Update.

Sahara's had a few set backs - she managed to wrench her leg on the flimsy piece of material on the tent door a few weeks ago, and has since been back on a high dose of anti-inflammatory's and pain relief. She did, however, manage to attend training, and I noticed an enormous change in her personality - she will sit, very quietly, happy to observe in her time out breaks. I only worked with her very lightly, and we dropped down a class to get her back in the groove, and concentrated mainly on hand commands, food refusal and solid sit/stays and drop/stand commands. When Bruza & Mac came over for a puppy play date Friday night (while use girls did our nails and watched chick flicks), she was a completely different dog to the Sahara we know and love. She hardly got off her chair, and didn't even attempt rushing out the door with the 3 boys to devour their lamb necks and terrorize the dogs next door. She sat calmly and let Mac adore her with licks and allowed Bruza to lavish her with attention, instead of out-running him for the tennis ball and starting brawls with Phoenix for prime Bruza Love time. I'm glad in one way she's adapting to being 'disabled' and she can self regulate herself with her own exercise a little, but boy do I miss my old girl.

She had another visit to the vet yesterday (a weekly trip at the moment, just to get her out and about and have a good bark at her favorite vet before succumbing to liver treats for affection) and she's been given the go ahead to start her pysiotherapy and hydrotherapy again. She's got quite a lot of muscle wastage in her left leg, and is in desperate need of some gentle exercise to build it back up. In between searching for HOURS online for accommodation for her as I'm going away on holiday on the 29th, I'm trying to book her in for an assessment at the doggy hydro pool. I had to whittle my holiday in October down to one single night (and call my mother in for an emergency babysit session) as it was impossible to find someone who understood the concept of not letting Sahara loose with 3 Labrador pups, Phoenix and a golden retriever. Apparently it was too much to ask that she be kept quiet "oh, she'll have to just stay in the laundry for the week, then" and "but she can sleep outside in the old tin kennel with the other dogs, right?" for which I STILL haven't been given a refund. Seriously, it's a nightmare, and I remember why it is I don't have a social life. I'm keeping my fingers crossed I can find somewhere that will love her like she's at home, and stop her from snapping the two fake ligaments she's got goin' on in her leg right now. I'm looking for a miracle on this, it seems.