Good girl Otter
Otter's Journey....
- Thread starter Beanwood
- Start date
- Location
- Cornwall , UK
My goodness me , what a fantastic turn around for you , and what a very good girl Otter, you done your Mum proud xxxx
- Location
- Andorra and Spain
That sounds wonderful, well done to you all. Brave girl, Otter!
Well done little Otter!
Beanwood
Administrator
Just a quick update, as I have been feeling a bit ruff and tired today.
Otter had a follow up visit to our vet behaviourist. He was very happy with her, and actually wondered if she was the same dog! He did caution that progress can be a bit up and down, and to expect some "off" days here and there. The upshot is we continue on our regime and medication schedule.
We managed to get Otter into the surgery for a few minutes, let her wander around, then back out to the car. The vet came out and walked alongside us, observing @Mr Beanwood with her walking in large circles, gradually getting closer to us. Otter even took a treat from his hand! We still have a long way to go, however very promising so far.
Later we celebrated our successful trio to the vet, and Benson's birthday by taking the chocs to Badminton. It was Otter's longest walk by far, so we were a little worried when we got home that we had overdone the exercise. We did have one moment when she dived after Benson into a deep pond then raced around like a mad thing...she was actually on a longish lead, so it was quite amusing watching @Mr Beanwood spinning round desperately holding on to her! She is fine though, counter surfing like the expert she is, now zonked out snoozing happily in her crate.
Quick video...
Otter had a follow up visit to our vet behaviourist. He was very happy with her, and actually wondered if she was the same dog! He did caution that progress can be a bit up and down, and to expect some "off" days here and there. The upshot is we continue on our regime and medication schedule.
We managed to get Otter into the surgery for a few minutes, let her wander around, then back out to the car. The vet came out and walked alongside us, observing @Mr Beanwood with her walking in large circles, gradually getting closer to us. Otter even took a treat from his hand! We still have a long way to go, however very promising so far.
Later we celebrated our successful trio to the vet, and Benson's birthday by taking the chocs to Badminton. It was Otter's longest walk by far, so we were a little worried when we got home that we had overdone the exercise. We did have one moment when she dived after Benson into a deep pond then raced around like a mad thing...she was actually on a longish lead, so it was quite amusing watching @Mr Beanwood spinning round desperately holding on to her! She is fine though, counter surfing like the expert she is, now zonked out snoozing happily in her crate.
Quick video...
- Location
- Herefordshire, UK
Hope you feel better today Kate. And hopefully all is good with Otter today!
Beanwood
Administrator
Thank you @Selina27 and @MellowYellow . Still feel ruff, but so thankful that Otter is dozy this morning, so happy to sleep in her crate. Often the mornings are manic with her all over the place and super excited and bouncy! I have even managed to grab a snooze myself on the sofa! 
The walk yesterday did her so much good, it felt like she was being a normal dog at last.
. Still feel ruff, but so thankful that Otter is dozy this morning, so happy to sleep in her crate. Often the mornings are manic with her all over the place and super excited and bouncy! I have even managed to grab a snooze myself on the sofa! The walk yesterday did her so much good, it felt like she was being a normal dog at last.
- Location
- Cornwall , UK
Feel better soon Kate , and as for Otter , she is a 
- Location
- Malvern Worcestershire
Emily_Babbelhund
Mama Red HOT Pepper
- Location
- Regensburg, Germany
Hope you're feeling better and that the weekend will do you good.
Also that's wonderful news that Otter made it to the vet's and let him get close enough to take a cookie. Huge progress for Ms. Potter.
Also that's wonderful news that Otter made it to the vet's and let him get close enough to take a cookie. Huge progress for Ms. Potter.
- Location
- East Sussex
Hope you feel better soon Kate.
Candy
Biscuit Tin Guardian
- Location
- West Yorkshire, UK
Feel better soon Kate, can't help but love your little Otter Potter! Her funny mixture of enthusiasm and caution reminds me so much of Joy at that age.
- Location
- Argyll & Bute, Scotland
Oh another sick lady. Hope you are on the mend Kate xx
Beanwood
Administrator
Just love this!
In this exercise we are continuing to work on rear end awareness by asking Otter to walk backwards onto the mat and sit down. The mat is a "PetFace" mat, these are great as they consist of a thin mattress of memory foam topped by a deep pile. This is a great texture for Otter to sink her paws into and great for the little receptor pathways to develop from paw to brain.
Really though, she is just darn cute!
