Tromping Through the Snow

Group Photo Fail #1

Group Photo Fail #2

This is what everyone looked like by the end; success!

Rascal Update

Tentative diagnosis of 'idiopathic cystitis' due to his urinalysis not showing signs of an infection or crystals, his xray not showing signs of stones, his health profile not showing signs of internal problems, and his apparent "recovery" in such a short period of time.  Last night he urinated large amounts in his litter box.  YAY Rascal!


What's changing?  
**He's getting more Cosequin.
"Some veterinarians also recommend Cosequin to help support urinary bladder health. The inner lining of the bladder wall is protected by a layer, which contains some of the same compounds as are found in cartilage. This layer prevents urine and the waste products contained within it from seeping into and damaging the lining. Since the low molecular weight chondroitin sulfate found in Cosequin is available to more than just cartilage cells, the bladder may use it to help support this protective layer."


**He's going to practice being crated more frequently.  I don't know if it was stress of being crated because he hadn't been in so long, or a stressful event that happened in the house that I didn't notice.  Regardless, I want his crate to be a happy place again.  Meals are being fed in it.  He'll spend multiple days and/or nights in it for the next couple weeks.  It has a litterbox and a bed.  It is in a warm part of the house and in an area the dogs can't get to.  He used to be crated for every meal because otherwise he would steal from Rasza!


A suspicious timing of food change has also prompted feeding Fromm again.  He's eaten Fromm most often since transitioning off of urinary diets.  He was eating Eagle Holistic for the last 1-2 months.  Coincidence?  Probably.  Am I concerned, yes.  Simple solution is just to go back to the food they both did well on.  I will also be better about feeding frequent canned and raw meals.


Crucial points from the article linked above (courtesy of the Ohio State University Veterinary Hospital):

Just as water is primary therapy for prevention of urinary stone recurrence, we think that environmental enrichment is primary therapy for prevention of recurrence of elimination disorders, including FIC.

Behavioral and ethologic research suggest that cats prefer to eat 

individually in a quiet location, where they are not startled by other 

animals, sudden movement, or activity of an air duct or appliance that may 

begin operation unexpectedly.

He spent the day outside of his crate while I was at work.  Tonight he'll be crated again so I can monitor urine output.  He's currently sprawled out on the dog-air bed.

A Request

I know this is a dog blog, but our resident black and white feline is having urinary problems... again (he blocked the summer of 2006).  We visited the veterinarian today after I noticed him urinating on the carpeting and in a suitcase.  Thankfully his bladder wasn't full, he is still able to urinate, but it is definitely in small amounts.

Tomorrow we visit the veterinarian again.  Good thoughts for my little monster please?  We're really hoping we caught it early enough to avoid sedation/physically unblocking, but we'll know more tomorrow.

He rules the roost, and knows it.

He's in a kennel at home tonight so I can monitor input and output until we head into work tomorrow.  Of course he enjoyed his dinner of canned Hills c/d, which hopefully won't be a long term thing again.  I have thoughts on this urinary problem, but they'll have to wait for tomorrow.

TDX Preparations

My dog and I are capable of a TDX, she's got a brilliant nose, a good foundation, and we both adore the sport of tracking.  Therefore, I am going to prepare her for the TDX test on Sunday, May 8.  It is a local test, we will probably be wait-listed, but we are going to be ready to run.

This means I need to be out working her as often as I can be.  There's a lot of snow right now, but the temperatures are rising, so we can be getting out to track in the very near future.

I am committing.  We will be ready to run!

Leaving the Ring

I was taught early on in my "dog education" by Annelise Allan that there are many things more important in life than titles, than ribbons, than qualifying, and even than finishing a course.  The important one today is the partnership that allows for competing in these dog sports.

I decided to enter Buzz in the MMBC's UKC Rally and Obedience trial last weekend.  We showed up on Sunday, we warmed up, and then I forgot how to cue one of the behavior's we'd need.  This is a recurring theme for me since Buzz has gone deaf.  I've had to get creative with my cues because there is only so much I can do with my hands.  Thankfully, I normally teach the behaviors well enough to be reliable so I run through the cues I think it may be until I get the desired response.  It only took three tries on Sunday (I know, I know... write them down, write them down, but this is so much more entertaining) to figure out how to cue the running call front (which is actually "you have permission to leave your sit/stay and chase me").  So I get over that hurdle, put him away for little while since we were the second to last dog to run and watched the other teams.  As it is with any trial, there were some excellent teams marked by the excellent handling and relationship evident from outside the ring.  I'm always awestruck by these teams and want to congratulate each and every one.  Often times I do approach and express my genuine appreciation for their dedication after they've exited the ring and thoroughly rewarded their dog!

Buzz and I had a beautiful entrance into the ring, beautiful set up, and he was working brilliantly for me.
Start
360 right
Halt
Left Turn--a little bit of an almost collision, but nothing major
Slow Pace
Normal Pace
Halt, 90 degree pivot right, Halt--he worked this one so nicely
Halt, Leave, Call dog front while running, Finish Right, Halt

And that's where we ran into trouble.  I'd kinda forgotten his fronts were semi-broken.  I hadn't been able to figure out if it was a training issue or a pain issue.  He has seemed reluctant to do a tuck-sit and thus has been doing a back-up sit which is not part of front position criteria.  He seemed to stall for a bit when he was supposed to front, so I cued sit and he did a back-up sit, quite a ways from me.  I told him how silly he is and cued a right finish-which he did correctly.

