Gideon's girl Posted March 28, 2013 Report Share Posted March 28, 2013 So sorry to hear about Chaos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliepoudrier Posted March 28, 2013 Report Share Posted March 28, 2013 Hey Megs, I agree with nosework and similar. Working stock could be just as hard on his body as agility, especially when you consider that the stock can nail him--something agility equipment can't do. I'm sorry you got the diagnosis you did, but there must be some relief in knowing what is wrong. J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SS Cressa Posted March 29, 2013 Report Share Posted March 29, 2013 Wow! I am glad you found out but sorry to for the diagnosis. Is he retired permanent? Could he play ina different venue(NADAC or cpe)? Idk how hard those venues are for people but one aspect is they have a ton of classes(not all have contacts) and they also have hoops (so not much jumping). I really like tracking when I was doing it with my dogs. It was fun to see a light bulb moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Megs Posted August 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 2, 2013 Hi, Well I would love to play some fun agility and still be a part of the competitions, fun and training but I live in South Africa and here there are no fun classes, sadly. I would love to look into tracking with him but he is reactive toward strangers, especially men so finding a suitable trainer is proving more and more difficult. Can anyone recommend a book or dvd I can get to help with training? btw, Chaos is doing fantastically, he had a bit of a struggle recently but now is back to being awesome leaves me even considering doing agility again. We do play in the garden and he is fast as ever and enjoys it so much. Has anyone else continued with agility after their dog was diagnosed with this disease? The physiotherapist I took him too reckons that I could probably now jump him if I wanted to, he has now been off for 6 months. BUT is it REALLY worth it? I just miss it so much its depressing and he looks so happy and 100% keen when doing it, makes ones heart ache Wow! I am glad you found out but sorry to for the diagnosis.Is he retired permanent? Could he play ina different venue(NADAC or cpe)? Idk how hard those venues are for people but one aspect is they have a ton of classes(not all have contacts) and they also have hoops (so not much jumping).I really like tracking when I was doing it with my dogs. It was fun to see a light bulb moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Megs Posted August 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted August 2, 2013 My beautiful boy at the beach, having too much fun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gcv-border Posted August 2, 2013 Report Share Posted August 2, 2013 Since the physio said you could jump him, you could try it cautiously and watch him closely for any signs of pain or faltering. I would first make sure he is muscled up and flexible since it sounds like he hasn't been doing a lot of exercise during his time off. Then start jumping him at a low height and observe his reaction. Bring him along slowly for re-conditioning him and to give you time to observe. Have you looked into Nosework? Google it. I think there are instructions on the web for doing it or you may be able to buy a DVD. Good Luck, Jovi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urge to herd Posted August 2, 2013 Report Share Posted August 2, 2013 Megs, you may already know this, Nosework is not the same as tracking. It is very, very safe and physically not stressful for dogs or their handlers. Got to rush off, but will see if I can find dvd's that you could order. There might be YouTube videos available, it would be worth checking out. Ruth and Agent Gibbs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliepoudrier Posted August 3, 2013 Report Share Posted August 3, 2013 I think I'd also consult with the vet who diagnosed him before getting back into agility with him. He may seem comfortable now, but the repetitive impact of agility may just exacerbate the problem, and the last thing you'd want to do is have him healthy (given his condition) and comfortable now and inadvertently make things worse by overdoing it. Running along the beach, etc., is not the same as running an agility course, which requires flexibility in the back and puts stress on the very areas where he's got problems. People I know who have had herniated disks report it to be quite painful. When he's running around at home, presumably he's doing as much as he's comfortable doing, which isn't the same as putting him back into competition or training for competition, where he may end up pushing himself to satisfy the need to "run fast and clean." J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ness_bc Posted August 5, 2013 Report Share Posted August 5, 2013 Megs - you can teach the dog to track by laying the tracks yourself so the dog is tracking your scent. Thats how I have taught Kenz (who is also scared of strangers). She learned the game by me laying a track and following my scent to a t-shirt with a container of food. IPO tracking the preliminary tracks the handlers lays. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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