It's Not All Puppies and Rainbows Part I

Super close up, Louie's eyes after beginning medication, swelling way down. 2008

So far, what I've written about life with Louie has been really positive. It really has been a wonderful experience overall. The way we are now makes all the struggle seem so small but at times we were dealing with some really difficult stuff.

 Louie has had chronic pain since he was so young he didn't know anything else. He just learned to deal with it, to maintain. Louie was always okay, and sometimes he was even great or wonderful! The lessons I've learned and taken away from Louie far surpasses what I feel I've given him.

When Louie was very young, I thought he had the smallest bladder in canine history. Louie learned quickly to go to the bathroom outside and how to tell me he needed to go out. He would sit by the front door and whimper or yawn, maybe he'd do a little tap dance on the wood floor. I would get up and let him out and sit on the porch steps and wait for him. Something changed when he was about 10-12 weeks old.

Louie would sit at my feet looking up at me and whine. Whimper, cry almost. He would let out a whine and his little chin would quiver making his cry sound so pathetic. I would stop what I was doing and take Louie outside. He would just stand on the porch and look at me or sometimes he'd walk down and smell around in the grass a little bit before going back inside. "What's going on, quit screwin' around Louie." and we'd go back inside. A few minutes after he's start the same crying and staring and me blinking, squinting, blinking.

Louie playing in the sunshine with our new kitten, Meatloaf. Aug. 2012

I began thinking about his eyes again. Leading me to do more research, get a second opinion and ask more questions. When I found out it was glaucoma, and understood what glaucoma was, it all made sense. I had no idea he was in so much pain so often! It was like little Louie had constant migraines. His eyes were literally filling like tiny balloons until they would rupture, causing irreversible damage. AH! It made my skin crawl! I wanted to scream but I couldn't because all we can do is move forward, if he was already this great, imagine what it will be like when we figure out how to get him pain-free.

What a good sport! He was sure a jolly guy, he loved to play and meet people. Louie was always up for a walk, a game of fetch or a ride in the car. For Louie, standing still meant dealing with pain, instead he'd drown that out with enjoyment. I feel like if I didn't help show him what should be an enjoyable outlet, then he would get his jollies by getting into the garbage, digging holes and fighting. He showed me that would be the case, because these were his tendencies. He is a dog, an animal. While I know Louie is just a super cool guy, I should also give myself some credit for steering him in the right direction. Pat myself on the back here, one more time... okay. Nice. This feels good. It's rewarding and fun! I know that all that is just a lesson I needed to learn. I need to move forward and tried to keep myself happy in a healthy and productive way.

I think everyone should blindfold their dogs from now on! Kidding? It's not the same. Louie is special.

Expanding Our Vocabulary Part II

Louie stands on the stairs, looking for his kitten.

 Step Up and Step Down

Walking Louie on a leash is where I can confidently say that I am cheating as a dog owner. Walking on a leash is something many people can't manage with their dogs for many reasons. Louie is the easiest dog to walk on a leash, ever. He can't see and when walking somewhere unfamiliar he wants to stay right by me because he doesn't know where he is. Simple. Well, aside from the fact that he always walks at a slight angle toward me bumping into my leg. I have to be sure of my footing and where he is so I don't trip over him or knee him in his big head. I just have to face it: loving a blind dog means having some bruises on your shins. Love marks.

You wanna step up?
'Step up' is a really important phrase. When Louie and I are walking through a parking lot I tell him 'step up' when we're coming to a curb so he doesn't trip. I use 'Step down' when stepping off a curb. This seems obvious, but Louie being so good at his blindness, sometimes I can forget to remind him.

Upstairs and Downstairs

Louie knows his close, but the kitty makes a sneaky escape.

Upstairs and downstairs is the same as step up and down. The only difference being it includes more than one step. Louie is great with steps. He takes his time. If I say 'Upstairs, Louie' he will raise his head and lift his front lets higher, almost like marching. When I say 'Downstairs' he puts his head down and takes tiny steps forward waiting to find the edge. Once he finds the edge he takes the second paw and reaches for the first step.

The steepest staircase ever!
When my husband Paul and I first moved in together we got a house downtown in an older neighborhood. The house we moved into was built in 1890 something. This staircase was so steep! The steps were narrow, shallow and steep with a 90 degree turn to the left at the top. Talk about the worse place to move your bed into, ever. Louie had never been on steps that steep. Most staircases are at a pretty standard angle and he was used to that. The first time he went upstairs I was pretty worried. Honestly, more worried about him coming back down. I told him 'upstairs, careful' and taped one step with my hand and then the next. He tripped at first but quickly got it and I followed behind just in case. On the way down I walked in front of him and held onto the railing so if he started to fall I could catch him. Also by going down first with my shoes on, Louie could hear each foot tap the hard wood floor of the next step and judge the depth.

'Downstairs, Louie. Slowly'. He really took him time and concentrated. When he got to the bottom step he followed me as I turned to the right in the the living room. The bottom of the steps was the front door. He quickly learned that he couldn't run down these steps. He had to go slowly and be ready to turn, both on the way down and the way up. Louie would be careful and go slowly if I remember to ask him to.

