Heart Like a Dog

The Good, the Bad, and the Oh My God of living with dogs!

Follow-Up Friday – May 23, 2014

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Welcome to this week’s edition of Follow-up Friday, the post where I highlight reader’s comments, answer questions and generally just wrap up my week.

You Make Me Smile – May 18, 2014

Mama, there are so many things to sniff, please let me up.

Mama, there are so many things to sniff, please let me up.

Here’s what I love about you.  Yes, I’m talking to you dear reader.  It’s that you get what an important and significant milestone this is and you celebrate it with me!  I’m so incredibly grateful to be able to share it with you.  Thank you.

Chloe is Not Coming

There was a problem with commenting on this post.  Some of you tried and could not.  I had updated some plug ins and I think there were some conflicts.  I went in and deactivated some, and it seems to have worked.  I’m sorry for those of you who tried but could not comment.

Emma had the best advice: “Some people just will never get it, it may be best for you to just drink in this situation.”

I like the way  you think Emma!

Mary asked, “I have wondered more than once, how do you educate people? Maybe we could carry a pamphlet with training and dog etiquette tips to hand out.”

For me the question is, will they be open to it?  I mean let’s face it, the typical dog owner is not one the amazing folks of Blogville nor are they HLAD readers.  It’s tough to educate someone who a) doesn’t want to be educated or b) feels they know everything they need to.

Speaking of Mary, have you all checked out her new blog?

Lauranne had the next best comment: “I think you should try the slapping them round the head with the clip end of the lead technique.”

Oh my lord, can you imagine if I could do that without being arrested?  I imagine there’d be a good many folks walking around my neighborhood with welts on their heads. 🙂

2 Brown Dawgs said, “You better not come and train with us because we are using the Hillmann method to reinforce sit and it has us saying “sit, sit, sit” several times.”

Oh my, maybe it’s different when you are training hunting dogs, I’ve been told if you repeat it six times you will need to say it six times before the dog sits because that is what it learns.  You will have to keep me posted on how this works out for you.

Houndstooth left a very lovely comment explaining how hard they’ve worked with their girl Morgan.  I encourage you to go back and read it, but in it she said, ” I truly believe that there’s a misfire in her brain.”

I know you’ve been through a lot with Morgan, and I know how hard you’ve worked.  I do believe that dogs can have misfires in their brains just as well as humans can.  In Chloe’s case, I do suspect her owner hasn’t worked with her, but that is just my thought. 

What the ?

Don't get any ideas Mama, I will bite you.

Don’t get any ideas Mama, I will bite you.

Was that not the stupidest dog invention ever?  I can’t even wrap my head around it!

Vlad and Barkley’s Dee asked, “Did you go check out the Youtubes on this thing?”

Good lord, NO!  I think I would have to try and find out their names and hunt them down and go West Virginia Back-woods Hood-rat on them!

Jan said, “I remember that this company was looking for an American distributor for their poop catcher. I assume you won’t be applying for the privilege.”

That would be a correct assumption Jan! LOL

M.K. Clinton said, “Can you believe that anyone would stoop to the level of harnessing a bag to their dog’s butt and not stoop a bit lower and just pick that crap up?!?! ”

No, I actually can’t.  First I can’t believe someone made one and second I can’t believe anyone would use it!  How much lazier can you be?

Let it Go

Mary said, “I am a firm believer in everything happens for a reason. You have to just go with the flow sometimes.”

I’m a pretty firm believer in that myself Mary.  I think I was just upset with myself that I forgot it, I can’t remember the last time I forgot an appointment. 

Jan said, “According to Freud, anything we forget is done on purpose. (I’m paraphrasing) So maybe it is all for the best. Our subconscious minds may know more than the conscious mind.

My fee for this session will be waived.”

Thanks for waiving the fee, Dr. Jan, I do appreciate it. 🙂  I’m fairly sure something was telling me we needed the break and since the last time we were at therapy the therapist and I talked about what a stress it was on the dog owner, I’m pretty certain she’ll understand.

 That’s it for me, I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Let It Go

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Delilah’s on board

For the longest time I was leaving Delilah with Hubby while I took Sampson for his morning walk, but last week Hubby had to leave early for some blood work.  I felt bad leaving her sweet little face and I was feeling my oats or something and figured what the heck?  I hooked her up and took her with us.

I have to say, she’s on board with the morning walk.  She is SO good (most days) just walking slowly along.  It’s like she understands that Sampson cannot move quickly, most morning she just walks sedately along beside him.

