Back At It

I'm sure many have noticed in random posts lately, but Kenai is 100% back at it.

A little timeline for those new to the blog:

• March 2013: Kenai isn't sound after doing things beyond using the bathroom
• April 2013: Diagnostics show evidence that both cruciate ligaments in his hind legs have partial tears
• August 2013: Dual surgery on both legs to stabilize the ligaments
• Fall and Winter 2013-14: Rehab from dual cruciate ligament surgery
• March 2014: Kenai having soundness issues again; palpation of groin demonstrates a very vocal response from Kenai on multiple occasions and I begin 3 months of rehab for his groin
• Late summer 2014: Kenai is back at it!! *knock on wood*
• August 13, 2014: one year out from surgery and Kenai came along on a 6+ mile training ride with Q and I.
• Sept. 28, 2014: Kenai comes along on a 10 mile Dolly Sods training ride/trek

It's so good to have my trail buddy back. I love it. He loves it. Q loves it.

Q gains SO much confidence on trail when Kenai can lead. She's not as stoic with him as she is when a horse is in the lead, but boy does she relax a significant amount if she's second to the dog! I only wish Kenai were able to keep up a faster pace! The Dolly Sods terrain kept Q and I to a walk 90% of the time, and that was PERFECT for Kenai. Any other training rides though are just a little too much for him if we exceed more than a 5 mph average for greater than 4 miles. Additionally, my cold-loving dog just can't handle (and I refuse to let him attempt) keeping up with us during the summer months. In years to come, I may end up with a third (Wait, what happened to second?! Well, there is a second in the works for spring/summer 2015, but more on that much later...) dog more along the lines of Rhodesian Ridgeback because that breed was born to run and go-go-go in hotter weather.

Future plans aside, I am so please to have Kenai back on the go with me all the time. I missed it. He missed it. Q missed it!

Q and Kenai seem to have quite the relationship of understanding between one another. She trusts him to scope out all the "monsters" on the trail and he trusts her to not step on him in dire times. At home, she allows him to share her mash with her in that he's allowed to clean up all the drippings as she slops about (which leads to drippings in his coat that dry and crust up later, blech).

His gait is still a little irregular, but I think that's the new norm for him. He also chooses to always sit sidesaddle instead of straight down like most dogs since the surgery. Once again, this is just a new norm for him. He'll occasionally sit normally, but it's not common.

It's been a long, long rehab road, but I'm glad we seem to be on the other side of it.

I missed my adventure/trail buddy.

Happy dog in his element.

Leading the way and flushing out the "monsters"

Buds

Kenai likes someone to keep an eye out while he naps

This is trust. Less than a foot apart!

This husky loves water