My Leg, Part Two

I am happy to report that my leg is feeling better. Mommy took me to the vet to get my stitches out Friday. She was very surprised to learn that I had taken out all but three all by myself! I wonder if dogs can be nurses and doctors when they grow up. Well, I guess not. It was OK to take out my own stitches with my teeth since I don't have fingers but I guess other patients wouldn't like that.

I don't understand something. My leg is feeling much, much better but Mommy still won't let me do anything fun. When she goes out, I get locked in the kitchen all by myself. When she is home, she will not let me get on the sofa. I was trying to get on the sofa to cuddle with her and this is what I heard, "No, Ethel Frances. Get off, Ethel Frances!" That hurt my feelings. Why didn't my mommy want to cuddle with me? I tried again and for the first time in my life, she held her legs up to keep me off. She thought that would keep me off. I just stepped on her legs, got on the sofa, and lay across her legs in case she thought about pushing me off.

Mommy looked in my face and said, "Ethel Frances, I don't know what to do with you. You are not supposed to climb, run, jump, play,or go for long walks for two more weeks. Your leg needs time to heal from surgery. I know you don't understand but pretty soon you will be allowed to do all the activities you love to do. Just try to be a good girl and stay off the furniture. OK, honey?"

All I understood from all of that talking was that Mommy was right. I do not understand, but I will try to be good anyway because that makes Mommy happy.

Speaking of happy, Happy New Year everyone and thank you for being interested in my life and my stories!

Ouch! What Happened to My Leg?? (a long blog)

My bad day actually started last night. Mommy picked up our water dish like she usually does when she cleans it and fills it. She cleaned it and put it on the floor empty. What was she thinking? She never did put water in it. When we woke up this morning, not only did we not have water but she didn't give us food either. LuLu started barking at Mommy. "Mommy, please feed us. We are hungry. Mommy! Did you hear me?" LuLu looked at me and Izzy and shrugged her shoulders. "Oh my sisters. I tried to get Mommy to feed us. I barked and barked and I even cried, but she ignored me. What's going on here?"

Mommy didn't eat breakfast either. She looked at us and said, "Girls, I know you are hungry. I am, too, but Ethel Frances is having surgery in a little while so she is not allowed to eat or drink. I don't think it's fair for all of us to eat when Ethel Frances can't."

Surgery! There's that word again. The first time I heard it was last week. Dr. Burns and Mommy were talking about it after he moved my sore leg around and made it feel worse. All I know about surgery is that Mommy said it will fix my leg. I hope she is right because my leg has been hurting. Mommy hasn't taken me on any long walks and she hasn't let me run for a while and those are two of my favorite activities.

Mommy brought me home after leaving me at Flower Valley Veterinary Hospital. That is where Dr. Burns is. I usually like to go there because everyone loves me and I get lots of attention and hugs. Today was different. When we got to Dr. Burns', Mommy and I went in, but only Mommy left. "Mommy! Wait! Where are you going? Why aren't you taking me? Don't leave me here, Mommy!" Mommy looked at me and said, "Ethel Frances, you have to stay. You need surgery to fix your poor leg. I know you don't understand but you just have to trust me. I love you so much. I want your leg to be better so you can run and play and go on long walks again." She gave me a big hug and kiss and then she left. It looked like she had tears in her eyes. Why was she crying? I am the one who got left behind. I cried, too.

Kim took me in the back and put me on a big table. She stuck me in the arm with something sharp and I got very sleepy. Next thing I knew I woke up in a crate. All of the hair on my leg was gone and it hurt so bad. I didn't know anything could hurt that bad. I thought my leg was going to be fixed. I thought it wasn't going to hurt anymore. Is everyone crazy? Don't they know they made me hurt more? Before I could say anything to Kim, I fell asleep. Why am I so sleepy?

Mommy finally came to pick me up. I was there so long that it was dark outside. Kim called out to me, "Ethel Frances, it's time for you to go home. Your mommy is here." I was happy about that but I had so much trouble walking. I was sleepy and my leg hurt too much to walk on it. I held it up in the air and walked on three legs. Then I had to get in the car. I hate to get in the car when my leg doesn't hurt. Now I hated it even more. Kim didn't wait for me to get in myself. She got Stephanie and they lifted me and put me in the back.

Mommy put my bed and blankie in the kitchen and put up gates to keep me in there. My leg hurt so much. I cried a lot for a day or two and then it started to feel a little better. I started putting it down when I walk. Mommy bends and straightens my leg. She stops when it starts to hurt. She calls it physical therapy. Mommy said I can't go up steps or get on furniture for four weeks. She keeps a gate up at the steps and put a table and chairs in front of the sofa.

I figured out how to go behind the chairs and Mommy found me curled up on the sofa! She told me not to do that again, but I did. Maybe that is why my leg was hurting more tonight. Maybe I will stay off the sofa tomorrow. Oh, I also ran up the steps when Mommy forgot to put the gate up. I will try to listen because as Mommy keeps saying, "I am doing this to help you. It's for your own good."

Valentina Part 2 - LuLu Got in Trouble and I Watched

Sometimes Mommy takes LuLu and me out together but today she took us one at a time. I got to be first. Mommy said, "Come on, Ethel Frances. Want to go for a walk? You can go first because you asked first." She put my leash on and out we went. Oops! Mommy made a mistake. She didn't close the door all the way. LuLu stuck her nose in the crack, pushed the door open, and ran past us like a bolt of lightening!

