Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

I’m more christian than these people and i’m an atheist.

We’ve had enough carrots to last a lifetime. break out the sticks.

The party of Reagan has become the party of Putin.

Conservatism: there are people the law protects but does not bind and others who the law binds but does not protect.

There are some who say that there are too many strawmen arguments on this blog.

Putting aside our relentless self-interest because the moral imperative is crystal clear.

He wakes up lying, and he lies all day.

Wow, I can’t imagine what it was like to comment in morse code.

This must be what justice looks like, not vengeful, just peaceful exuberance.

No offense, but this thread hasn’t been about you for quite a while.

Polls are now a reliable indicator of what corporate Republicans want us to think.

75% of people clapping liked the show!

After dobbs, women are no longer free.

There is no right way to do the wrong thing.

One way or another, he’s a liar.

“The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits.”

I would gladly pay you tuesday for a hamburger today.

“Just close your eyes and kiss the girl and go where the tilt-a-whirl takes you.” ~OzarkHillbilly

Incompetence, fear, or corruption? why not all three?

Following reporting rules is only for the little people, apparently.

You are either for trump or for democracy. Pick one.

Republicans firmly believe having an abortion is a very personal, very private decision between a woman and J.D. Vance.

These days, even the boring Republicans are nuts.

Prediction: the gop will rethink its strategy of boycotting future committees.

You are here: Home / Pet Blogging / Dog Blogging / Walter Update

Walter Update

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Walter is doing very, very well. He’s much stronger and his gait has radically improved. Just a few days ago, when we walked, he wobbled all over the place and I thought he was going to fall over half the time, but now he walks along at a nice leisurely pace, and is much stronger. Took him up to the general store and tied him out front while I went in for a sandwich, and he was very excited to see me when I got back out:

whoisagooddoggy

If you will notice behind him, he left another softball sized present, and I had to walk back up with a shovel to clean it up. That is in addition to the two presents he left on the 200 yard walk to the store. Operation Fatten Walter is so far working.

His coat looks SOOOO much better.

*** Update ***

Since some of you remembered that I FELL THROUGH A GOD DAMNED DECK, I am healing quite nicely. I heal like Wolverine or Deadpool. Scabs are already falling off.

wolverine

Reader Interactions

117Comments

  4. 4.

    scav

    I’m somehow hesitant to suggest getting a portable shovel to hang at the belt — although having a rusty portable shovel would be multipurpose if not traditional. Still somehow an object of possible personal destruction, close to hand . . .

    Walter spoor!

  7. 7.

    CaseyL

    So good to hear this – were no Walter updates yesterday, and I was feeling anxious.

    Those adorable toofies you mentioned are a bit crooked – the boy needs orthodontia!

  9. 9.

    Olivia

    Are you sure a small horse didn’t pass by? That is quite the pile of shit there. So glad Walter is doing better.

  10. 10.

    Keith P.

    What are you feeding him? I had a blue pit bull for a while, and they’re notorious for having bad skin (breaking out into rashes if you look at them wrong). Tried BilJac for a while on someone’s suggestion but eventually moved to one of those Nutro premium with all the fish etc. Then I started adding fish oil to his food. And washed him with some kind of natural shampoo to prevent post-bath rashes. It’s a lot of work, but it’s usually worth it, as a healthy coat usually means a healthy (and happy) dog. It’s like roots on a plant.

  11. 11.

    Paul W.

    @mb: I see what you did there… and I also see it in this here picture. That is some righteous shit.

  14. 14.

    karen marie

    Dear John Cole:

    Have you talked to the vet about feeding Walter so much? I’d be concerned for his kidney and liver having to suddenly process so much. He does look like a happy boy though. Thanks for being such a champ.

  16. 16.

    Joy

    His eyes are shinier and he looks so happy! You do good work John. And to think I can remember when you were agonizing over adopting Lily, not sure of yourself, and now look at you!

  19. 19.

    Trollhattan

    You’re keeping the big lug, aren’t you? (I would. Just sayin’) Nothing more lovable than a content Lab.

  22. 22.

