Paranoid Mommy and Pawfect Jenna

Mommy has been super paranoid about my knee this summer.  She always watches to see how I'm walking, if I'm putting all my weight on my paw, if  I'm limping or favoring my leg.  It's been over a year since I had my knee surgery and I've technically made a full recovery, but . . .

Mommy still worries!  Don't all Mommies?  

About mid July, I had a fun morning of playing in the water with my siblings and then playing hard with Ruger in the yard.  Later that day when I hopped up from a nap, HOP was the operative word.  I wasn't putting any weight on my leg at all.  It was the same leg I'd had surgery on.  Mommy went back to this photo above to double check.  Dawgs who have knee surgery have a FIFTY percent chance of having the other knee operated on eventually, so she wanted to make sure.  

She watched me for a few days and gave me buffered aspirin in case I was in any pain.  She also restricted me to super short walks and began taking Ruger and Dixie on long walks together (instead of me and Dixie together).  After a week of this, Mommy went on her trip to Santa Fe and so I had a second week of restrictions . . . Daddy doesn't walk us!  Ha!

After Mommy's return, she still wasn't one hundred percent convinced that I was okay.  She had mentioned me to Dr. Clary when she had Ruger at the vet for his check up.  He said if I was improving any at all then it wasn't my knee.  I was definitely improving.  

Mommy started taking me by myself on longer walks and even let me swim one morning.  Here I am showing off my supermodel figure.  You're picturing Bo Derek shaking the water out of her braids here, aren't you??

 I'm Daddy's girl (or so he likes to think), but I can be Mommy's girl too!

After a weekend of swimming in the pond and a trip to the dawg park (I was the last to get to go because of my knee), Mommy took me to see Dr. Clary.  She told our family that she was going to take me to the vet just to double check or to have him tell her she was paranoid.

Dr. Clary couldn't even tell which leg he had operated on without the vet tech reminding him!  I was walking normally and not showing any issues.  The vet checked me out thoroughly and told Mommy to GO HOME!  He didn't even charge her for the visit.  (Apparently she IS paranoid!)  Mommy felt encouraged and relieved.  She still keeps an eye on my leg from time to time, but I've been running and playing with no issues.

I guess I'm still a supermodel!
Jenna

Something's Fishy . . .

I've told you I like to swim in the playa lake during my morning walk.  As the summer has progressed, those walks have grown even more interesting.  Some might say there's something fishy about them . . . 

As soon as Mommy lets me off the leash, I run straight to the water (Mommy says this is reminiscent of my big brother Hunter).  I act like I'm going to run into the water, but instead I'm secretly scouting the edge of the water.  

I'm looking for FISH!!!  DEAD FISH to be exact!

Mommy is terribly grossed out by this bad habit of mine.  And she learned from the Unfortunate Incident with Jenna that it's not a good idea to stick her fingers in a dawg's mouth.  These fish are like having a dessert after breakfast!  What other lucky dawg gets dessert in the morning???

The fish are starting to appear more frequently around the edge of the lake.  The drought we've had over the last six months has caused the water levels to really decrease.  As a result, the fish that live in the lake are really competing for a diminishing supply of oxygen.  Mommy says she's noticed LOTS of fish coming to the surface in large groups trying to grab a breath.  It's really sad . . . but it's VERY TASTY!!!!

Here I am looking for my next dessert . . . who needs that tennis ball when you can have FISH???

This is me imitating the look on Mommy's face after I eat a dead fish.  Because I can't seem to control my appetite, I haven't been swimming lately.  [sigh]  As we walk around the lake now, I keep my head turned towards the water at all times so Mommy knows my heart's desire.  She keeps ignoring me for some reason.

Maybe one day soon I'll get to go swimming again . . .
Ruger

Water Gals

Summer is flying by!  We LOVE all the time we get to spend with Mommy during the summer.  She's been walking Ruger first in the mornings and walking us together after.  When we return from our walk, Ruger is rested up and ready to play again!  For that reason, Mommy would prefer to walk Ruger last, but the two times she left him behind she could hear him howling his displeasure at the top of his lungs from down the street!  (He's normally a fairly quiet guy!)

We've been lucky enough to go swimming a few times this summer.  We LOVE to swim.  

The worst part about swimming is that eventually Mommy has to end our time in the water.  That makes us CRAZY!!

