Mid-April 2011

I don't feel too good right now but I don't know why. Dogs don't feel or show pain like people do, but something doesn't feel right. I remember when me and Smokey were running around the yard one time and he stepped on a stick - Boy, did he yelp and howl. He thinks he's a big brave boy but sometimes he's a little wimpy. Don't tell him I said that.

Another time we went walking and I got a thorn in my pad. I didn't cry but I couldn't put my foot down. I looked up at mom and she knew something was wrong. She asked me to sit and looked at my pad and there was a big thorn. She took out her pocket knife and eased the thorn out of my foot. Pain gone! Mom is wonderful. I never cried though. I think Smokey would have but you never know. Don't tell him I said that.

Lately after Smokey and I run around and I take a nap in my chair, when I get up I feel a little sore. Mom says I'm getting to be middle aged and I should be careful. She also thinks Smokey plays too rough with me but I can take it. I'm tough. My food doesn't taste good so I don't eat it. I try but I spit most of it out. Smokey decided his food didn't taste good he didn't eat either. Mom was feeding us a dry grain-free food. She's always tried to feed us good food without additives and weird stuff. But today I could not eat and I couldn't eat the next day either.

Mom though maybe the food was bad so she went to the pet store and bought all kinds of organic food - dry and canned. I ate a few nibbles to make her happy. When we went outside, I ate some grass so I would throw up. I could tell mom was worried. She said when an animal stops eating there is a problem. None of the new foods tempted me but Smokey started eating again.

She took me to the vet almost every day for some kind of test including x-rays. Everything looked normal except I wouldn't eat. I lost a lot of weight too - about 8 pounds. I was always so fit and trim from chasing Smokey. Now my ribs and backbone show. I'm not sure what's next but I don't think I'm gonna like it. But I don't like feeling so bad and worrying mom either. I want to run fast again so Smokey can't catch me.