34 Weeks

79lbs (according to the vet's scale. We were expecting more like 82, given that he was 76lbs two weeks ago).

Ear Re-check #2

Another $28 office visit fee.

Another $20 culture swab, which I had been hoping to avoid, having worked with him to get him to sit still for the internal ear exam, which didn't go well last time and resulted in that visit's swab/culture. He did so much better, too! Sitting very still so she got a good look at each ear- and she still decided to do the dang swab, anyway! At least he was also really good for that...

No inflammation. Just a few yeast organisms, which is normal, but "given his history..." she wanted to sell us the $20 bottle of antifungal ear wash-to be used 1-2 times/week, in order to avoid a full blown overgrowth again.

I really wanted to say "no" to the ear wash. There are plenty of other, better, more holistic products out there that I would try, given the opportunity. I was really hoping to get in and out of there for only the $28 office visit fee.

I agree, however, with the rationale of using it to prevent coming in again.

But, Jesus! Vets and their ongoing cash cow of "ear infections"! There are other ways to deal with this, and I truly believe that, now that he is on another food, it won't be an issue. I mean, we pretty much GAVE him a full-blown, all-over, full-body yeast infection by keeping him on that food (one DH picked out, not one I would have gone with) for SIX MONTHS!

At least, whether I use it or not, I don't have to go back again (knock on wood), and when it runs out, I don't have to buy more...

He had a good time, at least, and the whole ordeal (almost $200, all told) has been good socialization for him. The clinic cat was hanging out atop the front desk, looking down at him, and he saw her, but was neither excited nor interested.

Walking is going better. If I have misgivings about taking him, we just play in the yard, and that works well, other than that he whines for a while when I leave the house with the girls. It really should make no difference, walking them vs. walking him, but between their older ages and ailments, they take a shorter walk, so we avoid a lot of the areas that now give me pause. DH has been good about sussing out new routes, too, so that helps.

The bite marks are still healing- not growing hair yet, but the shaved areas are filling in and helping to cover them.

The scab on my knee is almost gone. It's just a giant, pink spot against my otherwise tan body, now.

Other than that, he had two intermittent bouts of diarrhea last week. He actually slept through the night, not waking til 4:30 or 5am four nights in a row, then was up EVERY HOUR the next night, lots of mostly unproductive straining, with only two real puddles and two solid piles. Slept through the night the next night, up again every hour the night after that- with the same result. Other than it being something he ate in the yard, no real explanation. Airlie had two mornings of explosive diarrhea instead of her morning poop at about that same time, but no issues otherwise. I cut his food back by 1/2 cup, just to see if that would help. His body has been struggling to process the greater amount of food, anyway, and though he'd been off his antibiotics for a week and a half by the time this started, that could have played a role as well.

33 Weeks

We walked today (DH didn't have to go in as early, and could have walked him, but failed to plan to do so, ugh.) because the yard was too wet for our new play/training routine. I didn't want to, and my nerves are shot, but it was fine.

Stressful Situations

I've walked Kal twice this week.

It's really tough.

The anxiety.

My own.

The fear every time a dog barks behind a fence,

or a closed glass front door.

Or even coming from someone's closed garage.

The neighbors across the street (the ones with a "window" cut out in their fence for their dog to see out, a dog that's always barking and racing back and forth in something other than a happy, excited manner, are having work done) are having some work done, and, though I opted to avoid walking in that direction today (Kal wanted to, and balked when I saw the dog through fence boards and turned around), we ended up passing by on our way back.

The worker's were gone, but the garage was still open, and I could see through the garage that the side door- into the yard where the dog had just been 10 minutes ago- was also open.

I could hear him barking from the other side of the yard, and, as I know nothing about the yard, could not fathom anything other than that the dog would surely come around the house, through the garage and out into the yard.

Fine time for Kal to be stopping to sniff at every little thing.

