They told us to bring Elliot so that he could meet his new cousin. We rarely take Elliot anywhere involving a car because he doesn't care for riding in one. He will tolerate riding in Tom's car because he can stand with his bottom paws on the backseat floor and put his front paws on the console between the seats. This allows him to see out the front window and to get the air coming from the vents. He only likes this when Tom takes him to a park where riding is only five minutes. Sunday we took Darcy's car and Tom rode with Elliot in the back. It was about a 40 minute trip and he did just fine curled up his favorite person's arms.
We got to my SIL's house and Elliot was less than impressed with his new cousin. He sniffed him and then tried to retreat to a nice corner of the kitchen. Hootie Jr. had other ideas however. He kept bounding and hopping around Elliot trying to get him to play. If Elliot turned his back to the pup, Hootie Jr. would bite his tail and Elliot would jump. All of the adults stood around watching the two animals as if watching newborn babies.
It was raining outside so the two had to stay indoors. My SIL just got new carpet so the dogs were confined to the kitchen and the tile floors. Elliot slips and slides on tile so he had no interest in playing. He kept moving away from the pup. The pup would follow, nipping his tail or his snout, bouncing like a little Tigger. Eventually Elliot hopped up on the couch where the pup could not reach him although he tried.
We all took turns playing with the little guy and then he ventured back to mess with Elliot. By this time Elliot had had enough and so when the pup tried to bit him again Elliot snarled his lip and showed his teeth. Hootie Jr. backed off a bit and then hopped up and down around Elliot like a boxer coaxing to be hit. Elliot would try to walk away and the pup would nip him again and Elliot would snap at the air near the pup. It was all very entertaining for us, although Elliot was not amused by our laughing.
On the way home Tom drove. Elliot resisted getting into the car and so Darcy lifted him and put him in the back. I reminded her that Elliot didn't do well in the very back and she eventually moved him up on the empty seat next to her in the second row. We stopped off at the grocery for some snacks and Tom and Darcy headed out into the rain leaving me behind with the dog.
The dog did not care for that. He stood and looked out the window forever. When people would come toward the car he would hop from one seat to the other to watch them out of the windows. Finally he just started his little howling which I shushed up quickly. He was not happy with me.
I explained that they would be back after they purchased some items. I told him that I would be happy to take him out in the parking lot for awhile, but that it was raining too hard for that. I promised him we would be home soon. He finally released a huge sigh and settled down to wait.
They took forever, but they did return and we went home. We hadn't been home more than ten minutes when I noticed Elliot messing with something in the hallway. Turns out he showed us. He vomited in the hallway. Then he vomited in my bedroom. He vomited at the front door. Then he vomited on the front porch. Tom suddenly was hopping around like the pup. He jumped from one pile of vomit to the other asking the dog what he was doing. Elliot ignored him like he had ignored his little cousin and proceeded to move from place to place leaving little piles of puke in his wake.
Some day these people will listen to me when I tell them that this dog does not like car trips. Or other dogs, cousins or not.
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