Winter Rejuvenation

Last summer, many of you may recall reading about Cookie. The hot, humid weather had her leg injury flaring up. It was a little disconcerting because she's an active dog. With the partial tear on her CCL, she would have her good days and her bad days.

I had begun to accept the fact that as she was only getting older, her injury would worsen with time. Then a funny thing happened. With Homer wanting to sleep near me, Cookie had no desire to be anywhere near him. They get along, but both have strong personalities where they want to be the boss. Cookie however, wants peace above everything else, so she gives Homer the final say on most matters, unless I intervene on her behalf.

As a result, Cookie hasn't been using the stairs as much as she had in the past. With the combination of the cold weather and avoiding the stairs, she has become a rejuvenated dog. She's no longer limping, and is handling walks much better.

She can last much longer on a walk. It used to be she would insist on turning around to go home after a few minutes. Now, she will resist if the walk is too short and will want to go longer. Thankfully, she's been understanding when I take her in the morning before going to my temp job. All three are just happy with a short jaunt around the block.

Extra Rest Is Underrated

In the past, the doctor was adamant about Cookie staying off of her feet. I always thought I complied but obviously, it wasn't enough in the past. Now, I realize that every dog has their limits and that time can make all the difference.

Going Forward

I've had Cookie avoid the stairs as much as possible and keep an eye on when she wants to jump down from high places. Because she never had surgery for the tear, it's always better to take extra precautions. I won't be taking her roller skating like I had in the past because it's too much of a risk. However, I'm hoping to build her up slowly to longer walks when I have the extra time to do so. Taking the dogs to the dog park always works well because Cookie can be as active or as lazy as she wants to be with no leash required.

Let's Discuss!

Have you ever had a dog in a similar situation like Cookie? What helped them to make a great recovery?

Related Posts

Swim Time For Cookie
5 Tips For Walking A Senior Dog
Baby, It's Cold Outside
All About The Snow Baths