I Even Overtrained My Dog

This is Gumbo, the Wonder Dog. In the absence of a training schedule for me, I've been trying to teach Gumbo and her litter mate Cocoa how to walk with good doggy manners. Every night, when it gets cool enough to avoid CERTAIN DEATH, I put on my shoes, a visor, grab the leashes, and brave 15 minutes of absolutely spasmodic, brainless behavior as the dogs get hooked up and start the walk. The last 15 or so minutes of the walk, they're pretty good, and the initial "break in" period has been getting shorter and shorter. Good, right?

Well, Monday, after the walk, the dogs and I did our customary "chill," reading and just laying around. (I read. They do not. Yet.) Then it was time for bed. But when Gumbo, the Wonder Dog, got up and walked to the kennel, she had a limp that had not been there during the walk. Tuesday and Wednesday it got worse, so I took her to the vet. She has an itty bitty fracture in one of the toes on her right paw.

I know what Taconite Boy is thinking, so I'll just say it. I think I overtrained my dog.

Either that, or I stepped on her paw and don't remember it or she just dinged herself running like a spaz all around the yard or up and down the stairs.

Anyway, I found it kind of funny that Gumbo, who has no health insurance, got better treatment at her vet than Andra Su got from the ostensible "sports medicine" orthopedist who was seeing to the stress fracture in her foot. Gumbo's doctor took Gumbo in her lap, loved all over her, gave her a complete physical exam, checked her spine, looked carefully at her foot, performed two x-rays, prescribed some medicine, and gave her a doggy treat at the end.

I don't know, Andra Su. Instead of shaking hands, maybe you should crawl into his lap next time, roll over on your back in a submissive position, and beg for a treat. It always works for Gumbo.