Crime scene redux

There was another pug nail-clipping incident today, this time with our black female pug.  R was trimming her nails before giving her a bath while I was working up in my office.  She jerked just as he was cutting and ended up with a really close cut that went deep into the nail.  She didn't cry or carry on, but then R noticed she was bleeding and he couldn't get it to stop.  He put her in the back yard (we learned from the last time with the fawn pug when we had to scrub down the kitchen) and ground some styptic powder to apply.  It didn't help and I tried making some more.  By this time there was blood spattered all over our deck.  I applied a fresh batch but we just couldn't get enough by shaving it off the styptic pencil.  I then remembered a lady at work told me to try flour so I put some in a little spice bowl and plunged her foot into it.  We held it there and it immediately improved.  It took a while, but that did the trick.  Of course flour got on R, on the deck, and on her, but it was better than the blood.

Good lord.  R felt terrible and we have what looks like an ugly crime scene to clean up off the deck, but I guess everything and everyone is okay now.  After it finally coagulated we wanted her to walk around the yard and clean her feet a little in the grass.  We tossed kibble into the grass so she would dawdle out there, and that did the trick.  I believe she will now associate nail clipping with food.

She's a ridiculously intelligent yet disobedient animal.  She's not maliciously disobedient, she just wasn't put on this earth to please humans like some dogs.   I have noticed something about her that I think is incredibly smart.  When we have popcorn in the evening, we rarely wash the popper because it's usually after dishes are done.  Popcorn is her favorite food, so she is always very excited when we make it.  What is interesting though, is that when she hears me begin to wash dishes the day after we have popcorn she comes running into the kitchen.  The reason?  She knows I'll be washing the popcorn popper and there are often a few stray kernels in the bottom of the pan that I'll toss her way if she is nearby.  She never comes when I wash dishes unless I've made popcorn the night before.  And if you think she comes when she hears the popper being moved or clink on the counter, think again.  She comes in before I even touch the popper.  She just remembers that she had popcorn and I haven't washed the popper yet.

I think that's crazy smart. 

She has done really well since the fawn pug died, and in fact is getting more exercise and looks better.  She is on a diet food now and has lost a little weight I think (it may have been undone today while we fed her kibble in the grass).  She isn't penned up with the other dog, so she has the run of the house pretty much.  She hasn't been lonely a bit and in fact appears very content.  I'm thankful for that.

Okay, I've got some Pinterest pinning to do.  I'm into pictures of black and fawn pugs now.  Ta!