Dog Day

Wednesday began with an early morning wake-up call from Monte. I got up to let Monte and Cooper outside for a quick potty break. Normally I would have stayed in bed and told Monte to go back to bed when he awakened me prior to dawn, but we had plans that benefited from an early breakfast.They have each learned not to delay for this activity since breakfast is served immediately afterwards. Each dog devoured two cups of food in their crates; I retrieved both bowls, to prevent any noise, and we all went back to sleep.

About two hours later my real alarm clock signaled a start to the day. This time I accompanied my house mates outdoors for a more serious call of nature. Since they both could use a little extra weight, they received raw bone to snack on and keep them occupied before our planned activities. Monte and I went for an hour long run through the village streets and he got some off-leash fun, leaping through the prairie grasses, as I jogged the park trails.

Next on the agenda was a trip to the grocery store with Cooper, just the two of us. However, this had to be postponed due to another digestive issue. It turns out that we have misdiagnosed Cooper's condition. While he may have had a urinary tract infection, the cranberries were not causing the vomiting. It turns out that he has round worms - not a pleasant creature to see on your bedroom floor. Cooper made an unexpected trip to the veterinarian for a dose of deworming medicine. Not sure how he would react to the medicine, we rescheduled the trip to the grocery store and he rested.

Lisa and I went shopping. It felt very strange shopping without a canine attachment. The trip went much quicker than normal. We did not forget our furry friends at home; we purchased eight pounds of chicken legs to supplement their diet. The chicken was $0.88 per pound which is actually cheaper than their dog food. Note: Raw chicken bones do not splinter and can actually have a positive effect on stools.

After returning home and shelving our food, I walked Monte to the park for another hour long exercise session. On the way, we have been working on HEELing. In guide dog training we were not concerned with him being out front. Well now, I want him closer to my side. It is hard to teach an old dog new tricks, especially when the trainer is lacking.

Monte received the extra attention because he would be spending the evening at home alone. Cooper attended a puppy training class in Janesville. This was a great opportunity to meet new dogs and experience new trainers with different expectations/situations. Two hours later we headed for home and grabbed a quick dinner before bed.

Thursday morning came very early. We were up before dawn, but this time there was no return trip to bed. Cooper and I were up at 6am. Now this is not early for most people, but I have been on "vacation" for the last month. Our morning drive took us to the Silly Yak Bakery for a Custom Canines' fund raiser. A tad bit excited upon arriving, Cooper quickly settled in and found a swath of sunshine to nap in. Time flies when "talking dog" and before we knew it, it was 1pm and time to go home (and take Monte for his walk).