Exactly what he'd been doing in the open field when a dog across the street was out in its backyard, barking and watching us through the chain link fence.

I've always allowed him to sniff and investigate, and it was all I could do not to panic and urge him to hurry up.

Nothing happened, mind you.

This is just my mental and emotional state these days.

I'm always on the verge of freaking out about it, now.

I've walked the girls along our usual route every day this week, and been wary of those dogs barking behind those fences, when they never bothered me before.

Today, we went a slightly different way. It was later in the morning, since it was raining today first thing.

The dog at the glass door, the one in the garage, the one on his usual tie-out... even the friendly one,

all pushing me into a mild level of freak-out.

I wasn't even sure which route to take home, after that, since I had no idea what sort of dogs might be out and about at that time of day.

Again, it was fine.

But I'm still freaking out.

He really is doing so good.

DH has been walking him in the evenings, and they've been enjoying it, although that sends me into a panic for other reasons. They've actually encountered loose dogs twice, with no issues, DH handling the situations the way I used to be able to.

But I don't like it.

I don't like that he is insisting on walking in the evenings- when other people are arriving home and letting their dogs out to run loose.

I feel like he's taking unnecessary risks.

It's all sort of moot, since in two weeks the time change is going to mean it's dark by 5pm, and since wrestling practice also begins that same week and he won't even be home before 7pm. The dogs' bedtime is 7pm (another reason walking later has been hard, Kal is too wound up or hasn't had a chance to cool down, and getting him to relax and go to bed on time has been impossible. I really need him to keep the same bedtime as the girls- it's practically the only thing they still do together as a pack. Having two packs in this house,this tiny house, which was ok when all I had were 3 older dogs who slept all day, has been really difficult. Plus, I  need him in bed on time, so that I can finally have a break.

DH arrives home at around 4pm and promptly sequesters himself in the bedroom with his video games, ignoring all of us for a couple of hours, instead of taking over minding the "children" like I keep expecting him to...

I'm not sure what I'm going to do when the daylight changes and wrestling practice begins. The plan was for him to get up earlier and walk Kal before going to work.

But I just finally got Kal sleeping (or at least being quiet in his crate) until I'm ready to get up.

I'll probably have to start walking him again, though I'm not sure I'm up for that.

He's doing so well, playing Frisbee, ball and tug in the yard in the mornings, and working on skills and tricks. I can tell it's sufficient, both physically and mentally, and that he's learning things, and becoming calmer.

Now if I can just keep him from aggravating Kansas, and avoid her overcorrecting him during the day...

I can't remember when the last time I had a "good" day was.

It seems like they're all bad days.

The vet visit went fine. Everyone made a big fuss over him, and he made lots of new friends. He didn't really like having his ears messed with, and the vet was unable to actually see in them, so we had to resort to  another $20 swab/culture, which came back with "still too much" yeast. That means another re-check in two weeks. She wanted me to start administering the meds twice a day, instead of just once, and asked if I needed more. I have plenty of ear wash, which I guess is still once, every other day, because she didn't discuss that (and that's the more expensive of the two), but I really didn't have enough of the actual ear medication to last two more weeks, especially at twice as often. I don't intend to double up, though. I really feel his body handles things like this on its own, so I'll continue with the daily drops til they're gone, and continue with the ear wash til it's gone. If need be, there are a couple of holistic methods I can then employ. But I wasn't going to spend another $60 in meds.

32 Weeks

 32 Weeks
76 lbs

From Saturday, a mere ten days after Kal was attacked:

Once again, having almost completed our daily walk, Kal and I ventured down what is usually a much quieter street (than our old go-to street), one I have taken the dogs down at least twice a week for the past year... I'd made note of the barking dog at one corner, and the garage that sometimes sits open with a person and their leashed pit bull observing the morning activities. They haven't been out of late, all garage doors on the street remaining closed.

