So Gustavo seems to have settled in to his new routine.
He would like you to know he really isn't a salad guy.
But he's trying. Mostly he's eating a special blend of vegetarian dog food and some dog food from the vet. With a side of medicine and kelp flax vitamin gravy.
I think he's doing great. I am trying to help him keep his mind uncluttered and stress free. In agility class, that means he has a meltdown threshold that I work hard to keep him under. Challenging international style weave poles and sketchy handling can push him to the limit, but so far I think I've kept his top from blowing.
I only ran him in a couple classes at the trial. He had a couple of great runs, and for the time being, I think he'll mostly just do jumpers. I would rather have 1 great run with him than a handful of ones that stress him out and make him start to do crazy things. He's not totally seizure free, but nearly. He did have a mild episode one night during the trial weekend.
Episode. I'd rather think of them as episodes rather than imagine ammonia welling up in his brain. I'd like to think I'm keeping that ammonia out. Gilligan's Island had episodes. Didn't Little Buddy once get hit in the head with a coconut and got amnesia and when he woke up, he could get radio transmissions through his teeth? I think the Professor fixed it. But no more radio transmissions and they never did get off the island.
My little buddy is going to be just fine. No more transmissions. I talked with a handler at the trial last weekend who had a dog that sounded very similar to Gustavo. A little freaky, a little weirdo, sensitive, but the sweetest dog ever. Her dog is also 4 years old. He didn't have any weird medical issues, just was how I have come to think about Gustavo. Quirky, and maybe not with the exact right kind of brain for agility. How much of this is just Gustavo, and how much is ammonia brain and funky liver remains to be seen.
I'm not in a hurry. We have lots of time. No matter what happens with Gustavo and agility, I am very, very lucky that he's my dog.
3 comments:
Your last paragraph is beautiful, touching, and poignant... left me a bit misty. Nearly ran my mascara and it's not even 8am.
Your perspective is spot-on. Ultimately, dogs are our companions first and agility partners second. We often expect more from them than they are capable of giving. Yet they try their best to give us what we want anyways. As lucky as you are to have Gustavo... he is lucky to have you.
Best wishes to you and TSD!
Beautiful picture of Gustavo.
We're ALL lucky to have Gustavo in our midst! He is a very special soul. Love the Goo....
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