    Joshua Norton

    Any over/under on Walter actually leaving the Cole compound yet? John seems to get separation anxiety more than his critters do.

  24. 24.

    Roger Moore

    @scav:
    I think the correct implement would be an entrenching tool with one edge sharpened. Decently portable and usable as a pooper scooper or axe as required.

  25. 25.

    Cermet

    That is good news for you; now the amazing news is that BOTH Arizona and Georgia are in full play! Who’d thunk it? Georgia drifting Blue has to be the worse nightmare for the thug party; if that State goes Blue like Virginia has (not just once because of an extreme nominee), the days of the thug party being national are clearly numbered.

  30. 30.

    Villago Delenda Est

    I am very pleased that Walter is returning to full health at a breathtaking pace! A fine, resilient canine specimen!

    Thank you for the update, John. Good news indeed!

  31. 31.

    debit

    @raven: Yep. What’s really fun is when you have a kicker, like Ellie. Just as I lean over to grab the poop, she’ll kick out with her hind feet to make sure I get a nice spray of dirt and possibly random effluvia in my face. Good times.

  33. 33.

    scav

    @Roger Moore: MUCH more multi-purpose and amusing than the ash shovel that beat out the charmingly varied garden trowels I scanned. Gets extra points for the immediate Uncle Matthew Mitfordiana vibes chez scav.

  35. 35.

    joel hanes

    @scav:

    a portable shovel to hang at the belt

    The term of art among those with Cole’s background is “entrenching tool”.

    ETA: Roger Moore beat me to it. You’ve got to get up pretty early in the morning to keep up with the BJ commentariat.

  36. 36.

    Patricia Kayden

    The whole Walter saga is so touching. It’s heartbreaking how he came into your care but it’s nice that you are giving him such loving care. He’s a beauty.

  37. 37.

    Mary G

    John Cole, dog whisperer. This is like seeing Lily transforming from shrinking away from you with her tail between her legs in the first pictures to a happy, happy girl with her tail in a jaunty curl looking up at you with adoration in her eyes. Only this time it only took a few days. The contrast between our first view of hangdog Walter – drooping head, turned away, skinny, filthy, and defeated, to head up, bright-eyed, do I get a sandwich too daddy Walter does my heart good. If I had a tail, it would be wagging a mile a minute.

    Thanks for the update.

  38. 38.

    catclub

    The turnaround from ‘I will see if the vet says he needs to be put down’ to this is wonderful. Wow. Less than two weeks.

  39. 39.

    Patricia Kayden

    @Cermet: I’m also hearing that Utah may be up for grabs too. Doesn’t seem as if Trump is attractive to Mormons.

  43. 43.

    Trollhattan

    @catclub:
    And, seasoned with the inevitable Cole mishap in the form of falling through the porch, gracefully executed so as to not require a hospital visit. A perfect(ly typical BJ) summer, so far.

  46. 46.

    J R in WV

    We live in the woods. When we take the dogs somewhere, it’s hard to remember to prepare for that discharge problem… They just fertilize the forest.

    Wait, maybe…

    Maybe that’s why trees die in the forest!?!? OMG!!!

  48. 48.

    OzarkHillbilly

    Rep. Darrell Issa’s (R-CA) road to an eighth re-election has become rockier with the rise in support for the Democratic Marine Corps veteran challenging him this year, the Orange County Register reported.

    After winning by at least 30 percentage points in the 2012 and 2014 primaries, Issa only beat Doug Applegate by 5.7 points in the June primary this year. Under the state’s open primary system, Applegate’s performance enabled him to move on and challenge Issa for his seat representing the state’s 49th congressional district in the general election this November.
    ….
    The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) also took notice of the primary result, conducting polling in the area that it said showed the two candidates tied, prompting it to designate Applegate’s campaign to oust Issa as one of the party’s “emerging races.”

  49. 49.

    CONGRATULATIONS!

    OMG he is a black lab. Didn’t know. So fucking adorable. You’ll never have one that is more loyal. Gotta get the vet on his eye discharge (warm bathcloth helps for now) once the bigger issues of, y’know, starving to death are dealt with.

