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Sunday, January 16, 2011

Update on Benson...

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Benson is on the mend!

It's weird owning a three legged dog. Something I thought I'd never have to do. But after seeing the joy on Benson's face and that waggy tail going constantly I now know it was the right decision.

He's a happy happy dog and even runs and plays with Zak again. He's appetite has improved too.

I wanted to post some photos but the wound is still very raw looking and I don't really think I need to post that on the web for all to see. Just trust me that he's happy and healing and that's the main thing. When all the hairs grown back I'll post a photo of our happy little man.


Zak.

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3 comments:

Richard G. Crockett said...

Hi Zak,

Long comment here, sorry. I tend to do that, but you have evoked a response.

I had been wanting to comment on Benson and tell you about my dog, Katie, ever since I saw your previous post about Benson. I am glad to hear he's on the mend. I know you said that he may have a but a short run left, and I know what that feels like.

My brother recently had a stroke, so he was unable to take care of his old dog, so I inherited her. (Actually, I basically forced him to let me take her.)

She and I have been friends since she was a young dog guarding my brother's house and garden in the far off woods of northernmost North California. She even killed a deer one time. She hates them, for they steal the family's food. She has faced down several bears, my brother's son told me, as they encountered them in his forays in the woods, getting between them and the boy, growling. Bears do not like dogs; even a little one can send a bear running.

But despite her ferociousness when facing other animals whom she regards as enemies, she is the gentlest, sweetest dog with people, other dogs, cats, and birds. I use her to teach manners to other dogs. Katie just ignores other dogs. I love that about her. She has this supreme dignity. She will not lower herself to bark just because other dogs are doing it. My brother told me that when he picked her, he did so because she say quietly and stared at him with her big gold eyes while all her siblings yipped and fought.

She is twelve now, and for a big dog. That's old. She's gone deaf, so I have taught her many new hand signals. When I got her from my brother, she was sick from neglect, hair falling out, weak, riddled with fleas, and as I soon discovered, she had heartworms. Do they have those in Australia?

Nasty, nasty parasites.

Anyhow, she is now recovered from the treatment. Her hair is back, rich and glossy black. She's Black Lab, Aussie, and golden retriever mix. Her mother was the Aussie, but when the sun shines brightly, you can see a reddish golden color in her fur. Beautiful dog. She has very sensitive skin and is prone to scratch unless I brush her and wash her frequently. It being winter here, I have taken to using an air compressor to "dry clean" her. (Neat trick.)

But her hips hurt her. She sleeps a lot, and she cannot yet walk more than a mile before she gets tired. (We are working on that.)

I am trying to give her an honorable retirement. She's earned it. I love working dogs.

I know how it is, when you love an animal, you do things for them. I dread, just dread that day when Katie cannot get up without me helping her, and I fear it won't be long. She may have a couple years. We'll see.

Just wanted to share. I hope Benson gets the best he can out of life for as long as he can.

Richard G. Crockett said...

Hi Zak,

I had been wanting to comment on Benson and tell you about my dog, Katie, ever since I saw your previous post about Benson. I am glad to hear he's on the mend. I know you said that he may have a but a short run left, and I know what that feels like.

I have an old, Katie, inherited from my brother when he became unable to care for her. She recently completed heartworm treatment and is on the mend too, but she's quite old. I worry about my Katie, deaf, hips going out, sleeping a lot... sigh.

I hope Benson gets the best he can out of life for as long as he can.

Richard G. Crockett said...

Just so any one coming along here doesn't get confused as to why I commented twice; well, the first comment was really, really long, and when I put it up, I got an error message about that.

So I wrote an abridged version. That's the second comment. Zak being a writer, me being a writer, and you being a writer can understand that, huh?

But it turned out that the original one HAD gone through.

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