Mom's Secret Weapon (Oso's Rescue - Day 3)

Good Morning Oso! This morning I woke you up bright and early again. Today I had volunteered to cover a shift at the hospital. I needed to get all the dogs fed, out for potty, and settled for the day in a short time. You were quite spunky this morning, but did so good at waiting to come out of your kennel until I invited you. Then when I finally called your name, you sprinted out the door, but did a little less leaping at me this time.

I had been still trying to keep some distance between you and other dogs until you are 100% cleared from the vet with this newest coughing/out of breath thing. Although this morning I didn't hear you cough or breath hard at all. I brought out your bright pink medicine when we went outside. You, who obviously really seem to enjoy your food, lapped the 2.5ml of fluids right out of the syringe

. In fact you wanted to steal the little piece of moulded plastic right out

of my hand. I'm pretty sure that you were just not entirely convinced that it was really all gone, and wanted to check for yourself.

Our friend, Brandon, agreed to take care of you today while I was away at work. I gave him all the directions he would need to make sure you got your food, your medicine, and your regular potty breaks to your own special area of the yard...on a leash of course.

Well things must've gone great. Because you happily wagged your tail and howled at me when I came through the door this afternoon. Other than being a sloppy drinker and making the corner of your crate wet, everything looked perfect with you. No potty accidents in the kennel and still water in the big dish I bolted to the side of your kennel (minus the many lab drooly dribbles underneath).

I brought you some special groceries from store. I once heard someone say to a skinny dog that he 'needed groceries'. This crossed my mind as I was shopping for you at the store. Let's see, we bought cottage cheese, peanut butter, and string cheese. Got groceries! I had another a secret weapon stored in my brain on how to keep you entertained for the next week and a half. A secret that I had learned at the puppy class that I had taken our eldest chocolate lab (now 7 1/2 years) to when she was just a wee little pup. We were going to make the labrador delicacy of frozen stuffed Kong.

There are tons of variations, but tonight Elizabeth and I used cottage cheese and dog kibble. She cram packed it into a giant kong and then placed it in the freezer for a few hours. Once they were frozen, the Kongs are a fun and nutritional way to keep puppy, adolescent, and adult dogs occupied for a long, long, time. And just as I suspected, when I placed the tasty frozen toy in your kennel for the first time, you thought this thing was out of sight!

We laughed as you pinned the black rubber toy under your paws and gnawed away at the icy end that protruded out the bottom. Sometimes you would shove your tongue and lower jaw in so far that you would almost get it stuck trying to get it back out again. But my favorite part was when you had the whole thing stuffed in your mouth. As you paused to watch me, the Kong started to dangle out the side of your mouth like you were enjoying the best cigar ever. You just wagged your tail and went back to the business of trying to extricate every last curd of cottage cheese from the farthest depths of the toy.

After dinner tonight, it was time to clean out your kennel. You were excited to hang out with Chris for a few minutes while I tended to your corner of the living room. The top of your kennel was littered with leashes, a water bottle, lysol wipes, and hand sanitizer. Everyone has been quite diligent about keeping any germs to a minimum. After feeding or watering you, petting you, taking you potty or tending your kennel; I watched everyone clean their hands regularly. I never even had to remind them. Everyone in the house knows that we are trying to keep everyone as healthy as can be.

Elizabeth gave you ice cubes to play with in the afternoon. Rather than chew them up, you enjo

yed pushing them around your kennel and sucking on them. You are a funny character. When I cleaned your kennel I used disinfecting wipes and washed both your bowls. I removed the

damp, fleece blanket and replaced it with a larger wool one that wouldn't get quite as bunched up in the back of the kennel. You were especially thrilled to see that the ends of the blankets had thick wool fringes. They must've been quite intriguing because you mouthed them and twisted your tongue around a few large pieces. I could see right away that they were simply too resistible for you to avoid. I had to re fold the blanket so that the fringes were out of sight, and hopefully, out of mind. That was the end of that.

I got a few

cute pictures of you in your little corner of the living room; inside the kennel. You were still working on the remnants of stuff inside your Kong. I'll have to remember to post them on the internet. I thought you looked better yet again tonight. Baby steps...one day at a time.

I just had to take advantage of a few training moments tonight. At one point, after I cleaned your kennel, it was time to put you back inside. So I grabbed a few pieces of food from a small dish I placed nearby the night before. As I started toward your crate I motioned inside and, in my happiest voice, gave a simple instruction; "kennel". I tossed the pieced of food inside your kennel and tonight you dove right in. After I closed the door behind you, I gave you lots of praise. Later we tried a different game.

You were still keeping busy working on that Kong (frozen stuffed Kongs are THE BEST), when you did a little bit of whining. I guessed that you might need to go out again. So I walked to your kennel and opened the door. Ha! I was so proud. You stayed right there inside, and peered at me with 100% attention. You didn't even try to bolt for the door...Until you saw Henna and Buddy stroll by as they were getting ready to go outside. Just as you looked like you were about to make a break for it I shut the door and gave you a quick reminder, "ah, ah ah". In a split second you tucked your front paw and that little brown nose back inside the crate and sat down. And you waited. And waited. Henna and Buddy strolled by on their way back in, and you waited. A few times I told you that you were good boy for waiting. And you waited. I walked over near the front door and grabbed a camera. Man, you were intense. And you waited. Henna was waiting with baited breath to see what was going to happen next. Buddy laid down about 8 feet from your kennel, and you waited. Wow. I was impressed. I snapped a few pictured of you without having that annoying kennel door in the way...and you waited.

Finally, when I quietly called your name, you stretched out your back legs and nonchalantly walked out. I gave you a good pat on the chest and a few shoulder rubs, then snapped on your leash to go outside. You are so smart!

We walked along the far end of the driveway, and across the dirt road that runs in front of our home. I noticed your tummy still looked a little perturbed with the food switch, but it seemed like things may have been improving. We did a half dozen recalls on your leash, in which you executed with perfection. You sure do get excited when you do good. You can hardly sit still when I try to pet you when giving you praise.

I laid on the sofa with Henna and Buddy for a while and together we all watched you sleep. Your little paws twitched in your dreams and your eyebrows danced an elaborately animated dance above your closed eyes. I wondered what you were dreaming about. I hope you dream of good things.