Dog Psychology 101

This picture is what Calvin does when he hears someone come in to our yard.  He spends most of his days napping in the screen porch but if he hears something outside he sneaks up to the screen door and peeks out. If they don't look interesting to him he lays back down and continues to nap.  If he sees a bird at the feeder he wags his tail....he cracks me up.

Today he is off to the vet for his vaccinations and to get some medication for a pesky ear infection.  He trots right into the vet's office being friendly with everyone....I don't think he ever considers that he should be nervous, (or maybe he's not that bright after all).  The problem comes when it is time to go home...I open the hatchback door of our station wagon say "ok, ok" in an excited voice so he'll jump in......and I wait....and he stares at me...and the stand-off begins.  I've tried treats and everything....even climbing in the back of the car myself (this is embarrassing)....but he just sits there and stares at me, refusing to jump in. He weighs about 100 pounds so lifting him up isn't really an option.  So I sit on the bumper of the car with the hatchback up, and him sitting on the pavement beside me, for awhile...and eventually he gets bored and jumps in.

I'm not sure what a dog psychologist would tell me but I guess it's just one of his strange quirks, wish me luck.