Howllo Fellow Basset Hound and Loving our Emma Lovers! Can you believe howl cute our Emma is tonight? That face gets me thousands times a day!
She has that same point that Chaps did in his geometric posting.
Our Emma tells me when it is eating time with wild abandoned. She loves to tuck next to me as we sleep. She is the best girl ever!
Living with a blind hound is a way to see.
More seeing later…Love, Cat, Chaps and Emma
Howllo Fellow Basset Hound and somewhat blurry picture lovers! I forgot to add this picture to Chap’s birthday walk blog. I just love it. I have to admit that I feel like I am getting better taking pictures when I am walking but it is still challenging.
I just love how Emma has such a long beautiful stride! Look how taunt her leash is. This is the first time she has ever been to this park and boy, OH, boy just get out of her way! This girl is moving forward!
Our Emma! It was Chaps birthday but she provided the inspiration! I could barely keep up!
More keeping up with our Emma later….Love, Cat, Chaps and Emma
Howllo Fellow Basset hound and Emma Lovers! Well, our Emma is now able to go down the back steps on her own. It is actually a very good exercise for her. I never let her go down with out being on hand to watch her. However, once she gets down I let her lay in the sun or walk around the back pavers by herself. She comes up the steps with much more ease than going down.
So, I watched her reach the bottom and went back to work. I went out on the deck a few minutes later to check on her. You can call me a helicopter mom! She had climbed up to a frightening level that was not blocked off. It was totally my fault. That area is normally blocked off by a flower pot. Not wanting to scare her to the point of freaking out like I was, I kept quiet.
This is a picture of the area. Where Chaps is standing is where she climbed up and was standing like a statue. She was past the barrel and facing a major drop off area.
This is not a picture from today!
When I got down to that level I could tell she was scared. I put my arms around her and just started telling her what a good girl she was for standing so still. I am still kicking myself in the butt for not putting that dang Terra cotta flower pot back where it belongs. You can see Emma trying to move pass it in this picture. I use it to block hound entry into a section that is unsafe. I am such a putz, idiot, dork, and more. I know that pot needs to be in place. Even blind, Emma is an explorer.
These events happen so quickly. I always think the worse. She could have fallen off that ledge, or whatever. Her back is so delicate. Oh, I just don’t want to even think about it.
Anyway, she let me turn her around with the greatest of ease. I could tell she really trusted me. I cannot lift Emma and I had to get her off of that ledge. I figured out she could do it if I lifted her front end first and her back end second. Why did I not move that flower pot back?
At that point the Mayor came to the rescue. (not the actual picture but this is exactly what it looked like)
This is the best part of the story. Emma was not wanting to do this maneuver and was pulling back from me. Chaps ran right to where I was going to do the big maneuver to get her off the ledge and started kissing her and whining.
I briefly thought of my camera only steps away. Nope, not this time, Emma was not to be left alone. Emma started getting excited and swinging her ears so she could feel where Chaps was standing. He was stomping his paws. At that point I lifted her front end down to that step and then her back end. They were both so excited. I could have never done it without the Mayor. He is our hero!
Again, not the actual picture but pretty much how it happened.
More hero stories later….Love, Cat, Chaps and Emma
P.S. Grandma and I are going to Lowes tomorrow to get a picket fence section to block off that danger area. Again, thank you Chaps.
Howllo Fellow Basset Hound and End of Summer Flower Lovers: I am always ready for summer to end. Fall is my favorite season. Here in KY we have 4 very defined seasons and I just love that. Anyway, I was sitting at my computer yesterday and noticed that my back yard looked really good specifically with the weather we were having. I thought it would be a good afternoon for a photo shoot before the flowers were no longer with us! Also, Emma has just now started going down the back steps without fear on my part. She is doing great 5 months out from her back surgery, as you will see.
Here is Chaps asking, “are you ready to take a lot of pictures of me?”
Beauty Boy poses for Mommy….
Here is a portion of me waiting at the bottom of the steps for Emma. I can reach right up and catch her if she slips. Chaps is being his usual worried self!
Don’t worry Burger Boy, here comes our Emma…
Scoot over Emma, I will show you the way!
Actually, Emma only needed help from Chaps getting up the steps. She kind of got turned around. Here is Chaps running towards me as I was coming down. Just look at the love in his eyes. Grandpa said that was the look of hunger. Very funny….
