Just over 3 months and it feels like forever.
This poor Boy is even getting used to all the hands on attention!
Up until a month ago he was been visited weekly by Dawn Jones. This has now been reduced to once a month to make time for swimming at Rene Baard’s Pet Hydrotherapy Unit. Initial lessons were focused on getting him familiar with everything happening at the facility; the harness, the spa, the ramp, the pool, the attention and encouragement. These are weekly sessions and he now leaves the ramp in the pool independently, to swim to get the ball. Amazing things tennis ball. (Previously reluctant to shake himself, he now does it spontaneously without scaring himself). And he's mad about Arlene, Renee's assistant.
I thought I would be able to use my ladder to do his walking cavelettis, but its metal so that idea was a bad idea. Tried to do them at the club but not being able to play with all the familiar faces made him bounce up and down.
Back home his “other issues” are becoming easier for him to accept. Being confined for all this time he now stands still when we pass him in the passage and will even carry on eating. He spends less time hiding in the study and more time with us in the lounge. This gave me the chance to teach him to “nose touch” and to “talk”. And even though he almost never barks, Charlie is still not happy to hear him bark on command. He is allowed to play “catch” at a standstill and together with an improvement in his eye-ball co-ordination; he now also puts the ball onto the couch. He’s also allowed to tug and is becoming less threatened when I pull harder than usual.
From 10 minute “slow pace” walks, we were given the go ahead to start “trotting” for 30 second intervals within a 20 minute walk and to gradually increase this. Permission was granted to take him out on to different surfaces to get him to distribute his weight evenly on all 4 legs. So, at last, we are out and about and back to some of his old locations. He trots on command and slows down to “walk”. We are up to 4 x 2 minute trots within a 30 minute walk!
(This, unfortunately, means that for the first time ever, I have to leave Emma on her own as she just can’t keep up. Tied to whatever, she seems content enough to watch Mac and me jogging up and down for no apparent reason.
At times all the rehab, the exercises, the timing, the discipline, the isolation, feels never ending and there are days when I really wonder why I need to get out of bed - not being a fan of Winter and still being involved in dog-agility-dom, adds to my occasional misery.
But that all changes now that his surgeon confirmed at Mac’s 3 month post op check that it’s OK TO START TRAINING!!!!
Mac and Me
C’est la vie
