
Hello Friends!
Leia turned 7 months old on Wednesday.
She seems to be recovered from her injury but is still on antibiotics until her recheck with the veterinary ophthalmologist, Dr. Low, next Wednesday. It was a relief to set her free of the cone early this week.
LEIA: It’s NOT a cone! It’s an Elizabethan Collar. Tell them how you made it pretty.
Yes, the Elizabethan Collar is very plain plastic — boring. I decorated it with silk flowers. My friend Sharon said Leia looked like Frida Kahlo! She did, so I asked her to sit for a portrait.

Leia was exceptionally good wearing her Elizabethan Collar. I think it bothered me more than it bothered her.
It was just a matter of two days after her discharge from CARES when Leia was back to her shenanigans. She managed to navigate the stairs wearing her collar, went into the library room, and pulled a large, 607 page hardback book off the shelf titled A PORTION FOR FOXES. She carried it by the cover and gave it to me. I think she knows I’ve been thinking about re-reading it.

Along with growing up, Leia has been allowed more freedom in the house. I now proclaim her 100% housebroken. She’s not had an accident for over two months and reliably goes to the door when she needs to toilet. She’s also been spending the evenings loose in the family room with me and Heidi. The only time she relapsed was the other evening when I accidentally fell asleep (she was unsupervised!), and she chewed my coffee table. It looks terrible, but it can be fixed.
I’ve been keeping her occupied by giving her antlers or nylabones to chew, but the vets have forbidden them for a few weeks until she is fully recovered. The soft toys no longer hold much appeal for Leia, and this is why I think she looks for the hard, unacceptable things like my coffee table.
And Leia still has a love affair with the toilet paper roll.
LEIA: Yes, it plays music! I like the tune it plays when I pull the toilet paper off the roll!


Yesterday Leia went socializing with me to TEAM Toyota while the Highlander got a free 7000 mile multipoint inspection. I really enjoyed having her company, and she did very well with relaxing and meeting a few strangers who asked if they could pet her. She only tried jumping on two people but was unsuccessful. It’s interesting. As soon as she makes physical contact with a person, she is less likely to jump. I’m optimistic that with consistent and concentrated work, we will eventually achieve FOUR PAWS ON THE GROUND.
What will the next month hold? Life is an adventure with Leia.
She’s such a fun pup!

And now a word from Daisy Rose Leaf from the Seed & Stem Channel. “It seems that the Zinnia War has achieved a major turning point in the battle. With the increase in the size and numbers of the zinnia troops, Leia has submitted official notice of her surrender. A truce has been agreed upon and signed with a paw print in the soil.”
