Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Paw It Forward

We received a "Paw It Forward" package in yesterday’s mail from Blue and Iris!! Included are some Ike and Bug friendly treats (no chicken, beef, or lamb!) and a Kong Braidz toy. OH!!! Gimme! said Bug. I have been eyeing these for a while with the sneaking suspicion he would love one and now we know....yes he loves it!

Thank you, Blue and Iris!




Now for the next part of the game. I'll send a "Paw It Forward" package to the first two people who reply saying that they want to play (please include your e-mail address so I can contact you for your physical address). Then after you get your package, you "paw it forward" by sending packages to two more people. Very cool! Anyone want to play?

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Keene, NH?

Is anyone planning on showing at the Chelsea Kennel Club show in Keene, NH (8/8/10)? We went last year and the location was lovely (a wooded campground) and the show itself was fairly small. Last year's entry was 2-1-0-0. Bug is still looking for a single point and I wondered if anyone would be attending. Thanks in advance!

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Go Ike, Go

Ike and I had agility class last night. He was great. Kathleen took some video of our last run of the night. You will see us struggle with a rear cross after the A-frame (and the yellow tunnel). First run of the night I didn't let him get ahead of me. 2nd run we did the actual cross so I stopped to reward. I think the rest of the runs were a lot like the video - me crowding him and not letting him get ahead of me. Argh. We will get there. We are practicing at home and he is definitely moving with a lot more drive, so I think it will come

Ike's dogwalk is really looking awesome. K commented that he accelerating once he is on it. Hooray, Ike.

Additionally, the young Aussie with the young male owner have joined our class and Ike has been minimally reactive to him (the guy not the dog). Again, hooray!

Ike seems to be really enjoying himself, which makes me VERY happy!!

Friday, June 11, 2010

Whining and Rejoicing

You all may remember in February I visited a podiatrist because I was having a lot of pain in the outside joint of my right foot. It had been going on for 2 – 3 months at the time. He diagnosed it as bursitis and gave me a cortisone shot. I went back two weeks later because my foot was hurting in a new way. Turns out he hit bone with the needle and gave me a bone bruise. Nice …. so in addition to the bursitis I had a bone bruise.

3 months later and my foot is killing me and starting to hurt in different ways too – along the heel and soles. The heel/sole pain scares me and makes me worried it could be plantar fasciitis. A friend gave me the name of a podiatrist in Brookline who was the Patriots podiatrist physician for 15 years, as well as working for Boston Ballet, Saucony, and Nike. Yay! He knows athletes (not that I am really an athlete but I am walking a lot and doing agility, etc) and biomechanics. I saw him on Wednesday.

Dr. S was so thorough! They have something called eco feet which is essentially a large scanner that can hold a lot of weight. They have you step onto it through this black cloth that they zip around your ankles and they scan the soles of your feet so they have a digital image of them. So cool!

He did a gazillion range of motion exercises/movements and examined my feet very thoroughly palpitating for pain/sensitivity. He measured my hip height and had me walk back and forth multiple times at varying speeds.

Ultimately he said my feet are in pretty good shape, but that my right hip is higher than my left hip and I am landing on the inside of my right heel which causes me to spin on the ball of my foot putting pressure on the outside of my foot – causing the bursitis. (He did agree with that diagnosis – just not how the previous doctor treated it. He said that cortisone causes damage to soft tissue and since the location of the bursitis in my foot does not have a significant fat pad or amount of soft tissue to begin with the cortisone shot reduced it even more. Sigh. He said he rarely uses cortisone – only as a last resort.)

He suggested orthotics with heel lifts in the left foot so that my hips are even. They made the orthotics while I waited. They had me walk in my new sneakers (Brooks 7.5 EE! In part to fit the orthotic. I usually wear an 8.5 that was apparently not wide enough for my foot) for about 5 minutes. Then the dr. came and watched me walk in the shoes and measured my hips again.

Until the inflammation goes down they want me to wear my new sneakers most of the time. My feet feel MUCH better. Usually they hurt while I am walking the dogs. Not since I got my new sneaks with orthotics!

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Yum say the Boyz!

Bug has 1 point to finish. In order to do so I have to put some weight on him. He has already gained 2 pounds. I think if he gains 3 - 4 more he will be heavy enough for the breed ring. This means he will not be doing any agility or herding this year once he is done with physical therapy. I will not work him heavy and risk re-injuring him.

He is signed up for a Control Unleashed class in July and I will probably put him in either a Rally class or a Noseworks class (he loved the workshop we did).

Our next show is the beginning of July. I decided to try the infamous Satin Balls to add some weight. Kerry, Bug's handler, sent me a link to her favorite recipe (maybe they are all the same, I don't know). Bug is allergic to beef so I substituted ground pork. I might do lamb at a later date.


The boys got to lick the bowl ....
and they thought that was a wonderful treat!

Swimming



Still some tongue flicks, but nothing like in the beginning ... and no more crazy corgi eye or attempts to jump out of the pool. Bug has become a very strong swimmer!! Today he did 10 laps and wasn't even tired.

An Award!


We've been awarded the master of karate and friendship award by Amy at Crazy Cardiness blog! Thank you, Amy! Now I get to pass it on. It feels like a long time since one of these went around. Here goes:

Katrin at By My Side

Blue at The Rainbow Dogess

Dawn at Days at Daybreake

Everyone on my blog list should feel free to join in. I enjoy reading all of your escapades so much. Since I have been so busy lately and not keeping on my blogging or blog reading I almost feel like I haven't been seeing my friends!

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Ike's Class

I have been really busy lately and my blog has been suffering. Last week Ike's agility class was inside due to rain and thunderstorms. We were definitely off. The course felt like there was flow while walking it and then when we ran it we were VERY choppy.

Last night's class was outside and Ike ran like a dream. He was obviously enjoying himself a lot and we were very in tune. During the last run of the night Kathleen had me do a rear cross that worked out surprisingly well. I think Ike is becoming more confident about moving ahead of me and is moving faster in general.

The only difference I can think of other than the footing (mat vs grass) is that the last two times we have been inside it has been slightly stuffy/hot.

I have really been slacking with my training because of how busy work and home have been. I need to get on the ball!

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Elusive Single Point

Bug showed in Wrentham yesterday and today. Yesterday the major broke and Bug was RWD. He showed really well.

Today there were three dogs and I really thought Bug had a chance. He did not. He was dumped. He showed really well again. I asked the judge afterward what she liked and disliked about Bug. Basically she liked everything about him, the planes of his head, his shoulders, his front, but she thought he lacked substance. He is TOO skinny. Crap.

This is a real killer for me. I keep my dogs skinny anyway, but where he has been going to PT for an injury I haven't put that much weight on him. I have put some on, I feel like he is fat, but the judges do not. It looks like I need to put more weight on him in order to be successful and get this last single.

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Chiro & Acupuncture

Bug is now on a 4 - 6 week acupuncture schedule. Dr. M thinks he feels like a different dog. Chiropractor also thought he felt great. Woo-hoo!

I owe a post on Ike's Tuesday night agility class....

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Bug's Crazy Schedule

Tuesday – chiropractor: tune-up for weekend show

Wednesday – acupuncture

Thursday – physical therapy

Friday – show prep!

Do you think the boy is well loved? or perhaps his momma is crazy?!