In this exercise we are continuing to work on rear end awareness by asking Otter to walk backwards onto the mat and sit down. The mat is a "PetFace" mat, these are great as they consist of a thin mattress of memory foam topped by a deep pile. This is a great texture for Otter to sink her paws into and great for the little receptor pathways to develop from paw to brain.
Really though, she is just darn cute!
Emily_Babbelhund
Mama Red HOT Pepper
- Location
- Regensburg, Germany
I love how calm she is. When I was trying to teach Carbon this, he was cha cha cha-ing to the left and cha cha cha-ing to the right. Otter just sits, thinks about it, and then does it the way you want on the second go.
I'm also still very bemused by the automated treat giver.
I'm also still very bemused by the automated treat giver.
Beanwood
Administrator
Update 89 days Post Op
Time for an update (whilst @Mr Beanwood cooks dinner!
) 89 days and I think we are close to her full height now, well maybe in a couple of weeks. Otter is just 7 months old. She is naturally a petite girl, light on her feet and fine featured so unlike larger framed labradors, her growth will finsh earlier. Our next appointment is mid November, around 3 weeks time. This will be a key milestone in her journey, and in total 4 months post op by then and likely her growth plates will be more or less closed. What we will be looking for is an almost flat tibial plateau and hopefully a stable stifle joint.
It has been frustrating though as from 4 months old she has spent most of that time on lead. Where we can go has also been complicated by her fear of strangers. So for Otter, it has been tough. This week however, I have seen a little light at the end of the tunnel, whilst we have a bit of external rotation in her tibia, I am seeing a change in her knee. I am hoping that this indicates a more stable knee as the slight "jarring" when she trots seems to have gone. (fast trotting gait puts more pressure on stifle joints). We don't allow her to run/trot off lead, but sometimes it just happens.
Today we had a beautiful walk together at Badminton. The wide rides there bordered by woods mean we have plenty of "escape" routes. Lots of wonderful autumn scents mean that Otter is well and truly in her element. In fact, she bounced towards the car this morning with such excitement, I think she "knew" where we were going! We did meet a few people and their dogs, ALL labradors! The owners were amazing, all kindly gave us space, and even walked a different route. How lovely was that!
Otter in Deep Sniff Mode....
We are also working together on her exercises. This is a short video clip of Otter learning to pivot on her pot. I am using hand signals to indicate which way I want her to go. Early days as I don't want to use any pressure, so capturing her moving. Using my body to "pressure" her into moving maybe counter productive for her. She does love "pot training though!!!"
Time for an update (whilst @Mr Beanwood cooks dinner!
) 89 days and I think we are close to her full height now, well maybe in a couple of weeks. Otter is just 7 months old. She is naturally a petite girl, light on her feet and fine featured so unlike larger framed labradors, her growth will finsh earlier. Our next appointment is mid November, around 3 weeks time. This will be a key milestone in her journey, and in total 4 months post op by then and likely her growth plates will be more or less closed. What we will be looking for is an almost flat tibial plateau and hopefully a stable stifle joint.It has been frustrating though as from 4 months old she has spent most of that time on lead. Where we can go has also been complicated by her fear of strangers. So for Otter, it has been tough. This week however, I have seen a little light at the end of the tunnel, whilst we have a bit of external rotation in her tibia, I am seeing a change in her knee. I am hoping that this indicates a more stable knee as the slight "jarring" when she trots seems to have gone. (fast trotting gait puts more pressure on stifle joints). We don't allow her to run/trot off lead, but sometimes it just happens.
Today we had a beautiful walk together at Badminton. The wide rides there bordered by woods mean we have plenty of "escape" routes. Lots of wonderful autumn scents mean that Otter is well and truly in her element. In fact, she bounced towards the car this morning with such excitement, I think she "knew" where we were going! We did meet a few people and their dogs, ALL labradors! The owners were amazing, all kindly gave us space, and even walked a different route. How lovely was that!
Otter in Deep Sniff Mode....
We are also working together on her exercises. This is a short video clip of Otter learning to pivot on her pot. I am using hand signals to indicate which way I want her to go. Early days as I don't want to use any pressure, so capturing her moving. Using my body to "pressure" her into moving maybe counter productive for her. She does love "pot training though!!!"
- Location
- Malvern Worcestershire
Very impressive, as was the walking backwards one which I have just seen earlier, obviously an intelligent little girl.
Emily_Babbelhund
Mama Red HOT Pepper
- Location
- Regensburg, Germany
Now that Potter and Carbon both have pot tricks, we need to get them circling together on their own pots but in the same room. 