So I saw that footballer Nuno Tavares hanging out with his dog on Instagram, and man that pooch looked happy. Got me thinking – could I make my rescue terrier that happy? Decided to try out all the tips for pet care you see online. Here’s how it went down.
First Thing: Feeding Drama
Dug into my kitchen cabinet like a raccoon searching for treats. Found this fancy organic kibble I bought months ago when feeling guilty for working late. Scooped it into Bowser’s bowl thinking he’d go nuts. Dude sniffed it once and walked away. Total rejection! Next morning tried mixing in some cooked chicken scraps. That did it – tail went crazy and he licked the damn bowl clean. Lesson learned: gotta give the people’s food sometimes.
Walk Fails Turned Wins
Grabbed the leash all enthusiastic like “We’re gonna walk five miles today buddy!”. Made it around two blocks before he planted his butt on some neighbor’s lawn and refused to move. Seriously? Then I remembered seeing Nuno playing fetch with his dog in a park video. Went to the local baseball field instead. Threw a slobbery tennis ball until my arm hurt. The idiot ran like his tail was on fire. Came home and passed out snoring for hours. Mission accomplished.
Bath Time Chaos
Got cocky after the walk success. Filled the bathtub three inches high thinking “How hard can this be?”. Called Bowser over all cheerful. Soon as he saw water? Full rebellion. Took two treats and my sister holding his collar while I poured water with a measuring cup. Shampoo everywhere – on ceiling, my face, his terrified eyes. Finally rinsed him using the sink spray hose. Afterwards he acted like I betrayed him for a solid hour.
Vet Visit Strategy
Put off shots for weeks cause Bowser hates the carrier. Saw online to make it fun. Tuesday night started hiding treats inside the carrier. Thursday he was sleeping in it voluntarily. Friday appointment came – walked into carrier for turkey slices. Vet was shocked. Got treats before/during shots. Only peed a little on their floor. I’ll take that W.
After three weeks of this? My terrier runs to the door when he hears the leash jingle, demands chicken like it’s union-mandated, and naps happily in his favorite sun spot. Turns out consistency beats perfection. Even on days we skip walks cause I’m busy. Not all sunshine – still loses his mind over squirrels – but hey that’s pets for ya. They kinda train us too.