Then it was time for a sun bath and a double dose of vitamin D!
Mommy laid on the ground to capture this shot!
Then it was time to go in. Emma is so fair, we were afraid she would burn. But I had still not captured my perfect shot of Emma with the late summer flowers!
Emma, Emma, my beautiful flower please come back out for Mommy!
OK – here she comes. And then, it was like she said, “here you go Mommy!”
AHHHHHHHH, THE MONEY SHOT!
Now that is what I’m talking about!
The beauty of late summer flowers!
More flowering beauties later….Love, Cat, Chaps and Emma
Howllo Fellow Basset Hound and Buster lovers! I received an e-mail from a resident who is fostering a guy named Buster who needed the same back surgery as Emma. She said that reading Emma’s hemilaminectomy sub blog really helped her answer some questions about what to expect. Of course Emma and I were very honored to extend our paws to help a hound in need!
Hounds Haven Basset Rescue of Iowa is helping Buster pay his bills.
Buster is being fostered by Karin while he recovers. This is a very slow process as I well know. Karin has a bassetabulous fundraiser going on via Hounds Bay on the Daily Drool. She is a phenomenal artist and I am bidding on the jewelry box. All proceeds go to Buster’s bill at the orthopaedic clinic in Iowa. The auctions close tomorrow, 7-28-09 so click on over and take a look.
You have the register to bid and the instructions for doing so are on every item.
!!!HANDPAINTED BASSET STAR SHAPED TRINKET BOXES!!!
http://www.dailydrool.com/cgi/dailydrool.cgi?category=other&item=1248790054
!!!ADORABLE HANDPAINT BASSET BIRDHOUSE!!!
http://www.dailydrool.com/cgi/dailydrool.cgi?category=homedecor&item=1248788837
!!BASSET NECKLACE FEATURING HANDMADE GLASS BEADS!!
http://www.dailydrool.com/cgi/dailydrool.cgi?category=jewelry&item=1248703517
!!!HANDPAINTED BASSET JEWELRY BOX!!!
http://www.dailydrool.com/cgi/dailydrool.cgi?category=jewelry&item=1248702728
!!HANDPAINTED HOUNDS SWEET HOUNDS SIGN!!!!
http://www.dailydrool.com/cgi/dailydrool.cgi?category=homedecor&item=1248702024
!!HANDPAINTED BASSET MIRROR!!!!
http://www.dailydrool.com/cgi/dailydrool.cgi?category=homedecor&item=1248702222
!!!HANDPAINTED BASSET COASTER SET!!!
http://www.dailydrool.com/cgi/dailydrool.cgi?category=homedecor&item=1248703139
I will be keeping my dear readers informed of Buster’s recovery process. So far so good! I had to laugh when Karin told me about the contraption she made for Buster to go tinkle potty. Emma was easy with just a nice sturdy sling, but our friend Buster, the boy hound, needed a portion of the sling removed…..
It worked like a charm.
More about Buster later…..Love, Cat, Chaps and Emma
P.S. Karin you should take a picture of the sling so I can add it to the sub blog. It will help the next person reading to be ready.
Howllo Fellow Basset Hound and learning how to play nice lovers:
Prior to Emma’s back surgery Chaps would play very ruff with Emma. I tried to stop it but she seemed to love it so much. She is a tomboy. She would race towards him and cut corners and he would catch her and tackle her. They had so much fun. Well, we have now all learned that Emma is a tomboy at heart but not of body. Her back is too delicate to risk that kind of play ever again. So, Chaps is learning to play nice and Emma is learning not to egg him on.
This morning it was so cute. Emma was trying to get Chaps goat by biting his fatty, fatty paws. This really gets him going.
Then she makes her next move which is flipping his ears up over his head.
This really gets him going even more. This is the point that I have to move in and make sure he does not jump on her back. I can see the maneuver beginning and I just gently touch him on the back and say, “easy, no jump Emma’s back”.
Then he did this! The ole entice Emma to the toy corner move!
Then Emma goes in for the kill, biting his neck bags!
Then Chaps gets all rambunctious and wants to take her down!
This is when Mommy steps in and hollars, “TREAT, TREAT!”
The Mayor says, “That’s fine with me!”