Some days Mommy just leaves us on our leashes and allows us to take a dip in the edge of the water to cool off.  We like to engage in synchronized swimming on those days . . . (note the pawfect tail position)

Every once in a while we find a tennis ball at the lake.  Dixie is a firm believer in Finder's Keepers!  That ball travels all the way home with us!

Enjoy the rest of your summer!
Dixie & Jenna

Water Dawg

Mommy says without a doubt, I am a WATER DAWG!  I've really been enjoying my time in the playa lake this summer.  We usually walk around the lake every day on our morning walk.  I've started pulling in the direction of the water as we walk around all four sides.  Mommy tells me NO most days, but every so often I wear her down.  

If we're lucky enough to find a tennis ball at the lake, then Mommy says it's meant to be that day!  We've started wondering if someone accidentally leaves their balls behind or if a Good Samaritan is leaving balls placed strategically where dawgs will find them so they can play!

Whichever is the case, being at the lake makes me HAPPY!!!!! (and stinky)

Of course, there are plenty of days when we don't stop at the lake.  On those days I depend on the kindness of our neighbors.  It is so wonderful when they water their lawn and create a swimming pool for me to enjoy!  I look forward to checking out this spot DAILY! 

Mommy even lets me off my leash when we get to this spot so I can truly roll around and enjoy myself!

I've also taken advantage of our lawn watering.  Mommy says it's a good thing we don't have an underground sprinkler system or she'd use it all the time!  Well, maybe.  She's really a cheapo who can't stand to pay for water.  Our town has been in a drought for many months now, and Mommy hasn't been willing to turn the sprinklers on that often.  (You can decide if it's because of the drought or because she's cheap . . . )  The yard looks really bad in places.  In the early mornings or late evenings when she does turn the water on, I am LOVING IT!  I like to walk around in a circle and drink straight from the sprinkler. 

Hopefully you've had a few great water adventures yourself!
Ruger

Morning Walks

We're in the thick (heat) of summer and that means one thing especially for us . . . MORNING WALKS!  Since Mommy isn't in school, she has all day to devote to us.  Well, maybe not all day or every day, but most days!  We've settled into a routine.  Ruger is walked first and Dixie and I go together afterwards.

Ruger LOVES his morning walks.  As soon as his collar goes on, he runs to the back door.  When the door opens for him, he runs to the gate.  He was doing well at not having to stop and mark his territory until Mommy opened her mouth to brag about that.  Now, he likes to stop often for potty breaks!  [Insert eye roll from Mommy here]  

Ruger does a pretty good job of heeling most mornings.   

On Wednesdays, Mommy volunteers with the summer program at church, so she bravely walks all three of us together.  THAT'S when Ruger's heeling skill is gone with the wind!  We love to play Musical Leashes when the three of us walk together.  We also play Follow the Leader with Dixie usually playing the part of Leader.  To be honest, Mommy says we actually walk really well together.  We do tend to get a little discombobulated when one of us has to stop for a break, but we're usually back in sync pretty soon once we resume walking.  

We do have to be a teensy bit careful during those breaks.  Ruger recently sprinkled on Dixie!  He says he was just trying to help her stay cool in the heat.  Dixie's not convinced . . . 

Occasionally we can convince Mommy to let us play in the playa lake.  She is very hesitant to let all three of us off our leashes at the same time.  But we have so much FUN!!!

And we all return when called . . . eventually!

We hope you're having a great summer too!
Jenna

My First Swim

Last month when Mommy had a day off she decided to take me for my first swim.  We left my sisters at home.  Mommy said there was no way she'd be able to take care of all three of us at the lake.  In hindsight, it probably would have helped to take one of them so they could have shown me what to do.  Maybe next time.

When we first arrived there was another dawg playing fetch in the lake.  I thought it was great fun to chase the other dawg even though Mommy wouldn't trust me enough to let me off the leash.

However, when that dawg left, I wasn't sure exactly what I was supposed to do in the water.  That's when Dixie or Jenna would have come in handy.  They could have taught me the dawggy paddle in no time.  Instead I just sat on the banks of the lake and walked in the edge of the water trying to ignore Mommy and the camera.

Hopefully at least one of my sisters will go with me next time!
Ruger, The [not yet] Water Dawg


PS: It's been a year today since Jenna and Mommy had The Unfortunate Incident!