Saturday the 31st of January
9:30 pm
I left a bit early. Buddy was trying to sleep, but he still wakes to any move I make, and I shift around a lot working, between computing and writing. He kept trying to close his eyes. The poor guy, he looks so disappointed. I just hope he doesn’t think I’m punishing him for something. I doubt he understands this is for his health.
I don’t think steriods have a “feel” about them, but Buddy really leaned in when I applied his ointment the second time. He held still, and seemed like the ointment made him feel better, and he wanted it.
Earlier in the day, he seemed to be fine with the cone. He had some trouble picking up his bunny, but he wanted to play once he did. I decided it would be good not to. He was bumping the cone on things frequently. Running around a corner could be treacherous.
Bubba sacked out early again, and deeply. It was a long day. I was over early, and we were up and going, and I spent most of the day there, to keep an eye on Buddy and monitor the temperature inside. Hopefully Buddy will be more comfortable with the cone tomorrow, and won’t have issues overnight. He was a bit timid jumping up and down from the couch. He tried to get through a dog door earlier in the evening, but figured out fairly quickly that he couldn’t. Most things, the cone was just something to adjust to – not a deterent or an obstacle that he couldn’t overcome.
4:15 pm
Evening walk. Across the street briefly, then up the path to PCH, to the gate and back home.
Bubba pooped, Bubba did not. We walked 50 minutes.
3 pm
I went to the store to get a new tin of wet Cesar for Buddy. I’ll hand feed some to him this evening. He looked so dejected, in bed, with his cone-shielded chin resting on the bed’s edge.
Bubba was napping in the fireplace bed. I got out the leashes, and neither guy had any interest in walking. I forgot to go to the UPS Store while I was out. I will go when they open tomorrow.
1:35 pm
I took half of a waffle over to share with Buddy. He isn’t happy about the cone. He “punished” me at one point, when I got up from my computer he jumped down into my seat with his back turned to me. He’s done that before when he’s been displeased with me. He’s good at making a statement in a territorial fashion. I very much prefer that to Bubba’s method of peeing on things to make a statement.
11:50 am
The guys wanted to go out. It was just a short walk. Buddy managed to navigate going down the stairs easy enough. Bubba was never able to manage going down stairs without scraping the cone on each step. I gave Buddy a Milk Bone which he struggled with at first, but he figured it out. He got around the difficulty maneuvering the cone against the food and water dishes fairly quickly. There were a few bumps at first, but he figured it out.
We walked up and out the gate to PCH, but we didn’t get far before Buddy wanted to turn around. He’s not liking the cone.
We walked about 15 minutes. Nobody pooped.
11:30 am
Buddy opened the wound on his head. This time it was caught much earlier, before he could tear a significant amount of skin and hair off his head. This time I recognized it as a wound, and not a clump of sticky dirty hair. But he managed to pick off the scabs and draw blood, so he’s got the cone on, now. I cleaned the wound, and giving it a little time to dry and to scab up, and then I’ll start the steriods to get it healed. These cones are so awful. Poor guy.
9:30 am
I had both fans running on low (1). The fan in the living room above the records, and my own, same exact fan on the dining table, blowing the fresh air in from the dining room, pointing up slightly into the living room.
Buddy signaled that he needed to go out again. I grabbed his leash, and he ran over to the food bowl to stuff his face. I understand that this isn’t a rejection of the walk, it’s a preparation, in case we’re stuck on the walk for days – he wouldn’t want to starve to death. I opened the door and pretending to leave without him, and he came running.
The walk went as far as the edge of the landing, and he turned around and wanted to go back in. He just wanted to break my focus from work.
8 am
I was awake early, so I headed over early. They were already ready for me. I thought I caught them asleep, because Buddy wasn’t at the door. That meant I could get some early work and coffee in. But that was wrong. Buddy was at the door, just doing his belly grind to let me know that he badly needed to get out. It was so urgent he couldn’t even step a few feet forward to peek out the door.
Bubba was in the fireplace bed, looking like he wasn’t ready to move, which was fine. I could get Buddy out, and he would do his business and want to come right back home. But once Buddy’s harness was on, The Alpha stood up, stepped his front paws out of the bed, had one giant shoulder stretch, then came over to get dressed to go out.
We went up the hill this morning. Buddy led us over to the path to PCH, and I thought we’d head up that way. It would be a nice change of pace from the park. But he wanted to go up the hill, instead. Up the hill the sun felt really hot already. It was gorgeous, regardless. I used to walk that way, alone, all the time. I’m glad Buddy dragged me up there. It’s right outside, and I rarely see it anymore.
We walked 40 minutes. Bubba pooped. Buddy did not. But Buddy pooped on the deck overnight.