We're Going to School!

Louie showing how good he'll be as a therapy dog.

Exciting news Blind Louie friends!

We've enrolled in a class! This will be our first time ever, we have only trained at home and at the dog parks when Louie was a pup and still had some sight.

This will be a six week, once a week class starting early December. At the end of this class Louie and I will have to pass a test and if we do well, we will be CGC certified!

CGC stands for Canine Good Citizen.
It's a program put on my the American Kennel Club (AKC). Any dog, mutts included, are welcome. This is basically a test in good manners. I think we will do well. After we have the CGC stamp of approval I'm hoping this will open doors for us to volunteer!

 



That's where all of this gets pretty exciting.

I have been interested in volunteer with Louie as a therapy dog for years, but just didn't know where to start. I also wasn't sure they wouldn't just shun Louie because of his blindness or hit breed and send us away. I'm not saying Louie is going to be a seeing eye dog for a blind person of course! Ha, talk about the blind leading the blind right? I'm just thinking about taking Louie to nursing homes or hospitals where he can be pet and do what he does best: warm hearts and open minds. We could raise awareness about his breed (pit bull mix) and other breeds that have been demonized in the media like Rottweilers, Doberman, Mastiffs, and the German Shepard.

I want people to see what a good dog is, and see past his looks. Louie has a knack for breaking through those barriers. When people are scared of him on the street at first, I say he is blind, they immediately soften and want to pet him. Then they see a very nice dog that might look scary if you didn't know any better. I hope this class will open some doors for us to be able to get out and work in our community. I will be documenting this process. Hopefully this will inspire others to do something similar. Louie's blindness isn't holding us back!

A Litte Boy Walks a Big Dog

Here's Louie, checking on me.
Louie and I walk together on the leash. This is something we have done since he was eight weeks old. I've always worked on keeping him relaxed and comfortable on a leash. However, I've almost exclusively been the one on the other end of that leash. Louie walks by my side and follows me. I know ways to hold the leash and make subtle sounds to cue him in on where we are and where we're going.

So switch that person on the other end of the leash to a just-turned seven year old boy. That's a big difference for Louie.

My cousin's son, Ethan stayed the weekend with us.
On Sunday, the sun came out and we took a walk about a mile down the road to an elementary school where Ethan could play on the toys. Louie loves to get his harness on, he always sits when he hears the sound of the harness and leash being picked up.

At first I held the leash and Ethan walked on the other side of me. Louie is always happy to be out and about. He blindly follows where ever I go, very literally. When I handed that leash over to Ethan, not too much changed. I had to show and explain to Ethan why we hold the leash in close to us and don't let it slack. Then why is the leash so long? Great question kid, really. I should have a shorter leash because Blind Louie never gets 6 feet away from me when he's hooked up to it. Sometimes I wish he would. I've almost been peed on before. Being the owner of a blind dog means knowing how to dodge a stream of urine and knowing how to laugh about it too.

Louie was walking just fine by Ethan's side.
So well that I decided to take out my camera and snap a picture. I was walking behind Ethan and Louie just observing. I stopped to steady myself and take the picture when just then, Louie turn right around and look at me. I realized then that it wasn't him disobeying Ethan as much as it was him checking on me. He heard my food steps stop! He can't see, and I still can't sneak up on him! Once I started walking again Louie turned around and followed his new leader, but he always kept and ear on me too.

When we got to the school I had Ethan and Louie stop and showed Ethan how to ask Louie to wait and I took a photo. We walked to the playground. This place still has a BigToy! Remember the wooden jungle gym that's made of logs and old tires? Best. Thing. Ever. So naturally I wanted to climb up to the highest point, and naturally Ethan did too. So there goes Louie, very carefully, following us all the way to the top. The logs are spaced about an inch or so apart and they are kind of round. Louie would inch forward carefully when walking with the logs horizontal to him. I was like he wasn't sure where the 'last step' was or something. He thought each log could be the ledge. When walking on the logs vertically, he put his left paws on one log and his right on the next one over and walked straight down them. He should have been a doggy tightrope walker. Blind. And with the rope on fire. I am amazed by him!