Talking to each other

Okay, so I talk to my dog. I don't think I'm crazy but maybe strangers would. Many reasons to talk to Louie; he's a good listener, he's not judgmental, he never gets mad at me and he learns quickly. Most of all, talking to Louie helps him know where I am. So whatever I say to Louie doesn't matter so much, just saying something is what is important. Making some kind of sound. If you have a blind dog, you should use whatever words and phrases come naturally to you. Keep the short and simple. Remember, the most important thing is the way you say it. Talk fast if you want a quick movement, talk softly if you want them to settle down and always take a break if you're frustrated.


Next Installment: It's Not All Puppies and Rainbows

Expanding Our Vocabulary Part I

Louie showing his blanket moving and sleep stretching skills. 2007

Louie was adapting to blindness so quickly. I knew that as much as it was sad that he was going blind at such a young age, it was also really good because he'd be able to adapt to living with no sight much easier than an older dog that was already set in a routine. I knew I needed to use a hands off approach much of the time. Louie needed to figure things out on his own in a controlled environment where he couldn't get hurt. That way if he was ever in a situation and I wasn't right there, he would be able to use those problem solving skills he'd learned on his own. Small things like watching Louie try to find his favorite ball. It was under a chair. He could smell that it was there but when he walked forward he just hit a chair. He laid down and started to army crawl forward. He tried to shove his giant head under the chair and it wouldn't fit. Then he tried to reach out with a paw, he touched the ball! So he started to dig at the space where he knew the ball was and before you know it, it popped right out from under the chair. Wow! Now this was really the best ball ever! A treat he earned on his own tasted all the more sweet.

Sometimes it was too hard to sit and watch him struggle. If I tried to talk to him it would just confuse him. We developed more words that really meant something.

This Side

'This side' is used on a daily basis now. This command is used along with a snap of the fingers. 'This side' is said in a cheery, upbeat manner.  If Louie bumped into a chair for instance. I would say 'this side' and reach out with my right hand and snap a few times. This would cause him to move in the direction of the sound of my snaps. It didn't need to be directly in the spot that I wanted him to move either. It just needed to be on one side or the other of where he was standing, even if I was across the room. I tried the commands 'left' or 'right' at first but it didn't make as much sense as 'this side'.

Stay in your yard!
We did not have a fenced yard. We lived up a long driveway with a neighbors back yard sharing our front yard. We didn't have a back yard. Best thing about a bind dog? Invisible fences work! I would walk Louie on the leash on our side of this invisible line. He would be smelling around, every time he stepped into the neighbors yard I said "No. This side Louie. This side." and snapped my fingers on our side of the yard. He would quickly move over. We did this again and again. Finally off leash he would stay in the yard. When he would venture off all I had to say was 'this side Louie, stay in your yard' and he would come back over.


'This side' was also good when I wanted him to head in a more specific direction. I could use my body as a marker and then snap my fingers to indicate what side of that marker Louie should move toward. This would come in handy if he was near something that I wanted him to move away from. This works like a charm from a long distance away. I'm asking Louie to stay on a certain side of the invisible line drawn from my voice to where he is.

Hey, look out for that parked car!
Louie loves to lie in the sun on the hot pavement. I only allow his sunbathing habit for short periods of time because he will stay there until he gets sunstroke if I don't ask him to move. He loves to be warm and he loves finding a sunny spot.  He is also a very heavy sleeper, but that's for another story or two. So anyway, if he is laying out in the front yard and I want to call him from my porch but ensure he doesn't run into any parked cars, I say 'Louie, Come. This side.'

1. Louie sunbathing

2.'Louie, Come. This side.' I snap with my right hand

3.Louie slowly gets up and moves to the right of me.

Scoot over this way

'Scoot over this way' is another happy sounding phrase. It means simply, scoot over this way. It's much like 'come' but instead of 'come directly to me now', it's just 'move over' in any one direction. If I want him to 'scoot over' toward me I can clap, or I can snap for him to scoot over right or left.

Swimming with a blind dog leaves you with scratches on your legs, but it's worth every scratch.

Louie swimming in Reflection lake, Summer 2007

Louie loves swimming. I found this out early on. The first week I got him we went on a road trip to eastern Washington with some friends. We were on our way to a little A-frame cabin on a lake my family owned. Louie was almost 8 weeks old and only about 10 lbs. The first thing I like to do when I  get there is change into a swimsuit and get in the water after the long dusty drive. Louie could barely walk he was so clumsy. He followed me down the path to the lake, slipping and sliding down the dusty hillside. I didn't say anything and I just kept walking at the same pace into the water. Louie kept following me. It didn't take but a couple of my steps for Louie to be swimming. He was tiny, he only needed about a foot of water. His breathing changed as he sputtered and quickly learned to keep his nose above the water. He made kind of a whining sound as he breathed but followed me right along.

As Louie got older he kept that fearlessness about water. It was just like walking, but when you get to the water it turns itself into a paddle. So naturally we learned to play fetch in the water. I throw in something in that floats. He hears where it hit the water and swims in that direction, sniffing when he gets close. He'll bump into it and grad it. That's when 'scoot over this way' comes in. Swim on over this way buddy, bring back the stick. Louie loves to fetch.

He's a heavy sleeper.
My favorite of all times to use 'scoot over this way' is when Louie is fast asleep on my bed. Louie somehow has a way of growing as he sleeps. He starts curled up at the foot of the bed and ends up diagonal across the bed with arms and legs stretched out. I never know when it's happening, it's just all of a sudden I am falling off the bed and have no room.

