Re: We've joined the ranks of the lame and wounded [quote author=JulieT link=topic=3558.msg40173#msg40173 date=1386582119] [quote author=Lochan link=topic=3558.msg40166#msg40166 date=1386581459] TARKA IS SOUND THIS MORNING!!!!!!!!!First time in weeks she is getting about without a trace of a limp and she has had no anti-inflammatories x 5 days either. You've no idea how pleased I am........just a few weeks more rest and care then some rehab. Might even have her back to fitness by February......oh, such a good morning...... [/quote] That's great. Well done! Be good Tarka... What will you do in terms of rehab? [/quote] Hi rehab is going to involve initially longer walks on flat soft grass, then trotting on same surface followed by walking on harder surfaces and trotting on harder surfaces. Will gradually build up to 3-4 miles. Part way through this we will start on short marked retrieves, followed by some shortish memories on flat grass, gradually building up the distances again - Tarka is a very driven dog and goes out like lightning on a retrieve so I don't want her sprinting too far. I'll leave off the long blinds just now. Also increased times swimming, now against the current and for longer times - on a normal days exercise Tarka will do 30 or so water retrieves each involving swimming 30m ie 900m swimming a day so I need to gradually build back up to this. Only when I'm happy with all this will we do thick cover (don't want legs getting tangled at the moment) and retrieves up and down steep river banks or over fences/walls or running over rough ground in the woods. She'll not want to take it slowly but I'm desperate not to put her back at all so this will be slowly, slowly.....
Re: We've joined the ranks of the lame and wounded Great news ....glad she's better and you sound like you have a really positive,sensible rehab plan formed to get her back to full fitness....[quote author=JulieT link=topic=3558.msg40187#msg40187 date=1386587699] [quote author=debsie link=topic=3558.msg40186#msg40186 date=1386586937] the lead came off, ptannnggg Cuillin shot off like a rocket, did circular sprinting round me in wider and wider circles like a crazed Catherine Wheel. you know, that full throttle, all legs of the ground at once sprinting [/quote] I love that description....thats Dexter in the park with his pal Oscar the spaniel ... ;D
Re: We've joined the ranks of the lame and wounded [quote author=Lochan link=topic=3558.msg40228#msg40228 date=1386600048] [quote author=JulieT link=topic=3558.msg40173#msg40173 date=1386582119] [quote author=Lochan link=topic=3558.msg40166#msg40166 date=1386581459] TARKA IS SOUND THIS MORNING!!!!!!!!!First time in weeks she is getting about without a trace of a limp and she has had no anti-inflammatories x 5 days either. You've no idea how pleased I am........just a few weeks more rest and care then some rehab. Might even have her back to fitness by February......oh, such a good morning...... [/quote] That's great. Well done! Be good Tarka... What will you do in terms of rehab? [/quote] Hi rehab is going to involve initially longer walks on flat soft grass, then trotting on same surface followed by walking on harder surfaces and trotting on harder surfaces. Will gradually build up to 3-4 miles. Part way through this we will start on short marked retrieves, followed by some shortish memories on flat grass, gradually building up the distances again - Tarka is a very driven dog and goes out like lightning on a retrieve so I don't want her sprinting too far. I'll leave off the long blinds just now. Also increased times swimming, now against the current and for longer times - on a normal days exercise Tarka will do 30 or so water retrieves each involving swimming 30m ie 900m swimming a day so I need to gradually build back up to this. Only when I'm happy with all this will we do thick cover (don't want legs getting tangled at the moment) and retrieves up and down steep river banks or over fences/walls or running over rough ground in the woods. She'll not want to take it slowly but I'm desperate not to put her back at all so this will be slowly, slowly..... [/quote] Crikey, Lochan does she really do about 30 or so retrieves normally on a daily basis? That is a lot of retrieves for one dog. You have created a monster.
Re: We've joined the ranks of the lame and wounded [quote author=heidrun link=topic=3558.msg40280#msg40280 date=1386610114] Crikey, Lochan does she really do about 30 or so retrieves normally on a daily basis? That is a lot of retrieves for one dog. You have created a monster. [/quote] Yep, a retrieving monster she is. She is incredibly fit - often strangers will look at the muscles on her rump and ask me if she is crossed with a greyhound. She will retrieve all day if given a chance, especially water retrieves. She ended up this way as she was a hunt-driven absconder when younger and just wanted to run and run and run when out. She would run for no reason, just because she enjoyed running, as well as chasing deer/ducks/pheasants. So directing this drive and energy into hunting and retrieving for me was the only way I could ever let her off a long line. As long as I have her attention by giving her something (anything) to retrieve, especially in water, she is as good as gold and when out shooting I can send her on very long blinds as her enthusiasm for running out and hunting is vast, and she is easy to push back through obstacles. But lose her attention and she will self-employ and hunt into the next county at vast speed as my OH will tell you much to his chagrin. Steadiness has been MUCH harder to achieve......outside, she is fast and focused. Back in the house after a couple of hours of exercise and she is gentle and quiet. However, not so gentle and quiet this last few weeks on rest......
Re: We've joined the ranks of the lame and wounded I have seen Labradors like that and they are not for the faint hearted. What is she like if she can't find the bird, will she come back? I know a couple of dogs who will not come back until they have found a bird, any bird, to retrieve.
