This post is going to be less poor writing and more just a photo dump from the walks that we have had the last few days. Or as I like to think of it the start of Diego’s training to build him up to the much longer walks.
Our walk round the rugby and cricket fields (New Years Day)Our walk at South Holland Main Drain (Friday 2/1)
The South Holland Main Drain walk will always be associated with Nico. As we walked along the bank of the drain I couldn’t help remembering the sight of Nico sprinting for his dear life towards me as a flying pheasant seemed to be chasing him. Other times on this walk Nico would go missing in the wheat fields looking for who knows what. Making our walk much longer than it had to be as Strider and I looked for him.
Once back it looked like Diogo had the limp returning. So I made the decision to make Saturday a “rest day”.
Newton and North Level Main Drain (Sunday 4/1)
As you can see we’ve had the cold spell but no snow. Which is kinda disappointing. I’d like a good snow fall.
Well it’s a new year but to get here every pet owner and pet has to go through the same gauntlet.
Despite the many pleas on social media in the run up to the new year for others to consider how stressful fireworks are for the animal kingdom. There still seems to be those that think letting off enough ordnance to put the illegal airstrike of a sovereign nations nuclear program to shame is justified in celebrating the passing of the old and the start of the new.
This would be Diogo’s first time experiencing such explosive celebrations. How would he handle it.
I’ve been lucky in the past. The wolf pack were not bothered at all by the loud explosions. Which was handy when we were living in Crook because we were living next to the towns cricket ground where we found out they held the annual fireworks display.
Nico and Loki have been ok as well with fireworks. And Dolly has been as well.
I think the secret is not to get stressed out by the fireworks yourself. I think the furballs pick up on this. So being calm and not reacting helps them.
Mums dogs Ebony and Toby were always getting stressed out by fireworks. Which I think they picked up from mum. She got stressed that they were going to be stressed. It was a self fulfilling prophecy.
Last night Diogo was in his bed when the first explosions of the night started going off. All he did was get on the bed and cuddle up next to me. As did Loki and Dolly. I was literally pinned on the bed by them cuddled up next to me.
They weren’t stressed, worried or under any duress. Just content cuddled up next to me.
I was really proud how all three handled the fireworks. I’ll take doggy cuddles any day of the week.
This morning on our walk there was very little evidence of last nights explosive celebrations. Usually the remains of some expensive fireworks display in a box type thing are left next to the dog bins or in the middle of the grass. All I saw this morning was the remains of a sparkler and a couple of rockets. I know times are hard for lots of people and this is just a tiny example of where people are making cuts.
Today Dolly and I introduced Diogo to the fenland landscape.
We went to just out side of Newton in the Isle for a walk I used to do regularly with the wolf pack. This one saw us doing a there and back to the North Level Main Drain. It ended up being about 1.5 miles in total.
This is the furthest Diogo has been on a walk since arriving in the UK.
Although the sun was out there was still a bit of a chill.
While Dolly was off the lead, a trust she has learnt. Diogo has not got to that point yet and was kept on his lead. He did get a bit longer on it than normal because I used Dolly’s lead as an extension.
Although I did my best to avoid other dogs, and the inevitable barking in excitement from Diogo. I wasn’t 100 percent able to avoid that situation though.
But I am trying to get to a point using calming dog treats (I’m very sceptical about these but time will tell). I’ve also contacted a dog trainer but had no reply yet. But then again it is the Christmas period and they could be taking the time off. I’ll give them until middle of next week before looking for another.
In the meantime Dolly and I need to build Diogo up so he can do the longer walks.
There is one last opportunity for some games to be played before the year is over. Hopefully that will work out. Then it’s a couple of boring stats posts and we are in the new year.
I did give away my Pokemon Splendor yesterday. My step sisters son is a Pokémon fan. He collects the cards but doesn’t play. So I decided to let him have my copy of the game.
My Christmas viewing, apart from YouTube has been a rewatch of season 1 of Arrow. Which has been fun watching these earlier, almost darker episodes again.
Diogo update
I’d say Diogo is now 98% back to full use of the leg.
I do notice a brief limp after he has been resting for a while.
Now to build him up to doing a longer walk.
I do have a new brew kit in the works. It will work with any stove. Well 99% of them that aren’t like a Jetboil type stove. It won’t be the lightest but it will be flexible.
