I took Olga back to the West Heath yesterday. It was the first time we'd walked that far since she injured her back leg and her front paw a couple of weeks ago, and I tried to treat her a bit gingerly to see how she'd do. (I only threw her Kong toy a couple of times, for example, because when she chases it she goes all-out. I think that's very possibly how she injured her ligament in the first place.)
Contrary to what you might assume from the picture above, she did fine. She got really hot at one point and lay down smack in the middle of the shady road that crosses the West Heath. (No cars use that road, so she was fine there.)
But then she took a dip amid the duckweed in the pond on Sandy Heath and that perked her right up.
She also got wildly, crazy muddy -- so muddy that passers-by laughed at her. And yes, she chased squirrels.
But as is always true of Olga, by the end of the walk most of the mud had magically disappeared. Her fur just sloughs it off. She still got a bath when she got home.
I was glad she got through her walk OK, but it's kind of sad that we've reached the point where we have to think cautiously about her activity levels. Our Olga is seven or eight years old now, so she's well into middle age and I guess those joints may be getting a bit tired!
Looks like she had great fun! Luckily my schnauzer doesn't like water much, so he stays mud free on the local river walk .
ReplyDeleteIt is the River Lea ( in Harpenden) where you were walking a while ago further down it's course!
Perhaps you should buy a pram or a shopping trolley so that you can wheel Olga to her favourite walking locations. I love the picture of Dirty Olga...and I am not talking about the Swedish pornstar.
ReplyDeleteOlga is so cute, filled with personality. I'm glad you let her go in the duckweed, it is probably a great joy to her.
ReplyDeleteshe's a great dog, always smiling!
ReplyDeleteWe used to have a little Yorkie Poo whom I adored. Her name was Queenie and we would take her to Dog Island where it's safe to take your dogs on long walks as there is no traffic to speak of and I'll never forget Queenie simply laying down on the side of the road in a shady spot and she would not budge another step. She was tired! Her legs were so short. She loved to swim too.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad that Olga's feeling better. She's such a love.
Olga always provides a lot of entertainment and likes the attention even if it's being covered in mud.
ReplyDeleteI love seeing how Olga knows when it's time to take a rest. Good for her. Glad that she's healed well enough to go out on adventures again.
ReplyDeleteOlga is a star! The last photo is really lovely! Sad when age of human and dog is not in sync- Dexter slowed down at age eleven.
ReplyDeleteJust last night, friends of mine were talking about a neighbor's dog that had a torn ligament and had to have surgery to fix it. Apparently it was quite an expensive procedure. I'm glad Olga is doing so much better and once again enjoying a muddy romp. I'm really amazed at how the mud just falls off of her. That is some kind of magic coat she has.
ReplyDeleteMuddy Olga is a sight that gladdens the heart. What a dog.
ReplyDeleteI love that last photo - purple flowers & gorgeous dog. Lovely!
ReplyDeleteFrankly, on hot days when I'm walking I wish I could go and lie down in the shade, too! Olga never takes a bad picture -- smiling or not, dirty or clean, the camera loves her :) I'm glad her ligament seems to be better.
ReplyDeleteThat mass of purple blossoms in the last picture is gorgeous.
She seems like such a sturdy thing. It's a bit sad to think of them growing old.
ReplyDeleteWas it really seven years ago that you brought Olga home???
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