"Louie, wake up. Scoot over this way." I tap him and repeat that until he starts to stir, then I just snap or pat the bed where I want him to move. It's a very long process because he moves very, very slowly when he's sleepy. It is for the best though, a drunkenly sleepy dog that can't see and quick movements? Sounds like a recipe for disaster.

Next Installment: Expanding Our Vocabulary Part II

Training a Blind Dog

On the move! Playing fetch in the driveway 2007

Spazz Out Puppy!

So far I'd been training Louie just like any other dog I'd known, except with more maturity and patients on my part than ever before. Just wait there one second while I pat myself on the back. Okay.
By six months, Louie already knew the basics and would listen well. Sit, stay, shake, lay down, out of the kitchen, and go lay down on your bed. I was careful never to raise my voice. This came in handy when he was barreling toward a tree at 50 mph with his tongue hanging out of his mouth. You could almost hear the "Whooo hooo!" as he ran.

STOP!

This became a command so naturally. He was literally about to run smack into a tree and I just blurted out STOP! as sharp and loud as I could and he screeched to a halt and just bumped the tree. My heart was in my throat like a mother watching her toddler run into traffic after a ball. I took a deep breath and calmed myself down. Softly saying "Good boy, good boy Louie. Good job, stop. Good stop." I pet him and he wagged his tail. I realized by stopping him with such a sharp tone it just shocked him out of the mission he was on and redirected his attention to me. I followed that with a gentle and playful 'good boy' to move him from the moment of being scared into feeling proud that he'd found me. Remember, Louie is a dog. If I forgot something in the car and had to go back out he would be insanely happy to see me again
                                                                                                    when I came back inside.

The next time I had to say STOP! was because he was excitedly heading for a friend that had just arrived who was still standing in my driveway. The fact seemed to go unnoticed by Louie that this person was standing on the other side of a parked car! He was just a few steps away from putting a good dent in a door and having a pretty bad headache:
"STOP!". He stops instantly and turns around heading toward me instead. He got HUGE praise this time. What a good boy! That is perfect. STOP! Means freeze and turn all attention to my voice. STOP! is the emergency break. Then I give praise and we go together to see my friend and I lead Louie around the car. I tap on the side of the car as I walk around it. As I tap I say Careful, careful Louie.

Slowly and Carefully

Careful was another term that just came about unforced. When I wanted him to know there was something around him that he may bump into I said careful in a way that was almost soothing. I said it in a low voice. Gently, slowly Careful.  

'Don't run into that stuff dummy' didn't seem to work as well. Careful now meant to watch out for an object close by, Stop made him stop. So now how do I get him to just slow his roll? He's a frickin' puppy! He's spazzing out and running around all crazy. Constantly on the move, that's what puppies do. They run away from you, hide under stuff, chew things up, get into the garbage, climb things, chew on your shoes, chase cats, try and eat your plants, dig holes and much, much more. Louie was NOT an exception to this stereotype.  Louie was a puppy! The only difference is he couldn't see jack squat.

2007 Rustling leaves help him keep track of me on the trails.

Slowly became a long, drawn out word. Slowly is said, well slowly, go figure. I noticed that by slowing down the way I said the word it slowed down Louie. If I said it out of frustration it wouldn't work. Realizing this made me understand the underlying rule in teaching a blind dog. Calm. If we are calm and think it's no big deal, we leave room for our dog to be calm. They may not be right away, but if you're not calm you're guaranteed he won't be either.

Wait

"Wait" or "wait up" means just that. "Hey dude you're going too fast, wait up for me!"  Louie loves walking in the woods on a trail. He knows when he steps off of a path by the feeling of the ground under his paws. He lifts his front feet kind of high so he doesn't trip over anything. As long as he stays close enough to me that I can stop him if he's about to stumble upon something dangerous. "Wait" allows me to ask Louie to pause for a few seconds so he's never out of earshot from my voice. Usually he will turn back and face me for a minute before turning around a going on his way.

Chill Out (Yeah you, human.)

The most important thing I've learned is to focus on myself and how I'm feeling and Louie will follow. He could sense if I was angry even if I was silent and he can't even see me! A blind dog is more in tune to 'vibes' or 'sensing' something. Smell, feel, hear, taste.  Really, he hears the way you breathe, hears the way you step or stomp, the way you move. Louie knows if I'm upset or happy or tired or hurt or whatever! I'll take a clue from Louie and focus on my chi, man. If I felt Louie wasn't listening to me when I was trying to call him, I would take a deep breath, relax my shoulders, relax my forehead and take another deep breath before instructing him again.

One thing I know for sure is trying to rush a blind dog just doesn't work and getting frustrated doesn't help either.

Next Installment: Expanding Our Vocabulary

There's Something a Little Off Here

Louie, 6 months old. Christmas 2006

Bouncy Normal Puppy

As time went on and Louie and I developed our routine I started to notice some silly behavior. Louie liked to watch TV, for instance. When I would turn the TV on he would immediately stare and tilt his head. Tilt to the right, pause. Tilt to the left, pause and repeat. How cute that was! I've seen pets be curious about the TV before but not like Louie. It seemed like he loved to stare at the TV and was trying to figure out what it was telling him.

Other times it was like Louie had seen a ghost. His eyes would follow something I could not see. They usually ended up focused on the ceiling. Sometimes this would scare the little guy. He would hunch down like whatever he could see was about to fall on him. I would talk to him and pet him gently and redirect his attention. "Are you being a weirdo again?" I'd say lovingly.

