Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Into the cage with you. Or, why my dog hates me.

My dog and I have the same back injury. I've heard of dogs becoming like their owners, but this is ridiculous.

I guess technically it's not the SAME, but it equates to the same thing. We can't do anything and we hurt all over.

Monty has an inflamed disc in his mid back just under his shoulder blades.  The vet is sure it's mostly old age, irritated by his constant running and jumping. I'm not discounting the time he jumped out of the jeep window when we were pulling up to the house.

That is the last time I drive with the window open.

Monty was prescribed anti-inflamatories and bed rest. Bed rest. No running, jumping, stairs, walks, or playing vigourously.

Morning cuddles with my puppy. #100happydays
Mopey little puppy
Have you ever tried to put a dog on bed rest?

Yeah. It doesn't work.

We started picking Monty up to put him on the couch.  He would jump down, grab a bone, and jump back up. Put him on the bed? Same thing. If we got the bone for him first, he would jump up before we could get to him.  He would avoid our attempts to carry him and run like the wind towards the other side of whatever we were trying to put him on.

He thinks it's funny.  I only think it's funny when he does it to The Guy.

In a desperate attempt to keep him still while we are out, we had to buy a kennel. Monty was raised for a few years by my father who didn't like kennels. When he got to me, he was so terrified of them, he wouldn't go near them. We have purchased and sold two kennels in Monty's life time trying to get him to use one.

This is number three.

cage of torture and sadness
- with MY blanket so he's comfy

We bribe him with treats and he has twice almost gone in on his own when it was time.  Accidentally he went in while looking for treats that had been left behind.  I say accidentally because when he realized where he was, he panicked and got out as fast as he could.

When he is in there, he meets it with hopelessness and distain. He sits and stares at us with accusing eyes as we get ready to leave the house. He ignores the treats we give him and sighs heavily. He's a drama queen, my boy.

Upon our return, he whimpers and cries. He jumps and wags his tail so hard it makes music on the metal sides. He turns himself inside out to show us how much he appreciates us letting him out of the device that obviously tortures him while we are gone.

I can only assume, it is electrified.

Today was a week since this started. We went on our first walk (5 whole minutes) since he started showing signs he was in pain. I hope it's helping because we move into the new house in two weeks and there are A LOT of stairs there.

Monty will be happier there if we don't have to carry him.

But, we're keeping the cage.

9 comments:

  1. My cocker spaniel had that twice in her 16 years, and my beagle has had it once. Every time it's been because they'd attempted some kind of absurd maneuver, like leaping through snow over their heads. All three times it went away with NSAIDS and bed rest and long periods of health followed. I hope the same is true for your pup.

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    1. Jennifer, that is hopeful news! Thank you!!

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  2. Wow, that's an uphill battle if ever there was one. I'm sorry you both have pain! And I'm sorry he hates the cages/crates of doom. I probably would too, no matter the pain. Ugh. All I can offer is good vibes for getting him more used to chilling out and not jumping out windows.

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    1. I'm sure after 9 years of freedom, he is wondering what is going on. Next dog will be trained to love it. I swear!

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  4. I guess I'm really lucky that Kane was crate-trained before we got him.

    One of the rescue dogs I met had congestive heart failure (a side effect of heartworm treatment) and had to stay in his crate for THREE MONTHS! According to the vet, if he even stepped outside the crate, the could drop dead of massive heart attack.

    By the time he was allowed out, he had become an extremely anxious and aggressive dog. Mind you, I don't know what he was like before the crate treatment.

    As for leaping out of cars, there's this option:

    http://www.neatorama.com/2007/02/10/breezeguard-car-window-dog-cage/

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  5. Oh that poor pup. That's waft happened when we had to do that with my dog Dez. She was so aggressive afterward that she attacked another dog.

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  6. Oh B. I'm sorry you feel like Monty hates you.

    We've raised Gerry to be in the kennel when we're gone. Ziva is a different story. We were told by the rescue people not to EVER, EVER kennel her. So we block off the kitchen and let her roam free in there. However, when we get home, poo is schmeared EEEEEEEEVERYWHERE. So we're wondering if giving her a large kennel JUST for when we're out will be okay, or if she will be too anxious. she's fine in a kennel in a moving vehicle....

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    1. If she's fine in the car, I think she would be fine in a large crate at home. HOW does she smear poop everywhere??

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