Thursday, September 23, 2010

Thanks for the Baths, Uncle Dick!

     Dirty Kili

       Clean Kili

                              Dirty Piko
    Clean Piko

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

The HOOGS Diaries, Continued

09-18-10 through 09-20-10

(Once again - PLEASE ACCEPT MY APOLOGIES FOR THE HORRIBLE 'FILMING'. I PROMISE TO NOT EVER POST ANOTHER UPSIDE DOWN OR SIDEWAYS VIDEO, EVER! I would've been too embarassed to post these, except that the animals are ridiculously cute, and their cuteness makes up for my embarrassing-ness. Plus, I'm doing this for Toby and Renee. Of course, by now, I wouldn't blame you if even you were 'fast-forwarding' through this dizzying mockery of a "video" collection).












Friday, September 17, 2010

09-17-10



Today, Piko and Kili and I walked the long and steep route. They both did great. Up until this point, I would take the two of them just around one block, then take Piko home and take Kili back out to run. Then we started walking two square blocks instead of one. And today was the first time since her hurt his leg that we've walked so far.

I'm trying to really focus on his leg, and helping it to heal. Mostly encouraging him by reinforcing even his smallest strides with tons of praise and pets!

The small strides he's taken thus far include - well, still very tentatively using his back left leg. I believe his leg is healed enough for him to slowly start using it. I think he knows that to some degree; but has perfected the "tripod giddeup" so effectively, that he wonders why even bother with the useless fourth leg.

So I'm starting to come up with subtle ways of pushing him to use that leg. I want to point out that, of course I am sensitive to the limitations on his knee imposed by the surgery. However, I think the best thing we can do is focus all of our energy on his healing, and help him by trusting that he has the strength to participate in his own rehab.

Today, I had the dogs walk on my right side. I realized that, by moving so that I was positioned on the side of his bad leg, all of the sudden, there was something "over there" (on the left side) that kind of infringed on his space. I did that because it shifted his own awareness to that side of his body. I want to remind him whenever I can that he needs to use that leg!

I have been thinking more and more lately about the fact that I come from a family stocked with Spiritual Healers. My Papa - grandfather on Mom's side - is - as I always say - like the Real Gandalf. He is a radiant spirit, extremely powerful, overflowing with light. And emanates the kind of strength you see in the Great Whales: Giant amounts of strength, very powerful and empowering. But gentle; and always radiated through an inner filter of Christ-like Love. My Mom was that way too. And I've been thinking more and more that I, too, have the spirit of a healer. I just have to shift all of my energy to focus on realizing that potential. I have to take every opportunity to practice healing in any way I can. Volunteering at the Humane Society has been a real milestone. It is painful to subject oneself to the tragedy of it all. But instead of focusing on that, I am trying to cram as much Love into each minute I have with the dogs as I can. It is only twenty minutes out of my day. But to the dogs, it means everything. That statement alone is heartbreaking. But I would rather fill those twenty minutes with as much Love and Light as I have in me, so as to "give" it to them, than not to do anything for them at all. Today I bathed a sweet little blue heeler-Aussie mix named Ashe. That meant attaching his leash to a post and giving him a shampoo in the hose. It doesn't sound all that glamorous. But I used the opportunity not only to clean his fur, but to massage his muscles, and wipe the goop out of his eyes, and tell him what a special dog he is. The one on one time is good for us both. That aspect of it makes me feel really good. And - if I ever hope to master my "dog whispering" skills - I need to learn how to work with all different kinds of dogs. In all different kinds of situations.

When I am in the yard with them, and with my camera, I follow them around while they sniff every square inch of the Bark Park. I try to get their attention, but they are on sensory overload, which turns their attention span into about 3 seconds' worth. So what I am trying to do, in a fifteen or twenty minute period of time, capture a little piece of their individual personality. I am trying to catch a glimmer in their eyes, that shows the perfect beingness of each one of them. And in order to catch it, I have to see it in them first. This means I get to know each dog very quickly, and very quickly realize that every single one of them deserves the best home a dog could ask for. I can only hope that communicating their sweet little souls through photographs, can and will make a significant difference.

To close this post, I will return to what I was saying about healing. I want to do it. I want to get to the point where my Mom was...pick up where she left off on this plane, when she ascended to do even greater healing from where she is now. I think the most critical part of "training" to be a healer is BELIEVING that you Can! That you ARE! We all have it in us, it simply must be developed over a lifetime, gaining power little by little, until you get where my Papa is today. He is as wise as Buddha, as kind as Jesus and as magical as Merlin.

