Kayla and her newest charge

Pictures from Hiking in Appalachia

Chewing up stuff and acting wild AFTER I fell off the bridge!

Sledding in the leaves!!

Around the cabin, getting brushed and playing with Dad
Asheville Bakery for DOGS ONLLY-- what will I bring to Penny, errr. .. .what KIND of Question is THAT, mom?


Along the Laurel River.

Kayla Hikes the Parts of the Appalachian Trail

So this year, guess what!! In my new house with my dad and with Penny (who turns out isn't so bad, but just gets anxious when things aren't done her way) we have a ton of squirrels. I think it's because we went far away in the car ride with mom and dad and the squirrels didn't remember we lived here-- so now they come right up to me when I'm outside and I can chase them. Wohoo!

And where did I go-- well that's kinda cool. A long time ago, mom had said she wanted to take me to hike the whole Appalachian Trail, which for all you dogs who don't know, is a really really big long walk. But then mom changed jobs and moved and then I couldn't walk and, well, everything got different for a while. -- But I guess this place we went hiking last month was right on the Appalachian trail. Even though mom says I probably won't ever hike the whole thing (and probably, if she keeps working like she does, she won't either), we got to hike PARTS of what the other dogs in the area call the AT! We also found a lot of rivers to swim in and drink from, and I learned that Penny doesn't really hate water, she only hates water that's over her head. Kinda how I don't like water that is rushing over rocks (unless I'm REALLY thirsty)... I did a really good job on the Appalachian Trail, though one day on the river walk I was really tired and I needed a day off. And then, on the Hickey Fork trail, I tried to herd mom and dad and I FELL OFF A BRIDGE and landed, squarely, on my four feet, straddling a big rock in the river, with my paws in the water-- Mom was really scared, and I limped for a minute and was afraid to try to stand on all my legs right after, but dad said shake it off, and penny said shake it off, and mom said Oh my god and I shook it off and I was fine. . . and when we got to the tops of the water fall I swam a little and I tore down tree branches, and I chewed a lot and I rolled in mud and mucky things, and I didn't get in trouble. Mom knows, somehow, that this is how I get my scariness out-- and how I feel better, and so there we were, all of us with our paws in the water by the waterfall (except dad who keeps his paw covers on) and I knew, I am not only OK, but I am really ONE LUCKY DOG. I've hiked the Rockies and the Appalachian, I've been in lots of rivers and one great lake, and I've gotten not just one set, but two sets of knees and a lot of love from my (sometimes too nervous) mom.





WOW! So, it's been a long time, and I (Kayla) am feeling great! I never think about blogging anymore, mostly because I never think about my surgery much, and neither does mom. Sometimes if I swim for a long, long time or if I go for a really long walk, I will limp a little bit, but mom usually gives me some peanut butter after a long walk with something crunchy inside and that makes me wake up not so stiff. I love peanut butter. I wish mom would give it to me when I don't hurt. Mostly, I love squirrels.


Anyway, I know mom never put up picturesss of me after my recovery, so I thought I'd post these to show my happy recovery and to tell all you orthodogs that YOU CAN DO IT (and keep up with physical therapy. It sure helps!)

Back to the Scene of the Crime

This week will mark one year and 10 months since Kayla's first knee tore completely at Pier Marquette beach in December of 2006. Her second knee followed on Christmas. After two surgeries, 16 weeks of post-op, 16 weeks of physical therapy and nearly a year of monitored doggie play, Kayla is trim and active. She is chasing rabbits and fetching sticks like a good water lab. This weekend at the beach it was a bit too brisk for her tastes. The waves were high and she doesn't like to go too high when they pull so hard. This is a good thing. Still, she did wade in and jump a few waves. These were taken just to document her playful attitude, her back on her-pawe-edness, her lucky charm!!









Kayla says thanks again to all who helped and, gee, if it wasn't for mom wincing when I jump so, so high, I wouldn't even remember those bad days when I needed a sling to walk and couldn't climb the stairs. I'm just as puppy as puppy can be! Excuse me-- I have some squeaky toys here to play with. Watch it turtle, you're on your way OUT!

I'm doing great!!

We haven't sent an update in a while, so I wanted to say that I am feeling really good now. I walked all over Ann Arbor yesterday. Two days before that I even ran after some rabbits in the forest!! I would have caught them, too, if it wasn't for those pins in my knees. I really am quite fast for a dog who has screws in her knees-- but I might not actually CATCH squirrels again. That's OK. Mom massaged my leg after I did lots of big jumps in the forest. She still gets nervous sometimes. And yesterday, after we went ALL OVER Ann Arbor (which I got to see for the very FIRST TIME-- and there are nice places that mom can eat lunch and that will make me grilled, low-fat chicken too!) we came home, and the humans took naps, while Penny and I guarded the house. Then, the people were going out on a date and they forgot it was walking time. Mom thought I'd be too tired to go for a walk, so she hadn't asked me, but I showed her. I jumped up and down on my back legs by the door to show her I was not tired at all and that I am strong. Look here at my picture from St. Patrick's day. I am sitting with my knees close to my tummy. Mom calls that "sitting nicely," and the doctors said when I can hold sitting like that for a long time, the muscles will be getting very fixed inside my legs.




Well, I can sit like that for a VERY long time. I sometimes even do it when I'm not paying attention-- but if you talk to my mom, will you tell her, please, that I can't sit like that FOREVER and to just give me the treat anyway. I'm doing the best I can, and I think that's pretty good. (I think she does too!)

Kayla can't get enough

Last week marked a year since the replacement of Kayla's second knee last year. Today, we went into town, walked around, stopped at the bookstore, and had lunch before coming home. You'd think she would have been too tired to do much else, but when I teased her tired little self tonight, she bounded up and asked for another walk. Two nights ago she was jumping over fallen tree branches chasing cottontails into the forest. Even in my best hopes for her recovery to walk, to enjoy walking again, to be in less pain, and even given what I'd read, I would not have thought she would be running and bounding and towning around Ann Arbor!! I admit, I got a bit teary today when she pulled a quick rocket dog around the house to ask for another walk after a six-hour outing. True, we still do some therapeutic massaging and she has orthopedic beds, but really, who could have expected this?

I'm posting a picture of her St. Patty's gear. She and her roommate Penny went into the D for the St. Patrick's day fundraiser and walk. She's always been generous (and a good partier too!) :-)

Down in Weight!!

Kayla's target weight for some time has been 72 lbs. She weighed in last week at 71.2 lbs!! Yeayh!! That was worth a celebration romp in the snow with her new roommie Penny.