PuppyGal Welcomes You To...
Events & Happenings At Dogwood Pond
If you have the sound turned up on your computer, you can hear "Old Time Rock 'N'
Roll". Bob added it to the Events Page as a Surprise Christmas Present. It's the theme
song of Dogwood Pond where the Bullies and I do the Bully Butt Wiggle every time we hear it on
the radio!! Dancing is good for the soul and keeps us doing our "range of motion" exercises.
Monday - 01/27/03 - 10:00 AM
We're moving slow this morning, although we've been up since 6 AM, I couldn't sleep last night for the "grease" and pain
from falling, I don't know which was worse (an attempt at humor, it was the fall!!). Bob
is taking a nap before we go to Dr Frank's. Don't tell him I said this, but he has lost so
much sleep that he's really getting grouchy!!
People are wanting to know why I fall so much...I have a bad leg and foot. I am unable to recover
my footing when I get off balance which is easy to do. This time I was watching what I
was washing instead of where I was stepping, on the water hose. BUT originally the doctors told me I
would never be able to walk without a severe limp, etc. I asked if they were trying to tell me I
would not longer be the "Bebop Queen" to which they replied, maybe you'll be able to slow
dance. I CAN DANCE, maybe not all the great steps and whirls formerly, but I can dance!!!
The Champ and I have the same determination, plus both of us have Bob to help us along, so
I know The Champ will walk again on his own. He seems to make a tiny bit of improvement
on a daily basis. He no longer "wets" while struggling to "walk". I'm convinced the
"wetting" was the result of having to strain so hard pulling himself around with his front
legs when he couldn't raise up off the floor. We have been warned that it will take a very long time to
teach him to walk again, just like a baby.
We're planning on adding a new feature to our website entitled "Spotlighting". We're
going to focus on one of our Bullies, or one of yours, for the week with pictures, an
article listing daily activity, etc. I'm going to start by asking a few people (Kathy,
David & Stephanie)if they would be willing to prepare the information on their Bullies for
me to upload.
I won't be able to play a major role in updating the website until after 2/23/03, the
deadline I set for collecting information which will enable me to make an impartial
decision in regard to the former owners request for a refund of The Champ's purchase price
or a replacement puppy. I refused to consider returning him to them in response to a
message of "We miss him greatly and struggle with the decision to bring him back daily."
When they made the decision to return him they told me that they did not want him back, I
am holding them to that decision.
Got to run, puppies calling...
Sunday - 01/26/03 - 6:00 PM
(Reverting to a kinda Southern Small Town dialect) I'm sorry to inform you that we didn't take pictures today. I was outside working, tripped over a water hose, jarred my poor damaged rib, landed on my bottom, and just started bawling. Too much stress will do that to a person. Now if I had lived in any other part of this USA, I'm sure I would have gone to bed with a big bowl of ice cream like all those movies on TV want you to think, but we're 'tuff' out here in the country. I just pulled me a package of pork chops out of the freezer, thawed those babies and commenced to start cooking. Dipped them in flour with lots of salt & pepper, popped them in a skillet full of hot grease and while they were cooking I sliced up a big batch of potatoes. When the chops were ready I tossed in the potatoes, fixed a pitcher of ice tea, took up the taters, piled it all on a big tray and asked Bob if he wanted to join me, I was going to sit in the bed, watch TV and eat this greasy food with my fingers, til I felt better!!!
My attitude is better, but my stomach doesn't know what to think, it's been a long time since I drowned my sorrows in grease!!!
Sunday - 01/26/03 - 8:00 AM
Today is PICTURE Day, if it moves we're gonna take it's picture!! We will start working on uploading them to the website tonight, after the nightly walking and feedings
Morning chores started with me being jolted out of a deep sleep, instantly I was jumping up and running, a puppy was screaming like it had been plugged into an electrical outlet. It was Astro who I'm sure had been asleep in his favorite position, spread eagle. Evidently Lassie woken up before the others and was having fun, pulling legs, biting tails, ears and "other things" to wake them up.
There is never time for a leisurely cup of coffee, we take sips between taking The Champ out to potty and grown Bullies out for their morning walk and potty time. Fortunately, in this cold weather they take care of their "business" quickly and almost drag us back inside. You could almost hear them grumble, "Dang Puppies, I was sleepin' good". Of course Bob and I are thinking the same, it's only 5:15 AM.
The Champ is maintaining his improvement adding a bunny hop and step this morning. I went out with Bob when he took him to potty and observed The Champ as he started out in a grassy area on one side of the drive then decided to cross over to the other side, where all the ladies stopped to "tinkle". I told Bob no wonder he's getting around better, what an incentive, that gravel drive would ready hurt his "private area" if he had drug his body across it like he was doing when he first got back home. Then I asked Bob if he had put The Champ over there on purpose...we both got a laugh out of that. Having a sense of humor gets us through some tough times.