Growing Like a Weed

He was getting so big so quick! He went from an eight pound pup to a fifty pounder in no time. His legs were gangly and too big for his body. It seemed he was constantly tripping over himself and bumping into things. You couldn't set a glass down on any coffee table or floor or Louie would find it with his nose and knock it over.

Time for Shots

Louie's first vet appointment I brought up the subject of Louie's eyes to a new veterinarian I was meeting for the first time. I mentioned they looked 'funny' and that he stared off into space sometimes. She gave him a quick look and said he was young so his eyes were still developing. Mix breed dogs almost never have eye problems, especially when they are puppies. He seemed to follow her hand when she waived it in front of him.

I tried to believe her but something was just gnawing at me.

Louie started to whine one night shortly after and kept pawing at his face and rubbing his head up against things. I pet him as he whimpered. I fell asleep spooning him, he was fully under the covers. He stayed there all night. The next morning I noticed a small white spot on one of his eyes. It's almost like a tiny bubble. This was more alarming and I began to really worry.

I asked the vet again on our next visit for round two of Louie's shots. He was only about four months old at the time. Growing quickly, learning, running, playing, an active little guy. The same vet looked at his eye and said it looked like he had bumped it and I should just keep my eye on it. I knew Louie hadn't bumped his eye on anything, he hadn't been our of my sight.

It Hit Me Like a Ton of Bricks

I went over to my parents house to use the internet. I searched for information on eye health in dogs and puppies. There was absolutely no information on puppies and just minimal basic stuff about dogs. I did find a veterinary website that had information on different diseases of the eye. Reading along I came upon a page about glaucoma. Everything I read was text book Louie. When I got to the photo of the eye itself I knew Louie had glaucoma and he was probably already blind in one eye. I also learned that it was most certain he would go blind in the other eye and I had been doing things, like simply using a collar and leash, that could cause his pressure to spike. On top off all of that, I found out that Louie was suffering through tremendous pain. This tiny adorable puppy. My heart broke. I cried and cried. Louie licked my face and tried to tell me it was no big deal, but I didn't listen yet.

More Info on Glaucoma

For those of you who don't know what glaucoma is, here is a link to that exact sight I stumbled upon that day: Glaucoma - Animal Eye Care

By This Time, Louie Was Only Six Months Old

Snow Day! Louie December 2006

It was almost Christmas. Louie played in the snow. He LOVED it! Full speed ahead, watch out world! I got him a little sweater, he loved to be wrapped up, under a blanket or wearing clothes. The sweater seemed to give him added confidence. He was fearless!

I went to see a different vet after finding more information online. I requested a pressure test for glaucoma that I had read about. (More info on Tonometer Tests)

The vet gave Louie the test and confirmed my fears. Louie had glaucoma in both eyes and it was pretty advanced in the eye I had noticed the white spot in. The vet had never seen glaucoma in a dog so young. It was almost unheard of in a mix breed dog. He figured that is why the other vet didn't think anything could be wrong with his eyes, there wasn't supposed to be.

Our new vet referred us to a animal eye clinic in our area. I made an appointment for the next day. I walked out of the specialists office with a hole burned in my pocket and not a whole lot of answers, just options without reassurance of success. I also had three different kinds eye drops to give Louie. One drop of each kind in each eye, three times a day. Each bottle was over $100 dollars. This was the same medicine people use to control glaucoma. I picked it up from my local pharmacy, too bad Louie didn't share my medical insurance.

This medicine did not cure glaucoma, it only kept the pressure down which would keep him from having more injury to his eye, keeping complete blindness at bay and controlling the pain. Louie definitely felt relief right away. He didn't cry so much and he wasn't always rubbing his eyes. We continued on with eye drops and just tried to enjoy the day to day. This changed the plan I had to play catch with the frizbee at the park. I had to rethink everything I knew about training a dog. I couldn't point to the ground for him to sit, he wouldn't see me.

Can you see me now?

I tried a few test I learned about to determine how much vision he had. I held a cotton ball at my eye level. I snapped my fingers to get his attention directed to the cotton ball. When I let go of the cotton ball, Louie did not follow it with his eyes. He only moved when it hit the ground. "Wow, he can't really see." I thought. That was quickly followed by "Holy shit he just heard a cotton ball hit the ground! That's amazing!" I didn't even know it made a noise. I tried again and again with the same results. I did that same trick but with a dog treat. This time Louie did follow it to the ground when I let go. This showed me that he could follow the smell. Again, I was amazed beyond belief.


It finally dawned on me: Louie didn't watch TV, he could see a bright flashing light! He would only follow my hand if I passed it in front of the TV or in front of a lamp. I realized he could probably only tell changes in light. The ghosts Louie would see were just floaters in his eye. He would follow them and they would move with his eye. This increased daily. This was ridiculous! How could he be doing everything he was without really being able to see? This couldn't be right, or could it? The doctors said he had more sight than that, no one believed me when they met him that he was different at all. Louie had been keeping this secret since birth, but really, he didn't even know he had a secret. He is just Louie.

Little did I know this diagnosis was just the beginning.