Louie isn't just talented, he's trusting.
He knows that I won't let him fall off the BigToy. He also must trust himself, his ability's and his instincts. This is something big I admire about Louie, his blind faith. Allowing himself to be in the moment, just enjoy himself and let fear and hesitation go. This will be okay, and if not, he'll deal with it when it comes up and he'll get over it quickly.

So there is Louie on the third level of the BigToy. Someplace many people would think he could not go. Lot's of people don't know Louie can even use the stairs. He just goes, and goes and goes. Louie just keeps trying and trusting and loving. Louie is a good guy, through and through. Even in this picture, up high, he 'watches' over Ethan and makes sure he's safe. He sits facing him with only about an inch between them.What a good boy.

Meet Lori & Jake, Part II

...Continued, Meet Lori & Jake, Part II


How well does Jake get around being a tripod? 

Yes, on the subject of agility. From the start, I worried about transporting Jake. How would I get him in the car? I have a Dodge Durango. The first time I need to return to the Vet, I opened the back of my car to clear out stuff and set it up for Jake when he just jumped in! Like a graceful gazelle, he flew into the back of the car!

So I take it Jake gets around pretty well on three legs? 

Jake is amazing! Dr. Adams had told me Jake would adapt, and he did. He hops on the front to make up for the stride of the two back legs. He maneuvers well, but still has his spills. It broke my heart the first time he missed and his chin hit the floor, and I chuckled the first time he tipped over while peeing, but each of these events were milestones.

Just like the milestone I hit three days after his amputation. Jake had not come back in after being let out to do his business. I went looking for him, and found him laying in the grass with his head up, eyes closed, a slight breeze blowing the fur around his face and ears, the corners of his mouth turned up, and his nose twitching in the wind. I watched silently and started crying. No regrets, it was just a leg. Jake was still alive and that was everything.

The struggles are constant. I worry all the time about the cancer coming back. A recent blunt force injury from a stumble and infection to his front knee sidelined Jake with medication and rest.

I mentioned earlier that Jake was a twin. His brother Max was born with a twisted intestine and only lived 3 years. I promised Jake he would be loved enough for the two of them for the rest of his days. Jake had another fur-brother named Rudy. Rudy was my dog before we brought home the two red fur balls. Rudy, a Golden Retrieve/St. Bernard was rescued by Homeward Bound Golden Retrieve Rescue after being found living in a small cage which he had been gnawing on the bars and ground away most of his teeth. It took a year to bond with him, but he was my constant companion. He passed 3 years ago from mast cell tumors after living with me for 5 years.

Jake has two human siblings: Joshua (11) and Allison (8). It is just the four of us now. I often refer to Jake as my co-parent.

My kids were quick to accept their "tripawd" dog, and even brag about him. I got over any emotional hurdles when I saw him sitting in the grass.

Are you currently dealing with medical issues? Do you think the risks and struggles, both emotional and financial, worth enduring? What are some things that make it worth the struggle?

I won't lie, finances are a huge concern. I am a single mom with two kids and Jake to support. Four years ago I made a barter deal with Dr. Adams and had a credit on my account. Without that credit, I would have not been able to afford Jake's surgery and care. I still have an outstanding balance of a few hundred dollars from some of Jake's follow-ups which the doctor is kindly letting me pay in installments. 

It is hard to find the time to devote to Jake's work as a Therapy Dog. It cuts into my work. But it is his passion, and his legacy (and he is still living for Max too).

It is all worth it. I never realized the depth of character Jake possessed. His example taught me so much about being human. He taught me so much about living. Now Jake and I get to share those gifts with others. I see it everyday. I see it in the faces of every person who encounters Jake. They learn from him too. Even if they don't learn the lessons I have, even if they only take away a smile. What could be more worth it than that?

I've really enjoyed learning about Jake. I wish we lived closer so we could meet him in person. I will continue to follow Jake's stories and I hope to see lots of pictures! Tell us about your site and where we can contact you and follow your story?

A friend suggested a facebook page, and I thought it would be a good idea. Her cats have a page with 6 friends, and I figured if Jake had 6 friends it would be cool. Like a journal for Jake with Elaine's cats to cheer him on. Well... over 700 friends later, the facebook page is still going strong. It has become more than a journal, in a short time it has become an inspirational cheering section for Jake's work.

