Lesson Learned, or Tonks Gets To Come To Christmas!

Things get pretty hectic around Christmas.  I have so much I have to remember: making travel plans, packing, prepaying bills, utility and services to put on hold, etc.  In the hubbub we may have forgotten to get the Tonks into a kennel for Christmas.  By the time I remembered to remind Eric it was too late, and there was no room in the tiny doggy inns.  So...she got to come too.  It turns out it was exactly the same price to leave her here or bring her with us, so I thought "Wow, this will be amazing!  We will have her with us for Christmas for the 1st time.  It will be awesome!"

Nope.

I don't like flying on airplanes so I knew it would be hard on her.  Because I am ridiculously invested in my dogs well being we went to the vet, got her papers and some doggy Valium.

We got to try out the Valium right away at the hotel.  It did help keep her moaning down to a manageable volume where we could actually get a little sleep.

Even wrapped in a security blanket, flanked by the girls wasn't enough to help the poor dog sleep.

Blurry picture, but Tonks is in her carrier on the express train in the airport.  She was pretty good in the airport.  She must be a people watcher like me!

I tried to help Tonks with the air pressure by giving her treats to chew on, but I think she caught on and started whining as soon as she finished a treat because she knew I would immediately shove another one in her kennel by my feet.  She was worse than any of my kids ever where!!!

Tonks just about met her limit when we got to my parents house and she was assaulted by a GIANT loving mass of Casey.  She did NOT want to get off my lap.

and it pretty much stayed that way for the entire trip.  If she couldn't be on my lap she was hiding under the desk in our room where Casey couldn't love her to death.

Seeing her constantly on laps or on the couch made Casey a little jealous.  I'm not sure who wished he was a lap dog more here, Casey or Dad.

Toward the end Tonks started seeing that Casey really did just want to be friends and they started bonding over food.  Or basically Casey let Tonks have all the food all of the time...

Until he didn't.  He finally broke on one of our very last nights.  He had been so good, so kind, always letting her lick the plates first, but then Dad made bacon.  The bacon was the end of it all.  Casey tried to let Tonksie lick the pan first, but...well...it was BACON.  He finally snapped at her, and luckily I was there to yank her out of the way from his giant mouth.  I don't think he wanted to hurt her, he seemed really chagrined afterwards, but she didn't leave our room, unless forced, for the rest of the trip.