Health-wise, Otis is really improving. We're weaning him off of the tramadol gradually...from three pills at a time to two. He's walking better, running better, and just acting better in general. Today we took him to the dog park again (we took him last Sunday as well). Last week he acted somewhat timidly--he mostly ran around and sniffed and smelled. And when he finally got pooped, he laid down and we took that as a sign that he had had enough. This week, he was a social butterfly! He played with dogs--and not just a little bit, either! He wrestled and ran and acted a fool. It was so heartening to see! He would fall down when a bigger dog would tackle him and I'd think, "ok, here we go, now he's gonna shut it down," and he'd get up and tackle the big dog right back! Such a proud mama, I am.
These little things are the things that you hold onto and notice after months of recovery and PT. You watch his stamina improving gradually and his running get smoother. You look for his confidence to return and his attitude to shift. Sometimes you go weeks without thinking he's getting any better. And then there are days like today...when you see your hard work beginning to pay off.
I know it's going to take more months of massages and exercises and patience before he's at his peak performance. But there's something a little bit invigorating to see improvement right in front of your eyes. Here Otis is, fresh from the groomers. Love the bandana in honor of Halloween! He walks so proudly after he's had a bath...
