And on we go.....

So Dobie's stone came last week and Kati and I picked out a spot in the back plant bed where he spent most of his time chasing geckos.  We spread out his ashes and planted some wild flowers that  I noticed were already coming up yesterday. I put them out just before we got that inch of rain last weekend.......I guess it was prefect timing!!  I also got him a chime ordered to hang near by.....it says Maholo.......for Thank You!!

Kati and I have been walking at the park several times a week.  Today we did two miles so we would be ready for all our super bowl eating.  She also had another first last Friday.....she got her teeth cleaned for the first time.  She stopped eating her favorite bone a few weeks ago and when she continued to ignore it figured there was a bad tooth.......and there was, she has a root abbess in her big one in the back.  I can tell you she was hating life and me Friday evening but seems to be all better now. They said the stitches will dissolve in a few weeks......those are some serious stitches if they take that long.  

She has been getting along just fine but still seems really bored with me.  She did hop up on the couch for the first time since Dobie left and stayed just long enough to get rubber a bit.  Of course I  knocked something on the floor and that scared her off.  I need to learn to quite doing that when she is so close.  She will go to doggie daycare next week so she can get some time around other dogs and humans besides me.  I know I am the end all, beat all but she needs to start getting around other mutts and humans since Dobie has been gone.  Getting close to 4 weeks now since we lost the Dobman.........and it a very quiet place around her with out the busy terrier dude.  Kati and I are beginning to open our hearts to a new fur friends......just need her, or him, to come find us.

Dobie makes his transition... and Kati is an only kid now!

If i repeat anything in this post, you have heard before...it is only because that was something about Dobie that gave me good memories and many smiles.  At his healthiest he was my little "bastard leg  lifter"!!  I am very sure that at one time or another, he raised his leg on every piece of furniture I owned, both Kati and Molly more than once or twice......and certainly every bush he ever walked by.  He took his marking duties very serious and enjoyed every minute of every single leg lift!!

Dobie went to go be with Molly and all his other little dog cousins on Wed. evening, January 9.  We had a great day, ate all his favorite foods and he did his best to go to all his favorite places in the yard.  His bad legs were not his friend the last few days and i am very sure he would have dragged them until  they feel off. He really did a great job handling his illness and learning what he could and could not do with his failing rear end.

He never met anyone he did not immediately try to love on and give many kisses. He was indeed a man of kisses and tongue lapping. He would give you kisses until  you either had to push him away or he finally got the message you were wet enough.  He loved to go on car rides and chase geckos in his giant non-Arizona sized yard.  I have to admit when I bought this house i certainly had the dogs in mind.  I have a little under 1/4 an acre and all three dogs walked the entire yard many times in their lives.  Kati is still getting in her time. Dobie loved to howl at the beagle that lives four houses down the road.  He could be inside or out and hear that darn dog go to howling and he was just as fast at getting the greeting returned.  He was quite the lover and fence hugger dog.........meaning, when we had dogs in the yard next to use, he was at the fence regularly making his presence known and saying HI! to the dogs in the next yards over.

I guess his claim to fame among friends was getting out the dog door.  It was always hard to tell if he was just nuts and did not always realize he could just walk out the door, as opposed to trying to get a running start. There is some thinking, that it hurt for him to go out the dog door. And in the end, that probably was not too far off in the thinking but sure would have been nice if he could have squealed in pain a time or two as a signal. He would go at the door, 6-7 times acting like it was not open all the way until he would finally bolt thru it.  My friends said i should have made a video but never got that done.........who knew we would run out time and good legs to get him thru the door.  Remember that with your furr friends, you do eventually run out of time.....and sometimes long before you expect it.

He also was silly about his sleeping habits.  He slept in his own bed that would sit on the side of my bed.  If you were to touch him in the night, or before he thought it was time to be bothered........he would growl at you like a lawn mower trying to start.  Sleeping and being in his bed, were one of the few things that never changed for him as he got weaker.  If only he could have just stayed curled up in that ball with his head sticking out just enough to keep you in his sights.

Well, that's all for now.......more later.

Dobie is the man!!

Dobie is such a good boy and trooper, you would never know to meet him today that he was once a wild man and enjoyed lifting his leg on everything he could...........however, you can still look in his eyes and know that he has always been happy and brought joy and smiles to anyone he met.

