It was a big week for Chance. Not only did he get his new wheelchair, but he had his first visit to the Modern Dog office and dropped by S.A.I.N.T.S. for a visit during their open house. It was also a bit of a stressful week in our house—at least for me it was. Cash and Chance seemed to be taking a step backwards in their progress towards becoming friends, and the smell of urine has engulfed my house and all things in it. These dogs seem determined to break me…little do they know, I am unbreakable.

In order to prepare for Chance’s big day at the office, I packed a diaper bag full of all the essentials: diapers, baby wipes, food, a bed, a blanket; what more could he need? So we set off on our way to work. That car ride was probably the most unpleasant 90 minutes I’ve spent since being forced to sit through He’s Just Not That Into You. Chance cried all the way from Abbotsford to Surrey before finally falling asleep, when, of course, I woke him up by shouting at a fellow motorist who displayed less than courteous behaviour. Suddenly, the image of that frazzled mother popped into my head again “Ahhh, you woke the baby!” Just one step closer to the brink of madness. Fantastic.

Upon our arrival, I realized that the bed I had packed for Chance was covered in urine, so he would have to make do with just a blanket. Well, he certainly didn’t suffer. Being the dirty old man that he is, Chance was delighted with all of the attention he received from the ladies at the office. He even made a pass at Rose, our resident red-headed, long haired Dachshund. She shot him down, but he found love with another. Maxine, a human member of the Modern Dog team, was taken in by Chance’s handsome face despite his tough exterior, and the two of them became fast friends. Although Chance was reveling in the experience of being a Modern Dog intern, I was slightly less enthusiastic about his first day. Let’s just say I won’t be going barefoot anywhere near my desk…or in my car. But all things considered, the day was a success.

Next came Saturday, which would be Chance’s triumphant return to S.A.I.N.T.S. I won’t lie; I was a bit apprehensive about bringing him back with us for the open house. It was bad enough that Jeremy had stolen my rightful place as his favourite, now I would be bringing him back to the people (or person) he loved before us—Laura. Laura was the first person to hold Chance’s when he was surrendered to S.A.I.N.T.S, and had quickly become his go-to girl for cuddles and care. What if, this time, he didn’t want to leave?

We decided that we would put Chance in his wheelchair so he could check out his old digs with his new found freedom. He was thrilled to see everyone, not just Carol and the familiar volunteers who cared for him, but the visitors (even the kids!) who were meeting him for the first time. It turns out that many of them were fans of the blog and were already familiar with Chance’s triumphant tale. He even attracted the attention of some reporters from the local papers, so look out for the Mongolian Monster in your newspapers! Everything went wonderfully, even his reunion with Laura. I’ll be honest, I felt pangs of jealousy when he cried upon seeing her for the first time, especially when he continued to cry each time she walked away from him, but when we loaded him back into the car, he seemed satisfied to be leaving with his best buddy (and me).

So that was our week, packed full of fun and frustration. But that’s what I signed up for, isn’t it? I’m living the dream, one pee-filled day at a time.