270 Left
Halt, 1, 2, 3 Steps Forward

More problems.  Too many sits.  I got a slow sit on the initial halt.  A no sit after 1 step and some dancing feet.  He wanted to perform, but for some reason he just couldn't.

I have to say that I love this judge and would show to her again in a heartbeat.  I simply told her that we're done and Buzz and I made our way to the exit.  He can still heel well and likes to move, so we weaved through the cones on our way out.  After we exited, the judge said "I'll just mark him as sick, he was ill."  I smiled as Buzz and I made our way to our crate.  I fed him as many treats as he wanted, gave him water and just loved him up.  The same thing I do after every run we have, regardless of the outcome.

I approached the judge after the class was over and thanked her again for letting us leave so easily.  She made a comment about teams falling apart and "pushing onward."  She complimented me on my choice to leave the ring.  I figured it was a good time to tell her that he's nearly 13 years old, probably completely deaf, and gets to make the choices these days... not that it would have changed my decision had the situation been different.

I know there are many people who disagree with leaving the ring, for whatever reason that may be.  My own feelings on the matter are that I have to be my dog's own advocate, I need to pay attention and respect them. If they're uncomfortable for whatever reason and I don't suspect staying in the ring will improve the situation, then I will make the choice to leave.  I've made a lot of mistakes in training and trialling my dogs, but this is something I feel strongly about and the more I've practiced it, the easier it's become.  I'll be honest and say the first time I left the ring it was less than graceful.  In addition to that, leaving the agility ring is typically far more acceptable these days.  Leaving an obedience or rally ring can be a challenge due to the nature of the sport.  I've left an obedience ring exactly twice and a rally ring probably the same.  It has gotten easier to make the right choice every time I commit to it.

I arrived at the trial with a sound, happy, cooperative partner.  I left with the same dog, in the same state.  He still trusted me to make decisions on his behalf, and he trusted me to listen to him.

Thank you Annelise, for instilling in me the importance of chicken parties-even if I've deviated from the original intent.

Pain In My Arse

Indoor agility, we did it!

I've been more sentimental in the last few years, but I still don't get overly sentimental about much, with a few exceptions.  My girlie dog is one of those exceptions.

I got her for Christmas/my birthday in 2000.  I was desperate for a "new dog" because I figured I had already failed with Buzz.  My perfect little puppy came home and was well... perfect.  Hence her "middle name" being Angel.  She was the easiest puppy to raise, to live with, and to train.  Absolutely perfect.  Until she had to meet new people, or new dogs, or new surroundings, or go somewhere without Buzz.  So I had the perfect dog at home, if no strangers appeared.  And the rest of the story can be found in bits and pieces on this blog.

8 weeks old

She'll always, always, always be my baby-dog, I don't care how old she gets!  She's definitely my Novice A, Do-It-All dog, and as much as I wanted to sell her a couple times... I wouldn't have the training skills I do today without her.

Conformation

Good grief, she actually looks groomed!

She even made her \\second// playmate-friend this year!

My mud princess, with dirt on her tongue.  Typical.

I do hope to upload some new photos of her soon, that just means I have to get my camera out and use it... I'll work on that!

AROOOOOO!

Happy (almost) Eleventh Birthday kiddo, I hope you have many more years to be a bumper stealing, water loving, mud bathing princess.  

Thanks for the wild ride Girlie.

Lunch Date Training

I guess that's what I've decided to call it, lunch date training.  It fits.
(Excuse the cell-phone quality pictures.)

Not sleeping, but leaning and relaxing.

Today was a mixed bag of results.  She wasn't eating right away and she almost seemed afraid of the clicker (which isn't completely new but still surprised me).  I put my hand in my pocket to muffle it, and she started acting normally again.  A good portion of today was spent relaxing.  I had a few things to take care of and she never seems to mind (in fact, I think it's actually her favorite part) laying on the couch, just hanging out.

I never thought I'd see her eyes closed.

1) Offered nose to hand targeting excitedly!
2) Offered standing on the step stool!
3) Nose targeted the groomer's hand.
4) Lay down and closed her eyes on the couch.
5) Allowed multiple people to touch her.







There were some not-so-great events today too that I'm processing before I post about.  Although, it may be moot point because there's a rumor she gets to go home tomorrow.  For everyone's sake, I really, really, hope it's true!

Memories of Past Snow

To Infinity And Beyond!

His favorite toy has lasted since puppyhood, nearly 13 years ago!

Buzz has a love affair with the newest doctor on his care team.  She feeds him dried liver, loves him up, and makes him feel like jumping for joy after every visit.  She even lets him lay down if he wants to.


After a visit to the cardiologist at the U of MN that resulted in an answer of "we did not perform an echo-cardiogram, but based on our evaluation today, we see no reason for heart problems to be causing Buzz's symptoms" or something to that effect, I was less distraught but still needed an answer.  So while I gave a HUGE  sigh of relief, I didn't know what to do next!  The cardiologist suggested a referral to the Internal Medicine Specialist but he wasn't all that certain we'd find anything there either.

The only reason he retrieves is for food.

