This book is about what we all can learn from the inspirational story of a little rescue dog with a big heart. He was so small, and the forces he was up against were so large and overwhelming. He was a ‘small dog’ in a ‘big dog’ world.
The author and his wife find themselves in the roles of medication nurse and canine physiotherapist in an attempt to return the dog they named Skeezy back to health. In some former life he had acquired both a broken leg and a fractured pelvis, and they had not healed well. Now the little dog is struggling to overcome a horrific personal hardship and was doing so with courage, good spirits and an energetic sense of fun.
Determined to find out what kept this little fellow going, the author starts making notes on just how well Skeezy is succeeding and what attitudes seem to be contributing to his ability to carry on against all odds.
As weeks go by, they grow ever more anxious about the outcome of their care. Could Skeezy recover completely and lead a life free of daily pain-killing drugs? Or would he finally have to have the damaged leg amputated and then learn how to walk all over again with just three legs?
Can both humans and this small dog learn to deal with the complexities of administering several medications daily and turn this ordeal into a kind of game? Could physiotherapy evolve from being an ordeal to a time of shared togetherness?
No matter how things turn out, we discover that anyone involved in this kind of challenge has to be changed for the better by the experience.
2017. Sandstone ePress, Toronto, Canada. 88pp.
David Wallace Barr IV 