You can follow Lori and Jake's story on facebook, www.facebook.com/jakethetripawd

Meet Lori & Jake, Part I

Today I'll be chatting with Lori. I met Lori on facebook when I found the page she had created for her super cool dog, Jake. You can find Lori and Jake on facebook.com/jakethetripawd

Meet Lori & Jake!

Hi Lori! I'm really excited to hear more about you and Jake, please introduce yourself and your dog. 

I am Lori Archer. My dog Jake is an 8-year old Golden "Recliner" (Retrieving was never his forte). I am a Real Estate Broker & Property Manager in Reno, NV.

Love that 'Recliner' idea. Lazy Boy right? When and how did you meet your dog?

I met Jake and his twin brother (little known Jake fact) as a puppy. My now ex-husband wanted a red Golden and I found a local breeder. We came home with two puppies.

When and how did Jake become a therapy dog, and for those of us who don't know, what does it mean to be a therapy dog?

A Therapy Dog works in a volunteer capacity to enrich those in need of mental and therapeutic benefits. They must have good manners and pass a series of tests. Therapy dogs visit a variety of locations like libraries, hospitals, life care centers, etc. For years people would complement me on Jake's disposition and suggest he should become a Therapy Dog, but I dismissed it saying I didn't have the time. Then Jake lost his leg. 

How did Jake lose his leg? Where there some early signs of the onset of his illness?

I am a single mom with my kids 100% of the time. Joshua (11), Allison (8), Jake and I do everything we can together! On Sunday, August 27th, 2012, we had been playing in the Truckee River, climbing on rocks and playing in the water. The next day, at my office I noticed Jake limping and thought maybe he twisted his paw on the rocks. Looking closer I noticed a lump and called the Vet to schedule an appointment for the next day. 

When Dr. Maureen Adams walked into the room after examining Jake, she looked like someone had just given her bad news about her dog. "Give it to me Maureen", I sat on the floor with Jake in my arms. The word cancer hit me like a bat to the head. Jake had bone cancer. My reply: "What do we do now? I am not ready to loose him Maureen." After a scan of his body to determine if there was evidence of cancer elsewhere in his body, Maureen suggested amputation. I had a million questions, but asked none of them. I just asked "when". Tomorrow.

Wow, your lives changed in seconds. It's a little like finding out Louie had glaucoma for me. His eye pressure spiked the night before and when we went to the vet he was already blind in one eye. Everything's different in an instant, but that is just an illusion. Jake had cancer already, you just didn't know it yet. Better maybe, like a band aid, you just have to rip it right off! Tell us a bit about his surgery and rehabilitation?

On August 29th, 2012, Jake's leg was removed. I picked him up and took him home the first night. It took three people to carry the still doped up Jake from my car to the spot in our den I had set up for him. Next to it I made a bed for myself. I stayed up all night looking after Jake and researching 3 legged dogs on the internet. This is where I found www.tripawds.com.  Without them I would have been completely lost.

The next morning Jake surprised me when he got up and walked outside to go potty. He fell twice, but his tail never stopped wagging. In the beginning he had to take 17 pills a day, the surgery site oozed, was bruised and swollen, but his tail never stopped wagging. The oozing didn't stop, and two sections of the surgery site opened up. Concerned we returned to the Vet who immediately ordered a second surgery to remove necrotic muscle and insert draining tubes in hopes to stop infection. The tail did not stop wagging, and the surgery site would not heal. Dr. Adams took a culture and recommended I flush the wound with iodine and water 3 times a day to flush out the puss. I was diligent. Three days later she called me "How is Jake?" Jake was amazing! No more oozing, surgery site was finally closing, Jake's attitude was great, and of course, his tail was wagging. Oddly her response was "Your kidding? Lori, Jake has a horrible infection. A rare staff infection and we need to get him on some new stronger antibiotics immediately." Imagine her surprise when we arrived at the office! Instead of antibiotics, Dr. Adams removed Jake's staples and sutures... and yes, the whole time his tail was wagging!