I thanked him (profusely, I just may have kissed that man if it wouldn't have been unprofessional) for his time and headed home.  I pondered our options and decided to pursue the avenue our regular veterinarian initially thought was the case, pain.

Foot target to hand for leg raises.

I certainly wasn't keen on driving into Burnsville, MN even more frequently, but such is life when you find someone as remarkable as Dr. Julia Tomlinson.  Her assessment was "Buzz has a lot of stiffness in his lumbar spine and some evidence of nerve pinching (pain and loss of proprioception, right sided weakness).  I am surprised that his lumbosacral area does not seem to be bothering him much at this time.  I think the pain on right hip extension is probably due to right paraspinal muscle pain.  We need to manage pain and restore mobility before we think about strengthening.  GOALS: To restore mobility, manage pain, strengthen."

Taken from the front page of the Twin Cities Animal Rehabilitation website

Our mission statement: 

"To alleviate pain and restore our patients to maximal function,

improving their quality of life."

And so began Buzz's rehab.  His has gone much more smoothly than Bailey's has and he is progressing at what I think of as a normal rate.  At this point in time, he's receiving Adequan injections once a month and takes two oral medications every other day.  He's still on a joint supplement and fish oil.  He's able, willing, and ASKS to go for walks again, even in the snow and cold!  We can go for over half an hour at this point, and that is off leash exercise which is far more strenuous than town walking!  When we do go town walking, he's able to go-go-go until I'm ready to stop.  He's still lacking muscle in his rear but he can do stairs by himself now!

Beef ribs are a staple in this house!

Just this morning he took off at a dead run (seriously, he RAN) for the fields where we go walking.  It was a good 300 yard stretch that he RAN.  When he stopped it wasn't because he was hurting or panting... he wanted to sniff something!  Rather than trotting painfully and then walking, he's cantering around with joy now.

Grey is just distinguished, right?

I was honestly thinking about the dreaded E word this spring when we could NOT figure out what was going on with him.  To say I'm happy about his current state is a complete understatement.  I'm relieved, happy, and all sorts of excited about his progress.  I even entered him in a rally trial, with two runs in a single day.  He's going to be SO happy to get out and play again, and I'll be the smiling dork holding onto his leash.

Waiting for WAFFLES with Beckett!

I feel incredibly fortunate to have the resources I do.  Not only have I learned an immense amount from this experience, but my dogs are living better lives because of it.  I certainly didn't think I would be this "into" canine rehabilitation, but there's really no way around it after the results I've witnessed.  More specifically, the rehabilitation plans for both dogs has consisted of regular chiropractic care, strengthening exercises, stretching exercises, pain control when needed, and a lot of carefully controlled exercise.  None of it has been easy, I am human and forget to do their exercises sometimes, but the progress they've made is what keeps us going.  (And being able to show off Bailey's new-found ability to hold a stack on the tile floors at work today... yeah, that was pretty darn exciting.)

Chris wanted Buzz in the photo.
Buzz did not want to be in the photo.
I promise he is not actually being choked.

Snow!

We've gotten a lot more snow this winter than in the last five years I think!  The dogs and I are enjoying it quite a bit especially since I take them outside to frolic while I do outside chores.  This morning Bailey assisted me in shoveling the walkway in the dog yard and hauling in wood for the stove.  She was so helpful, barking at the rodents under the snow, burying her head in the snow, and wagging her tail so fast I thought it may fall off!  Definitely comic relief while I was doing typically boring chores!

When it was time to shovel the front walkway, I took both dogs with me and they frolicked in the front yard chasing bunny trails.  Then they got some silly idea it was woods walking time.  Despite the fact that we do not go woods walking in the winter.  The snow is JUST TOO DEEP for all of us!  I tried to appease them with more digging in the snow and belly rubs while rolling around crazily.  Both were agreeable to coming inside after that.

The amount of snow has also made for great snowmobiling conditions.  Buzz, especially, loves riding on the snowmobile.  Bailey knows how but prefers to run instead.

Do your canine friends assist with snow removal activities?

My Lunch Date

Is chocolate, but not edible.



Is an expert snuggler on the couch.

She's an absolute sweetheart.  We also play training games (of course) for her lunch ration!

Walking Dogs

I stress out about having to walk Bailey in public, on a leash, with other dogs potentially around.  To the point that I never used to walk her in town.  We didn't attend fun events because I knew she couldn't handle it.  While understanding current limitations is a good thing, it was definitely a crutch I used a lot more than I should have.

When I moved back from college, the dogs and I started learning how to walk on leash in town.  I know most of you will just laugh at us, but growing up on a farm and just not using leashes led to poor leash behavior and every. single. little. thing. being exciting while trying to walk.  It is discouraging and aggravating, for sure!

A normal walk... even if it is in Ohio!

So we started slow.  One dog at a time, with management tools, in the evening, and with a dinner ration.  Bailey always wore a Gentle Leader.  For at least a year when I was walking both dogs, Buzz even wore a Gentle Leader.  I was not comfortable being put into a situation where I wouldn't have complete control, so I made absolutely certain I would never be faced with a situation like that.  I'm being honest when I say that our early town walks were fast, 15-20 minutes at a brisk pace, less time to sniff things and misbehave!

