This ol' dog's having a wonderful summer. Lots of good rides with the horses. Lots of going fishing with the guys. (I don't fish of course, but it is still great fun.) Last week they rounded up five horses and we went for a ride (I walked of course). I thought it would be a ride like always, so Sassy-dog and I ran around like we always do ahead of the horses. We figure we probably cover twice as much ground as the horses. We did this for about two hours and then a few things occurred to us: 1) we were getting pretty tired and, 2) we were still moving away from home. So we decided to slow down and walk behind the horses. A good thing too, because it was six hours before we got home. Sassy and I were so pooped that we both flopped down on the living room carpet with all four of our legs sticking up in the air. (That's the way we always sleep.) We probably would have slept 'till morning, but we heard Chandra bringing our dinner.

Then last Saturday, Chris says to me, "P.C., do you want to go to a stamp show?" Now what in the world is a "stamp show"? Do people watch other people stamp around? But I'm a dog, and dogs don't do a lot of analysis, so I just started wiggling all over and thumping my tail, which translates as, "Yeah, Yeah, Yeah!"

Chris packed us a lunch and got her books and we got into the Jeep and started driving. We drove through Gold Hill, then up through Shady Cove along the Rogue River. We stopped and looked in at a Salmon hatchery. Some of those mama Salmon are BIG. Then we drove past the Lost Creek Reservoir and took the turn-off for Crater Lake. Chris told me we were going to Crater Lake for this stamp show thing. She told me that she was meeting her friend Helen there and Helen was bringing her dog Lovie. Chris asked me, "P.C. you remember Lovie, don't you?" Sure I remember Lovie. My rear end still hurts from all the places Lovie nipped me the day I first met her. Lovie is a female Pekinese with the disposition of a Mako shark. Lovie is the wrong name for her--try "JAWS".

We got up to Crater Lake and found Helen. Thank heaven Lovie was on a leash. Chris and Helen hugged each other. Lovie and I gave each other the obligatory sniffs.

Apparently the stamp show wasn't ready to start yet, so we all went for a walk. We walked past the area where the show was being set up and I saw the stamps. Oh, I've got it; stamps are the little colored pieces of paper that Chris plays with some nights on the kitchen table. Now, why anybody would want to drive all the way up here to see stamps is way beyond me. There is just no figuring out humans, and any smart dog doesn't really try.

As we walked around one edge of the lake, Chris told us that the lake was formed by this volcano blowing its top and the crater filling up with water. You should see this lake. It has the bluest blue water you've ever seen with a pine and fir forest all around and even an island in the middle. It's the most spectacular scenery I've ever seen, and I've been a lotta places.

Then we walked over to the old Crater Lake Hotel which was once a huge chalet which they are in the process of restoring. They are writing numbers on each stone, then they take it apart stone by stone. Later they'll be able to put it all back together again the same way it was. Back at the car, Chris told Helen that she was going to take me to the kennels while she was visiting the show and she'd be happy to take Lovie with us. Helen said "no, Lovie can stay in the car." Chris said her car was out in the sun and Lovie would fry. Helen said she'd park in the shade and leave the windows open part way. Chris told her about all the dogs that die in cars even in the shade, and Helen said she'd put Lovie in her hotel room. Chris told Helen again that wasn't a good idea, but Helen persisted, saying she didn't want to spend the money for the kennel. Helen then picked up her dog and said, "come on Lovie-poo," and kissed Lovie right on the mouth. I may be old fashioned, but I think that's disgusting. Chris took me to the kennel; it was clean and nice. Not like some of these dog-jails you hear about. I took a nap. Later Chris came and got me and she said that Helen is in a tissie because Lovie had eaten her way through the motel room door and had gotten lost in the forest. (I still don't think it's too late to change her name to "Jaws".)

We got to the motel and Helen was screaming and the motel owner was screaming about his $200.00 door. Helen came rushing up to me and yelled, "P.C., thank heaven you're here, please find Lovie!" What does she think I am, a bloodhound? Actually, I'm a Rhodesian Ridgeback and we have pretty good sniffers.

It didn't take long to find Lovie's scent trail, because no matter what anybody tells you, Pekinese really do smell different. I had only gone a short distance into the forest and here comes Lovie. She was bleeding from cuts all over, covered with fleas and ticks, her long gold hair was in tangles and she was running back to the motel room as fast as she could go with a decided limp.

We ran back to the motel together. When Helen saw us she yelled, "P.C., you found her, you're wonderful, just like Lassie."

I mean, give me a break, Lovie was almost back anyway. Helen then picked up Lovie and said, "Oh my poor Lovie-poo, you're hurt, you're filthy and you stink. Oh, I've got to get you to the vet!"

The vet was down in Union Creek delivering a baby Llama and by the time he got back, Helen was mostly calmed down. The veterinary assistant had already taken care of Lovie. She first put medicine on Lovie's cuts and them combed her long hair with a flea comb. Whenever she found a flea or tick she would drop it into a dish of soapy water. Those little suckers died instantly.

The vet examined Lovie and said she would be okay. Then he gave Helen some tips for taking animals on car trips. He told her that with indoor pets, like Lovie, watch out for extreme temperatures, either hot or cold. If your pet isn't used to the car, start out with some short trips first. If they are nervous, be gentle and reassuring and take along their favorite blanket or toy. Take your dogs out for short walks frequently on a leash, (don't forget your pooper-scooper) and be respectful of other people's property rights. Animals need plenty of fresh water, especially on warm days. The vet asked Helen if Lovie's shots were current. Helen said she didn't know. He then asked her for the name and phone number of Lovie's vet, and she couldn't remember. This earned Helen a stern lecture from the vet about shots and traveling with your vet's phone number.

After Helen had paid the vet's bill she pulled Chris aside and told her, "I hate to admit it, but you were right about the kennel, but I'm glad we came because I found some stamps I've been looking for forever. I've got to go, so ... bye." She then gave Chris a hug and she came over and gave me a hug and said, "thanks again P.C. for finding Lovie." Then she picked up Lovie and was gone.

Chris took me down to a pretty little creek in the forest where we shared our lunch--that was very nice.

All together it was quite a remarkable day. Hope you're all having a wonderful summer too.

Keep it waggin'
Your friend,
P.C.