Annie & Little Bear
I’m not a fan of going out on New Year’s Eve. Of course, it was obligatory in my youth (god, how ancient do I sound?!) but it was usually marked by at least someone crying in the pub toilets, having a blazing row or otherwise getting morose. Add to that the exhausting game of ‘dodge the midnight snogger’ those slobbery little creeps who think that midnight gives them carte blanche to pucker up to complete strangers and all in all it was as much fun as bathing a cat. Thanks all the same, but I’ll be chilling at home tonight.
What I do love about New Year’s Eve is the chance to reflect on the departing year. I won’t be sorry to see the back of 2011 for numerous reasons, but dogwise, it’s certainly had it’s ups and downs.
Annie
It’s been a huge year for Annie for sure. It started with the TPLO operation to repair her damaged cruciate ligament. Then came the 12 weeks of crate rest. It’s amazing how we forget the weeks of disturbed nights as she cried pitifully from her crate. Getting up three, sometimes four times a night with her was normal for weeks. Other Half and I were punch drunk from lack of proper sleep.
Then there were the four walks a day she needed to build up the leg muscles and the desperate attempts to avoid the sight of any other dogs for fear that her lunging would undo the surgeon’s hard work.
Annie post TPLO
In May came the freak puncturing of her thigh muscle by the metal work in her leg and the 3am race to the emergency vet. She’s been spayed this year too and had her first holiday; the disaster story I’m sure we’ll continue to dine out on for years to come. But she’s also made amazing progress. After months of on-lead walking while her leg heeled and we plucked up the courage to trust her recall, she’s now a sight to behold as she bounds through the woods.
Annie's bionic leg
She can still be reactive on the lead, but she’s a total pussycat off-lead. She’s even made some new doggie friends. To see her running with other dogs and initiating play with Little Bear is just amazing.
She’s even learned to retrieve a ball in the past few weeks, which just goes to prove that you don’t really see the whole dog for a long time after their adoption.
A particular highlight came in the shape of her award from Labrador Rescue South East and Central.
Little Bear
Little Bear too has made amazing progress. We had a setback the other day, but the overall trend is a positive one. His reactivity is much reduced and that’s something I’m really proud of. If someone had told me this time last year that he’d be walking past screaming children, cyclists and other dogs without barking I’d have been amazed, but he’s doing all of that.
He also did really well at his agility lessons. Again, being in a class with lots of other dogs isn’t something he could have done last year, but he coped brilliantly and even though he doesn’t take agility very seriously, he proved that he can make short work of all of the equipment despite the presence of lots of other dogs. I’m not sure sitting on the top of the A Frame for a rest is in the rule book, but he certainly enjoyed being the class clown.
Little Bear goes swimming (well, nearly..)
He also learned to swim, an achievement of the highest order given his complete terror of the pool on his first lesson. He’s not up to the backstroke just yet, but we’ll be starting lessons again in the Spring so that he can pick up where he left off.
2012
So here comes 2012. I could fill pages with all the things I’d like to do with them, but I’ll restrain myself. I’m immensely proud of my dogs and plan to spend as much time as possible enjoying their company and helping them overcome their fears in 2012. For that opportunity I feel really blessed. Happy 2012 everyone.
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