Sick Day



      Sorry I haven't been writing lately.  I have had a lot of stuff going on with my little body and my mom is really worried about me.  I started limping about a month ago, so my mom took me to the vet.  They did hip x-rays, a back x-ray, and knee x-rays.  Everything seemed okay, so they sent me home with some Rimadyl and called the injury a pulled muscle.  After two weeks rest, which was ABSOLUTELY AGONIZING, I was still limping around.  I started to get a bad rash on my tummy.  Mom took me to the vet AGAIN.  The vet found an infection in my mouth that couldn't be treated with anything.  I just have to sit it out until it goes away.  They said I could get snappy because it hurts a lot.  I can't imagine myself getting crabby about anything.  My tail is always wagging, even when I am hurting. 

     The vet said the infection on my stomach was a staph infection and gave my mom some shampoo to treat it.  Mom started to use it right away. It's been a week since my mom has used the shampoo and I now have a big cyst on my tummy.   Last night I saw my mom crying after she felt it.  She tried to hide the tears from me, but I know that she is VERY upset about everything that is going wrong.  She called the vet again today to set up another appointment.  I was wondering if any of my tail wagging friends have any suggestions as to how to find out what is going on with my little body.  I need to get better for my mom.  I have to stay around to hike with her and make her smile.  I'm going back to the vet tomorrow.    PS.  I am only two years old.  Maybe that will help with the suggestions.  Thank you! 

Hopefully hiking again soon,
     Kootenai

"I'm Going Out With My Boots On"

       I'm packing up to go home to Montana to see Scrappy and the family.   We are leaving in less than two weeks and I AM SOOOOOO EXCITED!!!  This is the first item I decided I would definately need:

Can you say YEEHAW!?

   I'm bringing my dancing shoes for the dog rodeo races that happen during the Whitefish Winter Carnival.  Mom says I may get to race this year if I'm really good.  Last year I was slightly distracted by all the other people and dogs at the race.  When the races started I watched, muscles twitching,  on the sidelines.  This year IT'S ON!  Watch out puppies!  This year I'm racing and I'll run your socks off!  "I'm going out with my boots on!"

      If you think you have a faster draw then me, you're wrong.  I'm the real deal dog-migos.  Are any of you going anywhere exciting for Christmas?  If so, what can't you leave home without?  Y'all take care now.  Ruff!

Wordless Wednesday: "I Had the Time of My Life and I'd Do It All Again..."

Billings, Montana 2010

A Memory of Nordic Skiing: A PHOTO ARRAY

   Last Christmas my mom took me nordic skiing for the first time.  We were all newbies.  You see, my mom and dad had never gone nordic skiing either.  They bought themselves an early Christmas present of new gear and we went EVERYDAY over Christmas break. 

Round Meadows, Whitefish, Montana 2011

     The area we go to is an off-leash nordic area that is groomed every couple of days by snow mobiles!  Sometimes I see them coming at me on the trail and I hide behind my dad's legs.  I am only brave when mom and I are by ourselves.  Dad is strong.  He'll take care of her.  I'm off duty then.  I must say that, right off the bat, I was significantly better than my dad was at nordic skiing. 

Battle wound 1

  It really shouldn't matter that Dad received the wound because he swerved to avoid landing on me.  I would have moved.  He is a little OVERPROTECTIVE.  I kissed away the pain with my tongue and off we were again to be a happy fake pro-skier family. 

Fake nordic pro photo 1

   My mom laughed a lot as she tried to mangle her way down the few steep hills.  She made fun of Dad's battle wounds and gave me lots of peanut butter treats.  We would occasionally run into a few other families that were nordic skiing with their pups.  I made sure the prance by them with an extra little bounce because I was quickly becoming their competition.  WATCH OUT!  Okay, well... we could still take nice photos. 

Epic

   After a nice four mile loop and what seemed like hundreds of potty marks later...we found our car.  I couldn't wait to go nordic skiing again.  When mom took her skis off, I sat on them.  Are we really done?  I could go forever.  Dad had to lift me into the car because of all the running I had done on the four mile loop.  Mom said I went at least triple the distance.  I was so ready to go again...I....I.....YAWWWWNNNNNNN.

I'm still excited...it just is shown in a different way

   It was a great trip.  I remember every minute of it, well, except for the ride home.  Small detail. 

Ski with you later!

