Limpy Bumpy and Hungry go Snowshoeing

Limpy:

Bumpy:


Hungry:

Yesterday the humans took Limpy, Bumpy, and Hungry snowshoeing. Before leaving home Limpy was given anti-inflammatories to keep his shoulder (the one that makes him limp) happy. Limpy liked his medicine. It tasted like honey!

When they first arrived at the trailhead, the humans tried to carefully lift Limpy out of the car to protect his already-angry shoulder. But Limpy didn't care about his shoulder. He just wanted to jump! He did his best to jump over the humans' heads before they kept him from jumping, but he was thwarted. Sometimes those humans are fast!

After Limpy Bumpy and Hungry were out of the car they waited impatiently, barking and whining while the humans donned coats, boots, hats, scarves, and snowshoes. Silly humans! Why do they need so much stuff? Limpy Bumpy and Hungry didn't need stuff. They just needed to run!

Finally the the snowshoeing began. The snow was a little icy, and about 20 minutes into the hike Hungry was leaving bloody pawprints everywhere he went. The humans stopped and helped Hungry into some boots that would protect his feet. But Hungry did not like the boots. Not at all! He began leaping around like his feet were on fire and biting at the tops of his boots whenever he had a chance. Fortunately Hungry likes cookies. He likes cookies a lot! When the humans showed him cookies and let him eat the cookies he left his boots alone. So, Hungry got to eat a lot of cookies! Hurray for cookies!

Once Hungry's feet were taken care of the crew pressed forward for about 10 minutes longer until Bumpy began leaving bloody pawprints everywhere she went. Bumpy hadn't ever worn boots before, and she did not like the idea of wearing them. Not at all! All three humans worked together to try to get the boots on her. They worked hard! I kind of looked like they were all wrestling, but they weren't. They were just working hard!

The humans tried to distract Bumpy from the boots by showing her cookies and letting her eat them--just like they had done with Hungry. It seemed like the cookies were going to make it easier to get the boots on Bumpy, but then Hungry saw the cookies and quickly wedged himself between the humans and Bumpy so that he could eat the cookies. All of the cookies! Because he was hungry! And eating cookies is fun! Bumpy didn't mind when Hungry wedged himself in because that made it harder for the humans to get the boots-of-doom on her feet.

While the humans wrestled Bumpy into her boots-of-doom, and Hungry did his best to eat ALL of the cookies (even the ones in the humans' pockets), Limpy began eating icy snow. They icy snow made the crack in Limpy's nose bleed. Limpy didn't care though, because eating snow is fun! Even when it makes your nose bleed! The humans allowed Limpy to keep eating the icy snow because it was keeping him out of trouble while they dealt with the other bleeding dogs. So, Limpy ate a lot of snow. Then he threw up. The humans saw that he threw up, but didn't do anything about it because they were still wrestling with Bumpy and trying to fend of Hungry. Limpy almost immediately began eating his own vomit. The exasperated humans figured he would need the calories in the vomit to make it through the rest of the day, so they just let him eat it. Limpy was happy! Because eating vomit is fun!

Just as the humans were finally getting the boots secured on Bumpy's feet they noticed that Bumpy was becoming very bumpy. She had bumps on her head, muzzle, neck, shoulders, chest, knees, and tail. The bumps scared the humans. They were afraid her throat would swell shut, so they turned around to head back to the car because they didn't want Bumpy to die.

On the way back to the car Limpy was bleeding from the nose, limping, and had a belly full of his own vomit. But he was happy! Because he was snowshoeing! And snowshoeing is fun! Bumpy was covered in ominous bumps that the humans feared would lead to asphyxiation, was bleeding from one paw, and wearing the boots-of-doom. But she was happy too! Because she was snowshoeing! And snowshoeing is fun! Hungry was also bleeding from one paw, was very hungry, and was occasionally trying to bronco-kick his boots off. But he was happy as a lark! Because he was snowshoeing! And showshoeing is fun! The humans were mostly worried. Even though they were snowshoeing! Silly humans!

A final note from one of the humans on the snowshoeing trip described above: Bumpy was taken directly to a veterinarian (by which time her bumps were gone) and given an injection of steroids. She's no worse for the wear, and as enthusiastic as ever.