Tale 13 - No Picnic for Lichen (continued)

To continue from last week, I couldn't run for three weeks. I could only go out for potty breaks. What was I to do for all that time. For me, it was all the same  to continue playing and running. I would just hurt a lot. Because of the pain, I had trouble keeping my head up, but to give up play and running was not on my agenda. You see I was still a young thing and that is what young things do.

My parents had other plans however. They watched me continually. First of all, from the previous tale I told you that they took me on trips in the car down to Ithaca. I liked that very  much. One day they gave me a large box and I could tear it apart on the porch. I LOVED that. The box kept me occupied for a long time. I really took pleasure in tasting the cardboard in my mouth and seeing the box become smaller and smaller. It brought a smile to my face and I forgot about my pain.

My parents gave me bully sticks. My mouth waters every time I think of them. They also taught me lots of tricks like high five, paw, roll over, stay, back, leave it etc. in a training session every evening. I caught on very quickly especially since I got a treat after each trick. I LOVE those treats.

Also my parents started playing a game called Find Cheese. I had to sit outside the mud room and wait for either my Mum and Dad to hide the cheese. I then had to find it by my nose.

Before I knew it, I was better. I don't want to go through that again.

Here I am tearing apart the box.

 

 

 

 Here is a photo of me looking for bugs which is a favorite pastime of mine

 

 

 

Another of me with a bully stick

 

 

 

A video of me finding tasty cheese.

 

 

 

Here I am rolling over for Mum. I got tired of that.

 

 

And the last video is of me Turning on a Box.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOHlVg2rT-8

 

 

 

Tale 12 - No Picnic for Lichen

Happy New Year everybody! I don't know what that means, but I heard Mummy and Daddy saying it to each other.

Well, I  have been avoiding telling this story, because just the thought of it brings back pain to me.  I LOVED the dog park so much, particularly the chase of all sorts of dogs. One day in early summer, I was having so much fun running at the dog park. There were so many dogs. I was having difficulty deciding which dog to play and run. I was flitting from one dog to the next. This dog park was especially big so I could really pick up speed. I was running around the trees which were in the shade. One very little dog caught my eye and I started running after him. We were running circles around the picnic table and kicking up dust. I only had eyes for this dog and all of a sudden WHAM I hit the broken side of the picnic table. I don't remember much but the pain was so bad. I screamed and screamed and suddenly Daddy was there holding me. I was in so much pain. My parents said the sound I was making was so horrible.

My shoulder was in such pain, but I managed to get up. Daddy and mummy were so concerned and they took me to what they call a hospital. Several people with white coats came to look at me. I was still hurting but I didn't want to show it. These people felt me all over and I was made to walk several times. I tried my best because I liked these new people.

My parents told me that I had to rest and couldn't play ball which I very much wanted to do. All I could do was go out to do my business, sleep and eat. BORING!!!! Even though I must admit eating is fun.

I then visited my vet the next day and she told my parents that I must rest for THREE WEEKS. One day is too long for me. I don't know what three weeks is but I think it is a lot of one days. The vet said I had a shoulder soft tissue injury. I said to myself I am going to be more careful next time if I ever get to run again. I think I have learned my lesson.  I have to take note of things like picnic tables while running.

My parents told me they were going to start a new program for me so that life would be more interesting without running and playing. The first thing they did was start taking me on round trips in the car down to Ithaca and the harbor. There were other things which they started doing which will take another story. So stay tuned. TO BE CONTINUED.

Here I am in the car with the windows open:

 

 

Here I am at the harbor after the ride. I couldn't take walks, runs etc. but I could look at the boats and the beautiful water.

 

 

Here I am under house rest. Hard to keep me down. I feel sorry just a little bit for my parents.

 

 

 

Here is a taste of what will happen next. Try to guess!!!