The last month has been a tuff one for us both.  He is a smart little dude......he knows that if he stands on the rugs his feet will not slide out from under him.  Thanks to Kati and her early on pee problems there is not much carpet around anymore.....so we are using rugs all over the place for the boy.  He waits at the door for me to help him in and out......and if don't see him there, he gives me a little bark so i know he is back.  He has also figured out that if he gets a little running start (as best he can now), he can get up the little steps that are around the back yard patio.  On his bad days, he needs help with the little steps.  One would think he would let all this badness get him down but his only bad times are a little growl at Kati when she tries to take his favorite spots from him.  I have to admit he is getting special treatment to make sure he has a comfortable spot to sit and lay on.  Sometimes he just likes to stand and does not seem like he can get comfortable.....I sure wish he could give me a little  more help with understanding what makes him feel best.

The time of year has been perfect for him to be able to sit at the front door and just look out to check out what is going on in the neighborhood.  Kati has even been sitting at the door with him to survey their empire.  It sure would have been nice if they could have been able to do surgery on him. It has been tuff to watch as he has not really improved at all....there have been a few weeks where he seemed to be stable but then would crash and take step backwards.  It was tuff to hear the doctors say........there is nothing we can do until he cant walk at all.......well, if that has to be the plan, having him see strangers going into surgery as his last possible look at people........was no answer either.  I can only imagine what that must be like to hear for a human family member.....
Well.......its time to walk away for today, say a few more prayers to the Big Dog.....later....

And just how is Kati.....

She is doing great!!  Dobie has been the center of attention for almost 2 months now and she has been a real trooper thru it all.  She has only peed on the floor a couple of times and that was because something scared her from outside.  I have been taking her to the park for one on one time and walks the last two months. They have a one mile trail we walk and sometimes even go around twice........who would ever thought the homebody would be out walking a mile at a time.  She won't walk around the block here at the house, on the sidewalk..........she acts scared to death of it all, but get in the car and drive to the park and she is all ready to go and hit the road.

She just figured out how to get up on the couch and stay recently.........she only stays for a few minutes at best or long enough for me to take her picture sometimes.  She is really bummed that Dobie has not been able to play with her. It is not like they played a whole lot but the little bit they did she misses.  I think i will send her to doggie day care this weekend so she finds a new buddy or two.

Dobie has had a very good week........it seems, I keep thinking there is a big crash coming.  He is dragging the right rear leg more it sounds like but he sure has seemed like he is feeling and doing better.  Fingers crossed, good thoughts and will keep up those prayers to the Big Dog!! 

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Dobie has had a great week and we even did company today and he seems to be doing ok tonight.

That is him and Kati on the couch a couple of months ago. Probably about the time he started to slow down.  He had a buddy visiting today who feel in the pool.  Rudy is 14 and just about at the end of his time....can't see or hear much anymore, just had bladder surgery and did fine....stitches out next week.  But now he thinks he needs to pee all the time..........poor guy, he is a good dog to his parents and I hate that our best buddies have to get old. 

Dinner was pretty darn good today!! Turkey thighs were a bit undercooked but the leftover action will help that and the rest was perfect, even my gravy if I do say so myself!!  And of course the potatoes rocked with a stick of butter and a pound of cheeses. And then the two desserts.........I fixed a lot for not being much of a cook.

I am so thankful for this Thanksgiving and God and Dr. Lyons and all the supplements giving Dobie some more quality time with me. He seemed to enjoy the company and good times with friends.....I certainly did and did not eat too much either!!  Thank You God.......for all that is good and wonderful this day!!

Hey God......

......thanks for a good acupuncture day for Dobie!!  He obviously feels better just too bad it does not last as long as we like.  Any guidance you can send my way on how to help him get better would be appreciated......he had a tuff week but we made it to the weekend.  A little relaxin and downtime is on tap.

Hobbling a long.....

Dobie is doing ok..........has a right rear leg he only has partial feeling in but to him he hardly knows there is a problem most of the time.  I thought we had a great long weekend..........i stayed gone a good part of the time so he could be crated and rest.  He got out of bed this morning and could hardly keep his back end up and moving.  I have been wondering if i got him moving too quick but he has been pretty floppy all day long.  I gave him a whole pred instead of the half and he has been a happy boy all day.  He is an amazing guy like that.  Not a care in the world but knows something is not quite right these days. 

I love when they sit out in the sun and just enjoy the day. I am sure they don't have a care in the world and just love the sunshine and cool breezes.  It is indeed a tuff situation to try and understand his needs and if there is any pain.  He does moan some in the night but does not seem to be uncomfortable, nor does he move much from his bed.  I often wonder if the whole curling up in a ball is uncomfortable but have to hope that he knows enough not to do it if he hurts him.  My friend had to put her dog to sleep today.......we are so fortunate we have the tools to help our pets transition easily and without unnecessary suffering like we see in the human world so much.  Hooray for vets with the tools to do the right thing for our pets!!