Ken’s Comments: When I first started the group and began doing the walks, I wanted to make it open to anybody who wanted to come regardless of the dog’s size, disposition and temperment. I also wanted to make the walks open to all regardless of training background. I am proud to report that after roughly eight years of doing them, this principle is still alive and well. While many of the people on the walks are formal students and clients of mine, others like Freddy and Parker are clients because they simply wanted to take part in the opportunity offered.
Freddy and Parker have been members now for more than a year. Parker made immediate friends on the walk and it has made me smile to see the friendships develop and grow for both Parker and Freddy. I have said often that owning a dog brings untold benefits when you let it. Parker and Freddy’s story is just one of those.
Here is their story:
I first got Parker by accident. I didn't want him. He just came. Huge statement right!? What I really mean by this is, in a previous relationship that was going south my girlfriend at the time, wanted a dog. I said no, we are in no shape to get into such a commitment. Next day, I come home there he is, a tiny black lab/pitbull puppy. 10 weeks old and could sit in your palm, hated the light and was as shy as a passive 5 year old in the women's change room. From that moment on he has been my best friend, sidekick, buddy, helper, shoulder and biggest fan. But it wasn't before long that the nuisance puppy behaviours started showing and I had to do my homework on puppy training and obedience classes. Lucky for me I was surrounded by experienced and knowledgeable life long dog owners who provided just the right atmosphere and energy to help me and Parker grow and bond. Summers were spent at the cottage and winter we explored any forest or dog park we could find in Toronto. He was off leash 95% of the time and was never an issue. After a peaceful split with my ex girlfriend it was clear that Parker was going to be following me out the door.
We stayed in Toronto until Parker was a year and a half, which was when I decided to take a driving trip home to Newfoundland for a visit, stay about a month then make the trip back up. Unexpectedly I pulled muscles in my lower back and was bedridden for a month. Parker - a now high energy year and a half old dog in his prime who was used to hours of walks/ runs and rough play was left high and dry. Powerful and not easily controlled no one was available to exercise him but he stuck by my side, moved when I moved and sat when I sat. During that month I did more research and reading on dogs - training and behaviour. Bully breeds in particular caught my eye , Parker being part pit. Slowly I made a recovery and got back to my feet, smarter and more aware of his body language and needs. I first wanted to address he's high energy and pulling on leash. Having been off leash he's whole life it was hard for him to comply but I was determined to do so incase I was ever out of commission again. With my new found knowledge it didn't take long for us to create the proper rules and boundaries for an acceptable( but far from perfect) on leash walk.
Socialization being another staple in proper dog rearing, every day we went to the dog park. Gained tons of new four legged friends and had a great chance to study his body language and reactions as well as other dogs. Being un neutered, Parker would sometimes show signs of aggression, not redzone , but pinning them to the ground and bearing teeth , when the other dog would refuse to let him hump them. I ( undereducated in this area at the time) would tell myself that I didn't want to get him fixed because I had heard it may change their personality and I loved my dog the way he was - despite this new aggression. After one to many encounters and the situation worsening I resorted to the research again and found that not only could neutering help controle his hormones and settle his aggression but intact males can go thru considerable pain like swelling and discomfort if not given the opportunity to mate or at least have a " release" as it was so worded haha. So called release would not be an option so I scheduled a neutering for him and it worked out well. His aggression blew over and he had the same personality as always . Happy go lucky!
A few months had passed and one Friday night I was headed out for a drive and taking Parker with me, we both exited the house off leash. He sniffed around the lawn then spotted another dog and owner walking accross the street. He bolted..... Two trucks barreling down commonwealth ave. all I remember is hearing the thump and my heart shattering. I ran to the street and over came panic. I knew I was he's only hope. He laid motionless in the street so picked him up and put him in my truck bound for sunrise vet just down the street. Upon arrival the vet was closed , being Friday night no one was inside. I searched for my phone to call the emergency number, it was gone ( later found on commonwealth where Parker was hit) I checked on Parker and he's eyes were opened . Blood everywhere and could see it comming from his nose . I had no choice but to leave him and run to the closest residence to use there phone. First house , no answer , second house , no answer and the same for 3 more house until an older women answered the door to my panicking knocking. She agreed to let me use her phone . Now the only problem I had was that after all the running and knocking I forgot the vets number. I ran back to sunrise vet, got the number and drove Parker back to her house. Contacted the vet, was informed it would be half an hour until anyone could arrive, thanked the older women and went to wait for the vet. On the inside I was broken but I had nothing but hope. After the vet assessed Parker he informed me that his skull was fractured and had me touch his skull assuring me that I was Indeed feeling brain matter. There was nothing they could do and the human thing to do would be to have him put down. He was still conscious and looking into his eyes I reminisced about all our cottage days and fun exploring thanked him for everything he had given me. I was saying goodbye ....