    As to the poop fainters, well, this is part of owning a doggie. They poop. A lot. The bigger the dog the bigger the poop. We’re raising a golden right now. No big deal. Our dearly departed lab/Pyr? Poops the size of mine. Baggies could barely deal (I recommend the “Hand Armor” bags, available on Amazon). I’m now one of “those people”, with the treat bag and baggies and all that dog care stuff.

    All dogs need love but labs need it as much as air, and they give it back in spades. Love that little guy, Cole, because I can’t be there and do it or I would. And he deserves it. No dog should have to go through what he did.

  51. 51.

    Pat

    While I’m terribly sorry about what Walter had to go through, your and his lazarus story is such, such good news. Can’t tell you how much I appreciate both what you’re doing and how well you’re blogging the story.

  52. 52.

    low-tech cyclist

    @schrodinger’s cat:

    The blog had already gone to the dogs and now its shit.

    But it’s really great shit, Mrs. Presky!

    Yeah, Walter looks about 500% better than he did when John first discovered him. Clearly stronger, the coat’s looking so much better, and you can tell he’s happy now.

    Good job, John!

  59. 59.

    Mai.naem.mobile

    I am guessing Walt be joining Casa Cole permanently. What a pretty pretty boy!

  60. 60.

    Mnemosyne

    Happy boy! I will echo what everyone else said at the time it happened and say that only you, John Cole, would be able to buy a house at auction that came complete with its own rescue dog.

  62. 62.

    Amir Khalid

    Walter’s digestive tract seems to be working hard to make up for lost time. And yes, he does seem a much healthier pooch than before. When he’s finally cleaned up, he’ll be a handsome old dog.

  68. 68.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    @Trollhattan: You left out that Cole managed to put his leg though a rotten board on the porch injuring himself, THAT makes it a typical Cole day.

  71. 71.

    Trollhattan

    O/T Saw something profoundly weird this a.m. on my bike commute. Gardener standing next to his truck with the accursed leaf blower perched on the bed, running and aimed at his face. He was blasting himself like a dog sticks his head out the car window. As if they don’t inhale enough exhaust and dust all ready. (Cycling and leaf blowers do not coexist well and I try to avoid them and their toxic detritus clouds.)

  72. 72.

    peach flavored shampoo

    @raven: Whoa….there was a dog inside the house? Holy crap. I hope Cole tracks down the previous owner and provides some rural “justice”.

  73. 73.

    Run, Lillian!

    Oh that Walter has the best happy face. I love his goofy teeth too!

    Thank you for the update- it does my heart good to see you and Walter doing so well.

  77. 77.

    Hungry Joe

    Since we’re discussing dog poop, let me ask y’all if what I did a few months ago was unethical.

    While on a long walk with Alice, The Best Dog Ever (and I have the data to back that up), she pooped, as dogs will, on someone’s grass … and I discovered that my poop-bag container was empty.

    It was dusk. We were at least half a mile from home. And here’s what I did: Just in case anyone was watching, I leaned over and PRETENDED to pick up the poop. Then we went on our way. I didn’t go back later because by then it was dark, and anyway, I was tired. I have justified this behavior by telling myself that 1) if any of America’s youth were watching out of a window I set a good example by — from what they could tell — picking up the poop; and 2) I have walked Alice thousands of times, she usually poops, and except for that one shameful incident I have always picked up what she left behind. This gives me a poop pick-up percentage of >99.9%, which I figure qualifies me as a Responsible Pet Owner and Good Neighbor.

    Still … was what I did unethical? Chickenshit (as it were)? Or do I get a pass?

  80. 80.

    Mnemosyne

    @Hungry Joe:

    You’ll know if you see someone giving you the stink eye from between the curtains the next time you and your dog walk past that house.

  82. 82.

    LAO

    @OldDave: Hey, thanks for posting all the links together. I was out of town and missed the whole story. But now I know, thanks to you.

  83. 83.

    John Revolta

    “……thou shalt have a paddle upon thy weapon; and it shall be, when thou wilt ease thyself abroad, thou shalt dig therewith, and shalt turn back and cover that which cometh from thee: for the Lord thy God walketh in the midst of thy camp……………….”

