Our agility dogs: PART 2B - Rear End Awareness

Our agility dogs: PART 2B - Rear End Awareness: Objective Ability to assume the 2O2O position on raised articles on command How? By shaping the ‘Perch’ routine in order to b...

PART 2B - Rear End Awareness

Objective

Ability to assume the 2O2O position on raised articles on command

How?

By shaping the ‘Perch’ routine in order to be comfortable moving left and right. This routine basically involves the dog keeping front legs on a defined platform then being able to swing back legs round (L & R), without moving from platform (the Perch).

Total Time

2 months

Stages

Introducing the equipment

I used a wooden square about the size of a phone book. The initial training started by shaping simple interaction, the criteria was raised to placing a front paw, then 2 front paws onto the square. This took some 2 weeks and was clicker trained. This exercise also lays the ground for future 2O2O position training.

Building the desired behaviour

Now we have 2 front feet on, we want to introduce some rear end movement (without taking front paws off the perch).

With the dog perched on the square, we take a small movement with left leg towards dog. Their natural reaction (responding to pressure) is to move their rear end to their left. Shaping this behaviour so there is a definite shuffle (to their left, front paws in position).

Now we fade the leg movement, substituting for a slight movement of (left) shoulder. The (leg) fading and shoulder movement should be blended so that there is a gradual change (from one of these visual cues to other) over a period of a few weeks.

Once one side is accomplished we repeat with the other side.

Independent rear end movement

So now we have a dog who is able to keep front paws in a designated area and able to move rear end in response to negative (pushing) and positive (pulling) shoulder pressure.

We finalise this into rear end (independent) movement by building into a 180º movement from our left to right (and vice versa). Personally I use a ‘back’ command, which means swing to heel on my left hand size, and ‘side’, which means swing to heel on right hand size.

Practicing and perfecting these exercises helps in the next stage (developing the 2O2O) by:  

·         Introducing shaped behaviour to balance legs on a raised object

·         Awareness of its rear end

·         Developing its hip flexor and core strength muscles.

19th December - Actually finding what's wrong

  I thought after finishing off my last blog waiting for the results of Jaidi's biopsy, that I should go someway to finishing the story (as far as we can at this stage).

 For those who haven't seen the posts since last week on FB, or heard through word of mouth, Jaidi's results where free of cancer. It was more than we could have hoped for, but fortunately true. That week was very difficult as we lived through all the scenario's. We did notice that after a few days of the anti-biotics that the morning limp had stopped, but we didn't want to get our hopes up without those results.

Jackie followed up with Rachel today. The diagnosis is:

  'Periosteal Bone Proliferation with Bone Reabsorption'. As we understand this means that he has either had a fracture or foreign object infiltrating the bone and good healing hasn't taken place naturally.

Jaidi goes back to vets in 10 days time for a re-scan to see how / if the healing is taking place following the course of anti-biotics.

If there is one thing that has come out of this whole worrying episode, that is to not take the worse case scenario as the only one and to seek a second opinion. We were under immense professional pressure to make an immediate decision and have major operation (i.e. amputation). Even now I think how close I was to taking that advice. Its only that we had made a conscious decision not to take Jaidi to the vets for that consultation could we find breathing space to prevent such a quick decision.

If I could offer any advice to anyone who might go through this emotional experience it would be:

1) Talk to people and listen to the advice and feedback. Even the words of support help to take the emotion out of the situation and formulate a plan.

2) Question the advice being given and keep an open mind. Very easy to say and very difficult to do. But remember that (i) you are paying for the advice so why shouldn't you be able to do this (ii) medical prognosis is not an exact science, think of the examples where human diagnosis have not been correct, and we can give very precise feedback about ourselves! 

Keeping an open mind is important otherwise one can enter into discussions like this with a pre-formed view of either trying to prove the professional wrong or only listening to the advice offered.

3) Get a second opinion.

4) Keep invasive surgery as the 'final option'. I learn't this myself some years ago. Although the roles where reversed and the consultant was reluctant to carry out a procedure on the basis that surgery is pretty much irreversible.

All this sounds easy in hindsight. I know it wasn't at the time, but every event has some learning and this is what I take away. 

Finally, as we stand today, Jaidi should make a 100% recovery, which is the single most important thing!

 

10th December 2011 - Getting a 2nd opinion

Yesterday we had our second opinion with good friend and vet Rachel. Having a second opinion for such an important matter is of course critical to insure one does the right thing. Having a trusted friend with some of the latest equipment and experience to hand is just fantastic.

This is both rear legs. 

The issue is on the right rear, outside digit above the knuckle joint, before the wrist. 

One can see an area of darkness

In magnification

There is also the inflammation seen as larger white halo

and some halo around the infected area

Here is the outline of that 2nd opinion:

1. It could be cancer, but on the other hand other issues could show the same thing (i.e. infection)
2. In cancer one would look for 'bony growths' which are not immediately evident, but of course may just not be visible
3. Without biopsy test results, wouldn't like to say for sure

Those results are expected around Tuesday, in the mean time one feels so helpless of course.
For the infection, Jaidi is on a major course of antibiotics (for bone infection).

All this sounds so hopeful, and we wish this was now just a case of all clearing up. But we also have to balance that with the biopsy results. Here again there is choices and different opinions.

There is a difference of opinion between toe and full limb removal. However, to bring in other hope, there are such things as 'limb sparing procedures' what ever that means.

To finish off, the support from all has just been amazing. We really feel as though we have a full team with us. Thanks .

Now we are just waiting for those results.

Still in shock

Jaidi had had a slight limp on a couple of mornings. I visit to vet and 'all clear' made us feel OK, but we arranged a physio appointment as I thought that if he had a little niggle I would get it sorted. But the limp continued. X ray of body showed nothing, until yesterday when an X ray of rear back right limb revealed what is suspected bone cancer.

We are in shock.

This photo of JD was taken at the weekend. The day before he had his first place at G5 jumping (2nd) with Jackie. No indication any thing was seriously wrong.

We had a follow up this morning and our vet is adamant that the best option is amputation. It will be of the inside toe. Of course if it is cancer then this is no guarantee of complete cure.

Anyway it seems that many people have been through this and there is some cases of misdiagnosis. We are going for a 2nd opinion tomorrow with a vet we know well. It may be we have to go through surgery but I want that to be the 'must do' option, not the first choice.

This time yesterday I new nothing about cancer and dogs. Now it dominates our waking hours.

I hope I can be back writing tomorrow with a positive action plan. If I don't, well its then that we need to collect our thoughts some more.

Alan, Jackie and Jaidi