When Buzz started receiving acupuncture treatments and I needed to be able to assess how he was progressing, we started walking in town on a schedule.  I chose a town that had one path, was well lit, and allowed for as much walking as we needed.  It was also generally deserted after 7pm, which was ideal.

Running and sniffing at high speeds is fun!

We've since progressed to walking on trails on leash, as well as visiting other towns and we even brave the city during the day sometimes now.  This post was prompted by our walk last night and the conversation after it.  I'd never thought about the benefits of off property leash walks until the last couple of years.  For "country dogs" who don't encounter other people on a regular basis, are rarely walked on a leash, and don't experience the sights/sounds/smells of city life, it can be incredibly overwhelming to walk in a town during the day.

Take time to enjoy the smells!

A standard evening walk now consists of Bailey on her x-back with a tug line and me holding her leash (as opposed to running with her and me wearing my belt).  Buzz wears a leash attached to his car harness.  This allows both to move freely around me and sniff/explore/do whatever dogs want to be doing.  We typically go at Bailey's pace (fast) for the first 2/3 of the walk then we slow down to a Buzz pace and Bailey practices her loose leash walking skills.

I love having the luxury of not having to work on loose leash walking skills, the dogs wearing harnesses allows them to "be dogs" and allows me to relax a little.  (Last night I even listened to music while walking, a really-huge-first!)  If we're walking in town during the day they're both still wearing harnesses but on 4 foot leashes and still wearing collars I can grab hold of, or attach the leash to if need be.

Key to our success?

Setting up for success!  Assess goals for the walk and plan appropriately.  We walk for mental and physical exercise, not to practice training.  Therefore harnesses are part of our walking gear.  Pull, pull, pull all you want.  Sniff, sniff, sniff until I get tired of standing around.  Buzz's memo is: you do NOT get to pee on everything that another dog has peed on--NO marking of light posts or street signs.  I do my best to walk where we will not encounter loose dogs, but I'm not afraid to tell the loose dog to get lost if I have to.

I have no pictures of this walking business because I don't have an extra hand.  That's another thing, pictures are a lot easier to get when the dog is much further away.  If I could get a picture of us walking, it would be dog rear ends and who wants to look at those?!

My spoiled country dogs really like walking in the city, but I think we all enjoy walks at home much, much more.

Buzz's Day

I never really know what to work on with Buzz when I take him to shaping class.  I went in with a plan to work on "set ups" (I really, really hate that word, but it's the most concise way to say what I mean) which we did.  Then I was stuck.

I was standing around asking for simple behaviors and casually mentioned that I tend to just 'stand around' and feed him when he comes to training day.  It makes me feel like a failure of a trainer.

Does he care that he's not learning intricate behaviors that'll be used for competition behaviors?  Of course not!  He's just happy to be out!  Robin commented on that... he's 12.5 years old and has earned the right to stand around eating food, being pet, and playing with Nina Ottosson toys if that's what he wants.  And she's right.

Today Buzz played games with Ryan, ate a lot of treats, was pet by almost everyone, got to sniff around outside, interact with Via at his leisure (she was leashed), and hang out with some of the coolest people and dogs on the planet.  He had a great day... he even got to stay at Maisy's house (and be a PITA... sorry Brian!!) raiding her food toy basket and playing shaping games with Brian!

I take Buzz to shaping class so he gets out and uses his brain and body.  Mission accomplished.

(Oh, we did work on go-outs around a post... he thought that was a pretty cool game, so I may just continue that behavior.)

Trialing

Buzz and I entered one run at the MMBC APDT trial in August.  Before that Bailey and I ran in the MMBC NADAC trial in March.  

I think I'm scared to enter a trial.  My dogs are capable of entering some things at this point... yet I can't seem to send the entries in!  Yes, I'm saving money (on gas, I have enough vouchers to cover all expenses) and I'm protecting my dogs but... I really think I'm hiding!  I love going to trials to socialize with friends.  It's been a LONG time since I've had to worry about a time frame at a trial.

How silly does that sound?

If I get up the courage, I'll enter Buzz in the MMBC UKC Rally trial the end of this month.  I even printed out a pre-filled entry so I'd just have to mail it in.  I don't know what's come over me!  It was hard to stop trialling, now it's hard to start again?!  Who would have thought that?!

"I guess you don't really own a dog, you rent them, and you have to be thankful that you had a long lease." --Joe Garagiola


An agility friend lost her beloved Bull Terrier, Lefty this fall.  An amazingly talented photographer who regularly captures images for us at trials put together a beautiful memorial for him.  The quote above was posted along with it.


How very true.

Sunday Shaping

I don't think I actually shaped anything today, but we did a lot of great work!

Go-Out
Session 1
Send to target on the floor.  
Helper placed food when she arrived.  Nose touch desired.
No sit/stay, I held her collar and released.  Excellent responses, speed increased each time.

Session 2
Marking an object in the distance.
Ask for mark, click and throw food forward.  Again, great responses.  Solid sit/stay while waiting for release.  Varied amounts of time waiting for release.  Solid every single time.

Session 3
Set up for go out.
She set up beautifully and maintained eye contact until asked to mark the first time then she promptly flew out to the target that was dropped after she was released.  The next time she left for the spot where the target was before even setting up.  I put her on leash and tried it again.  She again tried to leave so I stood and waited.  She did reorient nicely, c/t until I had her full attention.  360 right and ask for another set up.  Slow but correct response.  Third time was a charm and she was rewarded with food and a chance to go-out.

