Zuzu's First Full Day Home

Thursday, April 9, 2010, Zuzu's first full day home following HW treatment. First full day of a new routine for the girls. Running free in the yard, taking walks, playing, jumping on and off the bed, and any other type of activity that could increase Zuzu's heart rate are now off-limits. These two active Vizslas will now try to learn how to be calm, relaxed inside dogs. Couch potatoes, but without the couch (that, too, is off-limits). So we spend the day confined in the office resting, sleeping, and staring at the wall. Not sure who will go crazy first, them or me! But, this has to be to minimize risk to Zuzu.

Tootie, our professional sleeper, has quickly adapted to this new lifestyle. Here, she's sound asleep all stretched out along the closet doors. This lasted for a little while until she went into REM and the sound of the closet door moving startled her. Our brave little girl!
Zuzu, on the other hand, prefers the middle of the floor where she can curl up into a ball or stretch out without obstruction.
We take frequent potty breaks outside. Zuzu hasn't realized yet that these excursions are for doing her "business" and not for hunting little critters that run or fly. Her attention is quickly averted by a lizard scurrying up the wall or a fly buzzing around the grass. She's not thrilled with the idea of being on the leash outside. The other challenge is keeping Tootie calm while we are outside. Once in the yard, she's ready to play and run. So now I put her on a leash, too. They both look at me as if I've lost my mind, walking them in their own yard on a leash.
Zuzu's appetite has not diminished. She likes her chicken, brown rice, carrots, and spinach with a little kibble and yogurt. Tootie is our speed eater. She can clean a food bowl in seconds. Zuzu is more relaxed and takes her time. Of course, we have to check out Tootie's bowl to see if she missed anything in her haste to finish.
So, the hours passed on this lazy Thursday. It was a beautiful Key West spring day with temps in the high 70s, a breeze from the southeast, and plentiful sunshine. The humidity wasn't unbearable, either. I haven't confined Zuzu yet since she seems to remain calm while having the freedom to roam the house. She usually follows Tootie and me around and stays close. Here, though, she took a moment on the lanai to look down on her corner where she used to sit patiently watching the lizards through the fence.
First day of six weeks has passed...only 41 days to go.