So guess who is going in for x-rays next week. Dear Zeeke.

Last week we noticed him limping after a play session outside with Zoe, and we were concerned. He was favoring one of his back legs. I looked over his leg and paw and he yiped when I moved his leg. But hours later he seemed fine. And he stayed fine until the next strenuous play session they had, then he was limping again, and whimpering. But again, it went away. We thought he’d just pulled a muscle or something with the running they do, so we just kept a close eye on it and tried to keep him from overextending himself again.

Well yesterday morning Den was wrestling with him in the living room - in which room we have hardwood floors. During one of his jump-and-run maneuvers Zeeke slipped and crashed to the floor. Now this isn’t at all an unusual event, but this time he got up whining and whimpering and refused to sit. I said, “Okay, that’s it,” and called the vet right there.

So today was his vet appointment. Friends said he probably just hurt a muscle or cut his pad or something, but you know I just had a feeling that wasn’t it. Sure enough the vet watched him walk around (no limp) and felt over his muscles and bone and joints, no issue, no reaction. But when he picked up Zeeke’s back leg and flexed the hip Zeeke yiped and whined. And it’s only on the right side too, no reaction on the left. *sigh*

So next wednesday Zeeke goes in for a hip x-ray so they can take a look at his joint and tell if it’s the bone or if it’s a soft tissue problem. Ever since we got Zeeke I’ve had the worry that he’ll have hip problems, since he’s a purebred and a rescue of unknown origin. There are so many poorly bred purebreds out there.

On the up side at least we are getting an x-ray done before we start agility. I would absolutely hate to later find out he has bad hips and we made it worse. If it turns out he does have bad hips that’ll be the end of the agility idea for Zeeke, we’ll have to find something else for him to do.

I just love my doggie. I got home a little early from work today so I had time to shower before going to pick hubby up from work. And I decided that since she was out of her crate I’d take her with me.

She really doesn’t like the truck. She wouldn’t get in on her own, I had to leash her and coax her in. She still is very nervous when she gets out of the truck at Den’s work, but she followed me inside as usual and dragged me to his office. I think it’s really cool that they let me bring the dogs into the office building.

Then on the way home we stopped at Den’s gram’s house to pick up some chairs (Zoe didn’t like it there AT ALL, too noisy with traffic, she went straight back into the truck). And our second stop was the feed store to buy some dog treats and dog food. She did pretty well inside! Skittish, as usual, but she handled it. No major freak-outs. And I learned from last time - this time I put her in the front seat while they loaded the stuff into the cargo area. She actually really likes riding by my feet under the dashboard. I think it’s pretty safe for her - it’s a confined space, and she’s away from the airbags. She just likes to hide.

Just now she had to go out to pee. So I just let her run off-leash as I walked with her to the backyard. She behaves SO well! She trots along ahead of me, went and did her business in the brush, then came out and we played tag for a few minutes. Back and forth, me chasing her then her chasing me. I love playing with my dog. I must look silly, out there in a turtleneck and skirt and winter boots, running around with my dog like a kid would do. But it’s just so much fun. We both had huge grins on our faces. Then she trots along with me back around to the front door and inside.

I just love that dog, what can I say.

Yesterday I had a bit of time between when I finished work and when I had to pick hubby up from work so I came home first to let the dogs out. When he called for me to come get him I decided to take miss Zoe with me. I snapped on her leash and walked out the door with her, then dropped her leash and walked to the truck. I called her over. She came, though hesitantly - and with a little bit of encouraging she jumped into the truck. All without me touching her leash! That’s a first for her.

Though she did spend the entire car ride sitting in the middle of the cargo area, shivering (she couldn’t get close to the seats because of some stuff that was back there). I think I need to make some kind of closed “cave” box back there for her to hide in for trips. It might make her feel a little more secure for car rides.

Last weekend we had a party at our house, a birthday party for my brother-in-law’s twin daughters who are now 6. There weren’t a lot of kids, I think only three plus the twins. But all of them were begging Den to pleeeaaassseeee see the doggies. So Den took them in the bedroom a couple at a time to say hi to the dogs.

Zoe didn’t like that. Her crate was open, and while she wanted to see and be with Den and me, she was already nervous from all the people in the house (whom she could hear, even though she couldn’t see them). Kids like to try petting her, and that makes her nervous. She ended up under the bed.

Zeeke was barking to be let out of his crate. Den did let him out for a very short time, holding him by his collar to prevent him from knocking any of the kids over. Zeeke licked them excitedly. He was just so hyper.

So later, when the kids were outside, I leashed up Zoe and took her out to make a potty run. The kids followed us and I had to tell the one boy to back off and cut it out, he was trying to chase her (and he was the oldest of all the kids, he should know better). I just stood outside with Zoe and let her try to soak it in a bit. As much as kids make her nervous because they move a lot, she actually seems less intimidated by them, in a way. She won’t let adults pet her, but she’ll let kids - I think because they’re smaller and inherently less intimidating. She sat between my legs as the little girls gently touched her.

Then Den brought out Zeeke. That’s usually a good plan, it distracts kids from Zoe. And Zoe got excited that Zeeke was out there too - she just wanted to stick with him. The girls were generally a bit intimidated by Zeeke and as much as they wanted to “pet the doggy” they were too nervous to go up to him. When he tried bounding over to lick them the’d back off. But the boy liked him. So Den gave him the leash, explained how it worked (the flexi leash) and let Zeeke and the boy run around our yard for a while.

Now that was one HAPPY dog. Zeeke had an absolute ball. He just loped around beside “his boy,” running back and forth and exploring the yard together. His tongue was hanging out and he had a huge grin on his face.

I guess that eases many of my fears about Zeeke and kids - it’s obvious he adores kids, at least older ones. This is not the first time he’s played with older boys and LOVED it. But that’s the one hitch - older boys. He still is just too excitable and boistrous for small kids. And with infants we have no idea, I am well aware that for dogs an infant and a child can be two very different things. I said to Den that Zeeke will have so much fun when our kids are older and Den just gave me a quiet look and said, “Honey, he’ll be dead.” It was a bit of a shock to realize that. German Shepherds live to about 12 or 13 in general, and Zeeke’s already 3.

Zeeke and I are on pretty good terms lately, strangely enough. He’s listening to me, and he’s cuddling with me - well as much as a very large, gangly dog can cuddle. He head-butts me and lets me give him hugs and kisses on the nose while he tries to lick my chin. He’s just been acting slightly deferential to me. Which is very good. He still can be a major brat, he’s still harassing the cat every chance he gets and stealing food that he shouldn’t have, but in relation to me he’s been good. And he’s taken very well to not being on the furniture… we moved his dog bed from Den’s office to the bedroom, so he’s been sleeping on it every night. Both dogs really love that dog bed. And Zeeke looks so adorable all curled up asleep on it.