Crates are Boring!

Riley says to tell all her “furiends” that crates are boring and to bust out of one as soon as you get an opportunity (her opportunity just won’t present itself for another 5 weeks)!!  I took some of her kibble, wet it, stuffed it inside a green Kong-type squirrel dude toy, and froze it, then gave it to her to keep her busy…the crazy dog decided she wanted to hide it in her crate instead…

Trying to hide it in her dog bed…  We’re beginning our 3rd week of crate rest.  She will hopefully get sprung from the crate on December 14th, after her follow-up appointment at the surgeon’s office.

She is doing so very well.  A little too well…she tried to take off after a bird this afternoon outside but she was on her leash, so she just got to the end of her 6 foot leash and then had to stop.  Bummer!  🙂  Her leg is looking great!  I’ve posted a fairly grainy picture of her incision, so just use your imagination.  Her PT is going well.  She usually lasts the whole 10 minutes of therapy, unless of course, she’s being all riled up and wanting to roach around on the carpet during therapy…sigh.

You can see a little bit where her incision was and her fur is growing back in now!

Oh, and today, I renewed Riley’s Therapy Dogs International registration so she can make visits in 2012!

The Insanity Workout

I am feeling loads and loads better today!  The antibiotics seem to be finally kicking in.  The pain from the pleurisy is all gone today.  In fact, I am feeling so good today that I lost my mind decided to give Riley a bath before her nursing home visit tomorrow.  She hadn’t had a bath in forever (a few months at least) and has been delighting in getting dirty and muddy lately.

A quick note about our “fancy pants” retirement community we’re going to start visiting: the activities director called me on Tuesday and said that in all of her excitement about Riley and I coming to start visits, she forgot that I have to fill out paperwork, have a criminal background check, and have a PPD (tuberculosis) test before we can start.  Our first visit was supposed to be today at 2:00, but I went by and filled out the paperwork yesterday and am waiting on a call back about when I can go get the PPD done.  I am actually glad to see that they require all of their volunteers do this–it seems smart to me.  So I don’t mind the delay!  Oh, and I met Luke, the yellow lab that’s a therapy dog there already.  He’s 11 and SUPER mellow…Riley’s gonna seem like the Tasmanian Devil compared to him!  😉

You’ve heard of the Insanity workout program?  Yes?  Good.  Here’s Riley being insane demonstrating that workout right after her bath…

Beautiful Weather

I know a lot of areas in the US are having horrible weather–floods and fires, etc.  We have been having very nice, cool weather, so I thought I would brag about it!  🙂  No, but seriously, we are thinking of everyone who is being affected by the fires and the flooding and we hope everything gets resolved quickly!

It was in the mid to high 70’s yesterday and sunny.  It’s supposed to be nice again today, tomorrow, and Thursday, and then rain on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday (yuck!!).  I guess that’s what I get for bragging, huh?

We enjoyed a nice day in the backyard yesterday and I finally took some pictures.

Chloe sunning herself and Riley cooling off in the shade.

Riley and her beloved pink Wubba!

Chewing on a stick.

Look at those chompers!!  Yikes!  🙂

Pretty girl.

The day wouldn’t be complete without some roaching around in the grass!

Unfortunately, while we were playing fetch, I threw the Wubba a little too close to the tree and Riley scraped a bunch of fur off of her right hind leg.  😦  It didn’t seem to bother her too much.  It was all red and bloody looking yesterday, but I put hydrogen peroxide on it and the picture above is how it looks today–much better!

I am going by the assisted living facility (that we’re going to start visiting) this afternoon without Riley to drop off all of our paperwork and get a little mini-tour!