Week Over; Crisis Averted

Last week was seriously the week from hell. I worked late every night, got way stressed out and didn't spend nearly enough time with my friends, family and, honestly, myself. I also almost lost the dog. Here's the story, about five days later:

I was out doing a good run/walk with the dog after work. (Siena has problems just jogging, so we always do intervals of sprinting and walking.) After a good sprint, we slowed to a walk and then turned off from a fairly major street onto a quiet side-street. Siena was walking ahead of me by a few feet and happened to pull the leash a bit. Apparently, the tug was enough to completely break her collar, thereby leaving her completely free...no leash, no collar, no tags, no nothing. Without the leash's resistance to pull her back, little Siena lunged forward and then (thankfully) looked back at me to see what was up. Apparently my look of panic and call for her to come was enough to convince her that she better behave. She came right over, I scooped her up, and I carried her the 3/4 of a mile home. At 23 pounds, it was quite the arm workout. And, unlike most times when I pick her up, she didn't squirm at all. I was proud, albeit still a little freaked, but very proud of our pup.

Then, when I got home, Ryan was on the phone talking to my dad about taxes. He passed the phone off to me, and I attempted to simultaneously get a new collar on Siena (when we first got her, we accidentally got a collar that was too big -- but, no surprise, it fits now) and discuss with my dad what documents I'd need to do my taxes. Somehow I ended up underneath the table with the dog. When I came up from under it, I whacked my head on the edge of the table, leaving a nasty red mark on my forehead, a father puzzled as to why I was cussing so much, a worried husband and a dog that looked disturbed by my second sudden freak out.

It was a fun night. And thankfully, one that turned out with only a mild red mark the next day on my forehead and a dog that was fitted with a stronger and more safe collar. Thank goodness for patient friends, family and a mostly behaved pup. And thank goodness that week is over!