I can’t tell if Gus is pleased or annoyed that Birch can crawl. B is suddenly very curious about Gus and goes over to poke him all day long. Birch is also C O V E R E D in dog hair all day, erry day now. And this means that whenever we pick him up, we get covered in it too. Heeeelllppp! I guess I need to up my vacuum game.
Gus Tore His ACL
We have some news on Gus. He went for a hike with Thomas and Mazen recently and the next day he was limping quite badly. But the day after that he was totally fine. Then we noticed a small limp again after a lot of activity that went away as fast as it came. We figured he was having some joint inflammation that we would keep a close eye on. Then after a third field trip he could barely walk the next day and Thomas took him to the vet that afternoon. Turns out he (very likely) tore his ACL and will need surgery.
His surgery is tomorrow. He will be having a Modified Maquet Procedure (known as MMP in the vet world). If the procedure goes well, he should have a recovery to his “full athletic ability” (haha). He’ll be staying overnight tomorrow night and coming home on Saturday. I will let you know how he does when he’s recovering. Please keep him in your thoughts!
We are giving him extra love!
Baby Proofing The Dog Bowl
On the topic of dogs – help! How do you keep the baby out of here? I can’t remove it or put it up high. Or on another floor, especially since G will be recovering. Dog parents – what do you do!? (That’s our dog food container next to it.)
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog says
Aww, poo Gus! Hope his surgery goes smoothly. It’s so cute how Birch and Gus are sort of friends, haha!
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com
Amy B says
Sending good thoughts for a successful surgery and quick recovery for Gus! Do you brush him? Even with short-haired dogs you can get a lot off of them with brushing. You just have to have the right brush. They even have gloves with nubs all over them and you just run your hands over him and get a bunch off. Looking forward to hearing good news about him!
KathEats says
We have those gloves! We try to remember to use them once a week or so, but we don’t always get around to it. They also make our yard look like a tumbleweed garden of fur so we need a better system than putting the fur in the grass!
Brigid says
I agree with the brushing but think you need to do it daily. We try to brush our dog when she’s outside once a day. It does make it better. We also have a pet hair removal broom that has rubber bristles and it definitely picks up the hair. I say all the time that it’s amazing that the dog has any left on her body!
KathEats says
Would it be bad to take my Dyson Cordless outside and suck up the pile in the driveway
Kimberly says
Umm, my mom would occasionally vacuum our black lab directly with the suction on low enough to be gentle! And now I vacuum my boys’ heads after home haircuts sometimes
Amanda says
But then the birds use all that nice, soft undercoat for their nests and everybody wins!
Tonya says
Ok, I”m just “upvoting” and LOL’ing all the replies to this response here: The tumbleweeds, vaccumming outside, vacuuming kids after haircuts, nests made of fur. LOL!! I, like Brigid, also wonder how my dog has any fur left on his tiny body after shedding so much. Though, with his breed keeping his hair cut low decreases the shedding.
Tess says
Me too, hilarious thread all around- love it! Get better soon, Gus!
Amanda says
Best wishes and speedy healing vibes for Gus!
I tried clicking on the link to the dog food container but it didn’t work. Can you please tell me the brand?
Thanks!
KathEats says
Weird it’s working for me. It’s the “simplehuman X-Large Pet Food Storage Can, Brushed Stainless Steel” from Amazon 🙂
Irene says
You might want to consider a raised elevated food and water bowl.It may not keep Birch out but it will be easier for Gus to drink and eat after his surgery and moving forward as he ages. Hope Gus does well with the surgery and recovery.
KathEats says
Good thought. Also would protect the floors too, so a win win.
Cathy says
Yes, raised food and water bowls! My husband made ours out of wood. As a bonus, you can paint them to match your kitchen! Hope Gus is ok!
KathEats says
Oh those are really cool! Thanks!
Melissa says
Hoping for a very quick recovery and healing for Gus! The photo of Birch with Gus is so adorable and just brightened my day!
Sara says
Aw Gus! I hope he recovers well. I remember when my son was small, he used to dump the dog water ALL THE TIME. He thought it was SO FUNNY. Or he’d put stuff in it. I just remember we had to watch him closely and tell him no. Then we started picking up the water dish when the dogs weren’t in that area. And we have a dog that sheds crazily and we are all constantly covered in it. HA We just don’t wear black and it isn’t as obvious. 🙂 One dog doesn’t shed, the other does. I feel your pain.
Jennifer Valdes says
Poor Gus! This must be a common injury for dogs because I know of two other dogs that have done the same thing in the past couple of months. They were simply jumping and playing, too. My parent’s toy poodle tore hers by jumping off the bed. She’s 14, though, and they can’t do surgery so it will takes months to heal.
