Recent Inspiration

From 2009 April

Can you tell what that is?

It is a dog jumping in a "Splash Dogs" competition at the Pet Expo.

It is not quite the moment that inspired, nor was the jumping that did the inspiring.

The first dog that Jules and I watched on the ramp was announced by name and the notation that the dog had lost 50 pounds. That was the inspiration.

Our Big Dog may be old (13 years old) and ouchie (big dog ouchie hips) but her extra weight is only making her worse. We have been in the vicious cycle where she hurts so she doesn't walk much... around the house or out of the house. It has been years since she was easily able to get in or out of a car. We live on a hill so getting home from a walk has long been a chore so we faded them out. She used to run and play plenty here at the house but she has gotten slower and slower. I had attributed that to age. I didn't even take into account the extra weight :(

So for now, she and I are taking it slow. About 50 yards a morning. 25 down hill and 25 back up. No matter how we slice it she's got a hill to get back up. She's been indicating that she wants the longer, around the short block, walk. The "short block" is down hill, long flat stretch, up hill, then finishes with a short down slope. So tomorrow, while I have unlimited time to go at her pace I'll let her do it with water and rest stops as needed. We'll have to see how the walk goes on day three.

Big Dog 4/20/09 10:30 pm
:) she was not being very photo friendly... I think she was hoping for a nighttime walk with me. We may be out the door in just a moment.

From 2009 April

ETA: Dh and I took her for the short walk around the block directly after I posted this. Even the flat bits were tough for her but she was happy about it. Silly pup. All in all it looks like the longer duration of the short block is as challenging for her as the short alley walk :/ Today, 4/20, I took her for a partial walk on the flatter portion of our hill. It is a scorcher today and at 10am it was already too hot to ask her to do the hill.