Have a wonderful day!!!
Judy
PS We are taking The Champ in for additional x-rays on Monday. Please pray we find what we are looking for in these x-rays.
Saturday - 01/25/03 - 10:00 AM
Major Bully Butt Wiggle!!!!!!
While out to potty, The Champ took three totally normal steps!!!
Judy
Saturday - 01/25/03 - 9:30 AM
Bob got The champ out of his crate to take him out to potty, but before they went out he put down a bowl of water for him, on a throw rug.
The Champ rose up on his right leg/hip all the way (like a normal dog)to drink the water. There is no positive change in his left leg. The right leg has been the stronger one since his return.
We're trying not to get too excited, he could regress
Judy
Friday - 01/24/03 - 9:00 PM
Bob took this earlier in the day for the Specialist In Physical Therapy. We thought you might like to see it, but watch out for falling tears!!
This file takes about 20 minutes to download.
Click here to download a 17 second movie clip of The Champ "walking" photographed January 24, 2003!
Friday - 01/24/03 - 5:00 PM
Response from our specialist in physical therapy to whom we sent an e-mail asking for immediate guidance:
Don't encourage him, he runs the risk of re-injury, just take it real slow and continue his present treatment.
My concern is that the pup is all heart...I think he'd do anything to please, including pushing himself beyond safety. However, this is wonderful. There is hope that he's coming back Judy! How blessed you are to have a dog with that kind of guts and acceptance.
Friday - 01/24/03 - 2:30 PM
Bully Butt Wiggle, Bully Butt Wiggle! ! ! !!
The Champ has marked improvement, we are holding our breath and praying it will last!!! I've sent our specialist in physical therapy an e-mail asking for immediate guidance!!!
He has started to bunny hop with his back legs when he gets excited, i.e. Fluffy caught a mole, she showed it to him then ran away, he wanted it bad, so he bunny hopped several times, probably 6 before Bob diverted his attention because he didn't know if we should allow this or not.
Bob called to me to come out into the yard to see the Champ in action using a liver treat as a tease. Tears of joy came immediately!!!
Judy
Friday - 01/24/03 - 8:30 AM
You know these Bullies had "to go" bad if they were willing to go to outside when it's 3 degrees with the windchill factor making it -14. Doggie!!!! I thought for sure we had set a new record low, but we hadn't. Regardless for the South this is really cold!!
All the puppies are doing great!! We're getting lots of kisses from Sleepy's 6 week old puppies. This is where they are really fun for us. It's like being the Grandparents, we can spoil them rotten then turn them over to their parents to train!!! The only problem we are having is neither Sleepy or the puppies are willing to stop nursing. We're rather anxious about this since we like to keep them for 10 days or so after they are weaned. Maybe the cold weather is a factor.
Our endeavors to find the right surface to give The Champ the best traction has resulted in trying many items. Finally, we found what we think is the absolute best, US Army sleeping 3'x9'mats, used I suppose when sleeping outdoors. We have part of one in his crate and additional ones spread out on the walking ways of the kitchen and utility room, I bought 40 so we can use them absolutely everywhere!!!! The only problem being, we don't think the baby walker being converted for him will roll over them
Stay warm!!!
Judy
Friday - 01/24/03 - 1:00 AM
Life is getting better, although it's COLD. Looking on the positive side, maybe it's a few less misquotes and other insects that we will have to deal with this summer!!
The Champ had his first encounter with a strange pack of dogs this afternoon. The neighbor's three mean little Rat Terriers came wandering up the drive when Bob took him out to potty. (For those of you who do not know, he can't walk so when he barks to go potty he must be picked up, carried out and then back into the house.)You should have seen the poor crippled fellow trying to chase them away, what a brave heart he has!! His baby low barking alerted Fluffy, the American Eskimo Spitz, who went charging down the drive to chase off the intruders with our "strays that came to stay" bringing up the rear. Afterward they all came running back to him as if to congratulate him for being so alert. You could just tell he was proud of himself and we were too!!
Thursday - 01/23/03 - 7:30 AM
Goodness, it snowed!!!! At least enough to further complicate our world and intrigue the Bullies!!! It's 6 degrees!!!
Thursday - 01/23/03 - 3:30 AM
Up taking care of the puppies. It's 15 degrees with a windchill making it feel like 10.
Thursday - 01/23/03 - 12:30 AM
Good Gosh!!! We're in below average temperatures. It's suppose to get to 10 degrees and I'm a believer!!! We brought in the emergency crates, most every one is in the house, their housing not being sufficient to counteract such low temperatures. The "strays who've come to stay" refused to come in, independent souls that they are!! All 4 of them are snuggled up in a pile on a heating pad I placed in an enclosed area on the back porch.
