Category: ramp

Cora Construction Project Phase 1 Complete!

Today it was actually sunny, so of course time was spent outside. Floyd (and I) enjoyed a good morning walk. Mr Energy showed what a good boy he can be. He found a herd of elk and dashed after them, but he stopped and came when I called. We were both rather pleased with the day. With the fun done it was time to get serious and tackle CCP.

Before we could undertake phase 1, Cora got to practice walking down the temporary ramp and then was allowed to explore the yard (more about that in a bit). She covered more ground than I expected!

Phase 1 of Operation Cora Construction Project
-Fence the porch!

fenced-porch

I don’t have to worry about her falling under the railings or off the unrailed side. It’s quite a drop.

gated-porch

A gate!

Phase 2- Almost done– No pictures because it would be boring

Staining and cutting pieces for the ramp. The borrowed saw and I both ran out of juice

Phase 3-

Constructing the ramp! Will my design work? Stay Tuned.

And now we interrupt this program for a Coramercial

 

cora-vs-fern

Finally, Cora finds someone who stays still long enough, that she can fight it.

core-vs-ferns-tumble

Alas, even though her foe was a fern, Cora loses the battle. Tumbling away from her enemy she lives to fight another day.

“I Can Do It Myself!”

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.

no helpTrying 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.

Cora’s Adoption

Staples-out-and-feeling-gooBlind, temperamental, tripod looking for a good home?  Not anymore! Today it became official, that Cora is joining the family. Cora had a rough start to her life. As happens all too often, she was part of an unwanted litter and  found herself in the shelter. The shelter isn’t a good place for any pup, and Cora was born blind and with a club foot. Lucky for her, the Motley Zoo Rescue group took her in, so she’d have a chance at life.  The best thing to do for her mobility was amputation. So on January 4th she became a “tripaw’ and got spayed at the ripe old age of three months.  She had a wonderful foster family, that took care of her before and after the surgery.

A week and half after that surgery she came home to the critter cabin. Ok, she was a “foster” but everyone but the human writing this, knew she was here to stay. The first few days were hard. She had to learn to navigate a new house without the benefit of site and while she’s still sore from her operation. She also had to learn to get along with Floyd, which isn’t an easy thing. Floyd has a story too and his story will be told beside hers. At 2.5 years old, he’s still figuring out that life is safe, and he won’t ever be abused or on his own again. He didn’t quite know what to make of Cora, but Cora (who has been called a Darned Independent Woman) is letting Floyd know she has a place here.be my friend copy

Cora  has also met the cat. Fezz wanders all around Cora, and then Cora sniffs and sniffs and then gets ready to pounce… in a blind, wobbly new-tripod way. Fezz,in typical cat fashion, has moseyed quietly off leaving Cora to pounce on nothing.

Cora knows many of the important things already. She knows where the water and food dish are. She knows where the door to go out is. She’s actually asked to go out, so she’s well on her way to mastering potty training. She’s learned that a leash is something useful. She knows there’s a human to give her treats and I hope, she’s beginning to think I might actually be trustworthy. Now that Cora is settling in, there is much to discover and learn. Today began with running and then she walked both up and down her outside ramp. I wonder what tomorrow will bring?