Next Installment: Training a Blind Dog

Louie Meets the Family

Louie looks up to Poncho, literally. 2006

Meet the family

Louie's introduction into our family was interesting. My parents were convinced he was a "Rottweiler or Doberman or whatever those dogs on the news for attacking and killing kids." No he's a lab mix, I always insisted, lab and pit bull.
"Pit bull! That's it, they're the breed that suddenly turn on their owners and rip their faces off."
I would argue how dogs are a product of their surroundings just like children and this breed gets a bad name because people use them for fighting dogs. They have a coolness factor to bad and irresponsible people. The dogs are 'cared for' by people who only want to make the dog tough and mean. This would not be the case in my house. No play fighting, no "Get 'em, Get 'em!" and encouraging chasing cats or fighting dogs. I was raising a nice family dog, just like Poncho.
   

 

Poncho showing off his sock fighting skills and his shiny pink butthole.2002

 
Rewind about four years.

Poncho was an eight week old puppy I brought home from Olympia in 2002. I went to visit a girlfriend and we went to a pet store in Lacey to buy her a fish. There was a man outside with two black puppies. I was looking to get a dog soon, I knew I wanted a black lab. I  had just turned 18 and was sure I'd need a road trip companion soon enough. I looked down at the puppies, one was lying motionless on the cement. The other puppy happily greeted a lady and a little kid who were kneeling down to pet him.

I suddenly spoke sternly toward the puppies "Alright, if one of you stupid puppies wants to come home with me you have to give me a sign." One puppy did not move. The other stopped what he was doing and turned his attention from the lady with the kid. He ran over to me and started pawing at my shins then licking my hands as I bent down to pick him up. "Oh, You no good son of a bitch! Smelly little bastard. Now I have to take this fricken dog home with me? Look at it's stupid face! He doesn't even know anything." The lady glared at me and snatched her kid away. I was full on into my tough guy phase and was not concerned if strangers approved of my use of describing words. I asked the man for details and he said the pups had a chocolate lab for a mom and a blue healer lab mix for a dad, he thought. The puppy was free of charge. I took him back to my car with me.

Poncho and me with my awesome hairdo

I left Olympia later that day. My new puppy, who I called Turbo fondly named after my favorite character from the movie Breakin', sleeping on the front seat of my car the whole way home. By time I was home I decided to call him Poncho, ode to the Townes Van Zandt song Poncho and Lefty. I love Willie Nelson's version of this song.

I was not ready for a puppy. I hadn't put much thought into caring for one. I got home and showed my family. I got a call from a friend soon after letting me know they were hanging out at a nearby house. As quickly as I came in, I left again. Leaving Poncho in bed with my dad, I went out to be with friends and didn't come back for a couple of days.

When I got my own house a couple of months after that I took Poncho with me. I would take him to my dads house for him to stay while I worked. Before you know it, he was my dads dog. He went everywhere with my dad. Dad just worked on rental homes he had so Poncho was always in the truck or exploring someones yard. They were inseparable from then on.

Poncho and Louie playing at my parents house, 2006

Back to 2006

When I got Louie I was sure I was mature enough not to repeat the same mistakes I had made with Poncho. I knew a puppy was a lot of work and very high maintenance. I wasn't as social as I once had been. I liked to stay home, watch movies, go to parks or take drives. All things a dog can join me in. My parents, however, were not so sure I had learned a lesson. "Oh, great now dad's going to have two dogs? We're not taking in a vicious breed."

All these statements were made before they actually laid their eyes on Louie. Things changed quite a bit once they saw him. My dad came over to help me fix the steps to the front porch a few days after I got him. Louie continuously falling through the broken step made me finally fix it after I'd been living with it like that for nearly a year. See, he's already helping me be more responsible.

Poncho came along with my dad of course. Louie was beyond excited to have another dog there. Poncho on the other hand, not so much. Poncho immediately started marking my yard, peeing on every tree and corner as Louie ran behind trying to keep up. By time Louie actually caught him, he was peeing on a tree. Louie walked right through the stream, soaking himself in Poncho's urine. Poncho seemed pretty pleased with this. Now this was his puppy too.

Two happy dogs, Louie and Poncho

Getting to know you, getting to know all about you.

It didn't take long for my family to fall in love with Louie. He was just a nice guy. Playful, loving and so eager to please. I had no problem teaching him to sit and he was soon wowing my folks with his hand shaking skills. He always missed the hand the first few times but he kept throwing his paw at you until he would get it.

Louie loved to snuggle, when he was on the bed he'd wiggle his way under the covers and close up next to my body. He always liked to have his head and face covered by the blankets, which I'd never seen a dog do before. Louie did a lot of stuff I'd never seen a dog do before. I just figured it had been a while since I'd been around a clumsy, dopey, happy puppy. There would soon be some glaringly obvious differences between Louie and other dogs that I couldn't explain.

Next Installment:There's Something a Little Off Here

Destiny: Bringing Home Louie

Here comes baby!

Louie's first time at his new home.

I went back to my friends house to make the final decision: which puppy do I bring home with me? This would be the day I pick the dog that I will spend everyday for the next ten to twelve (hopefully) years with. I didn't think of that at the time. I just remembered the one with the white triangle on his neck that was so nice and relaxed. I couldn't tell apart any of the others from their litter-mates. No one else stood out. Just a pile of puppies.

When I arrived it was a completely different scene from the last time I was there just 2 weeks ago. There were no guinea pigs to be found, instead there were seven live puppies! All playing outside with their mother lying on the grass. Little dogs. Now how was I supposed to pick one?