Four correct responses with great set ups, solid wait for release and drive toward the spot.

I like successful training days.

Goals, I Think?

It's a good idea to set goals.  Everyone will tell you that.  The problem lies in setting goals that can be accomplished in a timely manner to make one feel, accomplished.

I try to set goals for myself because otherwise I tend to putter along happily enough until I think about what I need to do in "real life."  Then I get intimidated.  Setting goals for "dog stuff" is much easier for me than setting personal goals, I would assume because of the fact that I've been practicing it for years and years.

This time, goals are about me.

Health
I set a goal for myself this fall.  I said that I would not turn into a lazy lump on a log (okay, as lazy as I get).  So, I joined a gym.  I never thought I would join a gym, I am against organized things like that... but I'm enjoying it a lot.  I committed to 3 days a week and have been going reliably (aside from the shoulder injury and the sickness).  In the new year, it's time to increase that to 4 days a week.  Tentative schedule is to add in Thursdays, Monday/Wednesday/Friday I can go to a class in the morning before work.  Thursdays would be in the morning before work by myself... on a date with the elliptical machine!

Eating/drinking better.  I've done really well with this one so far.  It can only get better in the coming year.  I drink pop infrequently, I opt for water or juice the majority of the time.  Energy drinks definitely less than once a week.  I succeeded in reducing the amount of caffeinated/carbonated beverages by allowing myself to have 1-2, rather than cutting it out completely.  A gradual reduction and I definitely don't crave it.  I'm drinking water when going out to eat, happily (okay, so I may steal a few sips of someone's Mountain Dew...).

Focusing on health for myself has really helped me focus on health for the dogs too.  We go for walks to get out and explore.  I don't hesitate to bring Buzz to a trial just to be a spectator.  I'm focusing on physical and mental well-being for everyone, and it's working out well.  Saturday I had the luxury of lounging around until after noon.  It was quite an enjoyable experience.

Friends
In the past I've been good at making friends, but failed utterly at keeping them.  I tend to get busy and fall off the face of the earth.  I hate it when people do that to me, so why would I expect friends to accept it?  I shouldn't.  I made a lot of new friends this year who are invaluable and irreplaceable, I'm lucky to have these people in my life. Yes, the majority are "dog people" and thus "dog friends" but we definitely have a lot more in common than just dogs.

This year I will not fall off the face of the earth when life gets hectic.  I love my friends and will continue to enjoy their company.

Education
I still don't know what I want to do with my life.  So while I figure that out, I'm continuing to pursue both avenues and see where it takes me.  I attended a TAGteach seminar last summer.  It was brilliantly wonderful (I really need to work on my level 1 project).  I took an introductory class for my Autism Certificate from Hamline University.  I plan to take two more classes in the coming spring.

I'm going to the Midwest Veterinary Conference because Ken Ramirez and Kathy Sdao are both speaking.  I signed up for an assortment of behavior classes and rehabilitation classes.  I know I'm going to have a great time there!

Me, Me, Me
I've never, ever, been afraid to live my life for me... or so I thought.  I had a lot of experiences this year that stick out as "I learned something valuable."  Despite them coming from some incredibly stressful and trying times, I really have learned quite a bit.  It's acceptable to say "no" to people.  I don't have to do things just because someone will make me feel guilty if I don't.  I shouldn't sacrifice my happiness for someone else's convenience.  I'm learning how to be direct.

I am not afraid to live my life with goals, ambitions, and dreams, that I will make come true.
I will get what I want.

2010-The Year of Rehabilitation and Realizations

The year started off pretty well for us and then I had a mini (ok, it was probably major, I'll just pretend it wasn't) crisis about not being able to train my dog to meet criteria.  Normally when I put in effort, develop a training plan, and take private lessons the goal gets accomplished.  With the move of Agile Canines Training School into a new (old) building, I knew Bailey wouldn't be working on actual skills for a while, especially not in a group class.  Yet, my training goal for this year was to get real running contacts.  Thus we started working with Annelise privately to get a good base for said running contacts.

I knew my dog was aging, and that she likely wouldn't ever have the speed I'd really like, but I was really confused (okay, stressed) by the fact that she was NOT improving, and actually seemed to be getting worse!  Her contact behavior had deteriorated so much that I couldn't even get a maintained canter across the dog walk, much less over the a-frame.

Then we met Dr. Julia Tomlinson of Twin Cities Animal Rehabilitation Clinic who is worth her weight (times a billion) in gold.  Bailey had a physical injury that most humans wouldn't be able to work through.  Yet, she was still running around and acting like a normal dog at home but when asked for tight turns or increased speed on challenging surfaces, she was unable.  Dr. Julia made a tentative diagnosis of "injured right quadricep muscle" and we started on a rehab plan.

It was not all flowers and roses, in fact I remember saying to Bailey that if she doesn't stop being a jerk on a leash she can sit in her crate for hours and hours and hours on end.  Yes, she was put on strict crate rest with short leash walks (required to be loose leash with no harness or gentle leader because of the way both contort her body).  I thought we were all going to die, I am not kidding.  I tried to sell her to many people and pawn her off on co-workers A. Lot.  We used a lot of stuffed kongs, bully sticks, and beef ribs in the first couple of months.