On the way out, Jake walked up to a gentleman sitting on a bench in the office. I kept trying to call him back to me as I had just witnessed his man and his wife saying goodbye to their 14 year old lab who had just passed after having a stroke. I didn't want Jake to bother them. Jake walked right up to the man, nudged his arm and put his muzzle on his leg. I apologized, the man just smiled at Jake then wrapped his arms around him and sobbed into Jake's red fur. 

Wow, having lost our family dog of eleven years, Poncho last February (2012), I know that man's pain. This really touched me. That man needed Jake at that moment, and Jake just knew that. It's amazing to me that Jake would sense that and have that man take priority over any pain he, himself might be in. Dogs are so giving, and forgiving. Dogs can be so selfless. This is the lesson I take away from Louie everyday. This is the lesson I'm learning again from Jake. Let us all be a little bit more like Louie and Jake and we will all be better people. Is that why you decided to begin therapy volunteer work with Jake?

As we left the vet's office, one of the gals on the staff who witnessed the whole event with Jake comforting that man said to me, "he was born to be a Therapy Dog, now more than ever". I went home, researched Therapy Dogs, and called a tester. Jake was only 3 weeks post-amp.

To be continued... check back tomorrow for the rest of the story on Lori & Jake.
Like Jake on facebook! 

Meet Paula & Lucy

Hello Life with Blind Louie friends. I'd like to introduce you to Paula & Lucy.
Paula runs a support site for owners of blind dogs. I found Paula in September 2012. I had finally decided to quit thinking about writing about Blind Louie, and start writing about Louie! I started my blog and I searched the internet for dogs with vision loss. I had searched for this before when Louie was first diagnosed at six months old. In 2006 there wasn't much info online at all. Anything that was there was outdated and the sites seemed abandoned and dusty. It was lonely not knowing what to expect and not finding anyone who had really been in my situation. It is so comforting to hear other, similar story and know they survived! Not just the dog, but the owner also survived.

I am so happy Paula's site exists today! When someone who's dog is first diagnosed with any eye issue, they will find this site and be able to find a place to ask questions and find support from other who know just what they are going through. www.blinddogsupport.com

Paula & Lucy

Hi Paula! Thanks for joining us. Why don't you go ahead and introduce yourself and Lucy.

 My name is Paula and I run the Blind Dog Support site to help people who own blind dogs. My dog Lucy was diagnosed with glaucoma in October 2011 and because working online is what I do for a living, it was only natural for me to build a website related to the topic.

How did you and Lucy find each other?

It was about eight years ago that Lucy and I first met, 2004. I was shopping with a friend and while she was browsing in the health food store I popped in next door to see the puppies in the pet store. The young girl serving behind the counter had taken Lucy out to play with her and I was immediately hooked. I knew I had to have her.

Aww, love at first sight. That's sweet. I bet she was a very cute puppy.
How did Lucy lose her eye?

Lucy's problems started in October 2011, the day after her vaccinations. Her right eye was weepy and she was miserable. A trip to the vet led to a diagnosis of glaucoma. There weren't any real warning signs. Glaucoma comes on so quickly and a dog can be completely blind within hours.

That is tricky. Glaucoma can be the surprise no one ever wanted. It's often misdianosed at first, like in Louie's case, so by time you know what you're working with at least one eye is blind.
Was there anything you could do for Lucy?

Lucy had the regular glaucoma medications to try and save both eyes had the regular glaucoma medications to try and save both eyes – Xalatan, Predneferin, Forte and Cosopt. (check with your vet and pharmacist. these medications may have different names depending on what country you live in) None worked over an extended period and in December 2012 her right eye was removed. I think that was a relief for both of us because her pain was gone. In around May 2012 the second eye started to have similar problems. We tried laser surgery but by that point it was too late for Lucy. Although she still has her left eye she is completely blind in that eye.

I know that feeling of bitter-sweet relief. They aren't hurting, but they are blind. So happy and so sad at the same time. I had a rough go after he was diagnosed and I knew Louie would be blind. My vet said a lot of owners have a rough time but the dogs usually handle it really well.
How did Lucy handle the loss of her vision?

Lucy handled it extremely well! Much better than I ever expected. Sometimes I wonder if she is even blind. She can get around the house and garden fine, she can find her water bowl and the dog door without any assistance. The only time she has issues is when she gets excited, then she will start to run into things.