Sunbathing Amidst a Frigid Kansas Morning

   It was twenty three degrees when I woke up this morning.  I went outside to go to the bathroom and I felt my hair standing up in chilled goosebumps on my back.  I tucked my tail between my legs to run in a quick circle. Dad laughed and called me a baby, but he's the one wearing the North Face coat.  BABY? 
  I went back into the house to bask in the small amount of sunshine creeping through the shades.  My mom opened them all the way to let in the LIGHT.  I thought back to the first time I felt the sun's warmth.  
   I was nine weeks old when I got to go sun bathing for the first time.  The sun absorbed into my black coat like light absorbs darkness.  I was becoming so light.  My mom spread out her towel and told me my newest command.  Which I DID NOT UNDERSTAND AND FOUND UTTERLY BORING.  The laydown command was awful.  It meant stay down until I tell you to and I hated it.  But this time it was very relaxing.

Relaxation

 The sun was massaging me and the water was rocking to to sleep on the dock.  When my mom called me to go with her up to the house, I stayed put.  I didn't want to leave this dock.  It became my favorite place at the lake house. 

Sunbathing 101

     Thinking back to my puppy days is always fun.  The sun in the house is relaxing too.  The patch of sun doesn't do justice to the lake, but it is a piece of peace amidst a frigid Kansas morning.  I'm going to take a nap, but I'll see you tomorrow!

Oh so Thankful! Woof!

Whew

We are still resting up after Thanksgiving!  I'll start writing tomorrow!  We had some great company and some really fun adventures!  Bark with you soon!

Great Northern: The best hike in Montana

     Two July's ago I went on a hike that I will never forget.  I think it was the first time I saw a mountain goat and the first time my legs shook from fatigue after a hike.  The climb itself is only four miles, but the first mile and a half you gain almost two thousand vertical feet.  My hind quarters were burning as I climbed the trail in front of my family.  Mom kept me close because the grizzlies often used the trail to travel up and down between the summit and the river that weaved its way to Hungry Horse Reservoir below.    After we climbed the two miles we came out of the trees and I knew that the whole day was going to be unlike anything I have ever done before.  It was stunning.  

Hungry Horse Reservoir

A view of the climb to come

    The remaining two miles of the hike were above the treeline.  I led my family on the trail that weaved in between boulders and overlooked rocky descents unlike anything I'd ever seen.  I watched as two mountain goats descended the vertical cliff without hesitation.  I glanced at my paws.  I could never do that.  These animals could survive up here eating the small amount of lichen growing between the crevices.  I was very thankful my mom had packed my dog food.  I decided to travel right in front of her on the trail.  I didn't want to be too far away if she needed me...or IF I NEEDED HER.

The last mile

    We got up early that morning because if we would have started the hike too late, the wind would have wiped us off the mountain like we were dandelion seeds.  It was only nine, but my stomach growled as if it were noon.  I gently nudged my mom's hand.  She said, "Do you want water?" but I didn't want water.  When the family stopped for a snack and I drooled for the sandwich, my mom finally understood.  She removed my red travel bowl from her pack and dropped in a cup of my Nature's Recipe.  I gobbled it down and then she filled it to the brim with water.  I was hungry and thirsty.  The elements take a lot of you, especially above the treeline. 

     An hour after snack we trekked up the rocky face on a narrow goat trail that followed the ten foot wide ridgeline.  My mom tied a rope onto my harness to make sure the wind couldn't blow us off.  I stayed dead center on the ridgeline, intending to anchor both of us in case of emergency.   Through a small hole in the mountain's side I viewed the glacier.  It swept below us engulfing the entire north side of the mountain.  It looked like it would be the most fun to play in, but I knew that once I touched the snow I would slide down into the rocks below and be unable to stop.  I am thankful for my instincts.  Without them, I am not sure if I would know just how to protect my family.  We summited three hours and forty minutes after leaving the car almost 3800 feet below us.  My mom helped me touch the summit post so it was official.  Our time at the summit was brief.  The wind pulled at my cheeks and slobber blew from my face.  I felt how tired my back legs were. 

My summit

     We snapped a few photos with my mom, dad, and I. 

Myself, Mom, and Dad 2010

Then my mom took some pictures with my grandpa.  I did a quick 360 turn to witness what I might never witness again.  I was a small dot amidst a great picture of wonder.

The glacier

  "It's time to go Kootenai," my mom tugged at my leash. 

    As I started to head down I was surprised to find the trip down was more challenging that the ascent.  The rock gave way beneath my paws and the wind pushed at my backside.  I felt as though the mountain was going to eat me.  I pretended I was a goat and my paws became more stable.  Four long miles of later, we reached the car.  My mom and dad kissed me and I knew that I was going to get a nice massage later.  They gave me a treat and lifted me into the car.  I was too tired to jump.  I will never forget that hike.  If you ever go to Montana don't miss out on this hike of a lifetime.  It will rock your world. 

Hike with you later,

    Kootenai