Who's afraid of the big bad firecracker?

I'm going to become a better blogger. I AM. I miss it.

Thankfully, my thumb is actually... drum roll please... after a month of slow and painful healing... on the mend!!! So that should help. It's still wrapped in a big white poufy wad of gauze, but it's slightly less big and marginally less poufy than it was three weeks ago so I'm thrilled with the progress.

Hubs is in Boston this weekend for a friend's wedding, and I'm broken hearted that I'm not there with him. He's having a great time and visiting with lots of old friends and coworkers, so he's making the most of the trip. Hero and I are holding down the fort, which has been interesting to say the least.

The thing I've learned about Hero is, he's terrified of fireworks. Which makes 4th of July weekend an absolute blast (sarcasm and pun intended). Last night, after a day spent cleaning our house from top to bottom, I gratefully stepped into the shower. Moments later, I opened my eyes through the mist of water to find I was not alone. Hero was with me, curled up in the corner of the shower shaking like a leaf. In the shower!!! I heard the fireworks booming in the distance. He looked up at me with wide, terrified eyes as the water pelted him periodically in the face (and for those of you who don't know, Hero HATES getting wet). His fur drooped over his eyes and curled into tiny ringlets on his head as he inched close enough to be sure he was touching my leg, just in case. I've never seen anything quite so pathetically sad.

Try as I might I couldn't coax him back out - he was not about to leave my side. So I hurriedly rinsed as much shampoo from my knotted hair as possible and turned the water off with soap still clinging to my barely clean body. Poor little guy was drenched but wouldn't be pried away from me. I wrapped him up in a towel and put him in our bed. He was trembling so much that he couldn't even move. His adorable stub of a tail was tucked so far under his legs it wasn't even visible. He hid his face under the pillows and curled as close to me as he could get. He lay there in a tight little ball for the next five hours. About thirty minutes in he fell asleep, and the twitching subsided as his breath evened out. After three hours or so he loosened his body and stretched out a bit. I've never seen anything like it, and I'm dreading tonight. My poor little baby boy!!!!!

Regardless, I may keep the bathroom door closed in the future. It's a little disconcerting to shower with your dog, whatever the reason behind it.

 

14 comments:

'Murgdan' said...

Oh how I dread the 4th of July...and New Year's Eve. My dog is the same way...shaking, pacing, panting. I am dreading tonight. DREADING it! I feel your pain.

(though I think Jack is more afraid of bathing than he is of fireworks, or at least it's a tie, so he would never ever come near the shower)

1:49 PM
Jess said...

Welcome back...I missed you! :)

Your poor dog! Poor little guy...thank God it is only once a year!

babyparamore.blogspot.com

4:53 PM
calicobebop said...

Poor Hero! Still, finding a wet terrified animal in the shower with me is not exactly my idea of fun. :)

5:04 PM
CC :D said...

hahahaha hilarity. :)

8:02 PM
shopgirl said...

Awww... poor little guy!! but you are a great doggie mom!! so many people don't realize how horrible this holiday is for the poochers. I'm sure he appreciated your kindness. I'm lucky, my two pooches are not scared of the fireworks - which is a good thing since I live in a "hood" where yahoo's set off their own fireworks all ding dong night!!

11:35 AM
Laura said...

Poor Hero... what a sight he must have been! Our dog daisy is afraid of firecrackers too... but not nearly as bad. I still feel sorry for her though.

2:11 PM
xxxx said...

Awwww ... poor doggie :)

10:12 PM
zipbagofbones said...

Oh man, that poor dog has ISSUES that don't stop. I hate to see the poopers tremble like that, it breaks your heart.

2:21 PM
zipbagofbones said...

Oh and I'm SO GLAD your poor appendage is healing up. Yowsa!

2:23 PM
Unknown said...

Poor Hero!!! I swear, he looks just like my little Wyatt, just bigger. And Wyatt is scared to death of fireworks, too. Poor guy was shaking and kept running to his crate. I thought for sure he would poop in the house but thankfully he didn't! My other dog? She didn't care less! In fact, she was excited to come outside with us and watch!

But your dog in the shower? FUNNY!

9:48 AM
Bob said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
9:53 PM
Bob said...

yeah...isn't it creepy the way your dog looks at you when you are naked?

10:01 PM
Vanessa said...

I've actually showered with my dog thinking, oh we'lll both get clean in here, then I can poke her out the shower door and the SO would dry her off.

Umm, that didn't go so well.

7:31 AM
Bob said...

Well...maybe you're bloggin', but it ain't here!

7:44 PM