Yes, when someone comes home and Louie gets excited he gets disoriented and bumps into things as well. So, if you've ever said 'When I come home after work my dog completely loses their mind they are so excited.' Well, they really do. Louie forgets where he is and jumps around so eagerly trying to find his friend. I have to say I am very impressed with her being okay to use the dog door. That is a small space that makes a weird sound, I'd be scared to squeeze through if I couldn't see at all. Go Lucy!
How does Lucy get around without being able to see?

She gets around as if she were sighted, no difference really. Although I do notice that she does use her nose a lot more. When I take her for a walk she will still pull on the lead which is amazing really, because she has no idea what is up ahead. She is just confident that everything will be okay I guess.

Do you have any other pets?

We have another dog in the house, Bronnie. She is an Australian Terrier cross and has a lot of issues. I know if she were to go blind, it wouldn't have been as easy as it was with Lucy. I don't know her history before I found her at the pound but it probably wasn't the best.

Can you tell us about a time you were really impressed with Lucy's navigation ability?

I am impressed every day. She is very inspiring really, because she just takes it all in stride. I know that if I went blind I wouldn't handle it that well, most people wouldn't. Sometimes she will look straight into my eyes with her remaining eye. she looks right at me, just like she can see.

If thought the same thing myself. It feels like Louie forgot the day after he went blind that he could see before. He wasn't crying about it. I know I would really be mourning my loss of sight, anyone would. I was more upset about Louie going blind then Louie was!
I know you are currently dealing with medical issues, can you tell us a bit about that?

The problem of Lucy's glaucoma is actually done with. Although the laser surgery didn't save the it did stop the pressure spikes. Her issue now is the she has a nasal tumor and that is causing her a lot of grief. Even today I was at the vet because she is not well, her eye is weepy, her nose is bleeding, she has a temperature and she is just plain miserable.

I estimate I've spent around 15 - 20 thousand dollars on Lucy over the past year or so on both the glaucoma and cancer combined. Is it worth it? ...definitely. She has been such a beautiful dog and so loving. I always say that if you are going to get a dog then you need to be prepared to look after it.

Yes, personal responsibility for your pets is a very important thing to remember. When you pick up a cute little puppy you are making about a ten year or more commitment (hopefully). Remember, you'll be seeing this dog through everything, including difficult medical issues and end of life stuff. We have to stick it out. Don't get a dog to just be their fair weather friend.

Tell us a little about your website and how people can keep in touch with you and Lucy and learn more about dogs with vision loss.

My site is devoted to helping people with blind dogs. When Lucy was first diagnosed I managed to find a few different blind dog sites but unfortunately most of them hadn't been updated in years. I even offered to buy on of those websites but was met with a slightly gruff response. So I decided to take the plunge and start my own.

I love interacting with people on the site. It has become a real community with everyone helping and supporting each other. It's difficult when your dog first goes blind because you really have no idea what's involved. So getting together with people in the same boat lets people see that 'yes, I can do this - I will cope and my dog will cope.

Thank you so much for joining us today Paula! You've been a huge inspiration to me. The more we share and the more we make a presence online, the more people will be able to find us and learn from our experiences. I hope that people will no that euthanasia is not the answer and your dog will adapt to their blindness amazingly. A quote from the front page of your website is a very powerful one. I hope people find this and it changes their lives.

"So if you are thinking of euthanizing your dog or giving your dog away then can I just suggest one thing….give it 6 weeks before you make the decision. I can guarantee that after the 6 weeks you will see how easy it all is." -Paula, Blind Dog Support

Like them on facebook! at www.facebook.com/blinddogsupport
or find Paula and Lucy at www.blinddogsupport.com

We've Made Some New Friends!

Wow! We've made some new friends!
I'm so overwhelmed with all the recent support we've received from new fans of facebook! I could barely sleep, staying up online reading about other inspiring dogs and looking at amazing pup pup pictures.

The most exciting part about new friends online is the project I'm working on. A few posts back, I asked people to email me if they would be interested to be interviewed for this blog. I have three people already interested in telling the story of inspiring pets.

