A vet visit and it's points to ponder

Today I took Jack in to get his heartworm/lyme test done. The scale tells me he has a couple of pounds of winter weight to lose. (don't we all) But he did fine as always. I expect no less of course.

And from that visit here are today's "points to ponder":

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I don't let my dogs greet other dogs in the waiting room of a vets office. Frankly, I am always surprised at how many people do. First there are some pets waiting that may be contagious. If you are counting on the owner to warn you of that fact then think again. Either it doesn't occur to them or they do not know their pet is contagious because they are WAITING to see the vet. See how that works? (It's a waiting room people!)
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Some pets also get very stressed at a vets office and because of that may be on edge. This can affect their behavior negatively. Add to that the fact that many people don't do doggy greetings properly. Letting them greet face to face and keeping the leash tight is a recipe for disaster. (it changes a dogs natural body language and can look like an aggressive stance to another dog who may lash out in "the best defence is a good offence" reaction) Loose leashes are important so they can sniff each others back end. Hey I don't make the rules, this is how DOGS greet remember. Some people get embarrassed by this and interfere causing issues.
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So my professional tip is, don't do it. And if you are going to anyway then ASK the owner if their dog is friendly with other dogs, if their pet is there because it is sick or is itchy. (itchy pets sometimes have fleas-do you want those hitchhikers?) It is good manners to ask before approaching any dog but I think it is extra important in a vets office.

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It isn't just dog people either. Many species come through and I have seen cat people guilty of similar stuff too. (Which never goes well, cats are much less likely to want to say hello to a strange cat BTW.) And for all you cat people: We KNOW you love showing off your cat but PLEASE for the LOVE OF GOD use a carrier!!! There are many types and they are MUCH safer than a leash or wrapping them in a towel because they love to be held. We do not appreciate having to move all the dog food to retrieve a cat that escapes your arms no matter how cute or adorable they are. There are also dogs that eat cats in our waiting room sometimes and not all of them are under the control of their owner. We are behind the counter and may not be able to help you get your cat out of that dogs jaws in time. You have been warned.

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But again, let me repeat, there are better places to socialize your dogs to keep them healthy.
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And now for our photo portion of today's post. Jack and I took a walk on the local boardwalk after the vet visit. I LOVE it there. It is a beautiful place to walk. And it was a cold chilly day which is always Jack's favorite. The drizzle stopped so we even stayed dry. I happened to have my camera with me so I got a few nice pics. (Because my dog is GORGEOUS!! Just saying.) I wish my camera had that setting where it took a 5 second burst of multiple shots tho. I really think getting just the right shot would be way easier with that.

I have been trying for months to get a good shot of this art piece (below) with the dogs. The sun is always in the wrong place. A cloudy day was helpful but it would look better if the trees had some leaves. I think I need to get closer and try a different angle too.

Hopefully I'll get some good pics of the dogs with it eventually. Practice makes perfect right?