Today, I am going to say that I have had some success, not the ‘off the roof screaming and jumping of joy’ success yet success that makes me feel hopeful. Drawing upon my whole life of a background ranging from Fitness/Personal FT to Medical to Therapy to Rescue and so on; today; I had a moment of something that ‘clicked’ for BHRR’s Apollo! NOW, I am not sure with all that sand and hill work and trotting, loping and running WHY I have not suddenly dropped 10 pounds but HEY! I got BHRR’s Apollo to use that leg and foot some! I had two separate small training sessions and put myself on the outside of our fenced in area and kept BHRR’s Apollo on the inside and if you have been here, you will know that we have quite a few sloping hills and sand and natural obstacles with fallen trees and branches. Soooooooooooooooo, I left Apollo on the inside with some of the dogs and put myself on the outside and walked the perimeter(Apollo along with all of the dogs wanted to stay near me and followed) and then trotted and then ran and BHRR’s Apollo, while walking, would not like to use that foot; would begin to use his tiptoes to stand if he was in the sand(which the dogs have sure flung far and wide with their attempts to get to China!) and when he moved into a trot, he would ‘push’ off those tips and when he began to lope; he would move from a bit of a bunny hop in the backend to using more of that foot and leg! AND if I got him excited and he was in the sand; he would literally ‘forget’ that he is trying NOT to use that leg and he would push off and run on it and then he sometimes would get into a ‘game’ of chase with one of the younger dogs and WOOHOOOOOOOOOO! Then, upon occasion, he would get some zoomie action going on his own in the sand and run up and down and up and down and if I went towards the house; he would also use it BUT as soon as he stepped on a twig; he would lift that left/foot right back up for without it being used since July 2nd, it has become so soft and tender like a newborn pups. BUT, SUCCESS and I will embrace it and when I told him ‘good leg using’; he was so proud of him yet as soon as we were back in the house or walking; he would not use it…..So, I am going to work on this some more PLUS have him on the underwater treadmill etc. at Canine Water Wellness this Thursday and see where it leads. When he lays down, he will not stretch it out fully and we need to get him back into a full ROM and flexion for it I massage it; I can manipulate it but he will not do it on his own. So, baby steps and I remain hopeful that we are going to get this ‘fixed’ in his brain for I do not want to take that leg off; especially when there should have been no medical reason to do so BUT as mentioned in previous blogs; if we cannot get this ‘resolved’ in his mind; there will be no turning back with that leg. As many know, I am not sleeping well at night(well, ok with what little sleep I do take!) over trying to find ways to rehab Apollo. Today, was very limited with success but I will take it!!!! WTG Apollo!