Poppy is making good progress - thanks to you
Because of you, Poppy still loves to play - and you could set your watch to her playtime! Every morning between 9-9:30am she plays tug-of-war with one of her favourite soft toys: Cheesy Chimp, Dotty Donkey or Pink Piggy.
After that, she has a lie down – clearly worn out! She loves playing in the garden too, and has a habit of chasing birds. She’s not as fast as she used to be, but she’s getting there. When I throw one of her toys for her, she looks at me like I’m crazy – she hates playing fetch. Another Retriever habit that she’s never quite grasped! So we’ve given up on that game now, because I’m tired of having to fetch the toys myself.
Walks are one of Poppy’s favourite times of day, and she gets really excited as soon as the drawer where her lead is kept is opened. She goes over, takes the lead and carries it to the door. When she leaves the house, she only ever wants to turn left and head to the park. She really enjoys wandering around and meeting the other dogs there. Poppy is definitely a creature of habit, and will only go on one specific walking route. If anyone other than me tries to take her out, or if I try to vary her walks, she ‘runs’ up my back - which is my cue to take Poppy home! Once back at home, she likes nothing more than a snooze on the sofa; she can quite often be found lying on her back with her tummy showing and her legs akimbo! She loves putting her head on my knee and going to sleep.
Because of your continuing support, Poppy’s condition is being managed. She can now be let off her lead for short amounts of time – previously she would overdo it and end up struggling with stiff legs for days. I still need to be careful not to let her do too much, but she’s a very playful girl at heart. To give you an example, when another dog is in the park off the lead, Poppy has to be clipped back on to her lead because she’d be tempted to race around and play, which would aggravate her condition. But your continuing support will mean that Poppy can still walk her favourite route, pain-free and in comfort.
Until next time,
Poppy and Pam