Then I thought about what a real trainer would do when faced with this problem; teach my ten and a half year old dog to walk on a leash.  I know, I know... most people have this realization when their dog is about 4 months old.  We're just a little behind the times.  I did a lot of things wrong (think the worst about walking management tools) when she was a wee pup and into adulthood so I've never, ever, been successful at teaching her real loose leash walking skills.  Walks were either a) off leash, b) on an x-back harness, c) wearing an easy walk or d) on a gentle leader.  I could probably count on two hands how many times she'd been walked on a 4 foot leash attached to her collar for more than a trip to and from the car.

Enter the Loose Leash Walking Project.  My dog can casually walk on a loose leash at home for a decent distance.  I still need a very high ROR when in public but hey, WE CAN DO IT!

And that brings us to today.  We had a visit with Dr. Julia on Wednesday.  For the last couple months, we've been going to see her every 3-4 weeks for an adjustment and to check on progress.  I think we're both still hopeful she'll make a full recovery, but the last appointment was really about how far she has come.  I was getting so, so, so distressed about the fact that Bailey wasn't holding her adjustments in the beginning.  Her sacrum was constantly shifted because of a lack of muscle to hold it in properly.  She was very sore, very often.  There were days where I wanted to give up.  There were weeks where I didn't do any stretches with her because it just was not going well.  We got into a major rut.  Then our Ohioan Training Buddy helped me develop a TAGteach style plan of action.  Since then I've been reliably doing her stretches at least once a day and actually at least 85% each week.

Progress has been slow, but it's there.  Her sacrum hasn't shifted in months.  She's gaining strength in adductor muscles.  Best of all though, my happy little girlie is back.  She's moving freely, she's using her leg completely (absolutely no toe-touching, ever), and we're having a blast doing her rehab exercises these days.  Since she's been unable to train for competitive behaviors that are strenuous (agility) or one sided (heeling) or could otherwise compromise her leg, I made her stretches into a training game.  She will readily offer a bow, a nose touch to hip, or a leg lift.  She's even doing leg lifts on the ball by herself now.  She "assumes the position" for her theraband exercises and stands like a statue for vibration therapy.

I learned something vitally important this year.  My training plan wasn't ineffective.  My dog was hurting, I just couldn't see it.  Don't ever underestimate or rule out a pain response if training isn't going as it should.  

Realistically she may never compete again, and I think I'm okay with that.

Holiday Gifts

The dogs got beef ribs and some canned food for Kong stuffing, and a stuff-less skunk toy.

The cats got new comfy beds for on the furniture (dual purpose cat sleeper and hair containment).

I got some pretty awesome things from the family.  Best gift?  Retired bridle leather with turquoise beads bracelet from Montana!

Also got the Dansko shoes I've been coveting.  Mom was sneaky and I love, love, love them.

Brother gave me an ipod shuffle!  I'm so excited to use it while I'm working out now!

Despite all the stress of having the holiday at The Farm, it was absolutely great to see everyone.

Declaw Alternatives

Yes, a cat post.  I'd say (without looking at actual numbers) that we do about 50% of our cat spays/neuters with a front declaw, 10% is probably a 4 paw declaw, and the remaining 40% are only spay/neuter.  Surprisingly (to me) maybe 45% of those initially not declawed come back in later for a front declaw.

I've never been a fan of declawing.  Working at the clinic has made me even less of a fan.  I live with one front declawed cat (done at an older age, but definitely not old) and one who has kept all of his claws for his 13 years of life thus far.

Why do people feel that declawing is necessary right away?  I will say that I stand by the fact I would rather see a cat declaws and living inside safely, than the alternatives (becoming an outdoor cat or dead).  Of course, of course, of course!  I just feel like we're missing out on a key element of pet education if we're seeing so many (standard) declaw procedures.

Alternatives?
1) Nail trims.  I've been experimenting lately with my own cats.  I've got both of my cats accustomed to the dremel.  I trim the tip with a clippers (if I let them get that long) and then dremel it back, like I would a dog's nail, until there is no point to the nail.  This means that he can't be using the nail to scratch things.  I ran my fingers over the nails when I finished this morning and it doesn't appear to be sharp in any way.  We have leather furniture, so scratches happen pretty easily.  He doesn't actively scratch things, but if I let his nails get too long they tend to do the damage all on their own.

2) Soft Paws.  I've heard very little good about the product, most of the negative relating to the glue used.  I bought some a while back and haven't used them yet.  I've  been told to expect to have to order new glue to use as the tube in my kit is likely dried up, despite it not being opened.  The reason I haven't tried them is I'd have to let the nail grow out for them to fit.  I simply haven't seen the point yet.

3) Appropriate scratching surfaces.  I don't have any cat trees.  I really, really, need to build one.  Not only as an appropriate scratching surface, but I'm sure the cats would love to have a place the dogs absolutely could not get to.  Most scratching surfaces bought at local big box stores are too short for the majority of the cat population.  It does no good if the kitty doesn't like it!

4) Enrichment.  Cats are more likely to find inappropriate scratching surfaces if they are bored.  Keep your indoor feline occupied.

5) Health.  As always, if there are sudden changes to your cat's behavior, a vet visit may be in order.

