Overdue update

Well. Where to start? Not a lot of big things, just lots of small.

Alki is on her 6th week of hydrotherapy and seems to love it. Friday is her 12th session. She is improving very well physically. She has had just 2 or 3 "flares" during the whole process, and I know they were always from me pushing things with her a bit. Her partial ACL tear seems to have healed (WOOOOHOO) and the regular trips to the vet for hydro sessions have been really good low-level socialization. She has also had 3 chiropractic adjustments which help her tremendously. She has another recheck & chiro appt scheduled for next week. She has been stiff by her shoulders for 2 weeks so I think she really needs another adjustment. We'll see at this recheck appt what the Dr wants us to do next... I might start taking her swimming at a local doggy pool. Their sessions are half the price of the vet, but also half the time, but she'd be actually swimming & could play fetch that way. I may switch to that or add it as supplemental. We'll see.

Im also on the verge of stopping her Prozac. When we hit the 8 week mark (when the drug typically reaches max noticeable effectiveness) she started developing new, weird-for-her, fears. It was like she became generally paranoid. It started after a scary event, but it was like she waay over-reacted to it, and it has lasted. I eventually decided to up her dose (she was at the low end) but then decided the drugs might be whats making her act weird. (It is so hard to tell hfjsdfhljs) So a few days ago I decided to stop giving it, but now I just read something saying sometimes they will get worse at first, and to give it 4 months before deciding whether to stop it or not.. It has been 3 weeks short of 4 months today. So..we'll see. I think I may give her another 3 weeks at the double dose and if she's worse/the same Im going to switch to clomicalm.

Ive also signed her up for a reactive rover class in June. Its basically just a seminar plus 1 private session. Depending on how she does, I may then sign up for the second level reactive rover class. The instructor is also very experienced in advanced behavior cases so we'll see how it goes..

I have thought a lot about scheduling a private with a few different people, but.. havent made any decisions yet. Its tough since Seattle has zero veterinary behaviorists, just a few people who are really close. I just am not sure who I want to go to. The reactive rover woman is one of them, and know some of the others, so maybe she will be of some help in directing us when we work with her in June.

We've had friends over a few times in the last month or so and its been great. I took it slow in getting Alki used to our friends who she had only met a few times a long time ago, and by the 3rd or 4th visit I decided she was ready to free-mingle and she just had a total blast. She was so thrilled, loved schmoozing with everyone and snugging on the couch. It just makes me SO SO SO happy to see her like that.

We've also taken her to 2 friends houses she knows well and she's done great & just becomes ecstatic. :) She also gets to visit with her long, long-time doggy friends at both houses which we love too.

The weather has been *slowly* improving. The dogs all love hanging out in our giant yard, and sunning themselves on the deck. It is so relaxing to be in a place where they so rarely see/hear things that make them react (total opposite of our house in Daly City; constant people/dog traffic there, very busy neighborhood). So, all-in-all, life has been good! When we've had downs, I've just worked on focusing on the good and that has pulled me through.

Oh, and May 7th was Alki's 7th birthday. :) Also her 6th "Gotcha Day" anniversary. She had hydro that day, then we BBQ'd & hung out on the deck, then snuggled in bed for a Lost marathon. Then on Sunday she got half a McFlurry. Yum! ;)

pure bliss.