In to give meds to another dog in sunrises care, dr. d had over heard me talking with Parker and came to have a look. He had a different opinion and asked if it was ok to take a few x-rays . He's findings were different . The x-rays didn't show any skull fracturing but did show that a sinus bone over the eye was broken. He went on to reassure me that dogs skulls are much thicker and shaped with better structure( especially in Parker's case having a more squarlike pitbull shape) then that of humans and that they are very hard to break. There was once again hope! Dr. D continued to tell me that there are no garuntees he will make it. Parker was still bleeding lot from the nose and that nothing could be done nor the source of the blood be found for that. Brain swelling and seizures were going to be issues as well as brain trauma. He had many scares and spots of road rash. Dr.D was going to keep him under their watch and I was escorted out.
Still riding this emotional roller coaster , the next day I went back to visit him Laying in his run. Again motionless . I am to this day still thankful to sunrise and it's staff for letting me stay and sit with him every day. And that I did . Day after day , sat with my boy ,hoping , praying and emitting as much positive energy as humanly possible as this was all I could do to help. There was nothing the vet could do for him but give him morphine for the pain and meds to slow brain swelling. He lay there, nose bleeding for 4 days. Not moving . Not eating . Not drinking. Defecating on himself . Hooked up to iv. When I wasn't at the vet in his run with him I was home, face glued to the computer screen, searching up similar head injures and how they played out. Researching what I could do and how I could help him.
On the 5th day after his accident as I was getting ready to go down and visit again, I received a phone call from a vet tech at sunrise. She informed that Parker was up and walking around so much that he pulled out his iv and dr.d has given him the ok to come home. Where do you think my mind was at that moment? On the cloud 9 that cloud 9 itself dreams about! Ecstatic and glowing I went, got him and brought him home. Now he wasn't all up and happy. It was strictly to the bed and stayed there. It took a while but eventually he licked my fingers with water on them to hydrate and so I minced up chicken and rice and did the same so he could eat. One day I received a large parcel in the mail from Toronto. When I opened it I found a collage of pictures of happy times that Parker enjoyed and get well soon wishes from everyone who had been a part of Parker's life when we lived there. Accompanying it was a substantial amount of money to help me pay for Parker's vet costs. Thank you guys! From the bottom Parker's and my hearts !
He wasn't out if the woods yet . Not by a long shot! After a few days he showed affects of whiplash . Couldn't move without screeching in pain. I did what I could and at one point had the floor in the entire house coated with layers of blankets towels and pillows incase he did manage to get up and fall.
After a few weeks whiplash subsided and he was up walking around and eating. He had zero emotion. He wasn't a dog . He had no memory or didn't show any sign of one anyway. I would watch him and he would wander to a corner and just stand there with his head in the corner. Nothing would excite or stimulate him. So back to the books I went AGAIN! This time my efforts were inconclusive. This was one journey we would have to encounter on our own. I took baby steps. Introductions , tasty food , toys . Then one day walking in our back yard he put his head down and picked up a stick! Iv never been so happy to see such a simply site! Small things like that happened slowly for about 3-4 months and he eventually remembered all his basic commands . We went back to the dog park socializing . .... I had my dog back.
Never shy of drama Parker's story thru us for another loop. While at work I receive a call from home saying Parker is seizureing. So I rush home only to witness a seizure myself. Very violent frothing at the mouth and no control over his bowls. I waited for it to stop to bring him to the vet and when I picked him up in my arms all 90 lbs of him started to seizure again... This time I'm experienced in a crisis situation and can keep calm. The vet puts him on meds to discourage seizuring anymore and he hasn't had one sense!
Just last year I had an incident when I fractured my own skull, had a bleed on my brain and some other issues but again when I came home from the hospital, he knew. He never got excited around me he stayed calm once he seen my condition. Laid in my bed by my side as I healed. We have that bond where no matter the situation , we understand what eachother needs.
So today when we go to sunrise vet for anything, he gets so much love from the staff he actually jumps up and on the counter and won't stop until he licks the face of everyone in sight. Dr.D if you ever see this story, your the reason park got a second chance. For that we are forever thankful!
And last but not least, I come across the fb page " for the love of dogs ". After following some threads, seeing pictures of the walks and hearing of the improvement people seen in their dogs I figured I'd join in and give it a try. While Parker was a great he wasn't a joy on leash. Always pulling and needed to get forward. When we would walk with other people- which was seldom- he would get over excited and be a pest to say the least . Walking past ppl and dogs he would lunge toward them. Never aggressive but just to get a sniff and a lick . So with the walks and of course my getting into some research and working first hand with other dogs and their issues ( some similar to Parker's and some not) we have walking on leash, now to be a pleasant experience . My family can now walk him with out me and just yesterday I walked the bowring park loop with him only holding the leash with my pinky the entire way. These walks do so much good for our dogs it's unreal . We encounter other dogs with a wide range of issues, and everything from skate boards to people fearful of dogs. We control our dogs and we move forward. Just that alone shows the dogs that what they are encountering is ok. We are able to move past it and walk in peace again. There's thousands of other things that the walks are accomplishing and ken I know I can speak for the group when I say thank you for creating it and sticking to the walks every weekend no matter what the case.
Parker and myself sure have been through a lot together and I'm so proud to have the accomplished, well balanced, loveable lick monster I have here beside me. Looking at me upside down, 4 paws up wagging his tail .
Good boy Park, good boy