    Deut. 23:13

  85. 85.

    Poopyman

    Well, technically you could say that Cole & Co is moving in with Walter at his house, so I don’t know who’s keeping who. Whom.

  88. 88.

    Fester Addams

    Now that Walter’s doing well maybe it’s time to make the observation that Cole just bought a house with wall-ter-wall dog poops.

  91. 91.

    OldDave

    @LAO:

    Hey, thanks for posting all the links together.

    That wasn’t all of them – more of the executive summary / highlights edition. Happy to be of service.

  92. 92.

    John Revolta

    @Hungry Joe: A friend of mine came back to his car in a parking lot to find that somebody had rammed into his fender and messed it up bad. There was, however, a note on his windshield. The note read, “All these people think I’m leaving you my name and phone number, but I’m not”.
    What I’m saying is, what you did wasn’t shit. So to speak.

  93. 93.

    ET

    I love those Farmers commercials revolving around the Hall of Claims. There is a funny one with a flood house and doggie Olympics. What is really funny is that the “outtakes” were color commentary on some of the participating pups.

  97. 97.

    Ivan Ivanovich Renko

    Just… well done, Cavalryman Cole. Well done. That’s how you ride to the rescue.

  101. 101.

    CONGRATULATIONS!

    Since we’re discussing dog poop, let me ask y’all if what I did a few months ago was unethical.

    @Hungry Joe: Yep. And I wouldn’t have said so a year ago, but I got suckered into raising for Guide Dogs and have learned a lot since.

    It’s happened to me. I’ve had to walk the long walk back home, put dog in crate, walk/drive back and pick up poop. Because you know what? People judge and those judgments have consequences that don’t necessarily ever affect you. Let me give you an example.

    Business Owner goes out, steps in dogshit that “appeared” in his lawn, curses, cleans shoes, gets to work. Guy comes in with a Guide Dog. Business Owner tells Guy to get the fuck out with that filthy animal.

    Guy can now sue the shit out of Business Owner for denying him reasonable accommodation under the ADA. And even if he doesn’t, he tells all his friends about what a dick Business Owner is.

    Meanwhile, Business Owner is commiserating with all his customers over how rude and awful dog owners are. Most of them agree; they too have stepped in dog shit at some point in their lives.

    Are Guide Dogs going to be banned? Is Business Owner going under? No. But everyone’s life got harder and a little more depressing because you couldn’t be bothered to go back and deal with your dog’s mess. Which is, no two ways about it, your responsibility.

  102. 102.

    varminito

    Oh My Effing Gee, that is one good looking boy. Black labs are king of dogs. Walter’s ordeal would be hell for any hound, but for it must be maximum torture for a lab, whose slavish devotion to food and attention are permanently dialed to 11.

    I’ll echo what others have said — you will never have a more devoted dog than Walter. I predict he will literally lick your feet for 5 minutes at a stretch, with an expression of pure bliss.

    Also, given his digestive feats, you chose an excellent name. My kid’s favorite books when she was little were the Walter The Farting Dog series.

  103. 103.

    J R in WV

    @peach flavored shampoo:

    John bought a house in his neighborhood at a foreclosure sale. When he unlocked the door, an abandoned, left to die black dog was in there, which he proceeded to save from certain death from lack of food and water, not to mention terrific heat in a closed up house in mid-summer.

    Walter is now his name, and he is recovering from his ordeal. We toy with ideas about fitting punishment for the evildoer who abandoned the dog, who shows sign of mistreatment, slapped on his ears, at a minimum. But like so many mistreated dogs, he shows every sign of recovering psychologically as well as physically.

    Good job, John!

  104. 104.

    Roger Moore

    @John Revolta:

    Learned that one from the Rev. Sam L. Clemens

    You didn’t just remember it from reading the Bible cover to cover? There’s a bunch of weird hygiene stuff in there, like what to do when your house gets mildew.

  105. 105.

