After surgery, especially surgery on a limb, it’s tempting to want to take your dog for a longer walk than is healthy for him. We already know that dogs will not always tell you when they feel pain. So how much is enough? How long of a walk is too long for your dog?
- Here I am following a scent on my first day out with no bandages. Notice how I’m trying to go quickly.
No sooner had we arrived home from the animal medical center than my parents uttered that golden word, “Walk”.
What they actually said was Let’s take Joey for a walk but only “walk” echoed in my ears. Or maybe I heard the double golden words “Joey” and “walk” but I got the message, special delivery.
This was big. I danced in place with high expectations.
It was early in the afternoon, the day was gleaming with opportunity. Dad got the little poop bag, mom got the lead and put it on me and opened the front door. Out we went.
My mom handed the lead to my dad, who led the way. Or maybe I led the way. Somehow we ended up walking toward the big wide street where I had been hit by the car. They liked walking in this direction because the wide green strip of park between the avenue and the carriage lane gave me something soft to walk on.
Once there, I attempted to move quickly, picking up the scent of another dog.
I was also slowed down by the lead, since my dad wanted to keep me at a slow pace. My parents kept looking at me, talking about me, the whole time. Looking at me and talking about me. Joey this, Joey that. Phil kept saying that we could go a little further and that I seemed to be doing fine. He’s doing fine he said. He’s got to learn to walk again with that leg.
Jane said something about overdoing it on the first day, whatever that meant. It went something like We shouldn’t overdo it on the first day. I was perfectly happy to overdo it.
Then I heard those words - That’s enough – and we turned to head toward home. Still, I kept my eager nose to the ground.
Back home, Jane got me breakfast – even though it was afternoon. She didn’t have to tell me to eat or to drink; I drank the full bowl of water and ate the full bowl of food with gusto, even with the glucosamine and condroiten, and then fell, exhausted and contented, onto my bed.
That was it!
Since I had eaten a late breakfast, I actually got one more walk in that outstanding day. It was a short walk but it was a true walk.
The first of many!
And I needed to be able to walk well if I was going to run again. But for the record, tonight I was satisfied.
You are very handsome and so loved by your family! Happy summer, have fun playing outside!!