Developing A Training Plan

We have a new "clinic cat" at work.  She's a little kitten that was found out and about in the winter weather.  A kind citizen brought her in.  My boss promised her a home before the holidays and since nobody has come forward, she's become the newest addition!

Which means she needs vaccines and sterilization and other fun things clinic cats get.  I've wanted a new pupil for a while now and what's better than a food motivated, silly little kitten?!

I've never been good about creating a training plan and actually using it.  Since I would like this to be as effective as possible and accomplished in the shortest amount of time possible, I'm going to create, and stick to, a training plan.

I won't share my loftiest goal, but I will share what I hope to accomplish along the way.

1) Relaxed blood draw behavior
2) Kennel on cue
3) Go to mat

The plan is to ask tomorrow if I can work with the adorable kitten, if my voice will cooperate.  It is currently on vacation without me.

"The Golden Years"

Buzz will be 13 in May.  I've tried to make sure he's still getting physical and mental stimulation as he likes, because who wants to be forgotten in their golden years?  Last night we had a "meeting of the minds" with some good friends and a sleepover (I can count on one hand how many times Buzz and I have had a sleep over)!  He interacted with Beckett, Via, and Elvis as well as the myriad of people around all night long, he had a blast!  So much fun in fact, that I had to crate him to get him to sleep last night!

Watching waffles being made!

We then went to training group this morning where he worked for a good portion of the hour.  It was evident he'd been to a sleep over, but was happy to be there and to be working!

Beckett has learned how to use the pivot box!

I've been taking him to work with me to see people and use the treadmill since it has been WAY too cold for outdoor activities.  When it does warm up again, I hope to resume at least once weekly walking in town.

I've not been good about using food toys, but I plan to start doing that again.  I can take Bailey for her walk in the morning before work and leave the tug a jug out for Buzz (yay for multi-tasking)!

What do you do in the winter to keep your dog mentally and physically stimulated?

I'm looking for Bailey specific activities too.  She doesn't like coming to work and isn't generally satisfied with town walks.  She does like going to Tractor Supply to go shopping, but there's so few things we need from there that it's realistic about once a month.  I do alternate dogs when going to training group, but then she's only getting out every other week at best.

Rehab-Modified!

We've been doing our stretches and ball work dutifully.  We are failing at exercising (well, the dogs and I are... I am not, for once, whee).  It is SO COLD outside that even with boots and jackets and activity, we are limited to the driveway and while it's pretty long, it gets boring after a couple passes.  This morning Buzz went out to pee, walked to the shed and stopped.  He looked at me and walked back to the front door.  He made that pretty clear.

I keep saying I should just bring him to work and put him on the treadmill, so that's what I'll do tomorrow.  We'll go to work and he'll exercise on my lunch hour while I eat lunch and/or read a book.  Hahahaha, oh yes, I'll be laughing at him.

If I remember, I'll bring my camera.  He's never been on the treadmill at work before, but I doubt he'll have any problems with it.

Bring it on Midwest Winter, bring it on!  We can work around you!

Snow-(tsu)nami!

Sorry for the poor quality.  I was just happy my camera complied long enough to get a couple pictures before it said "I AM TOO COLD!"

Snow dogs were happy with snow, only when in complete winter gear.

Buzz knows how to stay warm.  It involves 2 jackets and some boots.

I emailed Muttlucks again to ask about buying a single boot and no response... so we have 3 Muttlucks and a reandom, red, cheap boot.

Spoiled!

More Poking and Prodding

Buzz2
Originally uploaded by Keen on Mangoes

Buzz was poked in the bladder (still "stuff that shouldn't be" on his urinalysis but... we're going to wait and run another urinalysis in 2 weeks), poked in the jugular (his general health profile was straight black, right down the middle, awesomely good), and poked in the armpit (yay, another lipoma). He says he wants to stay home from now on.

All in all, a pretty darn good report.

A Very Special Setter

He wasn't mine, I never saw him for more than a couple hours at a time, and yet this is one of the most challenging euthanasias I've been through.

He touched a place in my heart that hasn't been used in a while.  He was special from that first time he walked through the clinic door.  He and his owners came to us just a couple months ago because their other clinic was closing and the boy needed a reliable doctor to fight for him.  We've been trying our damndest to provide him with relief from seizures, but nothing has worked.  He'd start a new drug, have no seizures for days at a time then he would start to have grand mal cluster seizures again.  One of his owners would call in tears asking if there's anything we can do, and we'd eventually find a new drug, a new supplement, a new something...

Today he came in for that final visit.  I stepped in to the room to say my good-byes and the big blue boy shoved his head into my face.  I told him what a good boy he is, how brave he's been, and that he's the most beautiful setter I've ever met.  He obliged me for a couple seconds and then began pacing again.  Watching him so clearly uncomfortable with... everything... made it almost bearable.  I told his owners how damn sorry I am, how badly I feel that we couldn't help him.  They'd done everything anyone's ever suggested that *just might* have helped.  They'd exhausted all options.  This was the last gift they could give him.

Rest well beautiful blue boy.  You've given everyone you met something to remember--Don't dwell on the past, don't worry about the future--just live in the now.  I'm sorry your body failed you, and I'm sorry we couldn't help you.  I'll remember you forever, as the bravest dog I've ever met.

