Red sliced his foot pad open last week, an inch-deep wound while running through the pasture. Could have been a rock or a piece of metal, we don’t know. Last week, they stapled the wound closed and today Nicole and Cassandra took the staple out of his foot. Red was gracious and calm as usual.

Cassandra said after Red’s massage today (for his back injury) he could go home and play. I sniffed, he is a working dog, I said, he doesn’t play. She apologized, sort of. I have to protect Red’s dignity.