Repositioning required care.
Staff kept food and water accessible and avoided making him cross the kennel unnecessarily.
As he became more alert, however, something changed.
Diesel began paying closer attention to people outside.
Someone walking past might earn a glance.
Someone stopping made his head rise.
But when a person actually lowered themselves and sat near the kennel gate, Diesel seemed determined to close the distance.
His front paws moved underneath him.
Then the pulling started.
His Front Legs Were Doing Almost All the Work
Diesel could not move like a healthy German Shepherd.
The injured hind leg needed protection, and his back half could not participate normally.
So his shoulders compensated.
He stretched one front paw forward.
Pressed it into the surface.
Pulled.
Then repeated the movement with the other.
His chest moved first.
His hips followed more slowly.
Behind him, the splinted leg came along with the rest of his body.
Staff quickly realized that this was not a harmless little crawl.
Every trip placed additional demands on a dog recovering from significant trauma.
The fact that Diesel was willing to do it did not mean he should.
The First Time He Reached the Gate, He Didn't Ask for Anything Else
Diesel finally made it across.
His chest settled against the floor near the bars.
The visitor remained seated outside.
Diesel pushed his nose into the narrow space at the front of the kennel.
Then his tail moved.
A slow wag against the floor.
That was it.
After all the effort required to reach the front, Diesel did not attempt another movement.
He simply wanted to remain there while the person stayed.
Staff began seeing the same pattern again.
And again.
Diesel wasn't dragging himself toward food.
He wasn't trying to reach the kennel exit.
The trigger was often simply a person choosing to stop for him.