HelloBoo

HaRooooo! Rocky the Rockstar here! Mati and I have been "away" as Dad says for several weeks. If it wasn't for Meghan at The Veterinary Holistic & Rehabilitation Center maybe Dad wouldn't feel so ashamed for letting our blog dangle like this! Shame on him!

Well, he does have his hands full now. I'm in my hot spot season and I have a bunch of spots. Just great, more nick names; now he's calling me Mr. Hot Spot, Spot, Mr. Boo (short for BooBoo), but he still calls me 'the handsomest guy ever' - that one I like.

Dad took this picture a few days back with his telephone. He was working at the kitchen table and we were getting tired waiting for him. Mati loves me. SHE laid down next to me - I was already there.



On the news front, little Ms. Mahts decided to go out for a while today. Dad was working at the kitchen table and said, Rocky, go get Mati! I didn't know what to do, because I already knew she wasn't in the house. Dad got up and looked around. Then he started running around. Then he looked under beds, in the basement, in the back yard... he was making me tired because I couldn't keep up with him. Finally, he bolted out the front door and onto the front lawn, he looked left and then right. In the distance stood a neighborhood couple on their front lawn. They waved at Dad and said 'something something Dog'. Dad knew it was Mati. He ran down the street and there was Mati giving kisses and tail wags to a gaggle of kids. She was just having so much fun. Dad ran up to her and dropped to he knees hugging her. She bow'd and tucked her head under Dad's leg, as if to say....well, you know.

The neighbor said she was walking down the street in the direction of our daily walks, sniffing the lawns as she went. They called her over thinking Dad didn't let her go out alone - and she gladly obliged seeing the plethora of smiling faces waiting for her. They said she has been so sweet with all the kids. Dad told her how thankful we were and how panic'd he became when I didn't know where to find her. They are nice neighbors and they have a brand new pupper themselves! Dad says we are lucky to have such a great neighbors and neighborhood.

About me: I'm still going to PT twice a week, getting injections, and now aloe, chlorehexdine-shampoo baths (only on the hot spots) nightly and other stuff too. (I sat on the floor with the Doctor tonight and gave her kisses, I thought she could use them). In addition to this stuff, he still does his special walks with me and is trying to keep me exercising properly. Gosh I'm tired thinking about it.

Love you all, and thank you for all your kind words and sorry it has taken so long to get back in the groove. Sophie, thanks for your 2nd message!

Love Rocky and Mati!

Time for PT

Hello All, Rocky here. Thanks to everyone again for such warm wishes and thoughts. Dad drove me to Physical Therapy yesterday. It was my first time in the under-water tread mill. We go back on Thursday. The nice people at the Doctor's office said I did really well given it was my first time. We also have specific exercise related things to do every day from now on. Dad's making do weird things like stepping over things and walking off and on curbs.

Anywho, I just wanted to check in and say all is going well for me right now.



By the way, Mati's bedroom is finally finished. Dad re-named the "frappuccino" color paint that he made up to "frappaccini" instead. But then he realized that it's really Mati's room now, so it's now called "Mataccini". After he made up the color, he took a sample to that stupid Orange store and had them match it - to make up enough to do the room. If anyone wants the color mix code - just let us know!

Bye for now, Love Rocky.

PS. Dad came home smelling like new critters.... he said he saw these little one's at Scott and Dana's house. 3 Chocolate and 4 Dark Chocolate. I don't know what he means, but now I want something sweet...

Pardon me while I attempt to get some sleep.



As if Dad doesn't have enough to do. He painted my bedroom Cappuccino color. He should of asked for some color advice from Dave. Now he wants to repaint it Frappuccino color. It looks more like toast to me right now... boy all this talk about food is making me hungry.

But now I've been crowned! Yes that's right, Dad figured since he was painting, he might as well put up crown molding and give me a more majestic looking room. Again, as if he doesn't have enough to do.



See the sample Frappuccino color he splashed up there? I don't know why he calls it that - he absolutely refuses to go to RockStarBucks to get coffee since they treated him so bad, charge exorbitant prices, spilled hot coffee on him, and gave him a muffin with a piece of glass in it. He says they will never get money from us again...better in my dog bowl then theirs he says. anywho, let me digress.