I thought of the chapter I'd read in the Tao of puppies book. I stopped and took time to watch each puppy for a while and see how they behaved and interacted with me and the other puppies. The one with the white triangle on his neck was paying particular attention to me. He liked to follow me when I walked and called him and he played nice with the other puppies.

In contrast, there was one stupid dog. What? I can't say stupid now either? You already took retarded away. Words, sheesh. Anyway,  I can't describe his color, something like dirty blonde but somehow almost green. He was yucky looking. Fatter and slower moving than the others and cried for everything. All the other puppies tried to jump on or off something, this puppy barely tried sat whimpering. I named this puppy Puke. I almost wanted to take Puke home just because I felt so sorry for him, but I knew I shouldn't. Someone would want to take care of such a pathetic little thing, right?


So, I choose the black and tan puppy with the white chest.

The car ride home was seemingly uneventful. He sat on the lap of my roommate who came along to help me bring the puppy home. I think the pup cried a little. I got all teary-eyed and sad because I was taking him away from his family and he was so small.

We got home and I showed him around. He wasn't too shy, a little unsure about my cat Jack. Jack was such a confident cat that they became friends quickly. Jack was forgiving of Louie but still new how to tell him where his boundary was.

Clumsy little Louie runs into everything. As he's exploring, I'm spouting off names with my roommates. Willie I think, Willie Nelson. No. Okay, Louie? Louie Prima? I look at the puppy and say "Louie" and he tilts his head to one side smiling at me. Louie it is then. Louis.

Getting to know Jack, carefully. Louie showing his trademark triangle on his neck.

Here's Louie

I pick Louie up holding him in close to my chest. Looking closely at his adorable face, I notice he had a tiny white spot on one eye in the pupil. His eyes look like oil spills, gasoline rainbows, swirly blues and greys. I thought there may be something wrong. They didn't look right. Sometimes I would look at him and one pupil would be much larger than the other. They both always seemed larger than what I thought they would be, like he was stoned or there weren't any lights on. I'm a worrier for sure. The puppies only opened their eyes a couple weeks ago and I knew they were still developing. I thought his eyes would be blue. Cool black and tan dog with blue eyes. Pretty neat guy for sure. No big deal. I'll find out soon enough, he has his first vet appointment in just a couple of days. He seems perfectly normal and happy.

Jack lets Louie know his place, no claws necessary.

Night Time

The first night I slept on the floor next to the dog bed I had set up. It was in the bottom of a closet so I lie there in the opening like a gate. Anytime he woke up and moved around, I woke up and took him outside. "Outside." I'd say as we walked out the door and down the front steps. I would set him on the grass, "Go potty outside. Good boy" Yes, I said potty. Want to fight about it?

The second night I started having him follow me instead of being carried. He was fine except for the steps. The front steps on the porch were broken and he would fall through and get stuck under the porch. He couldn't skip a step, he was just too small. I would pick him up from the top step and skip one and let him finish it. He was catching on quickly. Just three nights of that he knew how to ask to go outside. He would always fall through the broken step out front. He just couldn't remember to stop or go around. Silly dog. 

 One on One Time 

Hunter and Louie's sock fight!

I had planned a short vacation around the time I would bring Louie home. I spent the days off playing with him in the yard or on the floor in the living room. I tied knots into an old gym stock, classic first dog toy. My brother, Hunter came over to play with him. Louie was hilarious to watch, so optimistic he just always kept trying. The little engine that could. Everything seems great but I can't help but notice how he bumps into things. I wince every time he cuts a corner too close and smashes into the wall or runs head on into one of the big trees in the hard. I just say "Careful Louie, Slowly." I drag out the word slowly "Sssllowwwlleeeeee." He picks that up right away. Just slowing down the tone which I spoke to him made him slow down physically, makes sense. Louie was very responsive and eager to learn. I thought this was just going to be the easiest puppy ever.

Next Installment: Louie Meets the Family

Louie meets Poncho, our family dog, for the first time while we mend those pesky steps.

The Litter

Mommy Rose with her litter (Louie top left)

Introducing, the Litter!

Now that we've learned more about Louie's parents and how I came to know them, we can move forward to the exciting part.
Rose had puppies! Seven puppies, poor girl. She was so young and had seven pups to care for.There could have been more, I know she lost a least one, maybe two, at birth.

Dog Pile: The whole bunch. About 4 or 5 weeks old. (Louie top left)

 

What is a Litter?

Merriam Webster Dictionary says: "material used to absorb the urine and feces of an animal". That's gross. I don't think we should be sopping up other animal's sick-mess with tiny, younger animals. Is this some kind of canine hazing ritual? 

Wait a second...

That seems wrong. It's always a good idea to read the whole definition before getting confused.

Here's one that seems a better fit: "the offspring at one birth of a multiparous animal".

Well then what is maltiparous? I also have no idea. I think it means 'a bunch of something'.

Like puppies? Yay! I love puppies! Good thing dogs have bunches at a time because they sure do love to snuggle! Look at this dog pile. I suppose this is where that term originated. Dog pile. Who would have thought. The more you know.


Meeting the Litter

It was summertime when the puppies were born. They lived in an apartment that had a nice backyard. My friends cleared out a closet and laid down towels and blankets for an impromptu nursery. It was hot and stuffy and Rose seemed tired with all those pups constantly suckling the sweet life nectar from her many teats.