I hope his surgery goes well. I’m sure it will. He’ll be back to his sweet self before you know it. 🙂
Our dog is a terrier and sheds A LOT. Drives me crazy. Have you tried something like the Roomba? Many people swear by it. I have not but I’ve been very curious about it.
KathEats says
I’ve had a Roomba in the past and it’s more of a pain to manage than just vacuuming myself. So I vacuum once a day. Maybe I need to switch to twice a day during the crawling phase~!
Kim says
Do you mind sharing which vacuum you have? We have two dogs and are looking for a new one. Thanks!
KathEats says
It’s this one and worth every penny!
Karen says
Please consider making a safe space for Gus as he recovers, where Birch can’t get to him. Even the most gentle animal may snap when in pain or recovering from an injury.
Liz says
Totally agree with this comment. When my chocolate lab had her ACL surgery years ago, she had to have six weeks of no activity. Definitely can’t have the baby crawling around h8m after surgery. Poor Gus.
Bridget Black says
Wow, this is a really neat concept!! Thanks for sharing.
Tonya says
Poor Gussie !
But that pic of Birch and Gus is all I need today! 🙂
Vicky says
My dog tore his ACL when I had a toddler and a baby. We put up a baby gate in a back room so he could recover peacefully away from the boys. When dogs are in pain some get snappy, so you have to set them up for success. After a few weeks all was well, but we were really protective of the dog for a bit. Good luck to you all.
Randy says
Thanks for the great Gus and Birch stories!
I hope that Gus’ surgery goes well and that he fully recovers and is back to his normal self soon.
As for the Gus issues you mentioned, I offer the following suggestions:
Gus needs a good secure place where he can go to be alone if he wants to and that space can have his water dish and so on.
There are doggie doors that are activated only by a small fob device on their collar, technology can be so helpful. If you and Thomas use your imagination, you will figure out what works best for you.
A regular visit to a good groomer will really help keep Gus from loosing so much hair and will keep him more comfortable as well especially during the summer months. It will make Gus happier and you happier too!
Carolyn and I have 2 dogs and 2 cats and all are indoors, Roomba is wonderful and gets every hair and anything else.
Good luck Kath, have a wonderful day!
Randy.
KathEats says
Thanks for the tips! We have taken him to a groomer and he sheds MORE after going! Haha. I think they loosen all the hair. Brushing daily will be a goal to strive for.
Becky says
I think the gloves work, but works even better it the furminator brush. It pulls up hair from both of their coats. We have 2 boston terriers and sometimes I cannot believe the amount of hair we get off of them!
Also, maybe run the roomba overnight while you are sleeping and do a normal vacuum run at a different time of the day.
Dogs and hair go hand in hand. It is a constant battle!
KathEats says
We have a furminator too *laughing crying face* – we’ve tried them all!
Shannon says
As a mom to a 2 year old and 6 month old that live in a house with a dog that sheds Roomba is your best option. I know you said in the past it was too hard to manage but it really is the best since it gets under everything. Have you had one recently? The new ones are great and rarely get stuck. The plus is on the days when you are exhausted and either vacuum but do a lazy job or just don’t do it at all Roomba does just as good a job. Its part of my morning routine to start it in a different room, close the door and at night do the family room when kids go to bed and I don’t have to think about it.
Kimberly Marcus says
Sorry to hear about Gus…wishing him a speedy recovery. Our brown lab tore her ACL when she was about 7 – she has since passed and that was over 10 years ago..but she was as good as new when she fully healed. She had some titanium pins put in and it was about a 6-8 week recovery period – if I’m remembering correctly. We had to crate her for a few weeks while it healed and no jumping. Our vet also recommended walking her up hills and swimming to build the muscles back up in her legs. She was such a sweet loving girl.
I have no recommendations about the water and food bowls…luckily my two boys didn’t find them interesting..only the dog.
Stacey says
Unfortunately during the crawling phase for us I vacuum quite often. It’s not fun, but necessary — especially to keep all the hair out of the crib. Also during the day we limit the dog’s free space in the house. Put up a gate or 2 and the dog hair will stay more contained.
We don’t keep the dog bowls out all day. They eat, drink and then the water is put up for quite a while. I have found when they are indoors most of the day they really don’t need to drink much except for meals, after potty breaks, etc.
It’s hard to be a fur lover 🙂 Best wishes to Gus on his recovery!