The opposite end of the street is home to a pair of Australian shepherds whose owners tend to let them out to wander in the front yard (and in the road- a very busy street corner) when they're doing yard work. We usually see them when we are driving by (having to avoid running them over). They aren't typically outside- not even in their back yards, though there have been occasions when they are, and have barked at us, as dogs are wont to do.

We were almost past the house when I heard someone calling to a dog. I could tell they were under the car port, on the far side, with three cars in between us and them.

I wasn't worried about it. The person sounded like they had control of their dog.

Kal, however, startled, and took off running, pulling me at a jerky pace across their driveway... and their walkway... and into the street,

where he bolted, screaming,

because the dang dog was calmly approaching from behind, wanting to sniff and make friends.

Unfortunately, being a shaggy, mostly black dog of the same size as the one who caused so much damage to Kal's body (and, obviously, psyche) last week...

it just wasn't good.

I ended up tripping and falling down.

Kal continued to run- in circles- the other dog following along on his tail. At least Kal and I managed to keep some distance between them, while the silly lady stood in the road calling to "Foster", who wasn't listening.

She eventually got him under control and sent him away, and after at least 3 complete circles, with my left knee being the pivot point, Kal stopped.

I'd just begun to think I didn't know how much skin I had left on my knee, and whether I could take anymore of the spinning.

My left ankle, entire lower left leg, knee, and elbow are completely scraped up.

So is my right pinky finger, missing several layers of skin just above the knuckle. I have no idea how that one happened.

The knee and finger are the worst. Down to the meat, if that makes any sense.

I continued to sit there, in the middle of the street, no desire to get up, or walk home, or anything.

The lady fussed over me, apologized, offered a band-aid (like that was going to fix anything), went on about how her dogs "were friendly" and how Foster "is such a chicken, he won't even pee in the back yard at night in the dark, so we have to let him out front (which explains why there is always dog poop on their street corner, and confirms my suspicions that it was their own dogs).

I explained Kal's recent experience, and observed that he obviously did have lingering issues, of which we suspected but had not yet been made aware.

She petted Kal, started talking about her other dog, Maggie, at which point I turned and saw both dogs were approaching.

I called her attention to that, saying "Here they come, again!"

She turned, and started yelling at them. Her husband came out, and brought them in, then began to approach while she explained what had happened.

Kal growled at him.

The guy didn't even leave the car port.

The woman petted Kal again, asked if my leg was broken (I still hadn't felt like getting up, was just sitting, staring at the damage, dismayed), and said "Well, I have to get ready for work..."

Sunday, my husband and I walked Kal together. The dogs were in their fenced yard when we passed by.

Kal growled at them, anyway.

It's a sign of discomfort, the growling but... it's only going to get worse. No matter what I know, or what I do, I just don't see me fixing this.

Here we go, again, with a dog we really can't take anywhere, or allow to be around anyone.

It doesn't matter that he still wants to play with the dogs on the other side of our own fence (one of them followed her kids right out the front door last week, as they were walking to school and Kal and I were almost home. I had to stop, and wait for them to put her back inside, all the while hoping she wouldn't see us. She's probably nice, but she's already protective of her kids when they're playing in the backyard. I wasn't taking any chances with her being loose- and this was  BEFORE the first time we got attacked.

I don't even want to walk any of the dogs, anymore. Now ever barking dog behind a fence is just another one who might get out. The two quietest streets are no longer "safe", which is bad, since both of those roads go to the park and have a lot of foot traffic- both canine AND human.

I have my work cut out for me, it seems.

He goes to the vet for a re-check today.

I'm dreading it.

For no reason other than I simply don't want to go.

I've never not wanted to go to the vet before. I've always looked forward to it.

Technically, I could cancel, and save some money, since it's just about his ears, which are fine...

We've made a few changes this week, including my husband walking Kal after work, while I spend 30 minutes each morning working with Kal in the back yard. We play ball, Frisbee and work on tricks and skills. It seems to be working- mostly I struggle with allowing my husband do things his way, because they conflict with the way I want things done.

