The Lampshade

Once Maggie had gotten healthy enough, we made the decision that most pet owners make and took her to the vet to get her fixed. As cute as they would have been, we really didn't want a bunch of puppies running around the house. While I don't remember dropping her off at the vet for the night or how drowsy she must have been from the drugs, I do remember one very distinct souvenir from Maggie's surgery - the lampshade.

You've all seen it. That pitiful-looking dog walking down the street with a giant hunk of plastic forming that oh-so-flattering cone around its head. You feel bad for it because it must have just had some sort of medical procedure and it looks completely ridiculous, but at the same time you can't help but chuckle a bit. Well, Maggie was no different, looking just as strange as every other dog who has to suffer the same public humiliation. But I must say, other than the fact that her lampshade seemed to get on her nerves here and there, she didn't let it slow her down at all. She just kept on going with her normal Maggie routine. This was great for her, but admitedly came with its own minor irritations for us.

Like most dogs, Maggie's nose ruled her life. But as a beagle, her nose truly seemed to have a mind of its own and she followed it everywhere. When she would go for a walk, Maggie's nose rarely left the ground, and this didn't change after her surgery. As frustrating as it must have been for her, the lampshade still didn't stop her from trying to sniff every inch she could, causing an incredibly irritating scraping sound against the pavement. As she walked through the kitchen, excitedly searching for every crumb of food she could find, the lampshade would whack against chairs, cabinets, the fridge, you name it. It didn't take long before Maggie wasn't the only one who wanted to get rid of her new accessory.

Luckily, within about a week or so, Maggie had healed enough where we didn't have to worry about her chewing out her stitches and we could take off the menacing lampshade. Not only was Maggie glad to have free reign again, but we were glad to have our normal dog back...as well as quieter walks.