Hearts in Hawai'i
A Tribute to Kimo (2019)
3/28/2025
These entries (and the ones on following blog entries) are mostly pulled from Facebook posts I made at that time.
Thursday, January 3
Kimo worked some stitches loose today while I was at work. Back to the vet tomorrow. I'm ready to bungie his back legs together when we're gone! 
Friday, January 4
That little turtleneck they put on Kimo is a joke. He shakes his fur, it rolls up and exposes the stitches. I'm going back to Plan B--a T-shirt with a velcro strap through a cut in the shirt collar, attaching it to his dog collar. The T-shirt will be long enough to cover everything and the velcro will prevent it from sliding down and uncovering the stitches. I just gotta get him to hold still long enough--he's looking at me with suspicion this past week, between his ear salve and his wound salve. He's probably thinking "God knows what weird shit my human is going to do next!"
Saturday, January 5
Well, that didn't work. I think had I cut the T-shirt around the midline, it would have been better. But the velcro strap attaching the T-shirt to the collar ended up pulling the collar down over the wound. Ouch! Tightening the collar didn't work--he needs a slightly smaller collar. So it's back to the turtleneck--they gave us three so we pulled the longest one over his head. And now, since Patty helped, he despises both of us and is hiding in his kennel. Fine, as long as he doesn't scratch. The wound is open but not bleeding. He just got his first antibiotic treatment, the only interaction I had with him today which he liked. It was the cheese the pill was in, you see.
Sunday, January 6
Kimo's wound keeps looking better and is starting to scab. He's not scratching as much and the antibiotics are wiping him out a bit. He stole my pillow this morning when I got up from bed so I just snuggled in on the other side. He licked my arm a bit, put his head down on my forearm, sighed and went back to sleep.
Wednesday, January 9
Kimo's stitches are out! (No, he didn't pull them all out himself ) The yeast infection has cleared up in his left ear, remains in the right ear. So we got anti-itch ointment for his incision and the shaved area--some fur is growing back but he's still kind of scratchy, and more ear drops to clear up what remains of the infection.
They really like him up at Dougherty Vet--he always gets a bunch of treats. He squirmed a lot up on the table today while Dr. Lisa was taking his stitches out. They like his perfect mix of Black Lab goofiness and Pit Bull strength. It makes for a very entertaining doggo at times.
Still a little sluggish from the antibiotics (four days left) but is having periods of Wild Man Kimo.
He has to wear the turtleneck for a few more days. He doesn't seem to like it very much but there is little he can do about it.
Saturday, January 12
The surgical incision is healing up nicely and the first patches of fur are growing back!
Monday, January 14
Putting warm compresses on Kimo's surgical area tonight and Tritop ointment. He scratched off a scab and bled just a bit today while we were at work.
He liked the compress once he knew how it felt!
Tuesday, January 15
The healing continues! It's looking better each day. More Tritop ointment, more warm compresses (which he doesn't like until I get the warm cloth on him) A little more fur grows back each day but I think he's still several months from where it will be grown back to the point where you can't tell he had the procedure done
He's whining while looking out the window at a neighbor's dog.
Wednesday, January 16
No fresh scratches--Kimo left his surgical incision alone today! The Tritop is working and we took his turtleneck off this morning, thinking that part of his scratching was trying to get this foreign thing off his neck which he didn't seem to like in the first place! Patty thought the rubbing of the material on his raw skin was aggravating his condition and I see no reason to doubt that. Hopeful he continues to leave the site alone and allows the healing to continue.
He did a long five-second howl at me this morning because he wanted to play! The dog has got some pipes! And he chewed loose one of the rubber balls on his Kong Beast this evening. I told him the Beast still has one more ball than he does.
Just another day with our favorite doggo.
Thursday, January 31
Relaxed!
Friday, February 15
You would think that after having your dog for over six years, you'd know everything there is to know about him. I just found out that the fastest way to get Kimo to close his eyes is to scratch right behind his front leg. Weird. I tried it out a few more times to make sure it wasn't a fluke. BOOM, lights out for Kimo after just a few seconds of scratching. ❤️ And I bet it only works when I do it! Patty can try this tonight to check out his reaction.
Friday, February 22
While he still has some bald patches, the incision area was the latest to show fur growth. Much to my surprise as I had assumed that area would be the last to grow!
Kimo pitched a fit this morning. He was caged and I was outside shooting some pics when our neighbor's dog, Charlie, came charging over for a greeting. I said "Hi, Charlie!!" and Kimo heard this from inside. He started barking. Loudly. And didn't stop until I was back inside the house, giving me that accusatory "Are you stepping out on your dog with another one?" look.
