6/10/10: Who Ruined Who (A Jasper Tail..err.. Tale)

So I took Jasper for a mani-pedi/ear cleaning today. It was the first time someone besides me did it. We get to the Pet Smart where we were having it done and the first thing he does is jump out of the car and take off so fast that his leash snaps. Luckily, he knows better than to go far, so I grabbed the piece that is still attached to his collar (since the retractable part rolled back into the holder) and led him around by that (which means I was walking around hunched over and it looked more like he was dragging me). We get into the pet smart and he just can't stand all of the cuteness competition. He tries to play with every dog in the store while I am barely able to hang on to this string attached to his harness. Finally we make it all the way to the back of the store where the grooming area is. The grooming area is this large area with tables and windows so you can see the people working on the dogs. The lady takes him and heads back to a grooming table. I head into the store and grab a new leash. I get ready to check out and find my Visa Debit card in my purse looks nothing like it used to... apparently, I had not put it back in my wallet last time I used it and Jasper got it and chewed it. You couldn't even read the numbers any more... at least he was nice enough to leave it where he found it. The look on the clerks face when I pulled it out was priceless. So now it's after 5, the dog is in the process of being groomed, and I have no way of getting cash or paying. Luckily I had enough to pay for the leash and the grooming with about $10 left over.

I head back to the grooming area and Jasper is being very good - at least I think he is being good. He is laying quietly on the table while the girl trims his claws. The lady looks at me, then looks at Jasper and just shrugs and goes back to clipping his claws. I soon realize that she is not used to dealing with dogs who aren't standing. Apparently she had spent the entire time I was shopping trying to get him to stand up so she could get to his paws more easily. When I clip his nails at home, he hates having it done, so I have him lay down because he doesn't pull his paws so much. So he was being good and doing what he thought he was supposed to do - it just wasn't what she expected. She tried several times to pick him up and make him stand, but it was like picking up a wet towel. He kept looking at me like "What is she thinking?!?!?" She finally finishes. She tells me, "I have never had a dog who refuses to stand up before. He just would NOT stand up!" and we leave.

So we get back to the car. It's VERY hot. I am sweating, the dog is panting. I decide to stop at Chik-Fil-A for ice cream for me and water for him. I order a small shake to put in the freezer for later, a small ice cream cone to eat in the car, and a cup of ice water. I forgot that they use the domed open top lids for the shakes since they put whipped cream on them. "I can do this" I think to myself when she hands me the 2 cups. I put the water down and take the lid off and put it in the center cup holder. Jasper takes a couple of licks. I put the shake cup down and put the lid from the water cup over the hold in the dome lid. As I get the ice cream cone, the cashier asks me if I want a biscuit for Jasper. "Sure" I say. I reach up for the biscuit and Jasper C. once again earns his middle name "Crumbsnatcher" and proceed to eat the ice cream off the cone as fast as he can before I can get it away from him. I pull away from the window - dog biscuit on the floor and ice cream cone half eaten. As the ice cream starts melting all over me, I decide to toss it out the window and Jasper is enjoying his water. Well, I thought he was enjoying his water. I look down and his water is untouched. He has knocked the flat lid off of the dome lid and has proceeded to eat the cherry, most of the whipped cream and was working on the shake. "JASPER! NO!" I yell. I grab the shake, but not to be out-gamed Jasper uses his newly manicured paws to snag the hole in the dome of the lid and dumps shake all over me. Luckily we were almost home by this point.

We get home, get out of the car, and come inside. I clean myself up and give Jasper dirty looks. I sit down on the couch with the laptop and get ready to send an email telling everyone how bad he has been. I reach for the mouse and get nothing but hair. Jasper has sat down on the mouse and refuses to move. "Jasper, really?" I say to him. He proceeds to lay down on the mouse and go to sleep. I give in and decide to wait until later to send the email.

I am not sure if he ruined me or if I ruined him, but today was definitely not an example of discipline and grace for either of us.