First off, let me say that Lacy loved the vet. They would get down on the ground with her, roll around and take her temperature. Lacy loved everyone, but she especially loved anyone who would get down on the ground with her. She had no problems jumping into the car for a ride to the vet. They spoiled her there!
Lacy was a large dog. Her healthy weight was around 78 lbs. When we got her, she was close to 90. With frequent walks, runs, and playtime, we quickly trimmed her down to a much healthier weight.
During the first month of COVID, before I started her daily mile, she started gaining weight again. I took her to a routine vet appointment, and my wife was sure she was going to be told that we’d have to put the dog on another diet.
While I was waiting in the lobby, an older lady looked at Lacy and asked how old she was. “She’s seven,” I said. At this time, the gray on her snout was only just starting to show up.
“Oh, she’s in excellent shape!”
Lacy’s weight fluctuated up and down afterwards (when we finally said goodbye, she was a scant 68). For years, I’d tell people that the last time I went to the vet, I was told that Lacy was in great shape. Courtney never got tired of chiming in, “Not by the vet!”
It was a favorite bit, and is one of the many things I miss about my ol’ girl.
Lacy could stand on her back legs like she was people.
She especially liked to do this at retail stores, or when waiting for my wife to come home, if she heard her car door.
Whenever we’d take her to the vet, Lacy would walk up to the counter, stand up at it like she had A Business To Do, and wait to be acknowledged. We liked to joke that she’d ring the bell if she could.
This habit was largely broken when she tried to do the same at the Pet Smart, but choose not a counter but a swinging wooden door to lean her weight on. The door swung forward, Lacy with it, and she panicked, reverting to her normal, unenlightened form.
Lacy used to drink a lot of water. A lot of water. On two separate occasions, we took her to the vet and had the following conversation:
Us: She drinks a lot of water
Vet: She’s a big dog, that’s normal.
Us: Like a gallon a day.
Vet: That’s concerning, let’s run tests!
Vet: Okay, we’ve ran some tests and learned that Lacy really likes water. That’ll be $300
This happened TWICE!
For the rest of 2024, each Friday I am sharing a story about my dog. We said goodbye to Lacy in October. From the Hart is wearing black and acting in a somber fashion.