I love you

Tank is absolutely in love with Bailey

“I love you” looks…

and of course there is no picture session w/o priceless shots of goofy looks...he was told to “sit and wait” (30 sec is all I ask at this point to get a treat, so he was acting like it was a life time..so he was yawning, whining, looking around, but he stayed and got his treat..LOL.)

 

Tank

On August 22, 2012 we added a Male GSD to our pack.....Tank.
Tank is a gorgeous 1.5 year old male - dark sable.

Tank had bonded with Bailey...although it took about 3 weeks before they stopped trying to kill each other. I think it was a hate/love relationship, they hated each other at first and after i put them on a 6 foot lead together to make sure they are never facing each other- starring at each other and one of them is always a follower, things have dramatically improved.

Love at First Sight...or?

I am one of those people who goes with a gut feeling, instant reaction - love at first sight..and 99% of the time its a no regrets decision....i have never bought a dog from a breeder...I will one day...but for now it all been adoptees from shelters...
my male dog "Dozer" who is my "butt dog" because he is always under my butt was adopted...in 2007.
In spring of 2007  we had 1 cat and 1 GSD (trained, tattooed, and shelter stressed Misty...who ever dumped her was an idiot..she is a great dog) Anyways..at that time we had no plans to add any dogs I just started a new job and barely had time for current pets..but around my birthday i just hit me to get another dog...i went to shelter everyday for 10 days and even my family was like..if u want one get one, why are you torturing yourself...but all the dogs they had were not it...i thought maybe it's just me, because i did not even know what i was looking for...on 11th day i was driving from work, i remember i had linen white pants and 5 inch heals and silk shirt..I even thought i need to skip shelter today..yet i ended up at the shelter...and to be honest no intentions to adopt at all..but when i walked by 2nd to last cage and saw the only dog who was not barking but was standing and starring at me...he had the most piercings eye contact..even when you turn away you can feel it..
Dozer was 7 months, he was picked up as a stray, his weight was 28 pounds, you can see outline on his hip bones and his spine, saggy neck, dark color, patchy fur, i called my husband and said i found a dog..want to see him?..i waited 15 min. while talking to the worker..who told me that this dog was picked up on a day of my birthday, and had been under quarantine for 10 days....weird was all i said..because 1st time i stopped by shelter was on my birthday..i stood there looking at him and he stared at me, eventually he laid down and stayed down till my husband stopped by...when he saw him first words were "this is the ugliest dog i had ever seen, he looks sick, honey...did you see those lab puppies? they are chubby energetic little things" while he pointed to the cage down the line...i said: "nope i did not see any labs" (i must have walked by them a dozen times in last 10 days..LOL ..I said "i am taking him".... and it was love at first site...
Our journey had not been easy, he was a poop eater, he had food allergies, he chewed all 400+ deck posts within a week...he ate my brand new spring planted trees, he was a roamer, he did not like leash, he did not like cats, he chased everything that moved, he was a barker....i poured sweat, blood and tears into getting this dog in line....and when others said 'get rid of him" it was not an option...4 years later...he is the best dog i have...he gets a little too excited at times before we leave the yard but he is my running partner, he is my "human reader" he has no ball drive and if he ever steals a ball from others he pees on it...but..he reads me like a book..him and i get each other...if i ever need a back up..he is my right wing man..LOOOL..

7 week Post Op Update

So far so good...this past weekend went on a 2 hour slow walk in down town..all 4 legs were used, did do a bunny hop up the stairs in the park. I am little concern for the lack of muscle on her leg, to me it still feels smaller than the other leg, i do realize it only been 7 weeks since surgery. At the end of the 2 hrs she did started lifting her leg every few steps (so that was the reason we wrapped up the walk) but two hours in a busy downtown up and down the street with only 15 min break, i think is a great progress....

Here are few pictures from yesterday... I been so preoccupied with her leg, I at times forget to notice HER..her face, how she is filling out and maturing. :)



You can slightly see where the scar is...fur is slowly filling in...



She does sits awkwardly....not all the time, but at times it almost looks twisted.


Can you say BALL CRAZY??? she was told to "wait"..LOL




WHO LOVES YOU BABY???

:)

Butt Biting Disciplinarian

I came out in the morning and Frankie (ridgeback/boxer mix) was chewing on my shoe…I came out took out the shoe, she sat up looking at me, I am waving shoe in front of her saying “No, Frankie, bad girl!” as I am doing that Bailey my 13 month old GSD runs up and bites Frankie in the butt and runs off…I yelled “Bailey leave it, I got it”..
Same evening Frankie (I guess was bored) ripped off my pumpkin off the wine (pumpkin was a size of a soccer ball) and was biting chunks out of it…I came out “Frankie, leave it..” and as I am saying that Bailey runs by and bites Frankie in the butt again and keeps running its like a “run by butt bite”, Frankie turns around to get her but she is long gone…I came over to Frankie, she sits down looking at me Bailey does it again… I didn’t even had time to react…I called Bailey over made her sit than down next to Frankie…I tell Frankie no, tell Bailey "leave it" and walk away..as I walk away I see those two playing Bailey (who can practically walk under Frankie) sticks her head under Frankie pretending to bite her hind feet, Frankie jumps on hind legs and proceeds to hop sideways…typical play time…
This morning I was trying to put Frankies collar on and she kept putting her head down, so I said.. ‘Frankie, LOOK at me” which she did..and sure sh*t once again Bailey did her “run by butt bite”….its not a hard bite, not aggressive bite…it’s a mouth open wide bite that does not close shut..almost like a bite - squeeze…it does not even hurt Frankie because she reacts in surprise, not aggressive because she looks and focuses back on me...at least its not agressive looking....

I guess i will see what happens, i think order of the pack should be determined by the pack..as long as they fall in line after owners...

Post - Op Week 3: swimming and sitting

I finally got Bailey into the pool…this was her first time in deep water versus kiddy pool where she plucks down….she had her life vest on (I will defenatley get some pictures of that) and everything was going good till she panicked, she saw stairs and that’s the only place she wanted to go…I was afraid she was going to scratch the pool so I got in front of her to steer her back towards me…I had my arms under her but when I got in front I ended up lifting her front legs and she went into doggy paddle versus under water paddle and scratched the cr@p out of me…I helped her out by lifting her up and out….few minutes later got her back in and it went a lot smoother, she did use her hind leg while in the water kicking..so thats a good sign, she is also using it more to stay on it..when she plays with our cat she uses leg more often to keep her balance while they are wrestling..so I think more cat play is in order J

pool 15 x 48"



Life vest bought it in academy for $17.00 (i think)

I had also noticed the sitting position...

Clearly you can see her L hip (normal hip) folded and sticking out..where her R one is almost folded lower under her…it does not seem to effect her and she does look straight but when compared there is an obvious difference....

Post - Op Week 2: stitches out

Day 13 post surgery...
no weight on her leg yet..tries to sit normally but unable to completely squat down, may keep half way sitting position for a few seconds than leans sideways and stretches leg out...we been doing stretches and while laying down i been folding her leg up...i suspect stitches may be pulling a bit on her skin, fur is coming in slowly but surely...



on the way to vet's office to have stitches removed..


Day 14..stitches removed on her hip and dew claws




Day 15..no more CONE...I was holding her cone in my hand and she was looking at me like.."and this is going where?"
she is finally able to sit normally w/o having to stretch her leg out sideways...she does not put all of her weight on but does stand on it...i have to remind her "use your leg" and she brings it down....