Here's the scoop on the Rock: Dad took him last night to see another doctor. They were gone for almost 3 hours! I was a bit worried, but they came back and told me all about it. The doctor said that obviously his hips were in disastrous state and there was no fixing that without surgery. However, there are all kinds of therapeutic things they can do to help build up the muscle in his rear legs to help him move his legs better - and perhaps shots to help the joint move a little easier. He got one last night. I think the doctor said all his joints were "crunchy" - which doesn't sound good. But I'm not sure since Dad was calling him Crunchy last night. In either case, Rocky slept really well after he came home and slept soundly last night too - I was keeping an eye on him from my Camo bed.

Well, that it for now - hugs and kisses to everyone, Love Mati

It's A Rockstar Life

Hi Everyone, Rocky Dodge here. I guess the aches and pains come with being a Rock Star. The doctor visit went ok at the Hope Center in Vienna Virgina. (I thought it was a gooood sign that the name of the place is "Hope" - since Mati's middle name is Hope too)! First a nice person 'Laura' helped check me out. She was nice. Then, the Doctor came in. She was a nice doctor who said she had GSD's at home. And she had a unique accent - that oddly enough made me feel at ease. Hmmm, I wonder what das accent was? Well, anywho, she was a really nice Doctor and Dad liked her too. This Wed night we have a 3rd appointment with yet another specialist. We still have to keep our paws crossed.

Oh, and Thank you to everyone for their kind thoughts and posts from last week.

Dad took this picture of me a few minutes ago. He needed help painting so I was standing by - ready to serve.



Then Dad noticed something interesting. Since my hips hurt, Dad has been feeding me on the floor - I lay down and he puts the bowl between my front paws. And Mati eats right along side. But here are the results:

Here's My Dish:



And here is Mati's Dish:



Dad starting to mix in his food with "our" food. I wonder if he ever tasted "our" food? I don't have to wonder why Mati won't eat "our" food. She takes out most pieces and licks off the good stuff and leaves the rest behind. I only eat it because Dad asks me to finish eating... otherwise, I would leave some behind in the bowl too.

Then Dad went into the room he was getting ready to paint - and asked Mati to go finish eating. This is what she said to him:



She wouldn't budge. Well, except for sticking her tongue out at Dad.

HaRoo To You!

HaRoo all! Mati here! First I want to say thanks to everyone for asking how Rocky and I are doing. Especially to cute Pippa Dog! I am just Ducky and well, Rocky is the Bee's knees! He's such a good younger brother!

Yesterday, Dad was walking both Rocky and I and Dad stopped to fiddle with the plastic baggies. He dropped Rocky's lead and Rocky took a step away. Dad said: "Rocky! Heal!". And Rocky turned and healed.....to me. Of course. Who else would he heal to? Then Dad came home during the daytime while we were sound asleep. Dad walked in and found the Rockstar sleeping on the bed.... next to me. Of course. Who else would he sleep next to?

Yeah, he's alright. And Rock's feeling better too. He goes on Tuesday to see a Paw-orthopedic doctor. I have my paws crossed for him.

It's been a while since Dad has helped us with the 'puter. Dad says our reader says we are 50 posts behind! Yikes!! We have a lot of catching up to do.

Ok, here's a shot of Dad waking me up the other night. Did he really have to wake me? I was catching some zzzzzz's until I slipped off the bed. (Personally, I hate the bed, but I make Dad feel good by using it sometimes.)



Ok, off for now. Dad says we have to catch up on what everyone is doing.

Thanks again for all you thoughts and emails!

Kisses, Love Mati

One Day at a Time

Hi All. Rocky here. I want to first thank everyone for their warm thoughts regarding my ailments. Mati is doing well, and I am doing somewhat better.

I can walk down the street like I normally do every morning. But the stairs are a pain. Dad doesn’t assist me when I traverse the stairs now, but he still walks along side like The Hunchback of Notre Dame waiting for me to fall.

Getting up and laying down is much easier with all the carpeted rooms now. Sometimes I yelp when I lay on my hip. This is new, I’ve never done that before.

Dad thinks that with time, diet, and medication as necessary – that I’ll be back to my old self again. Perhaps I will be able to prepare my own meals. After all, I have the magic cold box trick all worked out.

A note about this picture. Dad was stitting at the kitchen table. He looked over and this is what he saw. I had laid down with my duckie and Mati laid down on her kitchen bed watching over me. He had to snap the pic and make me post it. I do have to admit, Mati is a good sister. (Note to Pippa – not only is she cute and smart, but she’s caring too).



