Every pet sitter remembers their first out-of-province gig. Ours started with a road trip in our VW bus, from Vancouver Island all the way to Calgary, and came with a small terrier-type dog, a side of heart drama, and a surprisingly long stay in a hospital waiting room.
The journey itself was the classic bus experience: ferry, mountains, lots of scenery, and a top speed that let us appreciate every single kilometre. We rolled into Calgary a little windblown and very ready to meet our new roommate.
Let’s start with the good news: Henry is an absolute sweetheart. He’s a little guy with big fetch energy, and he would happily chase a ball until the sun went down, then look at us like we were the ones who’d quit early. He also has one very strange quirk. Henry cannot make a left-hand turn on a walk. Not won’t, cannot. Every outing became a series of right turns, wide loops and the occasional standoff at a street corner while he calmly considered his life choices. We got our steps in, just never in a straight line, and never to the left.
Then came the plot twist. Partway through the stay, my wife became ill with a heart issue, and our relaxing pet sit turned into a trip to Rocky View Hospital. I’ll say this plainly: the staff made a huge difference. For the most part they were excellent, kind, attentive and reassuring when we needed it most. The wait times, on the other hand, were something else. It took 16 hours before she was admitted and given a room. Sixteen. We’re fairly sure Henry could have fetched the ball, been to the park and learned to turn left in that time.
Through it all, we were grateful for the good care, the understanding homeowners, and one very patient dog who made sure we still had something to smile about.
Our first out-of-province sit taught us a few things: always expect the unexpected, never underestimate a good hospital team, and sometimes the best medicine is a terrier with a tennis ball and a deep commitment to going right.
Henry, wherever your next walk takes you, may it be a clockwise one. And to the bus: thanks for getting us there and home again.