Crazy Red Adolescent Boy Dog

I affectionately refer to Fritz with many crazy-like names.  I don't use his name much (habit that deserves a post of its' own...) so I find other things to call him.  Today he was red beast, crazy red boy, and goofy red kid... I think.

Our training today was great in many ways.

1. He never stopped taking food.  He started showing signs of being disinterested, so I stopped before he stopped.
2. He remembered hand targeting after only a couple sessions.  He hasn't worked on it since he was at my house in September.
3. His Gentle Leader behavior was functional.  He'll still put his nose through the loop and allow it to be buckled without bucking-bronco tactics.
4. The Tug-A-Jug is still exciting.  As is the Kong Genius.
5. He was able to reorient at the door and I was proactive and held his collar to prevent leaping off the deck (he likes to launch from deck to sidewalk, completely skipping the 3 steps and hauling the person on the other end of the leash with).
6. He didn't pee on my shoes in greeting...

September... we definitely have snow now!

I brought an assortment of kibbles I have at home (TOTW High Prairie, Fromm Salmon, Fromm Duck, Kirkland Chicken and Rice) and some Old Mother Hubbard assorted mini-biscuits.  We also used treats from his house--peanut butter biscuits, dried chicken jerky, and soft beef treats.  He was very alert and in tune when we encountered another dog (a good distance away).  I was able to get him to reorient and sufficiently reinforce/keep his attention every time but one.  He did wuff! a couple times but no leaping dog behavior, just a lot of "stop and stare" that was fairly easy for me to reengage him from.  Very little Gentle Leader frustration behavior (he perfectly demonstrated the difference between thick and thin nose loop preference that I'd tried to explain previously), and incredibly responsive to the slightest pressure.

Not-so-successful.

1. He was still launching at me pretty regularly.  It decreases significantly each time I see him, but he's still doing it.  He's huge and it hurts.  It frustrates him when he doesn't get my attention that way, so then he gets mouthy. I was sorta able to redirect to a toy and sorta able to engage him in training... sometimes.  I know he needs a better way to greet me, but if I get down on his level I get pee on my shoes.  If I engage with him upon first arrival, I get pee on my shoes/pants/whatever is nearby.  (He's a huge submissive peer...)
2. Nail trim.  When he stayed with me I trimmed his nails almost every day.  By the time he left, he'd lay on his side and let me trim all four feet without mouthing me.  He was relentless today.  I actually needed another hand, which I haven't needed with him in quite a while.  A toy in his mouth was not sufficiently engaging, he wanted to mouth ME.

I'm not sure if mouthy was just a "thing" today or what's going on with that.  He's always been a mouth-oriented dog, he samples everything, but I can't remember it being this significant before.  Is this something that needs to be addressed, or will it go away?

Greetings clearly need help, but I'm not sure how.  Crating hasn't helped in the past.  He gets all wiggly and pees as I unlatch the door.  I've thought about crating + dropping food in without eye contact, but I doubt he'd eat it, so... ineffective.

And my biggest struggling point ever--teaching the owner leash handling techniques with a Gentle Leader on.  Kristen and I have talked about it extensively and not come to any real conclusions... anyone else have suggestions other than go ride a horse (seriously... people who ride/have ridden have excellent leash handling skills)?

Rehab continued

 We visited with the fabulous Dr. Julia on Wednesday evening and while the appointment went well:

• Bailey's sacrum is still staying where it needs to!
• Buzz is definitely more mobile

We still aren't seeing enough results with Bailey's leg.  More ball work (correctly... since I'd misunderstood before) for both dogs.  

• Bailey is to do single front leg lifts while on the ball
• Buzz is just to stand on it for 30 seconds

And, we're using resistance bands on Bailey's legs now.  

Trust

We have a generic herding dog mix who comes into work.  He's a rescue, from an unknown situation, and he's a dog I would truly call "unpredictable."  He has to be muzzled for all encounters because his warning signs are so slight and his threshold is so low.  In the months since I've worked at the clinic, I take this appointment every time I'm available.  He can be so sweet and he really seems to be "misunderstood" among other things.  We get along okay and I think we've reached an understanding.  (I have to preface this with... I do what I can at work, there are things I would do differently--like not pushing him over threshold, but I have to do my job in the best way I can.)  The understanding is: he lets me muzzle him without any fuss and he can growl the whole darn time if he wants.  When we're done, I take the muzzle off with as little fur pulling as possible and then he gets a treat.

I'm sure I could fill up pages upon pages based on my interactions with him, but one from yesterday deserves to be documented.

I got kisses, and I wasn't scared of him when he did it.  We played "the muzzle game" in front of his owner (who has a healthy fear of him, and can't safely muzzle him herself) and he got SO DARNED EXCITED that he bopped me on the chin.  His eyes lit up, he danced around, and he was so darned excited.  He adores the muzzle game.  I would classify my encounters with him previously as either neutral, or negative.  Definitely not positive.  Yesterday's encounter ended positively.  I've never been more thrilled to see a dog put his ears up and look expectantly at me.  He learned how to earn treats.  Not that I would have allowed the kisses if he hadn't been acting the way he was.  I don't know how to adequately describe it, but that boy was just... relieved, maybe?

Good boy.  What a good boy he was.