2010-11-21

Semi-Permanent Retirement?

Bailey has been going to see a rehabilitation specialist since June.  We went because she was in pain, definitely, but I really had hopes she could recover and return to performance events, even if not seriously.  We've been given the go-ahead for Tracking... but I have not been good about getting out to TRACK with it getting dark so quickly now.  I need to stick to my goals and actually work her.  Tuesday and Thursday mornings, I have time and daylight to lay tracks for her.  (Just not this week, as it's deer hunting/gun season and we live in the boonies with stupid people.  I don't even walk the dogs around here this week.  We stay in the fenced yard.)

She is making progress, but I just don't think that with her age and those muscles having 10.5 years of muscle memory... I'm going to convince her body that it's supposed to work differently and carry her differently.  She's holding her adjustments, and seems to be far more comfortable in general, but.

We have an appointment on Wednesday with Dr. Julia again.  I plan to ask her if it's realistic to hope for a return to agility or not.  If it's fair to ask that of Bailey's body.  I will not compromise my dog's body anymore.  I did it unknowingly for years, but now I know better, and I know my dog better.

We've been working on obedience with relative regularity, so I'm going to focus on that throughout the winter.   And this is why I've been posting about things not relating to training, or trialling... because the more I think about it, the worse the situation seems.  Therefore, I start to think about my other favorite topic of breeding/health/etc.  *smile*


If I post about health and breeding too much though, remind me to TRAIN MY DOG.  Obedience is something we can do, and can practice, and can prepare to take our first ever obedience class when we're given the okay.  Dumbell holding sits on the hatbox are coming along beautifully, now I need to progress to working on that behavior without the hatbox--in front and heel position!

5 comments:

Robin Sallie said...

Are you moving the hat box to front and heel?

Kristen said...

Yay for training and goals and working.

Dawn said...

Same goes for me too, if I dont train get on my rear. Grace needs her CD.

Megan said...

I need to get a longer platform for really working on getting into those positions as she can't get on the hat box from the front, she has to go rear feet first, so we're only practicing the position, not getting into the position correctly.

I've put myself in front and heel position though, after she's on the box. We still do a lot of work with pivots too.

Kristine said...

Those are some hard decisions to make. But I think you are doing the right thing by taking it easy and waiting. Training is awesome, no matter what you are training in or for.