Since I’m not going to have any human children, the parents curse has come in the form of a cute, black tripod puppy. A couple decades after I left childhood behind, my parents would still get an exasperated tone in their voice when they talked about my “I can do it myself!” proclamation. Apparently, I learned those words early and used them often. Now, little Miss Cora scolds me with the same sentiment..
Last night, she slid across the kitchen floor barking angrily, hunched and with her back leg thumping wildly. It looked awful and my first thought was “Seizure!” I couldn’t help it, my brain had jumped back to Schmoozer the Wondermutt and all the seizures he had. Schmoozer lost his battled with epilepsy a few years ago, but I guess those thought patterns are still there. While there was plenty of drama going on, it was a much simpler sort. Cora had an itch.
Trying to reach that irritated ear with her back right leg meant she just had her left legs to balance on and it just wasn’t working. I tried to reach over to scratch her but she barked and got thoroughly ticked off. She had worked her way into a major tizzy. So, I was forced to watch her as she slid across the entire kitchen floor, trying vainly to get that paw to ear. Finally, when she’d slid into the wall, she let me rub her ear. It obviously felt oh so good and I felt my parents’ exasperation. Did it really need to be that hard?
She’s been here a week now and when she first came home she wouldn’t let me help her with anything. If I tried, she’d bark and snap at me. I get it. This little girl has had to fight her way through life. She survived, blind and hobbled, competing against her healthy litter mates. She dealt with trauma of the shelter and the surgery. She learned to do it on her own because she had to and she knows vulnerability is dangerous. Those very real lessons are hard to forget, especially when you’ve never known anything else. Today Cora began learning something new. We practiced walking up and down the ramp. She’s wobbly on her tripod puppy legs, she can’t see where she’s going, and she simply can’t do it alone. This time, she let me support and guide her (with just a bit of grumpiness) on these early steps of her new life.
Keep it up, Cora. Well, maybe not the grumpiness, but opening yourself up to mom! She’s a great person with a huge heart and will be there to help you, but she’s also learning to let you fall a couple times. You two will work it out, I know. Keep it up! I’m so proud!
DEAR CORA
HI I AM A LITERATE LITTLE TRIPAWD CALLED SPARKY. I HAVE MY OWN BLOG. YOUR MOMMY COULD READ IT TO YOU. I HAD A AMPUTATION WHEN I WAS 1 YEAR OLD. NOW I AM 6. I CAN WALK AND RUN AND PLAY AND JUMP ON THE FURNITURE. YOU WILL BE ABLE TO DO ALL THAT TOO. YOU ARE A STRONG AND SMART DOG WITH A GOOD BRAIN. YOU CAN LEARN ANYTHING. YOU HAVE TO LET YOUR MOMMY HELP YOU JUST FOR A LITTLE WHILE TIL YOU FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO IT YOURSELF. MAKE SURE TO LICK YOUR MOMMY TO TELL HER YOU PRECIATE HER. THATS WHAT I DO. SHE LIKES HER EARS LICKED.
YOU WILL BE JUST FINE LITTLE CORA DOG. WRITE TO ME IF YOU WANT. I WILL HELP YOU.
LOVE FROM SPARKY THE LITTLE DOG AND MOMMY
Thanks Sparky! Cora is all tuckered out from a big day but she appreciates your comments.
Oh Cora, I know it’s hard to believe that the people you live with now are here to help, but I promise you they are.
I started out a lot like you. I was 8 months old when mean people left me tied up outside. I lost my leg, and went through 3 homes before I found my people. I was scared and pissed off and I really didn’t want humans to help me because well, how can you trust them when they can be so mean, right?
But you know what? The people who found me were pretty kewl after all. And when I finally let them love on me and show me how to do things, it all turned out OK.
So try to remember, people aren’t all bad. Yours love you very, very much and they can help you live a good life. THey will even scratch you anytime you want, just like my people do (I am a right rear leg amputee and boy doesn’t it SUCK when you scan’t scratch on that side? Geez, I can really relate to that one!).
Cora, you are so little, I know you will learn quickly. Hang in there, let your people spoil you rotten and pretty soon you will have all the confidence in the world to live a great, hoppy life. In the meantime we will be here to help you get there OK?
xoxo
Hi Cora ~
Keep up the “Can do” spirit. I was born a “natural tripawd” but it was hard when I was first learning to walk because I couldn’t keep my balance. Once I got moving though I didn’t want any one to help me either. Now I am a big boy who just turned two and can pretty much do anything I want. I can never understand when I go somewhere and everyone is looking at me and saying “oh poor doggy he only has three legs” I look at them and think “oh poor humans they only have two leg” 🙂
Keep up the good work!
TriPod (Mr. T)
“Living life to the fullest….one hop at a time”
Hi Mr T, thanks for your reply. So did it take you longer to walk well then a quad dog?