The Story of BB the Great Dane

BB going for a morning walk under the trees, 22 wks old

The physical therapist gave us some great ideas for BB’s rehab. We are using a theraputic touch called Tellington Touch to stimulate his brains neurons to remember that there is a fourth let there, and it is there to be used. Right now his brain thinks it’s an appendage he has to drag around. So we’re messing with his parts!

Also, we are putting his body in uncomfortable positions where he has to use the leg. He gets rolled on his back, and has to use the repaired leg to right himself. He gets squished against the couch and his bed so he has to use it to push back or stand up. We make him uncomfortable so he has to figure out what to do.

He’s gotten so much bigger that his old habit of 3-legged stair climbing doesn’t work anymore, so he has to put the foot down to get up the porch stairs to the door. And when he’s laying down, I walk over and move his back legs: this one goes forward, that one goes backward.

Poor kid, he’s getting the unroyal treatment! He is terribly spoiled, and it’s starting to turn nasty. He claws and bites at his brother every chance he gets, and he’s been getting put in his place when he does it to me. Mom settles his hash on a regular basis too.

He’s got so much “inner puppy” energy that a cautious quiet walk can’t take care of. Mom walks him on gravel and concrete, and where the grass is short because she’s so scared of snakes and ticks. She takes him once a day or maybe twice. She’s going to have to up the duration and frequency. He’s a higher energy pup than mine, with less abilty to burn it off.

Me not scared of ticks! I wander his puppy butt through that field and it not only burns off the physical energy, but the emotional energy too. So I pick some ticks, whoopie. Fact of life. Frontline isn’t enough this year to repel them, but it does kill them. I have a natural repellant spray I can use too.

BB gets to be explorer puppy in the tall grass, he gets to pounce on blowing leaves, he carries around his sticks…just generally being a goofy boy outside is my recipe for less snotty boy inside. Auntie Lisa don’t just tire him, I wear him out and satisfy the curious puppy in him. He’s such a happy little pup, and all he needs is some fun.

He is slllloooowwwwwllllyyyy starting to use his leg more and more for weight bearing. Just today he used his back legs seperately a couple times. God I hope the pool guys get it in gear. With a life vest, if BB gets tired he can just hang. Heck that might be good for him too, letting the other legs stretch and relax. POOL GUYS–GET BUSY!

Mom gets so discouraged sometimes, and I’m often reminding her how far he’s come. We’ve had him home 10 days, and he’s gone from hiking his leg 6″ off the ground to the beginnings of using them seperately. He’s coming along really well, even if it is slower than we’d want. Right away doesn’t always happen with dogs: it takes as long as it takes.

So the spoilage is over for our Bananna Butt (it curves from the fractured pelvis). He gets the rumpus and botheration, poor kiddo. But it’s good for him, and gives us a laugh or two as well. He’s so expressive, the eyes and ears can talk. So can the near toothless mouth, our teething puppy. He got some diva going on at times. He can complain with the best of them!