Two are people that I met on the great new website called  Blind Dog Support. They are two special dogs and their owners stories of dealing with vision loss in their pet. Something Louie and I can relate to. The other one is a new friend from facebook. Jake is a 'tripawd' therapy dog. As I understand it, he lost a leg to cancer and he didn't let that get him down one bit! He and his mom are doing great work and their story is very inspiring to me. I look forward to sharing the stories of our new friends. Please check back soon for more on Louie and in about a week or so I'll start featuring other stories and how they inspire us!

Please like us on facebook! Click HERE

Louie Finds a Sleeping Hole

Book on table is 'How to Tell If Your Cat is Plotting to Kill You' By The Oatmeal. A Must Read!

Louie wants to sleep on the bed.
I don't care what time it is, what day it is and what else is going on. Louie wants to sleep on our cushy, queen sized, pillow-top human's bed. He would prefer to be under the covers. If there is no one around with thumbs he will carefully nudge apart the seems of a nicely made bed. He will toss pillows around with his face and scoop and toss covers with his nose until he can start to wiggle under the blankets. He's almost never got all the way under, but this method allows him to get his head and shoulders under and that is what really matters.

How do I know all this detail?
Well, I'll say to most fun part for me having a blind dog is watching him when he doesn't know he's being watched. When I hear something on my bed in the other room, if I walk very carefully and slowly and stand just in the doorway looking in, I have A front row seat to the 'Louie is home alone' show. Who needs a nanny-cam when you have a blind dog! I have quietly watched Louie 'make' our bed time and again, but what happens when it's time for my husband and I to go to bed? Bedtime always begins with us helping Louie down off our bed and asking him to find a dog bed. He will usually sniff the dog beds and leave the room. He likes the dog bed in the living room better.

Last night,
I got up at about 3am to use the bathroom. There was Louie, curled up in the chair. Again, this is pretty normal. Then it hits me, I don't think a dog who could see would chose to face the back of the chair. They would want to be facing out instead, so they could look around and have a quick exit should they need it. Louie is much more concerned about protecting his head and feeling cozy. That's why he loves to wear clothes and sleep with his head under the covers.

Louie shoves his snout way down into the  crack to the chair, breathing freely is not the number one objective obviously. He has always tried to bury his head. When he was a 8 week old puppy I would find him sleeping in the strangest of places, like with just his head shoved into the tiny space between the back of the couch and the wall. I thought he was just a weirdo, now I know he's just a big blind weirdo, and I love him so.

Join the Party!

Hello possible newcomers and friends.
Thanks for joining us. Recently, I seem to have made some connections with owners of dogs in similar situations as Louie. It's great to meet new people and dogs, whether it be in person or online, and hear their stories. I am inspired again and again to keep trying, do my best and just be happy. Louie sets a great example.

If you are just joining us,
and you are dealing with blindness in your pet, please go back to the first few entrys and read about Louie as a pup. There are a few entrys on dealing with diagnosis, surgery and adapting to blindness. I hope these stories will reach the people who need them, and I hope they will reach out to me as well. Pass around some positive energy, it's contagious. Flu season has nothing on this!

I want to engage even more.
The newest project I am working on is interviewing others who have dealt with eye problems in their pets. Please email me if you are interested in being featured in this blog and I will respond with a list of questions. I really look forward to hearing from all of you! lifewithblindlouie@gmail.com

Like us on Facebook.
Facebook is a great way to communicate and share photos. After liking our page, feel free to use it to show off your pets, blind or not, we don't discriminate!

Crushing the Grandparents

Louie is sleeping.
Here is Louie's face. Super close up. His lip stuck drapped over a leg. His right eye rolled back in his head and open just enough to show it's sunken pink inside. A face only a mother could love? I hope not, but maybe. I sure do love him.

Louie is resting on his favorite spot.
A person. If Louie could lay right on top of another large living animal he would, always. It is the best heating pad. Louie can't see that the place on the couch is not enough room for him to fit, he just goes for it and somehow it usually works out.

I got an S.O.S. text from my mom last night.
Louie was next door at my parent house for a visit. My text said 'You have to see where your dog is right now'. I went next door and found Louie fast asleep on the couch. He is not allowed on the couch at my parents house, well at least not when my mom is home. My dad is a pretty standard Grandpa kind of guy. Bad habit enabler of children and pets alike. Tell your kid they can't have candy? My dad will find a loop hole and sneak them some. Louie gets the most attention from my dad. Louie sleeps under the covers on the bed with my dad if he stays the night there when my mom is not home.

