A few months ago, our Miles was diagnosed with arthritis in both of his hind legs. His vet says we caught it early, but we were devastated since he's only six years old. It makes me wonder if he sustained some sort of injury before he was rescued, but I guess we'll never know.

As luck would have it, our wonderful vet clinic had just hired a new vet that specializes in canine chronic pain and rehabilitation, just when Miles began having issues. She prescribed three short walks per day, daily exercises at home, and weekly cold laser therapy treatments with her, along with continuing his daily supplements. 

My first thought was "how am I supposed to find time for all of this?"  With a full-time job, two small children, two dogs, and a husband that travels for work, it would be easy to come up with a million excuses why we can't do this. Many people would probably even consider some of them good excuses. But a good excuse is still just that - an excuse. So I made up my mind right then and there that if three walks per day, daily exercises, and weekly cold laser therapy treatments was what he needed, then that's what we'd give him. Often times that means I'm out early in the morning or late at night, while the kids are in bed, walking back and forth in front of our house, not wanting to be too far away with the kids asleep inside. The neighbors probably think I'm crazy, but this is what dedication looks like when someone you love needs you.

Although I try to practice gratitude all year round, there's something about this time of year that makes me really think about everything we have to be thankful for, and this year is no exception. The new vet hired at our clinic specializing in exactly what we needed, just when we needed it. The new cold laser therapy treatment that she brought with her, that otherwise would not have been an option. Flexible work schedules that allow us to balance the needs of our family with our work, which makes it relatively easy to bring Miles in for his weekly appointments. Access to such wonderful vet care only a few blocks from our home, also easing the burden of weekly vet visits. The financial resources to afford the extra vet bills, and warm outdoor gear for our now chilly walks. The love that we receive from Miles, and watching him interact so gently with our children, who adore him. Finding him snuggled up next to Abby (our other dog) on the dog bed when I wake up in the morning. I could go on and on, but the point is that even in the face of unwanted news, there is still so much to be thankful for, and so we choose to focus on that.

Now, before you start feeling too sorry for Miles, let me leave you with this. Miles has always craved attention - any kind of attention he could get. And, he's always been quite the scavenger, forcing us to keep a very clean kitchen. So when you factor in the extra attention and treats he gets for participating in his daily therapy, it almost makes me wonder if he's doing this for show....almost. :)

Wow, time sure flies and a lot has changed since my last update.  Mom and dad have been really busy, so I thought I'd write my own update this time. 

I have a lot of new responsibilities now with baby Hailey here, but let me tell you - the older she gets, the better it gets for me!  My newest job is to clean up the floor and her high chair after meal times.  For some odd reason, mom doesn't always seem to appreciate this, but the way I see it, it's a win-win: less work for mom and more food for me!  But it gets better - she shares!  Yup, that's right, we have an agreement that whatever she doesn't want to eat, she gives to me before mom and dad can whisk it away to the garbage can.  Sometimes we get caught (she's not always sneaky enough) and sometimes we don't, but I like the way this kid thinks!

I had a proud big brother moment the other day.  Mom and dad have been trying to get Hailey to walk for days.  They'll stand a couple of feet apart and try to coax her to take steps towards them, but she usually just sits down on the floor.  But the other day we were hanging out in her room while mom put laundry away, and when Hailey thought mom wasn't looking, she took four steps to get to me.  That's right - four steps, the most she's ever taken, and all because she wanted to get to me.  When she got to me, she sat down by me like it was no big deal, and I gave her a couple of licks to let her know she did a good job.

So let's recap - I clean, I entertain, and I've taught Hailey to share and walk.  And my rewards?  Food, of course, but also lots of laughs, snuggles, and unconditional love.  What else could a guy ask for?!

Me and Hailey, with Abby chillin in the background.
See, I told you I'm her favorite.

Some of our favorite things that make Miles, well...Miles:

• He loves his bones! He knows to get one (or two - a boy can never have too many bones!) when he's about to get wild and instead he'll lie down and chew on it
• The way he tenderly grooms Abby many mornings, even though she never reciprocates :)
• Watching him try (usually unsuccessfully) to catch bugs and raindrops in his mouth
• How messy he is when he gets a drink of water...I don't know how he does it, but our floor are always wet
• How content he is just to lay outside in the grass, soaking up the sun
• How he sits near his food dish, leaning up against the kitchen cabinets when he wants to be fed (whether it's meal time or not :) )
• The way he prances when we're on a walk, as he takes in all of the sights, sounds, and smells
• The way he nicely sits and lifts up his paw to get his harness on in preparation for a walk
• Watching him sit in his chair that looks out into the front yard - he LOVES to watch the world go by - and often times when I come home from work, I can see his head pop up to look for me when I hit the garage door button
• When he has a toy he knows Abby wants or something that's not his, like a sock, and he flaunts it in front of you, trying to get someone to chase him and/or play tug
• He actually watches volleyball games. When I take him to watch his dad play, he gets a front row spot, lies down, and focuses on the game (I can see his head move back and forth with the ball - what a goofy guy!)
• The way he tries to dig in the sand. Apparently no one ever taught him the proper way to dig...he tries to use both of his front paws simultaneously instead of alternating them. :)
• Watching him try to get his favorite toy in the pond when it's just beyond his reach. He refuses to swim, so he runs around, trying to get at it from different angles before eventually giving up and looking at Abby as if to say "ok, will you just get it for me?" (and of course she happily obliges!)
• And finally, my all time favorite thing about Miles - his uncontrollable waggy tail. He could be sleeping across the room from you and all it takes is the mention of his name and his tail will start to "thump, thump". Or if he knows you're talking to him - he LOVES to be talked to - his tail thumps faster and faster against the floor until you pet him, and then he rolls over for a belly rub, soaking it all up.

Thank you, RAGOM, for saving our silly, sweet boy and for helping us find each other. He keeps us on our toes and we can't imagine life without him. We're expecting a little girl in a couple of weeks and if only he knew what was in store for him, I know he'd be super excited. He LOVES kids and is quite popular with the neighborhood kids. :)

Miles (bottom) and Abby playing their "pass the tennis ball" game	Our handsome man
Frog legs	Miles (left) and Abby cuddling after a long day
What's that, dad?	Miles in his chair, watching the world go by
Agility is super fun!	Miles (left) and Abby playing tug with their favorite toy outside

"Someone my age!" - Blossom 09-382

Merry Christmas! - Joe, Kristin, and Abby