My way of healing will be of dogs and with dogs. I will somehow facilitate animals healing people, and people healing animals. Only goodness can come from that symbiosis. Right now, I am consciously focusing on transmitting major blasts of healing energy toward Piko as he heals from surgery, and all the shelter animals, as they await their fate. No matter what - since dogs are healers by nature - we can rest assured that where they're going, their righteous souls will exist eternally in bliss.

Almost Baffled by the Sweetness

I just had one of THE sweetest ten minutes of my life. No, really.
This was an example of how a "simple" thing can fill your heart so full of Love, it's amazing to know its walls are stretchy enough to accommodate the expansion!

I let Piko and Kili out for "last potty" just now. It feels like a dream outside. It's almost midnight, but still about 75 degrees, with a light breeze.And a decently strong rain is making the air smell heavenly, like all the plant life it's feeding. The sweetness of the perfumed, dense air was intoxicating.

I picked up both dogs, and we all laid back onto the sleeping bag laying inside the hammock. We were in it width-wise, not length-wise. I was on the left, Kili was on the right, and Piko - who I wasn't sure would be into this idea at all - snuggled right up against me in the middle. Kili put her right arm around Piko, spooning him. And Piko nestled his head into the space between my chin and right shoulder.

I swung us with my foot; and the cool breeze whooshed over us to the pendulum rhythm of the hammock swinging, back and forth, back and forth. It rocked us, so very gently.  All three of us ingested the immense beauty, sensory deliciousness, peace, divinity and comfort offered by the night. Kili had her head up, but was calm; almost meditative.  We took in the wonderful air, and we were dotted by the stray raindrops flying in from under the lanai covering. Piko was completely and utterly relaxed. His eyes were open, but barely. His little hind legs were stretched out, his feet crossed. He was on his side, facing me.

There we were, the three of us just being together. I was overcome with love for these dogs. They may not be mine. But my life sure would be less Sweet without them in it. I wouldn't even want to imagine it.

Ironically, it was the one time today that I didn't have my camera, or my phone or ipod. It simply wasn't meant to be recorded...except here in these words. It was so sweet though, it was pretty much indescribable.

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Piko's Road to Recovery! Part 1

09-13-10

Piko turned a corner today. It was a very small and subtle change in the way he's using his leg. But it was a big deal. Because I don't think I've actually seen him TRY to use it until today. He TRIED putting it down, just a little bit, and did for about an eighth of a second. But still! Check out the videos. P.S., Speaking of which - Look out Todd and David, cause after watching these videos, Toby's gonna fire you both and hire me!

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Day 4: Liz and The Hoogs Muppet Gang

09-11-10



Today was a great day for the pets and me. Namely for the fact that Piko was able to get some good, much needed exercise. I could tell it felt soooo good to him to be in the water. There is no better therapy! He swam back and forth and all around Dick's doggy pool for a good 45 minutes. Kili swam and chased the ball too, about half the time. The rest of the time, she was skirting the edges of the doggy pool, whining until we would plop her in every few minutes. Then she'd paddle her unbelievably cute, seal-like self around for a few minutes. Then she'd go grab Piko's ball, and drop it over the side of the dog pool, into the People pool (where Dick was ready and waiting to throw it back each time. What a great Uncle!)

I enjoyed spending some time with Dick and Mary, too. They are wonderful, warm and fun people. I was excited to finally see their amazing pool in person. Tomorrow being Sunday, I may head to A-Bay with Keely and her dogs. In that case, I'll drop them off at Dick and Mary's, and they'll get another good swim in.

(SORRY for my annoying finger being in the shot. I'm still getting a feel for this tiny, sleek little HD video camera in the form of an ipod).


We also continued working on range of motion with Piko's leg - hips, feet, knees, thighs. His right thigh is all muscle-y now; this is of course because it is doing the work of both thighs by itself. We're going to get him putting some pressure on the leg soon. It's just going to take some diligent work and patience. In the meantime, it was so awesome to see him swimming today. He loved it so much, and it felt so amazing to him, I could tell. And it's the perfect therapy - no impact, gentle but a thorough workout. A great outlet for his energy, which - ironically - comes back when he is asked to "use it". Getting his heart rate up a bit, and his lungs pumping oxygen and his muscles moving and working... Makes swimming such a productive way for Piko to utilize the energy that's been stagnant; to create more of it, to grow stronger and build up stamina again over time.

The kitties are doing fine, too. All secure on the Home front. Enjoy your (day?) in (Ireland?). Boy, I just realized I don't even know where you are at the moment, much less "when you are". That's kind of cool.
When we got sone swimming, I rinsed them off in the hose, and then we chilled in the warm, evening air and made the following photos...