However, my mom was home.
My mom, sitting on the couch, my dad lying next to her with his feet in her lap, watching TV together. Nothing too out of the ordinary. An arrangement usually found on a night when they are home together.

The unusual part of this scenario was the 115lb pit bull sprawled across both of their laps pinning them down and no one could move. My mom's text was literally an S.O.S. call they actually needed me to help get Louie off so they could get up. Louie was fast asleep, snoring like there was not a care in the world.

Louie sure did look comfortable.
He didn't even mind that I walked in the door. He wasn't even interested to see who had just come over. Usually he gets up when he hears the door and barks a little a greets whoever enters. He didn't even mind that people were talking about him he just slept.

I help to Louie get off of the couch, careful not crushing any bones on either of my parents. Everyone thought it was pretty cute how he groaned when he got up he definitely didn't want to move he was very comfortable and very warm. I have no idea how Louie can even get in that position without people really noticing. Of course you see a big old dog there, but a first it's just a head in your lap, then also a paw and next thing you know you're pinned and somehow he just expands and gets heavier.

I envy how comfortable that he can get.
I envy how relaxed he can be, how oblivious he is with the rest of the world moving around him. I know Louie is comfortable in the moment and in that moment nothing else matters.

Taking a Walk in the Yard

How many animals do you see in this picture?

Taking the pets on a walk around the farm.
Louie gets his jacket on, well, I put Louie's jacket on him. Snorp is ready to run! Along come Halford cat-dog with his arch nemisis Meatloaf in tow. The sun is out. I am under the weather but need to get out of the house for some fresh air for a few minutes. Everybody's happy.

It's great to have a large enough yard that I can feel like I'm talking a stroll without even leaving our property. The animals love it too.

The picture on the left is a happy accident. 
I accidentally snapped the photo. Upon closer inspection when we came inside I noticed that it's a great shot of the whole group. Slow moving Louie there on the left, Meatloaf right up front and on the move. If you look closely just behind Meatloaf's head in Halford kitty. Where is Snorp? Why he is smelling the camera! The top right corner of the picture is dedicated to Snorp's black and white neck and a small part of his top lip. I love him and there he is!

Meatloaf is brave and curious.
It's actually hard to get a clear photo of her. Whenever I get close to take a picture of her, she quickly attacks the dangling strap of the camera. I try to remember to hold that in my hand instead, which often results in stingy kitten scratches. Meh. This was a great picture though, another accident. It was just before she started mauling me.

Louie seems to like to have his picture taken.
I think he just likes when I talk to him. I ask him to sit and stay, and he tries really hard to stand still for a while. I even got him standing close to the chicken coup with his head over this bail of hay. I like how it looks. I used to take pictures of him with his head poking thorough long grass. He would squint his funny looking eyes and look sleepy and sedated.

Vote for Blind Louie

I hope everyone voted! Well, actually I'm not sure how much I care. I know I'm supposed to, so it's more like a pleasantry "Hi, how are you?" kind of thing "Get out and vote!". Smiley face.

Write in candidate Blind Louie to win it! Although I, myself wrote in Alfred E. Neuman. I voted Mad. Who didn't, really?

Life has been cozy and slow lately. We've been spending a lot of time indoors. It's dark. I'm at work or driving to or from work for all of the daylight hours now. It's dark when I leave work to drive home since we changed the clocks back last weekend.

It's cold outside, I had a cold and was sick for a bit, there were rainstorms and windstorms, the kitten was spayed and had to be inside and rest. Louie does not like the cold. Louie does not like the rain. Louie is whiny. He cries and sits and stares. It's hard to tell if his eye really hurts or if he's just bored.

Tonight, as he sat half facing me crying. I sighed. I walked him into the bedroom and asked him to get on the bed. He jumped up and laid down. I pet him for just a second until he fell asleep and then I left the room quietly, going back in to check on him a few minutes later and he and Snorp are both asleep on the humans bed. I love him, like a kid, a family member, a best friend. I want Louie to be comfortable and happy.

