The autumn is over and it's time for an update of our beloved four-legged family members.

After two terms with imaginary pregnancies, deep depressions and a fibrous stubbornness Asena was castrated at the end of september.

Everything went as planned. The day after surgery was the "little" girl our was very battered. The two other dogs held their distance, she probably sent out "keep yourselves far away from me" energy. :-) Tried to feed her, but she was not at all interested. Not particularly interested in drinking either. I decided that if she drink any water the next hours I would have to resort to forced drinking using a syringe.

The next evening she both drank and ate on her own initiative. The energy gradually came back and it will probably not be many days before she is back to her more or less usual self.

She was very stylishly dressed in the very wearable body, and since she didn't mind wearing it we didn't have to put on a "protection" collar. AROG "missed" his playmate and it was a little hard to keep him calm arround Asena, little "boy" in a big body. But after a week or so she was definitely back to her old self. On hikes she could not wear the stylish body, but one use what one have.. An old sleeping bag cover did the trick so she did not get too much dirt in the op-wound. We did not avoid inflammation completely, but with daily cleaning with aniseptives and it didn't take long to heal properly. The wound is now looking absolutely great.

AROG went to check up on his hocks in early October. New xrays were taken. The vet could confirm that the ligaments had tightened somewhat and growth zones have begun to close. Rehabilitation by swimming was something that was suggested. Which basically sounds good.

A few days before the checkup, I tried to get a hold of rigid anklesupport, which was easier said than done. Had a long conversation with a shop owner who told me about a vet which was very good with such problems in large breeds of dogs and horses. An appointment was made allready the next day with veterinary Krisitin Halle at Nesodden who specializes in physical therapy and chiropractic. She stated immediately (which we already had ourselfs) that he is probably in his preliminary short life had improperly compensated and thus had severe stiffness from the back and down to his ankles, especially in the pelvic region.

Treatment started immediately. Pushing and "stabbing" and a not particularly thrilled AROG. He gave up in the end (hehe) and let himself be squeezed for 20 minutes. She must have special abilities. Because when we left the vet he moved entirely different. We got homework; massaging the left side and stretching of the hind legs. After a week new treatment and now he's even better. New homework - massage of both sides from the neck down. He had even started "kicking" back with his hind legs, something he has not done before. Mid-November he had a little relapse, but thanks to treatment with Kristin new progress came immediately

We are confident that this will resolve itself very nice. He will probably never be a super mobile hiking-dog able to carry his own backpack, but he will hopefully be without pain!

Cora is the only one that has not been or going to any kind of treatments. She doesn't have any particular bad habits either. She's been a little defiant the last couple of months, but that is probably the second defiance periode she's going through. First noticed it when she actually dind't came rushing when she was called; "I will come when I want stop nagging!" Perhaps this is also in combination with all the followup with vets with the two big doggies and that she has felt a little overlooked?!

Anyway - Cora is our little darling. And now she and I have signed up for an Agility course in the middle of January. I am really looking forward to that. Since Marianne (former owner) trained Cora in agility I've probably got "a lot for free", so we get faster into it. At least it will be great fun!

Hiking in the woods are an everyday happening. And we are all so happy the snow that has come and for me personally because the dogs are cleaner when they are back from walks. So now, and for at least a few weeks, there will be no muddy paw prints all over the house. As soon as a little more snow comes it will be time to resume the training Asena pulling us on skies. May be we get it properly working during the winter. Cora was incredibly good last winter, so where is it "just" cramming the different commands.

This was a little brief summary of the fall of the doggies in the Monsen clan. I wish you all a MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Margrethe: o)