Dog, Gone

First of all, Canéla is fine, sorry,- it's the other dog, Skye, who has gone.

Yes, after three months with us, she has gone to live with Fenya and Bobby in Toronto. It was impractical to send her out there before Christmas, since the two of them would be joining us in Texas, and in Edmonton before that, and her cargo flight Jan 13 was canceled due to extreme cold here and snowy conditions at YYZ.

The nice people at WetJet Cargo called me at 9:30 the night before to let me know, and gave me the opportunity to re-book her right away, which was appreciated. 

Skye's kennel was already prepped, with a rubber-bottomed bathmat in the bottom, her bed atop that and the single toy permitted, a squeaky, crinkly, purple bat, already ensconced. Rather than give her a water bottle for the flight, the vet suggested we preload the little mongrel with moisture by soaking her food with water in the days prior to travelling.

Thanks in part to the bitter cold we had experienced and a generally laissez-faire attitude to policing her own defecations, Skye had pretty much abandoned pooping outside during her last week with us, which made the upcoming departure as much a relief as it was a sad parting. Most incredibly, Skye had no tells whatsoever indicating she might or already had pooped somewhere in the house, and my best indicator was embarrassed behaviour by Canéla. Skye remained a creature with no discernible shame throughout her time with us.

Still, having said that, it was a bittersweet goodbye at the house when I loaded her and her kennel into the Corolla and took her to the Swissport building at EIA (which, btw, ignore the Google Maps directions that suggest you drive past Guardhouse One and onto the tarmac in order to enter).

I knew I was in the right place because the lady ahead of me in line had a 10-week-old puppy named Riley who was also flying to TO on his own. While her kennel was being weighed, I tried to get her to drink a little or at least go pee, but she was just too distracted.

And no, she was none too eager to go into the kennel on the scale the first time, but the second time she lay down and was quiet, at least initially.

I let the TO crew know she was going to be leaving shortly, and returned home, checking her progress periodically on FlightAware.

And that night, Fenya and Bobby made their way to Canada's busiest airport (actually a warehouse at Pearson, not one of the terminals), and before too long, they spotted Skye's kennel.

Not long after that, they presented their paperwork, collected the kennel and let her out for the first time in around six hours. Amazingly the kennel was dry, and having slept in their bed a few times before Christmas, Skye was eager to see them, and showed no signs of trauma from her experience. 

And now Skye is a big city dog! Living with Fenya and Bobby in their apartment near Cabbagetown, and we got to see her chilling with them on the futon during online D&D Friday night.

I think Canéla was mystified as to her disappearance for a few days and maybe even a little mopey, but seems to be whatever passes for her normal self now.

Truth be told, while I am glad Skye is in her new forever home with people who love her and who don't have carpet, I do miss those rare bits of zoomies, that quaint and raspy smoker's bark or hers, and the chance to have double dog cuddles in the recliner on cold winter days.

But on the other hand, Audrey and I will get to visit her in March, so there is always that to look forward to.