Celeste Is the Most Sensitive Dog I Know

I HAS THE SENSITIVITIES

First, Celeste and Mina are majorly disappointed that Californians are such cheapskates they refused to vote for a $18/year surcharge on vehicle fees in order to preserve our state parks. Do none of these naysayers have dogs? Dogs like state parks, when they're allowed to enjoy them.

Next is Celeste and her sensitivity. I knew she was a softie pie, prone to random outbursts of squeaking if you touch her ears the wrong way, but yesterday I learned how sensitive she is.

I was out jogging with my friend and her dogs. Celeste is okay off leash with other dogs, but is still not 100% comfortable. The other two dogs are quite dog social, with one being a little dog inept (as in he loves other dogs but doesn't always get when they're telling him no).

At some point during our jog, Wendal (the inept but utterly adorable canine) ran into Celeste. He weighs a little more than 50 lbs, while Celeste weighs about 38. So sure, Wendal running into you is a bummer, maybe even a little painful.



For Celeste, it was The End of the World. Perhaps in bold-face. And all caps. I have never in all my life heard a dog scream so loudly, for so long over nothing. I'm talking a "death is happening to me now" sort of scream. At first I thought she had been severely injured, maybe a leg split in half or a branch protruding out of her abdomen. I held on to her collar while she sat there screeching bloody murder for nearly a minute. I'm palpating her, checking her over, starting to tear up because the sound she's making is squeezing my heart painfully so.

She's perfectly fine but man is she sensitive. For the rest of the jog, Celeste was pretty much glued to my calves, making jogging a little difficult. She got a little over it towards the end of the jog, but she kept giving Wendal suspicious and slightly angry glares.

I'm so used to stoic Mina. She rarely lets me know when she's in pain. When she does, it's generally a very acute or serious pain. Celeste? Not so much. I'll always believe her, but man it is horrifying when Celeste lets the world know she's hurt - actually or just in her mind.

-Marji B.