Summer is here

Well it has been a while coming, but it looks like summer has arrived, enough rain to keep all things in the garden growing and happy, this includes Blue.

Blue adores being out in the garden, just lolling about or playing with his football or bubbles.

His allergies have now all cleared up and are now a memory, an itchy painful memory. We never did find out the root cause, it could have been seasonal or something in his diet, but he sure was suffering for the first four months of this year, just like the last two of the previous year. It is hard to believe how long we all had to endure, his suffering. Wearing his buster collar for those long periods, saved some of the fur removal, but I can tell you we are pleased that that episode of Blue's life which was a painful one to endure, is now behind him.

Those of you in the UK would have recently seen the documentary "Bionic Vet" of "Fitzpatrick Referral's" a very talented veterinary practice located in Surrey. This was good to watch, as it was the founder Noel Fitzpatrick who assessed, diagnosed and carried out the surgical procedure on Blue when he went lame. December 2008 Blue was on the operating table having a "Spinal Laminectomy" a procedure to  remove sufficient bone from the spinal vertebra, as this was causing the disc to bulge and press on his spinal column.It was interesting to watch others go through their own challenges with their pets, but reminding us how far Blue has come from that day on the operating table.

On that note, Blue demonstrated that it is not a full recovery, as he sometimes has lapses, where exercise has been too much, one such incident was when, he decided to take interest in another German Shepherd in the local park. By surprise, he had caught my wife, Sue, as she was changing her grip on his lead. Chasing this other dog, he was in the zone as they say, off at full pelt. But not too long into the chase, Blue stopped and laid down, obviously too much for his weakened back. For a few days he would often lift the weight off his back right leg. Rommel the other dog was just relieved, to have got away. It was a reminder of the socialising Blue missed out on because of his operation. But Blue is built for distance and not speed, that same Blue would walk up to 8 miles in nearly nine hours in the Scottish Highlands back in May this year.

Blue is showing a few signs of ageing, the odd white whisker, the grey under the chin, but inside there is still that beating heart of the German Shepherd puppy, who came into this world six years ago.

I have read and seen many things about the bond that people have with their dogs, we had one with our Shep, who sadly passed away six years ago in May. There is something different about Blue, it is a bond like he is part of you, not just part of the family. We have sometimes spoke of differences and similarities of Blue and Shep, but never compared them, as they are so very different in their own way.

What was nice, I had recently tried drawing a sketch of Blue, in pencil. Though it was a sad looking Blue,  it inspired Sue to commission a drawing from a follower on twitter @helenyatesart
and what she achieved from the emailed pictures was incredibly talented.

Shep and Blue

Shep 

So as Shep was leaving our home and lives, Blue was making his way to us to help fill the massive loss we felt that day in May 2008 when our dear Shep was sadly put to sleep. They both fill our hearts and are a large part of our life, as they will always be.

Finally my drawing of Blue

Think of a caption to suit this!