Hi everyone – Ajax is still doing great, building up stamina on walks to the park, though the heat is a little challenging.  Also we've been fitting in weekend swimming, which he loves.  And thanks to Maggie's mom, we are forcing him to work on the blue mats, which he does not like at all, which I think means he needs to do it.

Question for everyone:  We can avoid stairs.  Elevator building, etc.  However, Ajax is doing fine, and had voluntarily done some short stairs (to reach another dog's food, for example!)  We have a harness, haven't needed to use it yet.   He's pretty smart – he doesn't do anything challenging unless he knows there is something good on the other side.  So he could conceivably go a long time w/o doing stairs.

Should we affirmatively work with him (in harness) on stairs, and if so, is this the right time to start?  Appreciate any thoughts.

My husband just called – apparently Ajax took him to Central Park and hurled himself into a sprinkler and is now doing the sprinkler dance.  I think he's strong enough ….!  Thanks

Hey there,

Regarding the FitPaws mat work…are you using food?  If so, he should really learn to LOVE IT!   Whenever Maggie sees me wiith her Fitpaws pads or her buja board, she tries to get on them before I can get it on the ground!  Quite a sight.  I caution though, don't overwork him…a little goes a LONG ways…don't do too many reps…as then it will make him possibly 'sour' to it?

As far as stairs, can't help you there.  Maggie HATES/fears stairs…so we avoid at all costs…  She can do 2-3 with no problems and with my help but beyond that not so much.  It's the lack of traction too that makes her fear them.

Tracy, Maggie's Mom

Hmmmm….I have food in my hands when I am working Maggie on the mats   Stuff it right in his face when he's on the mats and then he has no choice but to stay on the mats…

You gotta make the mats rewarding for him to be on…and that means he gets food while he's ON the mats – not off them!

Tracy, Maggie's Mom

ha!  ok I think I got the general message – at 3.5 weeks with as well as he is doing, I can stop fretting about every single thing!  thanks everyone

the only thing that is still bothering me a lot is that he hasn't been on any meds at all for a week and he occassionally just starts panting, and will pant for a long time.  it seems to be in the house, it seems not to necessarily be hot, he doesn't seem particularly distressed by it, but I keep wondering what's up.  His lungs have been x-rayed and CT'd a zillion times, I don't think it's that.  I'm more worried that something is makiing him anxious or that perhaps his remaining back leg is hurting, meaning I've let him walk to far.  Or maybe it's just really really really hot out  ….

did anyone else's dog pant a lot after surgery without a medical (i.e. chemo or lung mets) issue?

theoretically he won't need any maintenance meds, as he really didn't have any pain to begin with (tumor of the cartilage, not OS).  we watched the panting all day yesterday.  it seems to happen 2 times – one totally expected, which is when he exerts himself (it is about a zillion humid degrees in NYC in August, so that's no surprise) and the unexpected one, which is randomly.  for ex., I got home last nighit at 8 and he was peacefully sleeping/hanging out until about 9:30, at which time he started panting for no apparent reason.

my new theory is that it is a sign of discomfort or needing to go out -he used to rng a bell, but maybe he doesn't feel like getting up to day that, so he's "holding it'?  i''m going to try operating under this theory and see what happens.

vet says don't worry about it, we read the vet books and measured the breathing rate and its fine, not too rapid …so maybe he is just having interim periods of discomfort or anxiety.  didn't keep him from zooming around Central Park this morning (it was a cool morning for a change).

Really?  So interesting (because if you think of people, it doesn't work that way).  That theory would fit exactly his behavior.  Does it stop (assuming he was not a big "panter" before surgery)

LOL!!! I just watched all of the videos. So cute. The second one, where Jerry was barking, I thought might get a reaction out of Charlie (who is napping at my feet). Nope. I play the third video, he jumps up, looking out the window for Jerry, getting way excited because he knows he's 'near'. Now he's depressed, no doggy. :(