"LuLu! Come! LuLu! LuLu! Want a treat?" Mommy was yelling loudly, but LuLu didn't come. Next thing I knew, Mommy dragged me home, shoved me in the door, and shut the door all the way. I didn't like that for two reasons: she shoved my butt which is rude and I couldn't open the door. Even though I couldn't escape, at least the blinds were open so I could watch.

I saw LuLu run to the right. Then Mommy ran to the right. Just as she reach LuLu, LuLu ran to the left. Then Mommy ran to the left. They went back and forth and back and forth. Mommy was getting tired but LuLu was going strong. The interesting part of this story is that LuLu never would have done this before Valentina came to our house. Valentina gave LuLu courage and confidence.

I watched LuLu pass Mommy a few more times, but suddenly she stopped and was sniffing the ground. I could see that it was a candy wrapper. That was good for Mommy. LuLu loves candy and she also loves to eat paper. She was so happy with it that she forgot all about Mommy. I saw Mommy tip-toe quietly and she leaned forward, grabbed LuLu's collar, and started dragging her home. I couldn't wait until they got closer so I could hear what kind of punishment LuLu was going to get. Time out? Short walks? No treats? I have received all of those punishments more than once. I try to be a good girl, but sometimes I can't help it.

As they approached the door I heard Mommy saying, "LuLu! I don't know what to do. I am very angry that you went out all by yourself and I am even more upset that you didn't come when I called you even though you had five hundred chances! However, while you were being naughty, you were using your courage and confidence. It's the first time in five years that you weren't afraid while you were outside. You should be rewarded for that, but that will encourage you to do it again and that isn't safe -- for you or for me. I guess this is like a football game and they are offsetting penalties."

I love sports and watch games with Mommy so I knew exactly what she meant. LuLu gets scared when Mommy watches games because she screams and yells at the TV so LuLu doesn't know what offsetting penalties are. Mommy could tell that by the confused expression on LuLu's face. "Let's get in the house, LuLu, and I will explain everything."

They came inside and Mommy told LuLu to sit and Mommy sat with her. "LuLu, it is dangerous for you to be outside without me. If you run in the street you could be hit by a car and that would hurt. If you run too far, you might get lost and never find your way home. That would make Ethel Frances, Izzy, and me sadder than sad. That is why you should be punished. You know what you did was wrong because I have talked to all three of you about this."

"Oh boy. Here comes the punishment," I said to myself. Mommy said, "When Valentina came to visit, you learned that people aren't scary and you weren't afraid of her parents, Anita and Frank. You also aren't afraid when other people come to the house. You certainly weren't afraid while you were running all over the neighborhood. You should be rewarded for being brave. So you do the math, LuLu. One reward minus one punishment equals zero -- no reward and no punishment. Just a lecture and a request that you never do that again."

"LuLu, I am proud of you for getting over your fears and I love you." Mommy saw me sitting and listening and she gave me a big hug. "I love you and I am proud of you, too, Ethel Frances." Then she saw Izzy sitting there. She gave Izzy a small hug and a quick kiss and said, "I love you, too, Izzy." Izzy doesn't give Mommy a whole of reasons to be proud. Maybe she will when she gets a little older.

Valentina Came to My House

Friday morning after we ate breakfast, Mommy called us. "Ethel, LuLu, Izzy come here please. I have something to tell you." We looked at each other, asking with our eyes who did something naughty. Mommy laughed. "No one is in trouble. I just wanted to tell you something exciting." We ran over to her and sat. "Guess who is coming to our house today for the first time. Valentina and her mommy and daddy. Won't that be fun!" We all agreed and we were on our best behavior while we waited for them. We didn't want to have a time out when we had company.

Valentina is my friend. We met her when I was volunteering at the Hebrew Home. We met a lady named Sophie. She asked Mommy if the dog is a guide dog. Mommy told her that the dog (that would be me) is a family dog who is in the pet therapy program. Sophie was very friendly and she was scratching my head and my back. It felt so good that I didn't mind that Sophie and Mommy talked for such a long time. Sophie told Mommy that her daughter is blind and she has a guide dog to help her. So then they talked even longer and it turned out that Sophie's daughter is Anita and her guide dog is Valentina.

While they werre talking, Anita, Frank (Valentina's daddy), and Valentina came to visit. I liked Valentina from the second that we met. I ran over to her and we sniffed each other and then we started playing. We ran around and around Sophie's room. Valentina likes to pull my ears and I like to grab her legs. Now we are all good friends and it all happened because I am a volunteer.

Mommy hasn't been able to take me to the Home for almost a month, but that is another story. Anita and Frank and Valentina wanted to visit because they missed us and we missed them, too. Mommy put Izzy in the crate because she isn't nice to other dogs. As soon as LuLu heard people at the door she ran upstairs to hide because she is afraid of people.

Mommy and I were so happy to see everybody. Valentina and I were playing like we do at the Home. We were having lots of fun. We got tired after playing hard and we both were lying on the floor resting. All of a sudden LuLu came downstairs and started playing with Valentina. To tell the truth, I didn't want to share LuLu so I shoved her away from Valentina and I played with LuLu. When we stopped playing something amazing happened. Lulu didn't go back upstairs. She sat on the sofa next to Mommy, right across from Frank and Anita, and she stayed there. She wasn't afraid.

Ever since the day Valentina visited, LuLu isn't afraid of people when they come to visit. She stays downstairs and she even lets people pet her. We are all so happy and proud of LuLu and grateful to Valentina and her mommy and daddy. For some reason that LuLu hasn't told me, having them in our house helped LuLu get over her fears. I hope they come again soon!