Callie is a pomapoo (half pomeranian, half poodle) who lives in Montreal, Quebec. She was born in Lavaca, Arkansas in 2006, lived in Fayetteville, AR for two years, and then moved to Montreal with me (Shannon) and my husband (David) in 2008. Callie doesn't like the winter much here in Montreal (she's too small to deal with the cold temperatures and hills of snow), although she loves meeting friendly people and animals in the city's many parks when the weather is nice!
When I started this blog, Callie was suffering from luxating patella on both hind legs. The bones in her back legs were misshapen and her little kneecaps kept popping out of position! When her knees dislocated this way she became temporarily lame, and "hopped" until she was again able to flex her knees normally. Her case was so severe that she needed surgery in order to stop painful arthritis and eventual lameness. In April 2011, Callie received surgery on her left hind leg, a procedure that cost over $2,000. Thanks to donations from family, friends, and the kindness of strangers, we were able to save up enough money to pay for the surgery, and Callie can once again run, sprint, and jump to her heart's content! Although her leg has now healed, from time to time she still limps a bit (as a result of muscle memory and habit), and she remains the Little Hopping Dog!
It is my hope that through this blog I can share a bit about Callie, about the condition she (and many small dogs) suffered from, and any information I come across that might be useful to those of you who have pets (small or large) that hold a huge place in your heart.
