Bc hesitant to jump

[Slammedgtk]

I have a 4 and a half year old female bc. No injuries, no health issues, absolutely obsessed with catching (not fetching), and cant get her to jump. She has been raised on hardwood floors her whole life. She stays indoors but has plenty of outdoor time. I noticed she hesitates to jump on the bed but assumed it was a traction issue. She would get the zoomies and drift around the house. She simpily refuses to jump off our dock and hesitates loading up in the jeep but loves to go places. Ive had to resort to picking her up. Im worried there might be something wrong. When she does jump, she does not seem to be in pain, but i cant be sure. She was super easy to train but when training to jump, it was like i was trying to teach her quantum physics. The only other thing ive noticed is she has always held her right rear paw up when going down stairs. I asked the vet, who checked her out, but didnt find anything. Any one have any ideas? Sorry for the book.

[gcv-border]

Sorry to hear this. My first thought is that she may have an ileopsoas tear. Her hesitation to use her rear for 'explosive' actions (jumping) is a giveaway that there is an injury.

As you probably know, BCs are excellent at masking pain, but she does seem to be giving signals that she is in pain. If she lives on hardwood, there could have been a time when she slipped and strained a muscle or joint. Or an injury could have happened at any other time.

General vets do not (usually) have the expertise to diagnose sports injuries. (Ask me how I know.) I definitely recommend finding a certified orthopedic vet that is specially trained in this area. I don't have a link in front of me, but there are on-line lists of orthopedic vets to help you find one in your area.

Good luck.

[Slammedgtk]

Thanks for your response. They are great at hiding pain but shows no hesitation at any other activity. Squirrels and especially geese dont stand a chance in my yard. Chasing the geese off is one of her favorites. She skips steps trying to get to them. She has no problems running, turning on a dime and will stand up on her back paws for treats, ball catching, or just to reach something she wants with absolutely  no hesitation. As much as she utilizes her rear legs and hips in other vigorous activities, I wouldnt think that she was injured. But then Im not a veterinarian either. Thanks again. I will definitely look into it. The last thing i want is for her to suffer.

[urge to herd]

I'd check first with an ortho -vet just to make sure you're not dealing with an injury. AND, there's a good chance she was frightened by something the last time she jumped and remembers it. Most dogs have a good memory for things that frighten or hurt them.

Have you tried setting up a very low hurdle and coaxing her to jump over it? Something like a piece of pvc pipe laid across a couple soup cans would work. If she won't be coaxed over something like that then I'd say find that vet sooner rather than later.

Let us know what you find out.

Ruth & Gibbs

 

[Slammedgtk]

I have tried the hurdle. Except I used tp rolls and a scrap piece of trim. She did good till we got 4 or 5 rolls high, then just started walking around it. She wont hesitate to make small leaps like the couch or out of my wifes car but anything over about 3ft she stops short. Ive sometimes wondered if being on the hardwoods a lot has trained her to be weary of jumping due to lack of traction.

[gcv-border]

These dogs are smart enough to differentiate surfaces - i.e. she will know to be careful jumping with slippery hardwoods, but should have no hesitancy (if not injured) jumping with grass/dirt/sand underneath. So no, being on hardwoods would not 'teach' her to not jump under other conditions.

If she is injured (ileopsoas strain or tear, or spinal wrench or...?), it is perfectly logical that she could 'jump' lower heights, which she probably mostly steps over, but avoids the higher heights where she has to elevate more because that can be painful.