my hair up, putting clothes on and my left hand is nearly useless right now. Ugh. And my mom seemed frustrated about having to take me to the walk in clinic. I'm just annoyed. I don't want to miss work. I don't want to be in pain. I didn't choose to be attacked. 

NW Grooming Expo: Brusher/Bather Certification

So I went to the NW Grooming Expo in Tacoma this week! It was interesting! I learned a lot in the brusher bather certification course, actually. It was rather interesting. Though it was really disturbing how many people didn't know some of the basic information being taught. Like how to clip nails. And where the quick is. And what the "expert groomer" teaching the class said kind of angered me. "Well it's where there's a V in the nail. Clip on the tip side of that." Uh nowhere near the quick. And if the nails are relatively short.... Uh oh hey. No v. At all. And all of the people who had no idea, terrifyingly around 9 people of the 23 person class, were amazed and felt like they now knew how to do nails. When they'd get nowhere near the quick in any way.  It makes me sad. Because old dogs won't get their nails short and their long nails can and likely will hurt their poor arthritic feet. 

I did learn a few good things though! Which is nice. And to not wet down a dog before washing it and just go straight with shampoo if a dog stinks because the smell of the shampoo will overpower and help get rid of the stink. The stink got onto them while they were dry, most likely and the hair was dry and easily absorbed stink in the first place. Especially for skunk stink. And to shampoo a dry double coated dog, use the hv dryer on them for about a minute, shampoo again, hv dryer for about a minute, then condition them and then rinse and them fully hv dry them and it should get rid of a loooot of hair. I'll hopefully be getting my certificate in the mail soon! 

However the salon certification sucked. A friend took it and it wasn't clear that you wouldn't get certification straight out of the class. You have to throw hundreds of dollars at them and take tests and make videos of grooms and everything. But that wasn't specified.  And everything that was taught was taught in the petstore that we work at's grooming academy. So it was useless to people who have gone though our grooming academy. I haven't at this point so it probably would be interesting to see the notes, which I'll look at. But don't think it would be worth the $149 that was paid. 

Yet another maverick update

So when I got him, I didn't think hed have the issues he did. Now I realize that it isn't just housebreaking stuff that he needs training with. It's his fear of women. His instinctual getting into the garbage yet eating only lettuce when there's chicken thighs in there. I've been taking him to training and I feel like it's helping with basic stuff. Not the underlying issues and causes of the issues though. They ask us for the last like 15 minutes of class to go around and ask customers and people who work there to try to do the training stuff with us. Maverick won't go anywhere near people. He's terrified. It breaks my heart.

Poor little man. I know he has a ton of love in his little heart. I just wish he could share it with others. 

Judgement

"I'm tired of being judged for what I should and shouldn't say!"

Really? Is this coming from the person who not even two weeks ago told me that I should stop posting past 11pm on Facebook. Because I "ramble." And yet she posts on someone's picture who was moving a couple hours away "when the hell did you have time for this??" Sorry, but that sounds super judgmental. And it will be offensive to the person who received the comment. Frustrating how people have double standards. I get rambly when it's late yet she's able to be passive aggressive? I'd say rambly is better than passive aggressive. 

Then she asked if I needed help getting up at 9 and I said if she set an alarm, that would be great. Then she got pissed. If you are going to offer your help, don't be pissed if I accept it, please. That isn't fair. You offered it. I didn't ask for it. =[

And this is why I need a vacation. 

One of those days...

Have you ever had one of those days where watching a movie lifts your spirit up a lot? 

Ever have one of those days where watching Monsters University makes you cry and realize that you can work your way out of the "mess" that you feel like you're in? And to overcome the stress? Yep. That just happened. I loved it. They overcame everything because they believed in themselves. Which is fantastic. I need to just believe in myself more. I have zero confidence and it even affects my job and the dogs I work with because they can sense it.