Category: exercise

Still Swimming

September 22 and Chuy is still going to therapy swimming.  I takes him just for fun, the PT says he doesn’t really need it anymore, but he loves the water and it’s good for him to get out.  Chuy swam for 1/2 hour today and was totally worn out when his pool time was up.  He’s such a trooper!  The PT kept throwing the water wubba and Chuy would dive off the lift, swim to the other end of the pool, grab it and bring it back to him.  This went on for at least 20 minutes before he started to tire out.

We are also walking him around the block a few times a week, taking him to the local park and going up and down hill and going to PetSmart one day on the weekend so he can socialize a little bit.  He’s getting to where everytime I head for the door, he heads there too.

Now that the weather here is starting to cool down, I’ll be able to take him with me when I run out for a quick errand or decide to go to Taco Bell for lunch.  I’m not sure how he will do at the dog park as he’s never had a chance to go there.  Do I dare try it?  I would have to bring his sister Gretchen along too and hope that the first few times, there are no small dogs in the small dog area, so Chuy has time to acclimate himself.  It would be great to have him play with some new kids. Next month the weather will be cool enough to try it.  I may start at a park where not too many go anymore.  That way, they will have the freedom, but not the possible conflict.

Hot weather, swimming and now what?

The FHO surgery and summer in the desert makes it hard to get enough exercise for Chuy.  The best we have been able to do is put him in his water tank for therapy early in the morning and again in the late afternoon. It has gotten to the point of all he wants to do is go in to cool off, no more of that exercise stuff!  Thinking about exercise, the sidewalks are too hot to go for even a short walk, so hot you can actually fry an egg on them.  Being a Tripawd and having the FHO surgery, taking Chuy to Petsmart or another store where dogs are allowed in out of the question.  The floors are slick and he falls down frequently.  We want to avoid having another surgery at this point.  What do we do?

He likes to try to run in the backyard, so we get out the laser pointer.  WALAAA!  He chases the dot all over the lawn.  If we use it, only after dark, it is cooler out and he still gets some exercise.  He still falls on occasion, but at least it is on the lawn (softer surface) and he will get up and try again.

Can’t wait until the weather cools off.

9/7/09

Yay!  The weather is finally cool enough to go for a walk in the early morning.  Mom put my ruffwear harness on me and I started running around the house like a nutcase.  When she finally got her stuff together, (keys, leash, water), I was already waiting at the door.  We got outside and I thought we were going for a ride, so I stopped at the car door I usually climb into.  Mom said “No Chuy, let’s walk!”  Off we went.

Now, this is the first long walk I’ve been on since my FHO surgery in May.  Before my surgery, I could go about 2 blocks and then I would need to rest.  Today we all the way around the block!  I stopped once to bark at a man in his driveway and once to rest.  The only other time I stopped was to read my pee-mail or leave pee-mail for a furriend.  🙂  Mom gave me water to drink as we walked or when I would stop to sniff something.  All in all, it’s been a grrreat day!

When we got home, I jumped on Daddy and then took a nice long nap!  It’s evening now and I’m just full of energy again.  I can’t wait until tomorrow.  I get to go see my PT Jeff and go swimming!!!!!