He Can't Be Tamed

Mike and I recently drove to Colorado for a little (well, not really "little", we were gone over a week!) vacation. The reason for the driving was threefold: it is only about 12 hours, it was cheaper than flying, and Crockett could come with. After all, how many long car rides has he gone on and been absolutely fine? (The answer is too many to count.) Well, I am here to tell you that from June 30 thru July 8, the planets all aligned, the moon was full, and Crockett was an absolute nightmare in the car.

Typically, the dog has no problems falling asleep while driving. (Again, I can reference our multiple moves, and my road trips home with him, to feel I can adequately say that he has always done fine in the car.) Mike and I find we need to hit a speed of about 70 mph (Crockett's cruising speed) and he will settle down and sleep the rest of the way. The speed limit out here is 75, so we figured we were golden.

Not so. I so wish I had a photo to share. For 841 miles, he did not shut his eyes to sleep even once. Instead, for 841 miles, he panted. For 841 miles, his body was shaking. For 841 miles, his heart was going at a rate of probably 1000 beats per minute. (This scared me, and so I am not ashamed to admit I used my phone to Google the phrase: "Is it possible for a dog to give himself a heart attack?") And don't even get me started on the drool. The boy got himself so worked up that he wouldn't eat anything (not even treats), but would only drink a full 48 ounces of water at every pit stop. And then it drooled all over the inside of Mike's car. We could have irrigated entire fields with Crockett's saliva.

On the return trip, we purchased some Benadryl, thinking we could drug our dog into road trip dreamland. It did not even seem to have the tiniest effect, and instead, Crockett tried to dig his way under the driver's seat. At one point, he also managed to break through the gap in between our dog gate and cooler and ended up on Mike's lap in the passenger seat. With the wind from the AC vents blowing in Crockett's face, dog hair flew around the car in a small funnel cloud.

Well, as you can imagine, this was very frustrating and annoying. I have given up trying to figure it out, because like I mentioned, he's been perfectly fine every other time. The only explanation I have is that perhaps Crockett did not approve of Mike and my choice in audio book: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Which is impossible. No dog of mine would disapprove of a little Harry Potter.

Luckily, the driving was not a harbinger of the vacation itself. We had a great time in Colorado: eating, fireworks, hanging out, relaxing, hiking, camping. Unfortunately that amazing time is bookended in yet another episode of Crockett at his finest.