Re: We've joined the ranks of the lame and wounded [quote author=Lochan link=topic=3558.msg40288#msg40288 date=1386611442] [quote author=heidrun link=topic=3558.msg40280#msg40280 date=1386610114] Crikey, Lochan does she really do about 30 or so retrieves normally on a daily basis? That is a lot of retrieves for one dog. You have created a monster. [/quote] She ended up this way as she was a hunt-driven absconder when younger and just wanted to run and run and run when out. She would run for no reason, just because she enjoyed running, as well as chasing deer/ducks/pheasants. [/quote] Hmm sounds familiar
Re: We've joined the ranks of the lame and wounded [quote author=heidrun link=topic=3558.msg40289#msg40289 date=1386612044] I have seen Labradors like that and they are not for the faint hearted. What is like if she can't find the bird, will she come back? I know a couple of dogs who will not come back until they have found a bird, any bird, to retrieve. [/quote] No, not for the faint-hearted at all some of these labs. If she can't find the bird she will come back to a recall whistle. Although I will admit to a couple of occasions when she's out of my sight on a long blind standing sweating wondering if she is about to reappear triumphantly carrying a stick instead......
Re: We've joined the ranks of the lame and wounded Yes indeed not for the faint hearted ....I have her little brother and they are like peas in a pod!! And im just getting started in this working lab field!! Actually just getting started in any lab field!! No shooting for us tho would love to try one day. ..That burning need to hunt is in brodick too, which is why I need water....he is as completely focused retreiving from water....time after time after time....just like big sis tarkie. And if he is in the mood to retrieve dummies on land, he will be right in the thick of brambles and gorse not giving a hoot about the pain factor. Unlike cuillin who wont go into brambles....too hard core for labradors she thinks...
Re: We've joined the ranks of the lame and wounded Debsie, how is the quartering going with Brodick? x
Re: We've joined the ranks of the lame and wounded I was slightly dreading someone asking that ;D We have been slightly hampered by the fact that Cuillin is a complete Ninny and howls the place down when I go out with brodick and leave her Home Alone. She isnt good alone and as I leave to go training with him I hear the wolf howl and its still going full throttle when we get back. And I live in a flat :. So we've only been out training this five times and thats probably pushing it for my neighbours! The second thing hampering us has been brodicks serious sense of fun, for want of a better description. He seems to think that zig zag running is hilarious and obviously the start of a great game, and the first few times I spent much of the session with a large skinny labrador leaping onto me and hanging on wagging and getting more and more excited....however we have kept at it and just kept the distances short and he seems to know now that its 'work'....but only if he is carrying something in his mouth. My glove just now....planning on building this up at xmas hols when cuilli will have babysitters with more folk being around ! It is fun tho...
Re: We've joined the ranks of the lame and wounded Poor Cuillin So do you have to do a lot of running from side to side? What else does it involve? Perhaps a Moderator could move this into the correct section for future reference. Thanks
Re: We've joined the ranks of the lame and wounded If you look at my post Flushing Pheasants under gun dog training a few weeks ago heidrun kindly posted the link to pippa's article on teaching to flush....im too technically inept to post it here, sorry! The amount of running you do depends on how fit you feel. We are still at early stages and not near introducing a whistle. The thing I've noticed now brods has calmed down a bit is that he doesnt tend to overshoot me. I think its because he thinks he should be staying at heel because we are doing a fair bit of heel work on walks just now....I must ask heidrun/pippa about that!
Re: We've joined the ranks of the lame and wounded Thanks Debsie I will try and find it. There was a discussion on quartering if I remember correctly and it all sounded very difficult and needed a certain level of fitness in the owner which counts me out Good boy Brodick
Re: We've joined the ranks of the lame and wounded So we're a LOT less lame today which is great and I'm going to stop his meds However Riley threw up last night and again today a few hours after only eating half his breakfast which is less great I was hoping it was a one off and would work itself out but I think it's chicken and rice or even no dinner tonight..............I know he's nowhere near as poorly as others on the forum but I'm really hoping he gets back to normal soon!
Re: We've joined the ranks of the lame and wounded Glad to hear that the limp is a lot better Barbara , poor lad being sick though , was he on NSAI , like Metacam ? If so , they can affect appetite and make them a bit yucky xx
Re: We've joined the ranks of the lame and wounded [quote author=bbrown link=topic=3558.msg40425#msg40425 date=1386683273] So we're a LOT less lame today which is great and I'm going to stop his meds [/quote] Hurrah! Well done. [quote author=bbrown link=topic=3558.msg40425#msg40425 date=1386683273] However Riley threw up last night and again today a few hours after only eating half his breakfast which is less great [/quote] Boo - bet it's the meds though.
Re: We've joined the ranks of the lame and wounded Yup have stopped the meds(metacam) and he still seems fairly sound today. Will give him something gentle for his tum for the next couple of days and cross fingers we're better by the weekend
Re: We've joined the ranks of the lame and wounded Good news for Riley, I hate it when they're off form. Tarka was OK on Metacam but vomited on Cimalgex. Always at 5am. Loudly.
