We hit a couple of milestones in Queen Natasha’s recover from surgery, so we know she is getting stronger and stronger.

Feels good to be outside in my yard.

Walking time is still very limited and very supervised. Natasha is outside in the yard 4-5 times a day for about 5 minutes at a time. And, importantly, no other dog is out with her to prevent any possibility of playing or running. Still, she is loving her outside time.

Scanning the field for intruders.

Our most important milestone yesterday was that Natasha ate an entire meal – polished her bowl. The meal was some shredded chicken and a small cup of her kibble, but it is the first meal she completed since surgery.

And any dog owner who has ever helped a dog recover from something knows how Hu-Dad was when that meal also produced a bowel movement. We decided not to share a picture of that, so you will just have to imagine it, but it is a very good sign.

Time to head back for a nap.

Natasha is not too fond of her reverse-Poodle haircut on her front legs (from IV’s) and the shaved belly, but we are happy with her continued progress. The goal every day is simple right now – stronger and stronger.

Book of the Week

Hu-Dad loves reading books about canine behavior and canine training. He firmly believes that you can always learn at least one thing from any book like that. But his all-time favorite canine behaviorist is Dr. Patricia B. McConnell. She has written many books (and Hu-Dad has read most of them), but he always recommends people start with The Other End of the Leash: Why We Do What We Do Around Dogs.

Dr. McConnell understands the canine mind so well and can explain the why behind training techniques better than anyone. And others clearly agree as that book is rated 4.5 out of 5 stars on Amazon with 531 reviews.

Disclosure – The link above connects you to Amazon who does pay us a small commission if you purchase the treats from that link.