Look at them, you'd think they were perfect dogs.

Look at them, you’d think they were perfect dogs.

Sampson’s a Dillwad

So I mentioned before that Sampson is on a harness to help with his pulling.  It works fine, until he sees someone or something he loves and then nothing will hold him back.

One of our neighbors across the street is an older woman with MS.  She absolutely adores the dogs and when she sees me out with them and she’s out, she calls us over.

Sunday night I was taking Sampson for his walk and I heard her call me and then she said, “Hi Sampson!”  Well that was it, he was a dog on a mission and dragged me over, jumping and lunging in his quest to get to her.

Since then he’s been a little gimpy on his leg.  ERRR!!!

Healing a leg is like fine wine Mama, it takes time.

Healing a leg is like fine wine Mama, it takes time.

Let it Go

Sampson was scheduled for his last therapy appointment last night.  I called yesterday morning and confirmed the appointment.  In order to arrive on time I needed to leave work at 3:45.  I cleared it with my boss.

At 4:30 I looked at the clock and about lost my mind.  I flew out the door calling the vet on my way home.  My appointment was for 5:00 and they were closing at 6:00.  I had my choice of arriving late and only getting a partial therapy appointment or canceling my existing appointment and rescheduling.  Once I found out there was no penalty for canceling I determined it wasn’t worth risking my life or Sampson’s to try and get there during rush hour.

I was beating myself up pretty badly when I got home, telling Sampson what a horrible dog Mama I was.  I had received a delivery essential oils so I took out some Abundance, rubbed it on my wrists and took a couple really good sniffs.  I stopped crying and decided my missing the appointment was either the Universe’s or my brain’s way of telling me either Sampson or I or both of us, needed the break.  I took Delilah for a walk.

The Sweetest Thing

I saw this posted yesterday of the Lab Rescue page I belong to.  It was written by a little girl who was picking up her dog.

A little girl's letter to her dog

 Is that not the sweetest thing ever?

This is Thursday’s Barks and Bytes Blog hop, the blog hop for all bloggers.  Hosted by 2 Brown Dawgs and Heart Like a Dog, grab a badge and join the fun!

Heart Like a Dog

Sampson’s Saga Continues

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As I mentioned in Friday’s post, Sampson’s X-rays looked good.  The surgeon felt his Psoas muscle and Sampson turned around quickly, which indicated the muscle was tender.  The surgeon placed Sampson on some Gabapentin and wants to recheck him in two weeks.  He’s not ruling out a meniscus injury, but he wants to try the Gaba and see if it works.  I dropped Sampson’s walks down to about 15 minutes twice a day and am going to try and fit some cavaletti’s in when I can.   

On Saturday Sampson had his Physical Therapy and I shared all of this with the therapist.  What I took from that visit is she feels because of the way Sampson is ‘loading his knee’ that it very well could be a meniscus injury and this tosses me right over the freaking edge.

The biggest issue is I don’t want him to have surgery again.  First off, the meniscus surgery means he will have bone touching bone, which I think must be very painful.  I mean, they replace people’s knees when that happens, right?

Also, we are seven weeks into a twelve week strict limitations recovery.  In two weeks we will be three weeks away from (hopefully) having some restrictions lifted and Sampson getting back to enjoying more of his life.  If surgery is suggested it will probably be scheduled within a week or two, which puts us right on the verge of finished.

The therapist says that some dogs have the meniscus surgery and turn the corner and recover quickly, but how do I know that will be Sampson?  How do you know it’s the right thing to do?

But the bigger question is How.  HOW can I put him through this again?  How can I ask him to start over?

Oh Mama, you worry so much. I thought you were trying to be more like me?

Oh Mama, you are such a worry wart.  Don’t cross the worry bridge until you have to.

I’ve been struggling with this since Saturday and Saturday night I decided I’m putting my faith in a higher power.  I know some people do not believe in God, and I’m not here to sell you differently, if you believe awesome and if you don’t, we’re still cool.  But I believe.   And I believe in the power of prayer and the power of positive thinking.  So every night when Sampson and I lay down to sleep, I lay my hand across his leg and I pray for healing.   If you believe in the power of prayer, I sure would appreciate you keeping Sampson in yours.

Do any of you have any experience with a dog having ACL surgery and then needing meniscus surgery?  Or have any of your dogs had meniscus surgery?  If any of you can share your experiences, I’d certainly appreciate it.

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