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Bella the taskmaster

Blog Instead of being asleep at 17:17 on 4 November 2004, kitt created this:

This evening, after working all afternoon on a project with Mike, I did not want to go for my daily run. I was supposed to have an SFUC game, but the weather didn't cooperate, and the game was cancelled. So, the daily 2 mile run was on the schedule instead.

As mentioned, I did not want to go on this run. So, I head into the office to start working again on the project. Bella, the short, stinky one, comes up to me and starts pawing my leg. She was so cute, I started petting her.

We often play a game of chase. It usually starts with my getting down into the doggie I-want-to-play position (think: all fours, front paws out in front, butt in the air). When Bella catches on, she'll bay, then run away, usually to the other side of the house. I get up and chase her. When I catch up to her, she bays again. I then turn and run the other way to the other end of the house. She chases me, and bays when she catches me. We then repeat this until either I get tired, she gets bored or Kris yells at me for creating a Crazy Dog.

After a few moments of petting Bella this evening, she got into the I-want-to-play position and started baying. The chase was on!

We chased each other through the house for over 5 minutes. When we were done, I was all warmed up and ready for a real run.

Despite my rump being sore from last night's workout, I ran the set 2 mile loop in exactly 18 minutes. I was pretty happy (considering Tuesday's night run in 19.5 minutes).

Bella the task master. I'm right on schedule with my ultimate off-season training

Broken Bella Beagle, part 3

Blog Instead of being asleep at 13:17 on 23 August 2004, kitt created this:

Broken Bella Beagle went in for surgery today. She's getting TPLO (tibial plateau leveling osteotomy) on her back left leg.

Broken Bella Beagle, part 2

Blog Yeah, kitt finished writing this at 13:46 on 26 July 2004

Yep. Bella's injured. After a full night of carrying her everywhere, Kris called the vet this morning. We took her in for an appointment, where Dr. McClenahan checked Bella over.

Two relatively howl-free X-rays later, we had confirmation of a torn cruciate ligament.

We're supposed to keep Bella off her leg as much as possible, but let her walk if she wants to (she can't injure it much worse), give her painkillers daily, make sure there's no rough housing with Annie, run Annie a lot to tire her out, and see how Bella is in a week. If she's having problems in a week, consider surgery.

Surgery. Great. After the $300 bill for the diagnosis, we'll have another $3000 bill for the surgery. Whoo.

Now, why didn't we get a cat?

Broken Bella Beagle

Blog kitt decided around 23:39 on 25 July 2004 to publish this:

In an effort to help both dogs with their weights, we've been trying to run them more often. When we take them up to the big open field at the school, however, they tend to walk around the periphery, sniffing away. Not much exercise there.

So, I've been chasing the dogs to encourage them to run. When they start running at some point, I run after them, next to them, with them, whatever it takes to get them running.

During a run fest tonight, Annie and Kris took off running across the field, and Bella started chasing them. After about fifty yards, Bella slowed, stopped, then sat down. I hurried over to her to see what was up, nervous the exercise has caused another seizure. Her tail was down, her back arched funny.

Well, no seizure, but she wasn't putting any weight on her back left foot. Oh, not good.

Kris ran Annie home and returned in the car. I met Kris at the curb with Bella. A sure sign it's something bad: Bella let me carry her without squirming.

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