Kimo tried to climb this big snow bank yesterday but sunk in up to his leg pits near the base. He said "screw this" and crossed the driveway.
Monday, February 25
Kimo has added a new wrinkle to his Escape The Cage escapades. With two locks on the cage door to keep him from squeezing out either side, he was safe. Right?
Wrong.
He actually pulled the door frame inward, releasing it from one of the hooks keeping it in place. That done, he squeezed his way out through the door frame and was waiting for us at the back door when we came home.
How does he do this? Well, he has all kinds of time to sit there and figure this shit out. The little Houdini.
But nothing was disturbed in the house. The bed was warm, telling us he had been up on it prior to our return. So maybe, just maybe, we can leave him out of his cage during the day?
Patty says no. I say give it a chance. We can close the door to whatever room we don't want him in. Until he figures out how to jump up and pull the lever down on the door handle. In which case, we'll start locking the doors. Until he learns to pick locks. It never ends.
Tuesday, February 26
Houdini broke out again today. Details later but I think this is his way of saying "Screw you humans. Let me out or I'll just get out...again..and again....and again"
Wednesday, February 27
The case has been refixed and fortified with velcro straps around all four corners of the door frame. He had also popped the top of the cage off, so that got refastened. Let's see that little shit escape now.
Which means I'll probably be telling the tale of his next escape tomorrow evening.
Thursday, February 28
Sitting at my desk wondering how long it took Kimo to chew off the velcro straps and free himself from his cage. I wonder what he's doing right now? Got the remote and turned on the TV? Opened the fridge and made himself a sandwich? There isn't much he can do that surprises me any more
Kimo greeted us at the back door again. He chewed apart the weakest Velcro strap and squeezed out the corner or the kennel.
We can take a hint. He's free during the day tomorrow, with doors closed to the bathrooms and bedrooms. He can roam free in the living room, kitchen, dining room and the upstairs loft.
How can I be mad? I"m impressed! The 'lil shit just needs time and opportunity
Friday, March 1
Kimo's first day being out of the kennel (without having to break out first, that is ). He greeted me at the back door when I came home. No peeing, no pooping, nothing out of its place other than the blanket he pulled off the back of Patty's recliner and left on the recliner.
In short, he was a good boy! Got extra attention tonight. He seemed happier and more active, too.
So far, so good.
Tuesday, March 5
Six days out of the kennel while we were at work or away (the first three were his idea!), Kimo has been a perfect dog. He howled at me when I came home tonight; apparently I didn't play with him quick enough for his liking.
Thursday, March 7
Okay, the zip ties have arrived. I showed them to Kimo and then tapped his cage with one. I don't know what a dog smirk is supposed to look like, but it sure looked like he gave me one!
Friday, March 8
Kimo doesn't like it when I watch hockey, because I get excited. And then he thinks something is wrong. He starts by licking my elbow to get my attention. Then he has to put his paws up in my lap and lick my neck. And if I resist, the Festival Of Howls begins. He's funny (and cute as all get out) that way.
Saturday, March 16
Kimo's a good boy when we're not home, but there are certain things we must do to ensure he stays that way. An unlatched door leading to the garbage/furnace room proves to be too much temptation. All that tasty garbage! And that was what we found tonight when we got home from attending the Bulldog hockey game. At least he didn't spread it throughout the house. What amazed me was that he didn't tip over his Vittles Vault, where about ten pounds of dog food were awaiting his hungry mouth. It would seem that human garbage trumps doggo food.
Sunday, March 17
Sleepy boy!
After his nap, he walked halfway down the stairs, paused, and puked. Patty said he was into the pineapple rinds when he raided the garbage last night. She saw a few in his earlier puke (he's puked three times today). Other than that, he seems happy albeit not as energetic as normal. Keeping an eye on him today.
Wednesday, March 27
I have no idea what he was looking at here!
Sunday, March 31
Kimo isn't acting too enthusiastic about the UMD game!
Wednesday, April 10
The first thing I saw when I awoke this morning was a pair of brown dog eyes peering intently at me from a few inches away. His breath on my nose. Upon seeing me open my eyes and hearing me say "Hi, boy!", a single slurp across my face.
Every morning should start exactly like that.
Saturday, April 13
Kimo hears one of our neighbor's dogs!