Having a brew stop while out on the longer walks is something I really enjoy. It’s something I need to introduce Diogo to. Unlike Dolly who will have a bit more freedom while we stop. Diogo will be on his leash. Until he learns or should I say earns the trust to be off it. Which at the moment won’t be for a while.
I do need to look into training for the both of us. We need to correct Diego’s barking while excited. Whether that’s while I’m getting ready for our walk or while out and seeing another dog.
His barking Christmas Day morning at 8am upon seeing another dog did see a home owner enter into the Christmas spirit by shouting out of their window for Diogo to stop barking. Diogo’s response? To keep barking. It’s surprising how loud his bark sounds in the silence of the early morning, echoing off the surrounding houses.
I’ve tried the usual words in English and Spanish but they have no impact. I’m not sure Diogo knows the meaning or how to be.
So I’m hoping a combination of training and calming dog treats (ordered from Amazon) will break Diogo of this habit.
The other aim of any training is to get to the point where he has earnt the trust to chill freely while stopping for a brew.
After the “brief” update yesterday buried in the “I’m still alive post”. I thought it’d be more appropriate to give another update on Diogo’s road to recovery its own post.
Diogo is continuing to make progress in using his leg.
He is using it a lot more. If walking at a slow or moderate pace he is using it. However if at speed because he is excited and wants to get to the next scent fast, he resorts to limping.
Jedi duelling
Which is massive progress.
I want to think that the rheumocam he is taking once a day is helping. According to the included leaflet with the medication it alleviates “inflammation and pain in both acute and chronic musculoskeletal disorders in dogs.“
The only pain about the medication is it’s an oral medication. So I have to use a syringe to give it to him.
Unlike Nico and his heart medication who I could pick up, cradle in my arm, and use the syringe in his mouth. Diogo is a bit more challenging. Neither enjoy the medication they have/had to take.
But as I said it appears to be working.
Kate managed to get hold of the details for the operation that Diogo under went while in Peru. Which I promptly emailed to the vet. I’m also sharing them with you below.
“Right flank / lumbar area: an open wound was found affecting the dermis and epidermis; for this reason, flap approximation was performed.
Lacerations were present on the distal portion of the tibia, fibula, and tarsal bones. In this area, partial loss of condyles and fascia was found. Skin approximation and regenerative treatment were performed, preserving the anatomy of the distal limb. Estimated recovery and skin regeneration time: 2 months.
A bilateral orchiectomy was also performed. Postoperative care was provided following all surgical procedures.
Medications used
Anesthesia:
• Ketamine
• Fentanyl
• Lidocaine
• Propofol (maintenance)
Postoperative treatment:
• Cephalexin
• Meloxicam
• Dipyrone”
Obviously that all means diddly squat to me.
Kate also has the theory that Diogo may not be used to walking so much, especially in the rescue home.
So maybe it’s a combination of things that have bought us to this moment in time and the issue with the leg.
Diogo has also started knocking over the glass next to my bed to get my attention. He particularly does this if I try and ignore his barking to nag me to take him for a walk.
Diogo has his body clock that tells him he wants a walk at 8am and another around 3pm.
And if I don’t give in to his initial prompts his barking somehow gets louder!
It’s been a long minute since the previous post. It’s either feast or famine on that front it seems.
Gaming has slowed right down. December is historically a slow gaming month. I do find it frustrating.
A brief Diogo update. It’s nearly a month since he joined our family. Somehow Friday afternoon Diogo hurt his back leg, and has not used it since.
I gave him the weekend to show signs of recovery, along with shorter walks to allow him to rest it.
Come yesterday morning the leg was neither improving nor getting worse. So it was a trip to the vets for him. The vet has put Diogo on a course of anti inflammatory painkillers. And another two weeks of light duties while on the medication. If that doesn’t work an expensive x-ray is needed on the leg, followed by who knows what.
I will give Diogo his dues he handles three legs better than Bud ever did. Going for a pee he literally does a handstand on his front two legs if he needs to go on the side of the bad leg.
This morning he wasn’t doing that and was able to stand on the leg while peeing. So the meds seem to have started making a difference.
I find it incredible that only a week has passed since Diogo arrived in the UK and I went south to meet him.
This week has gone by so fast.
