Bingo!

Tonight I met up with the Wednesday night tennis gang at J&B's Blue Ribbon. It was Party Rock Bingo night, and the suspense did not disappoint.

There was a little of everything, including some one-hit wonders and bands whose names I never knew. Plus there were some real throwback tunes; I can't ever hear "Pour Some Sugar on Me" without thinking of Katy, for reasons I can't quite remember. And "Runaround" takes me back to my days at the Keg in Evanston. Ah, 1994.

About five minutes after Carol left, I filled in a row on one of her cards. Bingo! By the time I called her, though, she was already leveraging her luck in bigger venues (up $31 at Potawatomi).

We'll go back some Wednesday to spend my gift certificate on more chicken fingers and cans of beer. See you there!

Oh no, Chewy, not the cervical collar!

I really thought this was it: The cervical collar allows Choo her peripheral vision, and she can move and eat normally while wearing it. It seems like the least disruptive of the protective collars.

The only downside? It doesn't work. She can still lick herself.

Maybe I need to buy a bigger size. But an inch taller still seems like no match for a persistent (and super-flexible) dog.

Oh no, Chewy, not bad manners at brunch!

Choo loves people and food, and nowhere is this more evident than at brunch. When Dana and Kelsey came over, Choo got on her hind legs and tried to sniff our plates. We weren't overly troubled by this (some of us may have even been charmed). Bacon in her mouth? No problem, we took it. But after a brief house tour, we came back down to find her eating the top of the quiche. Sigh.

Mary also met Chewy over brunch, and Choo thought fit to give kisses and try to get very close to the food. We foiled her. But bothering guests while they ate was starting to become a habit. And who wants to push plates around the table while wrestling a smallish yet muscular dog?

Recently Pat came over for brunch. After we'd cleared the dishes, he walked back into the dining room to find Choo on the table. On all fours, sniffing my coffee. For real, Chewy? (And yes, I know I need to be more alpha than responding with, "For real, Chewy?")

Choo is fearless, treading that fine line between confidence and dominance.

We're working on her boundaries.

Oh no, Chewy, not the cone!

Puppy vaginitis, it's no walk in the park.

The vet said Chewy would need to wear a cone for two weeks and take an antibiotic. Choo didn't seem to mind her inflatable Cloud Collar. She could still cuddle, play with toys, and use her peripheral vision.

So imagine my dismay when I found she had punctured the collar. Nice knowing you, soft and comfy neck pillow.

But I had a plastic cone, so I asked Choo if she'd mind wearing it. Sure, it amplifies her snoring and somehow collects bits of food and grass. And when she bangs into my legs, ouch. But it works.

So imagine my dismay — yes, again — when I saw she had detached it and was wearing it like a shield.

We're going to try one more option: a cervical collar I'm hoping will be the best solution. Work with me, Choo.

Chewy's milestone

On both of my walks with Chewy today, she peed on other people's lawns. This is real progress!

Since I adopted her, Chewy had only done her business off leash. So when she did a quick little squat on our morning walk, I praised her. And again tonight!

She didn't act like it was newsworthy, but I called my parents to share her accomplishment. Good girl, Choo!