We've enlisted the assistance of a medical document translation specialist in regard to The Champ. The first briefing was extremely interesting but not exacting. They have requested additional information to verify their tentative conclusion, which they did not disclose. We will be obtaining this for them in the next few days. Meanwhile they have verified that the newly designed physical therapy program we've enacted, is correct. At their suggestion, we are arranging for a specially designed hammock to be installed in a baby walker to support his body, thus preventing additional pressure on his spine. This was a result of documented positive results of this type therapy having been used on a horse with similar disabilities. On a positive note, he has a new friend!! Until today, Sassy has been depressed and kinda growly at "the big boy", but while out in the yard with him today she decided to make friends. Sassy is "Mother of The World" and as such, can protect and help him, if she really takes to him.
I got 8 x 10 puppy kisses from Sleepy's babies tonight. They were crawling out of the children's pool we had them in and Wal-Mart hasn't gotten in their summer stock of bigger pools, so Bob went to the Tractor Supply Company, 3 hours round trip, and bought a giant livestock watering bin, it takes up most of the kitchen walking space but they were so happy to be back together.
Judy
Wednesday - 01/22/03 - 3:00 AM
Kate's smallest male puppy "passed away" peacefully in his sleep, Bob was holding him. Kate's other two puppies, a male and a female, are doing great, for them the crucial first week has passed. Smart Cookie's puppies are doing fine, with her smallest puppy nursing well.
Yesterday it rained most of the day so all of "our gang" were less spirited than usual, plus their sleep has been interrupted by our activity with the puppies. I also firmly believe these guys can sense a pending death.
It was a low day for The Champ, I believe due to lack of sleep, plus he missed his playtime with Fluffy, the Spitz. He spent several hours lazily looking at the cats through the glass in the back door, or dozing beside first one, then another of the female Bullies.
Please notice the time on this posting, we are very tired, but are unable to sleep more than couple of hours at a time, due to the demands upon us. Don't despair, I have 53 e-mails that I have not answered but will soon.
Judy
Yesterday, we finally got grouchy!!! Very little sleep, stress and highly emotional situations will do that!!! Bob had been sharp with me, which he never is, I was hurting really bad because I had done too much - we yelled.....we hugged. We have a strong love and forgiving hearts.
Expect a delay in my response to e-mails, Kate's tiny male puppy is dying. It's palate is improperly formed, not open like a cleft palate but with a deep depression, which prevents it from being able to nurse like the other puppies. Bob had been feeding it with an eye- dropper but we think it had a negative reaction to the Milk Replacer. It really hurts our hearts when we lose a puppy so we have to keep reminding ourselves, with nature only the strong survive. Many breeders, just drown them in a bucket of water ...... that sentence makes me sick!!
We received The Champ's medical record yesterday, but the possible "rare spinal diseases" were not named. We will be taking him back to Dr Frank for further evaluation before making the appointment with Mississippi State University, College of Veterinary Medicine. The records could be interpreted to support my theory of an injury.
Smart Cookies' puppies are doing GREAT!!
Judy
We have had several e-mails wishing "The Champ" well. An extraordinary lady, who is owned by one of our Bullies, has extensive experience in physical therapy. Nan is wonderful!!! The time she has spent corresponding with us, explaining procedures and why they are needed is priceless.
Dr Frank has gotten us a referral to MS State Vet School. We are waiting on the summation of Champ's visit with the neurologist on 1/6 before making the appointment. The former owners advised they had made several requests for this information but have not received it as of yesterday.
In regard to Kate & Smart Cookies' puppies. Each litter has one pup which is of concern, but so far they are making a little improvement each day.
My rib is better. I can't take pain medicine but a friend from NY sent me a couple of bottles of her homemade wine, Thank You Mary Ellen!! Also, I've learned how to hold that side rigid, which helps to prevent pain when walking, or moving my arms and hands in a limited way, therefore I am able to do a little of the work and we have plenty, with 15 puppies and "The Champ" to get well ...Bless Bob!
I don't want you to think our life is pitiful right now, it's just trying!! We have a host of things for which we are thankful - great friends, a deep love for each other and lots of puppy kisses to make us smile. That is much more than many people!!
Judy
If the definition of a Hero is an ordinary person doing extraordinary things...I'm married to my hero!!! Isn't that a wonderful thing to be able to say!!!
Friday - 01/17/03 - NOON
We've decided to give the crippled puppy a new name - "The Champ", because he's in training!! I've posted the e-mail we sent to the former owner on Tuesday when we got back from seeing Dr Frank. It contains information which will help you to better understand this situation. Enter Here
One of Smart Cookie's puppies is not doing well and we will probably lose it. I had a hard time reviving it after the c-section.Enter Here
If I wasn't as stubborn as a Bulldog, the events of the past week would have been enough to make me quit raising Bullies!!!
Judy
Events & Happenings Prior to 12/02/02 - Click Here
Someone is always asking, "Are all Bullies laid back?"
My response is, "Click Here!!"
Why I'm Nicknamed PuppyGal
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