Canine athlete

All she wants to do is run.

It seems like at least once or twice a year since Amber has been about three years old she has injured herself in some way. Usually just minor things that result in a limp for a few days but several times it has lasted longer and we took her for acupuncture twice. Both times the acupuncture seemed to fix the issue and it's never been such a great injury that she's needed surgery but it's driving me crazy! We've missed agility trials because of a few of them. 

Last week on a hike she came running up a hill back to the trail and I saw that she was holding her hind leg in the air. I put her on leash and we walked back to the car. I work at a vet clinic so of course I imagined all the worst things it could be right away. I made her rest with no walks whatsoever for three days and the lameness went away. Now we're back to regular LEASH walks.

I have been reading about strengthening exercises for agility dogs in particular and have started doing them with Amber every day. I hold her front legs around my waist and she walks slowly backward about 10' at a time. I have her back up onto our step with her back feet and then sit and stand, sit and stand on the step. Things like that. I don't know why I wasn't doing them all along. I guess I figured all the hiking we do was enough to keep them in good shape.

I am looking forward to a one day seminar on "Structure in Motion" this weekend, put on by Pat Hastings, a famous "puppy evaluator". Amber gets to be evaluated and she will tell me what she should and shouldn't be doing as far as activities! I am excited, maybe I won't like what she has to say though!

Weaving for turkey dinner

In the six years that I competed in agility trials with Rye he never weaved (wove?) like he does at home. He either missed the entry or else just went a lot slower. He was never very comfortable in the trial atmosphere. He is retired from competing but mainly because I couldn't afford to enter both dogs anymore! Also he was just so silly in the ring most times that it seemed like a waist of my money.
I know Setters aren't exactly known for their focus but darnit! I think he was a pretty good agility dog for an English Setter. He did get to go to the AKC agility Invitational last year but in hindsight, we should have stayed home. He was so nervous. He chewed through the back of his soft crate and just panted and panted. We qualified once out of the four runs. When we got back home was when the vet discovered his heart murmur. I almost feel like I caused it with the stress of the humungous trial.
So anyway, here he is a'weaving in his own backyard for a bowl of Thanksgiving dinner. He always loves doing his weaves there. I really should nail my poles down!

My turkey came out a little bit dry. Everything else was pretty darn good! Sweet potato pudding, no sugar, just a splash of milk, two eggs and baked for 20 minutes or so. Cranberry sauce, also no sugar, unless you count honey as sugar, it is raw honey though, supposed to be better, who knows...And an organic turkey! Almost not edible I cooked it so long. The dogs did not care though. They did turn their noses up at the cranberry sauce. Happy Thanksgiving all!