Laura says
My son is obsessed with our dogs bowls. She eats fast so we only have to keep him away for a few minutes to avoid him putting a piece in his mouth (I’ve had to fish out a few!). For the water bowl, we just put it up on the counter when he tries to mess with it and put it back down when he goes to sleep or is in another room. We also keep a mug of water on the floor in our master on the second floor (she loved to drink upstairs water as a puppy and we never got out of the habit-spoiled) so she has that as an option but we put that up if he’s in our room. My dog had ACL surgery when I was younger. She recovered really well. I remember it was expensive then, I imagine it’s quite pricey now! So she wouldn’t bother her stitches, I took an old pair of pants and cut off the leg and put it over her leg and somehow tied it to her so she wouldn’t have to wear the e-collar in the house. We did swimming therapy to help her recovery. And for shedding-have you tried a Furminator? It works so well at getting the hair off!
KathEats says
Good tips. We have the Furminator and use it on occasion! I hope he doesn’t have to wear the big collar for long. And yes, super expensive 🙁
KathEats says
Oh no I haven’t ever seen that before!
Mary says
I concur with the daily brushing – maybe make it a fun chore for Mazen? I think it’s okay to do it outside and let the hair fly off into the wind. I once heard that birds like collecting dog hair for their nests to add to the softness of the twigs for their baby birds (maybe that’s an old wive’s tale though)! Thankfully our dog is a mix that is half hair/half fur so she only sheds slightly (and always more when it’s hotter).
Sending good vibes your and Gus’ way for a speedy recovery! How old is he?
KathEats says
He is almost 7!
Kirsten says
Keeping Gus in my thoughts and prayers! Sending him loads of love & healing
Kate says
Aw, my pup has had two of those surgeries! While recovery can be a little challenging, the rehabilitation works wonders! They are back to themselves in no time! You might want to consider a ramp for small stairs to go in and out to the bathroom in the super early going if you don’t already have one! I had to pick up my dog but I’d imagine Gussie is a bit heavy!!! Sending good vibes, love your sweet family!
KathEats says
We are brainstorming a ramp option or just taking him on the leash to the front yard area for the first bit.
Elissa says
We gated off our kitchen and kept the dog food and water in there…baby on the outside of the gate;) We would let the dog in when she wanted and take down one of the gates at night.
Good luck!!
Andrea says
Would you consider a roomba? I am obsessed with mine!! No advice for the dog food … I caught my daughter with it in her mouth multiple times and eventually she just grew out of that weird desire … lol.
Kelli H says
Our yellow lab tore his ACL a few years ago at the beach. He healed up and exactly 4 months later he tore the other one. Our vet said it’s super common for them to tear their 2nd one after their 1st. Hopefully that doesn’t happen because it’s such a long recovery! 🙁 Our boy is 8 and he definitely isn’t as active anymore. He can still go on walks and did just do a 20 mile backpacking trip with us but he was limping afterwards. He also can’t go for jogs anymore at all.
As for the water bowl I have no idea! Our daughter is almost 2 and she still thinks it’s hilarious to flip his bowl over. We tried time outs when she was 1 and that worked well for about 4 months then she didn’t care anymore. We just have to keep an eye on her when she’s near it. Or we’ve had to resort to putting it up.
The furminator brush works amazing!!
KathEats says
Oh man, I sure hope that doesn’t happen!
bonnie says
I’m glad you mentioned that, Kelli! I popped into the comments to do just that … second ACL tears are very common – we saw it firsthand in two of our family’s large dogs a few years back. Keep a close eye. And after Gus is back to normal and not tender, maybe Mazen can assist with several of the brushings each week.
KathEats says
OMG!!! Hahaha.
Jeanie says
Poor Gus! I’ll keep him in my prayers, and wish him well. I always have at least two dogs so there is dog hair galore around here. It just wouldn’t be me if I didn’t have dog hair on my clothes. Doesn’t help that I’m a terrible housekeeper. The only suggestion I have as far as the dog food/water bowls is to teach Birch not to touch them. This whole comment was less than helpful, I know. My apologies.
Dozer says
Would you mind sharing where that cute cactus outfit is from? I am expecting baby #2 in a couple months and just LOVE it!
KathEats says
It’s from Winter Water Factory! I just bought three of their little rompers and love them. They go 40% off all the time, so wait for a sale!
Sara VanMeer says
I have the same issue. My house is mostly baby proofed but there are some houseplants, the dog bed and dog bowls where I just don’t want the baby to crawl. I got this product BABY CARE™ Funzone Baby Playpen in Grey from BuyBuy Baby. I don’t use it as a playpen though. Instead I use it to fence off areas of the downstairs where I don’t want my son to crawl. So far it works out really well. The fence is super heavy duty so if it’s set up properly he can’t pull it down. Since I hate clutter I can easily take it down and store it behind a chair after he’s done playing. Totally a life saver since I work from home a couple days a week.
We have a Roomba for the dog hair and general dirt. I run it every other day since the baby is crawling. Thinking about getting an iRobot mop but we have a wood floor but haven’t researched it yet.