I'm a Sad-Eyed Dog Friday 2-19-10

After having the whole pack together for 11 days (snow) it has been hard to get back to the routine of Mom leaving Gigi behind.  The mornings start out ok - the usual routines of Mom going out to feed the sheep, then walking the dogs, then eating breakfast (first mine, then yours).  But when it comes time to pick up the keys, the bag, the phone and the coat, Gigi's head comes up with ears perked and a hopeful look in those big brown eyes...Are we going to work?  Upon hearing the dreaded phrase "No, sweetheart, you're gonna be Big Dog In Charge today", the dog deflates.  Head down, ears slide down to her shoulders, the eyes close and I can almost see a tear roll down to that big black gumdrop nose.

She's losing some steam and I suspect it is depression.  I can see the drop in stamina, the wistful look down the steep driveway.  We're planning to take her for some drives this weekend - get her out of the house and maybe even over to see people friends.  It takes orchestration - we have to plan to land where there are curbs so we can get her in and out of the car easily using her steps - not too long an outing but enough to give her hope.

I've read all the dog behavior books.  The ones that say dogs don't live beyond the moment.  Now is now and that's all that counts.  And I think that's a nice way to absolve oneself of responsibility for an animal's emotional wellbeing.  If a dog can remember how to get from the office to the post office, then what prevents the dog from remembering the trip and anticipating it in the future? 

Clearly, Gigi accepts the reality - more people would benefit from learning that skill - but she retains the hope it will be other than how it is - another skill people would benefit from practicing.

So tomorrow, we'll head out for a lark.  Something brief and visually stimulating - explore a new road, maybe take the scenic routes from old commutes.  Some new smells.  Maybe a new scratch and sniff book...

We're doing the range of motion exercises but not often enough.  It doesn't take long to do them, but when the entire day of hugs, bellyrubs, dinner and after dinner routine (my dinner, your dinner, a walk outside, a few pounces on the woodpile, a carrot or two, a bone, tapioca ritual and the blackberry snowcone)  is compressed into a few hours after work, there isn't much time to do much more.  I think I will rearrange things - do the range of motion before the dinner routine starts, so that we aren't trying to end the evening on a less than fun note.  The exercise isn't horrible but it is clear Gigi doesn't like it.  Don't MESS with my foot, Mom.

Mom will be in traction shortly from supporting the "hinderslingen".  Gigi is eager to walk and has much better traction on the accrued ice than I do.  The "heel" command is losing its punch.  Gigi has always had a ripsnorting walking pace, and nothing has changed.  But trying to keep up with the front end and hold up the back end is doing in my arm and shoulder.

LESSON FOR NEWBIES:   Build up your forearm and upper arm muscles before scheduling the surgery.  You will need them, especially on the 125 pounder puppies.