Robert The Athlete

Robert really hates 'Wheel of Fortune' and so do I. Right after Jeopardy, he hears the start of that show and walks to the front door and starts pounding on it to get out. I agree, so we turn off the TV and go to the track across the street.

He can do a whole mile now with very few problems. He still has to rest sometimes but he's a very determined dog, as we all know.

I'm trying to get him out on more walks because we lost his physical therapist, Miss Ellie The Super Springer Spaniel. Her and Doug moved out a couple of weeks ago so Robert does not have as much motivation to go on bone patrol or switch couches every half hour during turf wars.

He absolutely LOVES going to the track and if you try to bring him home he will fall over in protest. I'm not making this up, he does it at rehab too when they take him for a walk - as soon as they turn him back towards the building, he falls over. If you turn him around in the direction he wants to go, he gets up - turn him back he falls over. It's really annoying. And also dangerous because he does it in the middle of the street when cars are coming if he doesn't want to go home.

So, I have this Ruff Wear body harness thing on him that has a handle. It's like carrying a ribcage suitcase filled with meat. It's saving my back, it really helps. I tried them before, this is his third one, he ate the other two. But it looks like he's finally used to it.

Robert seems like he feels really good right now. He was having some problems about a week ago where he was eating buckets of grass and then I would see it later all over the couch and the rug, and I'm not talking about the front end. Dr. Shaw at Back on Track put him on enzymes and he seems much better. He still eats grass but not as much and he seems to have better control over where he does his business. He's very perky and happy right now, he does the crocodile dance a lot.

A mile is a long way for a dog who could barely walk a few months ago. He's doing great!