A week that has gone far better than I could hope for.
Today was a real test for the little monsters and mum.
I spent the majority of the day and evening gaming. The games played will be covered in a post in the next couple of days. With me being home for a couple of hours between the two gaming sessions. Enabling me to feed both the little monsters and mum, do the evening call of nature walk, and spend a little quality time with them.
Yes I crammed a lot into that time.
But me being away was a test for mum being able to cope with four furballs plus her cat Ramsey.
Which she did ok.
However I’m sure she was glad once I was home.
Right I’m closing this blog post with the dogs curled up with me. Dolly is lying across my chest as I type on my iPhone, snoring away.
It’s hard to imagine that this time last week Diogo was in the air making his way from Lima in Peru to Amsterdam. The time has just flown by.
After breakfast and the morning walk I paid a visit to the Pets at Home store.
The main reason I went was to get something for Diogo to chew. That dog is a chewer. Which is a new experience for me because none of my previous dogs or current ones have been. That includes Strider as a puppy too.
If I want a home and no damaged boardgames I needed something he could chew away on.
Whilst looking around the store I picked up a hoodie for Diogo. There were one or two I liked the look of for the longer walks that are a bit more suitable for a UK winter. I’ll make a decision in the next week or so and get one for Diogo and one for Dolly.
I also picked up two dog restraints for the car. Although I have every confidence in the bungee cords I used on Saturday. That was fine for a temporary solution. However I need something that was a bit more suitable for the car and shorter than a full lead. Plus I needed something for Dolly. She is really good in the car. But I should be legal.
The plan is Diogo in the backseat, Dolly in the front. With that in mind I found out how to disable or more correctly switch off the passenger airbag. I didn’t even know that was a thing you could do. But now it’s done.
I also bought a box of 240 strong poo bags. Thin ones are not my favourite. So easy to puncture whilst midst pick up.
Finally what I actually went to the pet store for. I ended up buying four of those bones with stuff in the middle.
Diogo’s new hoodie
As I was paying I got talking to the person serving me. It turns out the other person serving had rescued a dog from Romania. Her dog was called Forest because that’s where they had been found.
Back home I put the new hoodie on Diogo which I really like on him. Dolly will need something for our longer walks but her pug coat is better in this weather than the natural coat that Diogo has.
I did give the bones to each of the dogs. This highlighted an area where Diogo has to learn life is different now.
Diogo was getting very protective of his bone, ie growling. If any of the others got close. Bear in mind this is four dogs and myself on a double bed. Not the biggest space for them to spread out. He also decided he’d had enough of his bone and wanted one of the others. Cue growling again. After an intervention by myself it was all swap around on the bones. But that didn’t stop Diogo. More growling.
There was only one thing to do. I had to take back all the bones and put them out of the way.
I want to put Diogo’s behaviour down to his previous life. Especially the time spent in the rescue home where there was competition for stuff.
Diogo over time will learn life is different here. There is no competition and we are one pack.
It used to be that when I fed the dogs Dolly would growl words of encouragement to hurry up. Or nagging as I call it to be faster putting the food in the dog bowls and put them down.
Dolly is not a dog that takes her time and savours her food. She lottery wolfs down her food. Licking every last morsel from the bowl before moving on to hopefully getting some of Nico and Loki’s food. Who are the complete opposite to Dolly. Very slow and picky eaters.
Diogo is somewhere in the middle of these two extremes. Although he does appear to be just as fussy as the little ones with food at times. All Dolly cares about is, is it edible?
But why am I going on about Dolly nagging?
Well Diogo also nags. Just not at meal times.
Diogo thinks I need barks of encouragement to get ready for our walks quicker.
Despite the current language barrier Diogo is starting to picking up on the cues from the others.
He also notices when I start getting ready to take them out.
Once he notices he will start to bark in excitement and encouragement.
He does love going out, as does Dolly.
I’m currently looking for a local dog park I can take Diogo to so that he can be safely let off the lead and allowed to run to his hearts content.
Nico hasn’t been his usual self the last couple of days. It doesn’t help that he has two faulty valves in his heart that are inoperable. All I can do is to keep giving him his heart meds. Which he hates taking. I’m giving the little chap another day or so before seeing the vet.
I have a played a couple of games and the end of the month summary is close. So stay tuned for the gaming content.