Vote, or don't. It's up to you. We don't really have control over anything. Whatever happens, just try to make the best of it.

The truth of the matter is...

This is Louie.

Louis Bernard Swift Waschke.
It's been harder for me to write lately. I love writing about what makes me smile and laugh about life, and Louie, and life with Louie; but lately Louie has been on my mind for a not as happy reason.

Louie's left eye has been bothering him, well, pretty much forever. That is the case with both eyes. This is a part of life, but what I am referring to is since his pressure's been down. After we've had the surgery and glaucoma isn't hurting him anymore. The post-surgery days have been good and there were many, but for the last six months or more his left eye has been bad in a different way.

It's runny and gooey and sunken and small.
Louie's left socket ball isn't much of an eye at all.
Squinting and batting and blinking and winking.
His shriveled eye seems to be constantly sinking.
Deep back in to its socket it goes,
leaving his eyelashes to turn in and scratch him when his lids close.

Example of left eye, sunken and crusty.

Well alright then, that's how I'll describe it.
Forgive me if I'm strange or seem macabre. Please don't let this deter you from reading my blog (no! stop rhyming!). I want this to be a blog about happiness. I'm writing because Louie inspires me, everyday. I'm writing because I think if everyone could be a little bit like Louie, everything would be a little brighter and a little less heavy. Life is what it is and we have no control over what will come. There is no way to anticipate everything life with chuck at you. Louie lives in this very moment and only this moment. and that's why I love him.

Example of right eye, less sunken and clearer

I have been feeling down about the possibility of Louie having his eye removed.
That scenario has been on the table for a very long time. If you've read my previous entries about the surgery you know that we actually brought Louie in to have both eyes removed before discovering our doctor had a less invasive, less expensive and less traumatic alternative. The injections he had in his eyes were amazing! No more pressure problems, no more pain, but the more the eyeballs shrunk the more the left eye looked worse then the right.

It's always been the eye to give him the most trouble, that pesky left one. Damn it. I've said so many time he'd be better off if it was just out of there. I know it's a pretty routine surgery that our vet has done a bunch of times but it's still scary. Because I will chose to let Louie inspire me again, I'm not going to worry about it. I am going to act. My husband and I have decided to go in for a visit and talk about removing Louie's left eye. If it will make him more comfortable than that is all that matters, HE IS ALREADY BLIND! Louie will never be able to see again, his eyes are just for show and a disappointing show at that. Louie is fine with being blind, he's actually happy with it! We will love Blind Winking Louie just as much as I love Blind Louie, and he will love us just the same right back.

Happy Howl-o-ween!

Happy Halloween everyone.
Even if you don't like it, bah humbug to Halloween, good enough. But Happy Halloween to you anyway. Have some candy and laugh at people dressed up funny.

No one dresses up on Halloween where I work.
On the other hand, the major rental car company across the street that I work with daily, does dress up. I love seeing them when the stop by. There is just something about someone dressed in a silly costume in a room with conventionally dressed people. There is something even cooler about seeing that person, usually in crisp white shirts and tie, dress pants and shoes, dressed in a giant hand costume. This is a handsome young man. Professional, courteous and polite. Do I ask him if he wants a high five? He tells me that they all dressed up as the Addams Family at his place of business and he was Thing. Really cool! Solo though, he was just a guy in a big hand costume. Now take that image and add them having to conduct business with a customer while holding a clipboard is amazing. He was just as professional as usual. Watching someone act serious in a costume is amazing. This is now my favorite part of daytime Halloween. I wish I could have seen their costume with all the members of the Addams Family.

My co-workers wife brought in their little one year old boy dresses as a chicken.
So cute! I asked her what their dogs thought about him in the costume. I guess they hadn't been around him in it yet. After saying that, I realized that might not be as big of a deal at other homes. If I wore a costume, it would freak Louie out. It would take talking and sniffing and close inspection before he would understand what was going on. Just like the other day with the kitten's crate; he didn't know that it was empty until he looked at it the way Louie looks at things: with his face. (I love run on sentences and punctuation.)

Louie should dress up as an investigative reporter next year. He's always sniffing around and then barking about it.