Alvin Says, Just Say No!

I decided that we should take another trip to the dog park because we haven't been for a while and a new dog park opened close to my home.  Alvin wasn't too keen about having his leash put on which should have been my first clue.  I tried to put his Adopt Me bandanna on and that was a definite no go.  I only have one of the Adopt Me bandannas right now so I figured I would put it on my other dog, Stevie who wasn't having it either.  Clearly a conspiracy has been launched.  I took them out of the car and I felt a tug like a fish on the line and I turned around and Alvin has planted his tiny little bottom on the concrete and has his head turned up to the sky in an effort to resist being pulled even a more inch.  Alvin had absolutely no intention of getting in the car.  We had made some progress with Alvin's fear of car rides but I think after driving him a total of six hours and making him get touched, held, prodded, poked, and caged, he is completely over the car.  Alvin went back to his bugged eyed, panting, seizure-looking stance, and wouldn't that have been the one time that I would get lost and make a three-minute car ride longer?  The good news is that he is GREAT about getting out of the car.  We went to the new dog park and there were so many dogs there and they all seemed playful and well-behaved.  Alvin pretty much stayed to himself other than when he finally located the person with treats in his pocket.  Alvin could have a tremendous future in search and rescue as long as the person had treats in their pocket.  Alvin always generates a lot of conversation because he is just so darn cute.  I did manage to get his Adopt Me bandanna on him after we got to the park but then I looked up and he had managed to get it back off.  He is not being terribly cooperative in the adoption department but I just know that there is his perfect person out there.  I made a short video at the dog park of Alvin's foster sister, Stevie in an effort to try to raise some funds for her cataract surgery so she can see again and while posting it on Stevie's facebook page I noticed Alvin in it and realized that he was afraid at the dog park and I didn't know it at the time.  I am posting the link to Stevie's fb page in case anyone wants to see Alvin in the video.  I didn't even intend to video him but he walked up.  I am learning that one of the subtler ways he shows fear or anxiety is to have his mouth open just a bit like he has on the video.  He gets that worried look and opens his mouth.  It might not interest most of you but if any of you want to take a look, you can get an idea of what I am talking about.  I am going to have to watch him more closely to see if the dog park is actually a source of stress for him.  Here is the link to Stevie's facebook page and the video is the most recent post:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=100002758301313

One of our readers asked if I could get someone to assist me in giving Alvin's eye drops and although it would seem as though that would be helpful, I think with Alvin being so little and such a whirling dervish that another body might just get in the way........okay, so the truth is that I look like an idiot during the process and I don't need a witness.