I had to walk Kal this morning, because it had rained just enough for the yard to be too wet to play, and I had work later and really needed him to burn off some energy before going back in his crate.

He pulled really badly, despite the addition of a travel harness, intended so I would have better control of his body, rather than just his neck. Probably it was the intermittent rain that had him pulling. He's been walking well, otherwise. We managed 20 minutes before turning back. So far, today has been ok, just disorganized, which is stressful for me. I still need to walk the girls, but the usual "walk as soon as I get home" routine doesn't work, anymore, when you can't walk everyone at once and one of them is a puppy who has been crated for two hours. I had to opt for backyard play. I'll try to walk the girls after I get back from the vet.

He still doesn't sleep through the night. Last night, he was up at 12:30, then threw up at 3am, then wanted to go out at 3:30am... I checked on him again at 5, since his "regular" going out times of late are 1:30am and 5:30am...

I don't really sleep , anymore. He actually slept straight through til 4:30 once last week, and 5:30 once this week.

The girls still pretty much hate him. This house is too small to be raising an active, large breed puppy. The only reason living here worked at all was because, once upon a time, we had three adult dogs who were trained, well-behaved, and mostly slept all of the time.

It feels like this is never going to end.

I've ordered a slew of new Bach flower remedies, and I'll be implementing a Comfort Zone plug-in. At least the work I'm doing with him in the yard is going well.

31 Weeks

Healing

Unfortunately, one of the deepest punctures is right at the crown of his ridge, and we have to wait to see when/if the hair grows in and whether any scarring messes up the appearance. It isn't a huge fault, but since DH had hoped Kal would be a show dog (with me doing all of the work, which I do not want to do)... that could be a deal-breaker. I'm using rosemary essential oil mixed in Castor oil- both are supposed to be good for hair regrowth... So far, any minor wounds he's sustained due to his sister's corrections have healed up nicely... It's just a wait-and-see thing, as to whether those pink areas of new skin are going to stay or grow hair.

He still seems to be a happy puppy. He just wants to play. Meeting Mom & Dad's dog, Nala (well, it was the second time), went well. They both really, really wanted to play with each other, but we couldn't allow that, because it would risk opening up his wounds again. Maybe at Thanksgiving...

We went out-of-town for Labor Day weekend. I did ok walking Kal in the OKC neighborhood last week- I just didn't really want to. I had such anxiety about it on Saturday morning that DH walked him, instead, before we left. DH also walked him in MF, because his excitement and energy level being in a new place was just too much for me to handle along with the other two. I would have done it in shifts if he hadn't wanted to get up and accompany us (actually, he didn't even accompany us, because Kal is impossible to walk when the other dogs are all getting ahead of him due to his pulling and DH constantly stopping to make him calm down before he takes another step). I would have taken Kal with Mom, Dad and Nala (and Little Sis' dachshund, Murphy), and then taken the girls by ourselves later.

Walking in the neighborhood once we returned to OK has been ok, just not something I want to do, anymore. I'm avoiding the street where it happened, but walking down a different street, although it's always been much quieter, with fewer dogs, still gives me some anxiety. A sweet friend sent me a care package with pepper spray this week, so I've got that, and it does help.

Today some dumb lady blew through the all-way stop at the street that goes right through the park, just as we were in the crosswalk. OKC has a bunch of idiot drivers. Nobody seems to know that pedestrians have the right-of-way, and things like that. I swear, taking Driver's Ed out of schools and allowing parents to instruct their own kids means a lot of pertinent info gets left out, because the dang parents don't even know the rules of the road or how to operate a motor vehicle properly.

I'm still jumpy whenever Kansas or Airlie corrects Kal. It's not unwarranted, or excessive, but I'm not handling it well, mostly because it startles me, and because I worry they'll put yet another hole in him...