”When defeat comes, accept it as a signal that your plans are not sound, rebuild those plans, and set sail once more toward your coveted goal.” ~Napolean Hill

Elvis is persnickety about what he will allow us to do to him.  We’ve had a leash problem in the past, but that seems to be handled now.  Jim is able to put his leash on and off at will, and Elvis is happy to have it on to go outside.  I haven’t tried to pick Elvis up since the first week we had him.  He growled at me both times I tried although he let the vet assistants lift him into the tub and out of it when he went for grooming.  I guess he figured I had no reason to lift him, and he wasn’t sure what I meant to do with him when I lifted him.  He could see the purpose in being lifted into the tub.  I just wanted to see if he’d let me.  The answer was no.  If a time ever comes when I need to lift Elvis, I’ll see if the answer has changed.

Recently, Elvis has had an ear ache.  Pugs’ ears are susceptible to that because their ear flaps fold over their ears and that’s a prime breeding condition for germs, so I have to clean Kojak’s ears frequently to keep them clear of infection.  Kojak doesn’t really like having the cold liquid put in his ear, but he hunches down obediently and lets me do it.  After it’s over, I say, “Shake it off, Kojak,” and he shakes that wonderful pug shake from his head all the way down his body.  Of course, he would do that even if I didn’t tell him to.  Elvis doesn’t like me to mess with his ears.  He’s allowed me to clean them, but I’ve not done a very good job because I have to follow him around, cajoling him and giving him treats, and it gets done eventually, but not very well.  Elvis runs if he doesn’t want something done to him, and he growls if he really feels threatened.  And we’ve learned the hard way that Elvis’ growl is tame compared to his bite.

Two nights ago, I noticed that Elvis was practically break dancing on his head, trying to rub his right ear.  So, I looked at it, and it was very red and hot.  I decided to just go for the ear medicine that I have on hand for Kojak.  Elvis didn’t know what I was going to do, and by the time he figured out that I was squirting something in there, I had already applied the medication.  I intended to do it again yesterday morning, but I forgot because I had family coming in from out of town and things got busy and hectic in the house fast.  I didn’t really even think about it anymore until last night when Elvis was snorting and rubbing his head all over the bed again.  So, I got the medicine out, and moved over to Elvis.  I let him sniff the little bottle, and he moved away from me on the bed. I moved closer to him and pulled his ear flap back and saw that it was still very red.  So, I got the medicine bottle to the ear, but Elvis moved away again.  Then I did something that if I had been thinking well, I wouldn’t have done.  I got up and went to the end of the bed where Elvis was sitting and stood over and tried to hold him in place to put the ear drops in.  He was growling, and I was determined.  And in an instant, Elvis leapt toward my chest with his front paws to push me away and about scared me to death with his vicious, snarling, teeth exposed growl.  Kojak scattered.  Jim sat up in alarm.  Jim has been the recipient of those snarling teeth, and he feared I’d been bitten.  I hadn’t.  Elvis was on the floor, and I moved toward him, determined to doctor his ear.  Jim screamed, “Are you insane?  No! He’s warned you!”  I stopped, a little miffed that Jim had stopped me.  I just looked at him and said it had to be done.  Jim, the voice of reason in the face of my crazed determination to win the battle with this little pudgy dog, said, “Okay.  But not now.  He’s tired.  It’s been a long day.  He’s been overstressed today.  Let’s wait until he’s had a good night’s sleep, and he’s calmer.”  I don’t know what I’d do without Jim sometimes.  I had to agree that he was right.

I would have just let it go until morning because I thought Elvis had won, and there was no other way.  I felt bad for Elvis because he was walking around with his head cocked to the right side and his ear flap down firmly against the side of his head, a sure sign that he was in pain with the ear.  I just told him I was sorry and that we’d try the medicine again in the morning.  It wasn’t until I was putting on my face creams before heading to bed that  I felt my palms severely tingling, and I realized that I hadn’t even thought about using Reiki on him.  I’m a fairly new Reiki practitioner, so it doesn’t always occur to me to use it until I’ve thought of other possibilities first.  I know the Reiki works because I’ve used it successfully for myself and for Jim a number of times.  And the wonderful thing about Reiki is it is not intrusive like a medicine bottle is.  I wouldn’t even necessarily have to touch Elvis to do it. 

So, when I went to bed, I just sent the Reiki to Elvis as he sat at the foot of the bed.  He lay down.  I kept sending the Reiki to him with the intention that the pain subside, the inflammation be relieved, and Elvis be able to relax and sleep peacefully.  A few moments later, Elvis was soundly asleep.  I kept the Reiki flowing for a few more minutes before cutting it off and going to sleep myself.  Elvis slept in the same place all night long.  He didn’t even wake up and accompany me to the bathroom as he usually does when I got up around 4.  He was just snoring peacefully when I came back to bed.  At 7 a.m., he woke me up with a kiss on the nose, and I petted him and loved on him as I always do.  He leaned back against me, exposing his belly for light rubbing, and then laid his head on my waist, his right ear very close to my hands, and his ear flap open, so I sent Reiki to him up close with the intent that the pain be eased and the inflammation be gone.  He was very content to lie there for several minutes.  Finally, Jim came with his harness to take him for his morning constitutional. 

Jim and I both noticed that he didn’t seem in any pain, not tilting his head in the direction of the pain nor holding his ear flap tightly.  For all practical purposes, he seems to be fine.  He is lying on the floor next to me, sound asleep and snoring contentedly while Kojak is restlessly moving around me waiting for his breakfast.  I’ll use the Reiki on him several times today as I feel the need to do so.  And maybe when he’s very relaxed, I’ll have a look at the ear.  If it’s still red, I’ll see if he will let me put the drops in. 

Sometimes when I think have the best solution to something, I haven’t truly thought my plan through.  Sometimes I just charge ahead like the proverbial bull in the china closet.  But I’ve learned something from Elvis.  Sometimes, it is to my best interest to think things through first.  I know that Elvis has a fear of being overpowered when someone is standing over him.  I forgot that last night for a moment until Elvis warned me.  I am only remembering now that the time I successfully got the drops in his ear is when I was sitting on the same level with him and he didn’t feel so threatened.  The Reiki, while very healing, is not threatening at all.  So, I’ll remember what Elvis has taught me.  At least for today.  It takes  a long time for humans sometimes.