Hey all! I just had to report in on my old stomping grounds me and Mom have gone for a walk now twice! She hasn’t been taking me up in these fields behind our house ’cause the grass was too long but now it’s mowed(but could stand to be a tad shorter to not tire out my tripawd legs). But we tried it out a week ago and guess what! I did great! And no ill after effects of being too tired after, so we went up there again yesterday! Wahoo! I LOVE it up in the fields! Here’s some pictures of me and some video’s! Aren’t I just the coolest Tripawd in Northern Maine?! 😉
Wait a minute....what do I smell????
And here’s a clip to what I smelled….well, shhhhh, I didn’t tell Mom what I rolled in…and there was no remnants of anything on my shoulder, so she’s not really sure! She thinks it was a dead mouse ! 🙂
And here’s Mom playing hide and seek with me…I love this game 🙂
Here's me on me and Mom's "thinking rock"! Been a loooong time since I got up on this rock!
Me and Mom used to spend quite a few minutes each time we walked up in the fields before I was a Tripawd to stop and sit on our “thinking rock”. It was a great place to take in the wonderful view of our town’s lake and our house down below! The grass and bushes need to be cleaned out – guess we’re gonna venture up here more, so we’d better clean that out Mom! Look at me! I jumped right up on the rock and Mom didn’t even tell me to! I remembered “our rock”! 🙂
So, I had another great walk yesterday…just thought I’d pass on some video’s and photo’s of it to show that Tripawds do in fact ROCK! He-he, get it? Me on a rock? 😉
One more picture of me thinking this was a GREAT walk Mom! Thanks for letting me show you what I can do!
Keep on hoppin’!
Maggie
PS the orange bandana is cause it’s huntin’ season up here(even though it was Sunday, you just never know!) – although I don’t really think I look like a partridge(bird), do you?!?! Stupid hunters – I don’t want them to mistake me for a BIRD!
One year ago today, we made the decision to give Maggie a second chance on life. I thought I was prepared for her surgery, having really known that she probably had soft tissue sarcoma on her left rear leg, diagnosed by my sister, Gina, (a LVT) and then confirmed by Maggie’s surgeon, Dr. Chris Miles of Lucerne Vet Clinic. She was in so much pain prior to the surgery, the week between the biopsy and the actual surgery date, was agonizing…very long minutes, hours, days to finally getting her some pain relief. After surgery, when I saw Mags the first time, I was so upset…what did we do to her…no turning back now..but wow, did we do the right thing? Thank goodness my sister, Gina, was there to keep things in perspective for me & help me get through that first day at the clinic with Maggie.
When driving home, the closer we got home on October 22, 2010, there was fresh snow on the ground. Oh yeah, just to make the struggles of getting around for a newly amputated dog all that more difficult…for both she and us. Then on October 25th she wouldn’t eat. Running a low grade fever for two weeks and struggling to get her to eat in that time frame. Thankfully, she was drinking – and drinking A LOT. Several trips back and forth to the surgeon and local vet to find out what we could do to help – what was wrong? Those two weeks were pure HELL. Totally. I got through it mentally with the help of my sister, husband and friends. I still wasn’t sure we’d done the right thing. But no turning back now…keep on struggling until finally her fever broke and she started eating on her own again! Party! The little things like eating that were such a triumph!
Then comes the day she can be FREE off a leash, after having been on one for a very long time prior to surgery, as she was misdiagnosed as having an ACL injury. After she got her stitches out and we came home, I let her loose. I will never forget the emotions that ran through me for those first few minutes of watching her. Her learning to meander around the yard on three legs. Her happily grabbing a stick to chew on! Another small triumph!
As the days, weeks and months have gone by, there have been many triumphs for Maggie. She has gained in strength very slowly but with the help of physical therapy that I do with her and being able to go for short walks, she’s gained her life back mostly…only on three legs – three healthy legs 🙂 She earned her Rally Level 1 title in APDT Rally Obedience in May. She competed at another Rally trial in July earning more legs in Level 1 and Halloween weekend she is entered in another Rally trial, this time in Veterans class. In November, she is entered in the new Wag It Games where she will be in the special “Heart Dog Program” for disabled dogs having special rules apply for her disability! She plays a bit of down scaled agility in the back yard but doesn’t compete in it anymore…but she’s OK with that..she has just as much fun in the back yard 🙂 We go for walks and she is up to a half hour walk now on some pretty hilly ground. There was a day when she couldn’t handle two days in a row of walking but now she can!
I am so proud of Maggie. The courage she has had to endure at times for just the little things that she used to be able to do so easily – like walking across a hardwood floor – and trying her best not to slip and not be scared. Don’t worry Mags, I’ll help you when you need it. You are a very special girl that was given a second chance and we are VERY glad you were given that second chance!
I’m happy to report we made the right decision!
Happy One Year Ampuversary to my AgileCowDog Maggie!!
We started the Ampuversary party early on Sunday! Here she is at one of my favorite places – Deboullie Pond. It is State of Maine owned land with many surrounding ponds and walking trails. From our house, it is 25 miles on dirt roads to get there. While Mags can’t walk far on the trail anymore, she did venture on a bit of it.
Maggie at Deboullie Pond 10-17-1010-17-10 Patiently waiting for my hot dog and hamburger!Patiently “staying” so I can go get my hot dog next!Come on, let’s go for a walk!!
In the past couple of months, Maggie has really shown me how much stronger she is on our walks. And with the now changing weather to crisp, cool air, she is showing me even more how strong she is. She is letting me forget on our walks that she is a Tripawd, she is so strong lately! She really amazes me…even to this day, a year later, in her accomplishments of living on three legs.
Here she is with her tendon chew as a gift for her Ampuversary. I’m sure she’ll be getting lots of goodies as the day goes on today! 🙂 So proud of you, Maggie! Keep on being my AgileCowDog! You ROCK!
Woohoo! I had the most fabulous walk with my pal, Woodie, today! I have to admit, I don’t like many dogs but Woodie – oooo-la-la! Ahem, I reaaaallllllllly like him 😉
Here’s a photo of him chasing me! Oh, do I LOVE a good game of chase and sometimes he gives into this game that I love so much! 🙂
Look at me fly!!!!!!!!! Devil eyes and all three legs a-flyin’!!!
And here’s a more calm photo of me….lookin’ for squirrels….
Where oh where are those squirrels hiding?
And here’s a video clip of me checking out turkey poop!!! Oh wow! Mom is some lucky I didn’t roll in that! Come on’ Woodie, let’sgo find the turkeys!!!
And here’s me blasting out of the woods after trying to find SOMETHING….squirrels, turkeys?!?!?! No luck, so out I come on 3 legs just a flyin’!
And here’s one more exciting clip of me and my bud, Woodie! My Mom didn’t get the first part of our wrestle as she was too slow to turn the camera on! Am I agile or what!?!?! 🙂
So, there was my exciting day yesterday with my man, Woodie! Let’s do it again soon, Woodie, OK? But….I have to admit, I gotta rest up a day or so before I go out again on a walk like that….the downfalls of being a Tripawd…or maybe not, cause my Mom gave me a massage last night! 🙂