Friday, April 19
I just had the first walk of this spring without needing a jacket. Kimo and I hiked over to the Thompson Hill Lookout on Skyline Blvd. Big sections of the low retaining wall there have somehow broken free. Kimo sniffed and peed his way all along the Drive
This is a special place for Kimo and me, and it was the first place I took him for a semi-lengthy walk when we first adopted him. Sitting side by side on the stone wall overlooking West Duluth and Spirit Bay, we stared down at this great scenery. After a couple minutes Kimo turned to me and gave me a single slurp on my cheek. I think it was at that moment I first felt his love for his new humans.
Sunday, April 28
In the midst of singing Happy Birthday to Patty today, Kimo started howling at me. Either he was singing along or making an editorial comment on my singing. I think I'll go with the former.
Tuesday, May 21
OK, how many folks here have dogs who lift their leg to crap! I wouldn't have believed it myself if I didn't see Kimo actually do this last week! As I keep telling him "Well, you're a very interesting dog"
Thursday, May 30
His fur has nearly all grown back! It took five months.
Saturday, June 1
Kimo met the next-door neighbor's dog, Harley, this morning. She's an energetic puppy who promptly mounted Kimo! He had a look on his face like "Dad, my God, what is she doing???"
He got together with his retriever "friend" Charlie later on. I put friend in quotation marks because Charley really wants to play with and get along with Kimo, but Kimo, being the little ass he is sometimes, just wants to hump Charlie. Even though it's already been established that Kimo is the dominant male. Charlie didn't like it (even submission has its limits!) and so it turned into a growl festival between the two doggos.
Kimo can be an ass.
Tuesday, June 25
Apparently, Kimo likes a warm bed if I'm the one warming it. After getting up and going to the bathroom early this morning, I walked out to find him on my side of the bed! With his head on my pillow! "Hey, what're you doing there?!" Tail wag. So I climbed over him onto the middle of the bed and all kinds of squirming on his back and happy growls commenced. I told him to settle down, and after a few "Sorry, Dad" licks of my arm, he fell back asleep. Still on my pillow, of course.
Saturday, August 3
This morning was our first experience with the Self Wash at Petsmart and Kimo didn't like it! He fought the collar being placed over him, but once that was affixed, he had no say in how things progressed. He is in mid-summer shed so left a ton of fur in the tub, eventually clogging the drain. So I had to keep unclogging that.
There was no help from the clerk even after we said we needed instruction on how everything worked. Luckily, a lady washing her two Bernese Mountain Dogs (awesome dogs!) with her husband told us how everything worked.
I got soaked. Patty got her morning dose of humor. Kimo got clean, but he was visibly pissed off at us all the way home. He's still ignoring me but going to Patty (since she didn't do the actual washing 🙂 ) But he smells great from the Oatmeal & Honey shampoo I used!
Overall, this is a cheap alternative to taking him to Bark Avenue if I don't mind getting wet in the process.
Friday, August 9
Patty and I hugged this morning, and Kimo responded by singing us the song of his people. He always does this.
Thursday, August 22
Last December, Kimo weighed 58.1 pounds and his vet thought he should lose five pounds. Tonight he's at 51. Having (mostly) free run of the house while we're at work, combined with daily walks, has helped a lot. He looks leaner than he's looked in years!
Wednesday, August 28
Heading out to work this morning, I saw Patty walking Kimo on the street near our house. I stopped the car, rolled down the window and said "Bye, Kimo!" He promptly ran up to the car, jumped up and gave me a face slurp. What a little sweetie.
Friday, September 27
When Kimo wants my peanut butter toast.
Saturday, September 28
Kimo got into the sugar today while we were gone. Puked five times tonight. Not much energy. He went into his kennel to be by himself afterward. It took a little effort for him to get into it--he had to pull down a bunch of papers which were on the breakfast nook, along with the sugar bowl, then pry the cover off (it's in a Tupperware container) before "enjoying" what he thought was a treat. Too bad he can't connect the action to the consequence.
Thursday, October 31
Close up!
Wednesday, November 20
Little Baby Kimo is eight today! Here he is practicing his TSA duties by searching Patty's bag
Saturday, November 30
I just let Kimo outside to do his business, on the 25' lead so I could stand at the garage entrance. He loves snow, but tore back into the garage faster than I've ever seen him! He's getting soft in his middle-age.
Saturday, December 7
Kimo was begging for my breakfast toast in his usual spot--with his chin on my right thigh. Pressing down hard, shifting back and forth, finally I told him "Kimo, down!". He walked around the back of my chair and put his chin on my left thigh.It was almost as if he was thinking "Hey, you didn't mean the left leg" or "Cool, he won't notice me here because I don't beg on his left side".
Saturday, December 21
Curled up with Patty on the love seat
Saturday, December 28
Kimo found his spot!
Previous: 3/27/2025--A Tribute To Kimo (2018)
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