    Digital Amish

    If you can give up Walter after being on the receiving end of the slavish idolatry one gets from a lab, you’re a better man than me. Of the dogs I’ve owned I received love from all but also disdain, skepticism, impatience, stubbornness and apathy. Except for the two labs. From them nothing but slavish idolatry.. (except for the first couple years of their lives when they are just hair-brained clowns)

  108. 108.

    John Revolta

    @Roger Moore: Hell, I’m still trying to figure out why gay guys get all the shit and women get out of jail free. I suspect that the Lord Thy God is a bit bent.

  109. 109.

    CONGRATULATIONS!

    If you can give up Walter after being on the receiving end of the slavish idolatry one gets from a lab, you’re a better man than me.

    @Digital Amish: Or me. Those dogs are all about love and food, in that order, and pretty much nothing else. I have found it’s somewhat emotionally difficult to be a lab owner because their world absolutely revolves around you. It’s a love that brings huge responsibility, because to that lab, you are God. And they treat you as such.

    It’s been almost three years since we lost ours and I still miss her every damn day.

  111. 111.

    AnnaN

    I think it’s wonderful what you have done and are doing with Walter. One thing you might want to try is adding a cooked egg to his kibble and a huge dollop of plain Greek yogurt (0% fat). It’s a nice bit of protein and amino acids, gut balancing bacteria and makes their skin and coats quit healthy. It’s also a helluva lot cheaper than canned dog food.

    I’m glad to see you are healing well.

  112. 112.

    karen marie

    @Hungry Joe: Unethical. Doubly so — or even triply or quadruply — because you pretended to pick it up when you didn’t, leading the lawn owner to possibly cast blame on someone else, and you not only didn’t go back that night to pick it up but you didn’t go back the next day. Dog poop doesn’t magically disappear in 12 or 18 or 24 hours. The longer I have owned a dog, the more hardened I am about picking up my dog’s shit – there is no excuse for not picking it up. You have a dog, you know it shits, you know when it typically shits, you know that sometimes it shits outside of those typical times – carry enough bags. If you happen to be caught short, without a bag, you absolutely have an obligation – not just to the lawn owner but to all the other dog owners walking around – to go back at the earliest time to pick up your dog’s shit. Your responsibility to do so with regard to other dog owners is to prevent non-dog owners from raining curses down on all dog owners because you’re a lazy fuck and to save some other unfortunate person, dog owner or not, from inadvertently stepping in your dog’s shit. The longer it sits there, the chances of that happening increase.

  113. 113.

    Magatha

    @Hungry Joe: What’s done is done. What you have to do now, over the next few walks, is pick up a couple of abandoned poops that someone neglected to take care of, in addition to your own dog’s poop. Sometimes I do that not in penance but when I’m feeling community minded. I call it the “My Share and a Spare” action. (One time my dog pooped by the side of a street and I discovered I’d run out of poop bags. I knew I’d have to go back for it, but then a woman passed in a car – going slow; it’s a narrow residential street – and I flagged her down and begged for a bag. Bless her heart, she had some on the seat next to her and saved me the trip back. It’s a very dog-popular neighborhood.)

  114. 114.

    Danr2

    Took him up to the general store…

    Man, I wish I lived in the 1950s. Probably got candy in big bins in that place.

  115. 115.

    SgrAstar

    Thanks for the update, John! I can do no more than add my 2 cents to the chorus of praise for black labs. Simply the BEST! ❤️

  116. 116.

    BruceJ

    @Cermet: Arizona in play means we might get to kick ol’ Walnuts McCain out. Anne Kirkpatrick is an old Blue Dog dem and keeps making nonsense words about ‘We need term limits’ but it would be better than McCain.

    And trust me, term limits are BAD. We’ve had ’em in Arizona for a decade or more and all it ever did was give the lobbyists the ability to write the laws for the amateurs.

  117. 117.

    BruceJ

    Walter reminds me of our GSD Delilah, she was also quite emaciated when we got her; she might have been a foreclosure leave-behind too, but as she was picked up as a stray, no tags, no chip no one knows.

    She put on the needed weight pretty quickly and is a great dog now.

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