On different news, we have a guest. Her name is Ceilidh (pronounced "kay-lee") which is a Celtic (Irish or Scottish I think) name for something… not sure. Anywho, Ceilidh is our sweetheart neighbor Border Collie. She’s missing her Mom and Dad. They had received some urgent news and asked if they could leave her here for a day or two. "Of course" I said!

I’m not sure they realize how much Ceilidh could help in matters like this. She really wanted to go with them and keep them safe and make them feel loved, but Dad says that sometimes you have to do what is best – and in this case, Ceilidh be our house guest. I bet she will help them feel better when they come home.

Ceilidh came over and showed us all her teeth. Apparently she is very proud at how clean they are. Now she just follows me around the house giving me kisses. Dad says I’m not allowed to kiss her back. I’m not sure why. She doesn’t kiss Mati though. Mati showed Ceilidh how she can make herself appear taller and do a Husky-Don King impersonation. It’s quite fascinating I have to admit – she almost looks like a blonde porcupine. I felt sort-of left out. I figured I better show Ceilidh and Mati some trick too. So I attempted ventriloquism with my Duckie, but that didn’t work out so well. So then I showed them how I can get a cookie by just using my brain waves – bingo. That worked. I think they enjoyed that.

Well, time for medication – which is odd in a way. Every time Dad says it’s medication time, he calls me Martini and tells me to take my pill or he’s going to get nurse Ratched.

Anywho, here is a quick pic of Ceilidh...



Isn't she just a Q-T-Girl?

Thanks again, and we will keep you updated.

XO to all - Love Rocky

Good, Bad, and the Ugly

We will start with the Bad:

Remember months back how Dad left Rocky and I to go to Cape Cod and he gave us pictures from the Cape and various places he went like the Massachusetts Maritime Academy? Remember seeing this picture?



Well, Dad said this was the Top Mast from the USS Indianapolis. It is not! A nice gentleman from the Massachusetts Maritime Academy contacted Dad and pointed out the Top Mast in the photo is from the USS Constitution! Now that's a big wooops! How could Dad do that to me? "Old Ironsides" and the Indianapolis are two way different ships from different time periods!!! Good Gosh Dad! What were you thinking?

Here's a photo of the USS Constitution:



And here's a photo of the USS Indianapolis:



Do you see the difference? Ah, yeaaaaah.

And to prove it, here is the inscription from the Mast:



Ok, enough said about the Bad.

Here is the Good

The good news is no news. You know the saying. Well, Doctor G took another Psample from me today. She said my first Psample from last week was purified water. She said that wasn't good, but didn't tell any tails (hehehe) about me either. So, Dad's trying to solve a leakage problem that I've been having...and no news yet. We will just have to wait until Monday! Keep your paws crossed!


Ok now. Here is where it gets Ugly

Rocky went with me to the see Doctor G today. She's such a nice Doctor, we give her kisses too. Rocky had X-Rays done on his rear legs and hips. He's been having an increasingly hard time walking. Doctor G didn't have good news. Rocky now has meds for his hips. I could tell, Dad was upset. I gave him kisses.

Dad takes good care of Rocky - he even came home with big sets of carpets in Rocky's big blue truck. He covered all the exposed hard wood floors in the house. Dad said that the people in the big orange depot store could tell that Dad needed carpet fast - and so he told them why he was in buying the carpets...and they took 50% off one of two rolls because, in not so many words, they felt bad for the Rockstar. Dad said he was touched by their compassion and sincerely kind thoughts.

More will follow. God Bless Rocky. Love Mati

My Middle Name

Hey all! Mati here.

Dad thought about it long and hard and he said it was a difficult job to come up with my middle name. However, after all that work, he and I agree that my middle name is Hope.

Mati Hope. Sounds kinda nice doesn't it?

H - Happy
O - lOving
P - Persistent
E - Expressive

He said it fits me well. After all, all he had to do was take my best characteristics and plan it out!

Thanks for visiting, and keep your paws crossed since Dad and I go talk with my new Doctor tomorrow. Nothing serious, but we should be sure! We'll keep you informed. Have a great Tuesday-After-Labor day!

ps. Here's a photo that Robin the Photographer took of me...



Love Mati