Ladders For Hind Leg Awareness Training

[Tassie]

Haven't done it myself Erny, but I know you can clicker train for s step back - one at a time - or just use a verbal marker if you don't want to click. You can also have a small box (weighted so it doesn't move) on the ground, and shape him putting his back feet up on it - sort of reverse perch work.

Oh, and on the swimming pool thing - I wonder if he'd find the greyhound pool at Devon Meadows (assuming it's still there) more uder friendly - the dog is swimming at your waist level, as opposed to below foot level in moest dog pools. Come to think of it, the pool at Kepala is a waist level one too - and the lagoon pool there is lots of fun.

[Erny]

Haven't done it myself Erny, but I know you can clicker train for s step back ...

He's afraid of the noise of the clicker and I have reasons for not wanting to desensitise at this stage. But thanks for the suggestion.

I'll work on the back-end exercises using bar work, I think, at this stage. Will consider the other option such as swimming etc. later, if he needs additional help with it. I'm familiar with the Devon Meadows pool and to my knowledge they are still operating :D. Swimming would help build up the back-end and I'll do that if I need to, although I think waste height wading/walking would be better for that if I can arrange it. I'm not sure that swimming is necessarily going to give me the rear-end awareness that I'm looking for at the moment, but I will keep it all in mind .

Thanks everyone, for your helpful suggestions :D .

[NaturallyWild]

I tend to look at all of this in two different stages.

First is creating awareness through relatively slow movements over different obstacles (poles - even and uneven, ladders, low platforms - including turning around on them and stepping off, steps - see through & solid, etc), using various wraps (ankle, body, head), plus TTouches and shaping individual limb movements/targeting.

The next step is creating better movement patterns which would involve the grid work, etc, where speed and difficulty is gradually increased with skill.

Just a quick question Erny. With the fear/sensitivity to the clicker, have you noticed specific areas of the body with tension or sensitivity of being touched? You may find that with marked improvement of rear end awareness/confidence that the sensitivity to the clicker reduces or disappears. I say this because I find a high percentage of dogs with storm/sound phobias have a rear end sensitivity.

[Staff'n'Toller]

Fair enough about the swimming. I had the same sort of thing with Geordie I put him in the pool at 6 months and he hated it. Lots of work at the dam and a long break from the pool, now he is crazy about the pool...not sure what goes on in his little head he is like a demon possessed.

I agree it won't do much for rear end awareness though.

[Erny]

Just a quick question Erny. With the fear/sensitivity to the clicker, have you noticed specific areas of the body with tension or sensitivity of being touched? You may find that with marked improvement of rear end awareness/confidence that the sensitivity to the clicker reduces or disappears. I say this because I find a high percentage of dogs with storm/sound phobias have a rear end sensitivity.

That is an extraordinary interesting observation and concept, NW (). My boy has had an issue with a trigger point or two towards his rear end along his back line. This has improved dramatically with his two sessions of acupuncture and I believe one of the two chinese herbal medicines prescribed to him would also be helping with this. Our last visit back at the Vet's a couple of days ago proved none of the sensitivity that was apparent previously.

I will keep this in mind though and make a mental note of it and will report to you anything that I notice that might remotely be connected. There could occur a natural and unintended desensitisation to the noise though, so combine that with the fact that I have been treating his physical 'trigger' points and it could prove to 'grey' the area somewhat. Hope what I am saying makes sense.

[Lablover]

This has improved dramatically with his two sessions of acupuncture and I believe one of the two chinese herbal medicines prescribed to him would also be helping with this. Our last visit back at the Vet's a couple of days ago proved none of the sensitivity that was apparent previously.

Does he continue to show improved flexability since treatment?

[Erny]

Does he continue to show improved flexability since treatment?

Flexibility didn't seem to be so much a problem - was more a strength issue. Strength has improved and with that I'm hoping that muscle development will equalise a bit more. He's stronger and more developed in the front end than he is in the back end.

Edited November 9, 2009 by Erny

[huski]

:D How's Mandela's health going, Erny?

[Erny]

Thanks for remembering and thinking to ask, Huski.

Overall, he's improved. Basically and in the words of our Vet on a recent check-up visit, we have pretty well done as much as we can for his system to be able to function as well as it might. Haven't seen a skin rash for a while and hardly ever pops a hive (and when he does it is only one or two). In the last couple of months he has had a day or two of being off his food, but then he returns to it with vigour. Stools are mostly well formed, although there are some that are sloppy. Vet is thinking nerves is having an affect in that respect. He's put on weight but is still what I would consider lean and I don't like to see him drop any weight at all. He stands a bit squarer on his hind legs and they do seem stronger by a 'bit'. His frame is a bit narrow but he is a bit of a late bloomer, so we do expect to see much of whatever bulking out in the next 6 months or so. His coat is excellent - occasionally it goes off the boil (often only to my eyes) and sometimes throws a bit of scurf. This is often linked to when he has sloppy stools but as I said, that's not all that much by comparison to beforehand. I will be doing a "diet challenge" sometime later - to see if he throws hives (eg. to chicken) but I think I might wait another 6 months to give his body and system as much time as possible to strengthen as much as it will. I don't apply/administer any drugs nor do I bath him. I use calendula tea to help his skin but really haven't had to use that for the last couple of months. I'll be going back to see the Vet/s again next March/April unless there's any reason that develops for him to return sooner. And, he is still an idiot pup :D .

Cheers!

Erny

[huski]

Thanks for remembering and thinking to ask, Huski.

Overall, he's improved. Basically and in the words of our Vet on a recent check-up visit, we have pretty well done as much as we can for his system to be able to function as well as it might. Haven't seen a skin rash for a while and hardly ever pops a hive (and when he does it is only one or two). In the last couple of months he has had a day or two of being off his food, but then he returns to it with vigour. Stools are mostly well formed, although there are some that are sloppy. Vet is thinking nerves is having an affect in that respect. He's put on weight but is still what I would consider lean and I don't like to see him drop any weight at all. He stands a bit squarer on his hind legs and they do seem stronger by a 'bit'. His frame is a bit narrow but he is a bit of a late bloomer, so we do expect to see much of whatever bulking out in the next 6 months or so. His coat is excellent - occasionally it goes off the boil (often only to my eyes) and sometimes throws a bit of scurf. This is often linked to when he has sloppy stools but as I said, that's not all that much by comparison to beforehand. I will be doing a "diet challenge" sometime later - to see if he throws hives (eg. to chicken) but I think I might wait another 6 months to give his body and system as much time as possible to strengthen as much as it will. I don't apply/administer any drugs nor do I bath him. I use calendula tea to help his skin but really haven't had to use that for the last couple of months. I'll be going back to see the Vet/s again next March/April unless there's any reason that develops for him to return sooner. And, he is still an idiot pup .

Cheers!

Erny

So glad to hear he's doing better, Erny

[Jigsaw]

for Mandela! Hope he just continues to improve and bloom! Edited November 10, 2009 by Jigsaw

[Erny]

Thank you, guys. I've been hesitant to report in his thread on how he is doing because by experience it can be so changeable and I've not wanted to jinx things. Things aren't perfect, but they are certainly much better and I am not spending the time stressing about his health as I used to feel I needed to do.