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.

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.