More learning how to play nice and not egging on later……..Love, Cat, Chaps and Emma
Howllo Fellow Basset Hound and Eye Brow Whisker Lovers! Here is another picture of Chaps taken by Lisa, my friend and graphic designer.
Look how impressive that eye brow whisker is? Yet again, another great expression I have failed to capture.
Don’t forget to click the picture to see the massive eyebrow whisker!
The box that is in the picture is what I prop up in front of the dog door when I am not in the office and the door is closed. Emma is NOT allowed to go through the dog door yet. Actually, it is very handy for those of you in this same situation. Emma does a hop and jump out of the dog door and she cannot maneuver it yet. Make sure you keep that in mind for a long time after back surgery.
I can tell you from experience that she falls flat between the inside and the outside. It will damage your hounds recovery. It may be another 4 or 5 months before the hound can do this on their own.
More eyebrow whiskers and doggie door tips later…….Love, Cat, Chaps and Emma
Howllo Fellow Basset Hound and Sunday Morning Lovers: Well this morning we are going to kick it into high gear and do some exercises. I took up some of the rugs so Emma could practice on hard wood, as per her doctor’s suggestion. I snapped this shot as she got a bit turned around without the rugs. See how she is heading for the wall?
All I had to say is, “Opps, Opps” and she turns on a dime and gets herself re-directed. She knows that Opps, means her nose will get bumped.
OK, I also thought it was a cute butt shot!
More amazing Emma later….Love, Cat, Chaps and Emma
Howllo Fellow Basset Hound and Checking on the Post Op Report for Emma Lovers! It has been 9 weeks since Emma had her hemilaminectomy. That means she had a disc removed. Emma has the will of an Iron Woman and she was going to get to the finish line with flying colors. The surgeon was amazed and thrilled with her progress. Of course Grandma and I were beaming with pride because we are working like crazy with her. I thought my dear readers would enjoy seeing how we get Emma into the Element.
This little ramp is right outside of my front door. I had to move a rock to make it lower for our girl. Emma knows perfectly where this ramp is. It took her one time. As she gets into position to move down the ramp, I will tap it so she can hear where the middle is. I am at the bottom and Grandma is at the top. OT – Those are my Stella Doras next to the ramp. I think I need to thin them out?
Then Grandma walks Emma across the front yard towards the neighbors driveway. It is a perfect place for loading Emma.
This is also how we leave the house for a walk. This way she avoids all steps. After her first time going this way she was a pro. She is just brillant. The employees at the vet office were swarming her. I kid you not. They took her off to weigh her and I peaked out and about 6 gals were petting her. She was in heaven. One of the gals said that Emma might be gone awhile because she had another hallway to walk down and greet her admirers.
This is good shot, it shows you how I set up the ramp into the Element. She basically has no stress to her back at all.
Emma received a entire new set of exercises from her Physical Therapist. My goodness, if I did everything on the list I would have to quit my job and sell Lily books on the street corner. This set is very involved but very important. OK – maybe I just need to get up a bit earlier – Dog Forbid!
It was a great day for the Rudert Family! Especially for Emmers – one small order of McDonald’s fries, hold the salt!
More crossing finish lines later……..Love, Cat, Chaps and Emma
Howllo Fellow Basset Hound and slight incident (not so much) lovers. Whatever….
Anyway, I know how much Emma loves her routine. I follow the same path every morning for her comfort. Oh, don’t get me wrong, if I loaded her in the car for a morning ride to the park for a walk she would not complain one bit.
So, this morning I start off as usual. First off I turn off the fan. We love our fan. I keep it tucked in the corner so it is out of Emma’s way and she has never had a problem with it.
Well this morning, after I turned off the fan, I headed for the kitchen for their breakfast appetizer when I heard, “CLANG, CLANG “. Emma had bumped into the fan?????????? The only thing I can figure is that the carpet pathway she has been walking on was out of place and closer to the fan. Totally my fault. It scared the furry pants off of her and she went stumbling to her bed. I know, I know, try not to make a big deal out of it. Well, that’s not really my style. But try as I may, I run to her side.
So, get this. All day long, since the dreaded incident, this is what she has been doing.
Barking at the fan. She is so mad……….
Just look at her! She is looking right at that darn fan and she is giving it all kinds of pieces of her mind.
Oh Emma………Mamma move that bad fan.
More updates on the bad fan later……..Love, Cat, Chaps and Emma
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