The first time I went over to see the new litter, the puppies were only four or five weeks old. Their eyes had just opened a few days before and they were still getting their sea legs. I was not sure at the time that these were actually dogs. I was pretty confident Rose had just brought home some guinea pigs and fooled everybody. I was sure she and Rio were just planning to eat those piggies when everyone fell asleep.

Three litter-mates (Guinea Pigs?)

Honestly, these pups were pretty boring. Sure they were cute, but they didn't do much. Mostly just sleeping or crawling over each other to attach to their mother and drink. They slept most of the time I was there that day. Still, one puppy stood out to me. He looked like the most comfortable puppy, always sprawled out on his back, really neat color patterns on his chest and belly, floppy ears and soft pads on his paws.

Suddenly, Second Thoughts

It came about abruptly, but again I was filled with doubt about taking home a new pet. Sure I have a cat, but Jack pretty much takes care of himself. He's a tough dude. He goes out whenever he wants, grooms himself, and the only feeding requirements are to fill his bowl when it's empty.

I left those puppies that day driving home and thinking about all the reasons I couldn't be a doggy mom: I didn't have the best living situation at the time and had some pretty rude and messy roommates. I worked a lot, drank often, stayed up late, listened to loud music, smoked cigarettes and I didn't always brush my teeth. How in the heck was I going to be good for this dog? Oh, well. Nobody's perfect. I'll try my best and that's most people can say. I met him already, no turning back now.

Preparation

In about two weeks I would bring home a puppy, time to get ready. I turn to the housewarming section of the Taoist puppy book.

Shelter: My house. Check.
Food: Puppy kibble, water and bowls. Check.
Rest: Dog bed on the floor of my empty closet. Check.
Love: Well, we'll just have to see about that. I'm still not sure it's really a puppy and not something in the hamster family.

Clean up, puppy proof. No dangling cords, no dirty clothes on the floor, no precious memorabilia lying around on the floor waiting to be chewed to bits. Bought a leash, a collar and a chew toy. I think I'm about ready to bring home a new friend.



Upcoming Installment: Destiny

Rio and Rose

Rose (left) and Rio (right) tug of war, Louie's not sure how to get in on it.

Now we'll go back a bit in Life with Louie. Rewind. Or not. Depending how you read this blog.

A blogs first entry is the last one you read if you go from top to bottom as far as I can tell. You have to go to the last thing on the page to read the first thing I'd written. I'm not sure how I feel about that.

What's Louie's story? Where did he come from?

A good friend of mine and her boyfriend got a puppy. Then they got another one. They lived together and time went by. The puppies turned into young dogs and some other stuff happened that I don't understand and I think they were stuck together at one point and I don't even know what that means? Anyway, Rose got pregnant somehow

Wait. Rewind again.

My good friend had a dog named Rose and her boyfriend had a dog named Rio. Rose was a pretty girl, shiny black with a smooth white chest. Floppy ears, kind eyes and a gentle kiss. Rose was very young when she became pregnant, less than one year old if I remember right. Rio was about a year older.

They got Rio first when he was just a little fella. Rio grew up fast. This dog was a thick headed brute, a big stocky fawn with piercing eyes and big expressive bat ears that he could stand straight up. He was a love to us, but a super tough guy. As far as he was concerned, his job was to protect and care for his people. He was always on duty. This intensity definitely got him into some trouble.

My friends got Rio from a litter that the family dog had. Then they got Rose from another litter a different family dog had. Rio's sibling, a litter-mate of his had puppies. Then came Rose.

Too confusing? Let's clear it up.

Yes, that's right, Rio is Rose's Uncle. Old Uncle Rio.
Something beyond taboo in our society so carelessly over looked when these two relatives of the opposite sex come of age. Maybe someone should have taken Bob Barker's advice and taken those pup pup's under the knife.

Well, no one did and she was pregnant before you knew it.What do you do now? Is dog abortion even a thing? ... am I gonna Google it?

Wait for it
I did. 

First headline:

Abortion in Dogs - Symptoms and Signs

Identifying the symptoms and signs of Abortion in dogs is the first step to knowing if your dog requires medical attention. Diseases and symptoms can vary, so it's...

Really? People need to know how to tell if their dog is having an abortion? Isn't it kind of an active procedure that would take some planning and skill? Wouldn't an abortion ALWAYS need medical attention?

I don't believe in dog abortion anyway. Just like Santa and the Easter Bunny.

Wow, REALLY far out. Off subject.

The point is Rio and Rose, uncle and niece, loved each other and they made puppies.
Weird little inbred guinea pigs. So we love them anyway, because when life gives you a lemon? Suck it.

Louie's mom Rose (Left) kisses his dad Rio (Right) 2006

Upcoming Installment: The Litter

Getting to Know You

Louie August 2006

A big ol' yawn from my new little pup pup. Showing off his lack of molars. Seven weeks old, Louie seems like a normal puppy. Tons of energy followed by unplanned bouts of heavy sleep. Clumsy as all get out! I've never seen a dog run into so many things and not even care, he just keeps going.

I let him go outside to tinkle. I peer of my porch, watching him find a spot. He squats to poo. The weight of his heavy head too big to hold, he slowly starts to tilt forward as the crap falls out the back end. He does a face plant mid-shit. Cutest damn thing I've ever seen. Always so overly careful not to step in his freshly laid turd.

