The Doctor is In
I know we’ve been talking a lot about pug maintenance lately. I guess it’s just a side effect of being stuck indoors – you start nit-picking. When I run out of things to clean or organize around the house, I start analyzing my pug (that’s normal, right?). The long walks, which had kept Sid’s nails at an adequate length all summer and fall, had been abandoned due to thigh-high snow drifts and arctic temperatures. Sid’s nails were rapidly becoming curled macaroni noodles.
My fear of using the nail-clippers incorrectly and potentially hurting the little dude meant I needed some help. Someone to “get the job done”, “take care of business”, and all that good stuff. My prayers were answered in the form of a slender, grey-clothed new man in town: Doctor Alberto Emel or “Dr. Emel” for short.
The Doctor actually arrived to Pug Slope HQ a couple weeks ago from the Amazon. Based on the Doc’s reputation in the Amazon, I kept the two lads apart at first as I didn’t want to force this new relationship. Some dogs don’t take kindly to new strangers, especially those of the buzzing and shaking variety, so I wanted to make sure both Sid and Dr. Emel felt totally comfortable around each other before anything physical took place. After some initial restraint, Sid soon welcomed the Doc just like he would a fellow pug (although without any humping).
Sid was intrigued by Dr. Emel’s rough 5-o’clock shadow. This was not your typical clean-cut doctor. This guy was more like Gregory House M.D. I explained to Sid that although the Doc’s exterior might appear rough and tumble, he is actually a super nice guy and absolutely loves a good pat on the head – especially on his rough face. He absolutely would LOVE a good scratch with YOUR NAILS on his stubbly beard.
Sid obliged and was soon hanging out with Doc daily, patting him on the head, and scratching his beard. As a side effect to this new relationship, Sid’s nails have been reduced to a much more ideal length. To steal a line from Casablanca:
“I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship”.