Everyday we have play time in our tiny front lawn. First just getting him to follow me as I run back and forth. Then with a leash attached and, when that seemed to go unnoticed, the leash in hand. Stop together, start together, repeat. He likes follow the leader and it's easy for me to lead. One of my strides is a long way to go for Louie, bounding along all goofy.

His carefree and positive attitude is contagious. When I'm playing with him, we are learning together without ever being aware. We are learning each others language, we are figuring out how to communicate. Where do we stand and how do we get along with one another? Where are the rules and boundary's? They are there but they come about organically and without force. Learning the meaning of 'sit' is as simple as me holding my hand above the top of his head and moving it toward his back end until his back legs fall out from under him. "Sit." I say softly and then we wrestle and frolic. Yes, I said frolic. There was no one else around okay. Louie was not concerned with my coolness or reputation as a tough guy. Soon enough all I had to say was "Sit" and his butt hit the ground, tail wagging.

Meeting Louie

Louie 7 weeks old, 2006

Meeting Louie

That is Louie circa 2006. Little seven week old pup, bright tailed and bushy eyed, as they say. I picked him from a litter of mutts. It was an unplanned pregnancy. The mom Rose, black with a white spot, three quarters lab and a quarter pit. The father, Rio, tan and white, one quarter lab and three quarters pit. Rambling Rose and Rio Grande. Named after Greatful Dead songs. Louie's parents were hippies. Sorry, don't mention it around Louie. He's sensitive about the subject. You know, don't bring up global warming, organic farming or micro brews either. Just to be on the safe side.

Louie's parents weren't married. His mother was very young and his father was a bully but a sweetheart. There was, however, a distant relation between the two, causing me concern regarding the health and intelligence of their offspring. Realizing what would be of these pups was kind of sad. They were so precious, but no one really wanted them.


I got into this idea of raising a puppy head first. Once I heard about Rose being pregnant and decided I would give one a home when they were born regardless of the circumstances of their conception. I was set on putting full effort into training an amazing dog.

I pictured days lying in the sun at the park reading my book on Taoism and puppies, with my calm and trusty friend lying off leash on the grass next to me, catching a Frisbee mid-air, running beside my bicycle.

I quickly came to, remembering that I was a homebody with mild to moderate social anxiety. I don't like lying in the sun and I'm not very confident on a bike. Hey, but I do like taking walks and I'm gentle and can sometimes force patients, so what the heck, I'll try my hand at puppy rearing anyway. If I don't allow my pit-mix to attack and kill anything more adorable then him, then I call that a win!


So how do you pick out a puppy from a litter? It's like picking a M&M from a candy dish. They are all delicious and pretty much taste the same, who cares what color it is unless your some kind of obsessive freak. Am I right? Don't answer that.

Picking a Puppy

I read a few chapters on the subject and learned a few tricks. When the litter is at least six weeks old, stop in and observe.

Watch the Puppies Interact

The 'Eastern European Magic Sleeping Puppy' may not be as cool as it sounds

•  Is there one puppy that is ruthlessly attacking others or foaming at the mouth? This puppy may not be for you, unless you're really into dog fighting, which I don't condone myself.
  
• Is there a puppy hiding in the corner unable to figure out how to turn around and get to the other side where the food is? This puppy rides the short bus.
  
• Is there another puppy waiting in line, confused, behind the short bus puppy in the corner? This puppy is a follower, not a leader. This puppy may have a lot more going on there than just being a puppy, if you know what I mean.
• Is there a puppy that is asleep the entire visit? Has this puppy moved at all? Has the owner of the dogs told you, shifty eyed, that "This puppy is known as an Eastern European Magic Sleeping Puppy."? Is there flies starting to accumulate? This puppy may be deceased. Don't buy this puppy, the will be boring and quickly start to stink.
• Is there a puppy trapped under a heavy object, unable to free himself? You should probably help that puppy. What are you, some kind of sadist?
  
• Is there one puppy playing with others and letting others play with them? Enjoying a toy, interacting with the people around, exploring, following when you call them, running when you run? Now this may be the puppy for you!
   

Inspect the Puppies

Check List to Inspect:

• Teeth, mouth and gums: Make sure your puppy's been brushing and flossing regularly.
• Ears: Infested with insects and stuffed with goo? Does the puppy bite you when you touch their ears or yelp? That puppy might be a wimp.
• Eyes: Can you see the pupil. Do they look at you? Are they cloudy? Don't over think it.
• Paws: How many toes do they have? You don't want some kind of a mutant freak, now do you.
• No-No special private parts (don't let anyone catch you looking at this one, they may not allow you to adopt that puppy after all.)

 
The Final Decision

After short deliberation I realized the little black, tan and white male was for me. He had a white spot on his neck in the shape of a triangle, that's how I'll remember which one I will take home. He has a pleasant demeanor, plays well with others, seems attentive, normal amount of extremities and not viciously attacking anyone. His eyes seem off, different but cool. Since this young puppy is still developing, the best I can tell is that he will probably have blue eyes.

I think there were about seven or eight puppies, but I took home Louie. After trying to call him Turbo, Willie Nelson and politely declined the suggestions of Shark Tooth and Killer, I thought Louie would be nice. Louie Prima. Louie Anderson. My Louis Bernard.

Fast forward one more week:

Now I'm ready to take home my perfectly normal 7 week old puppy.