“Are you r-e-a-dy?” I sing to Sadie. She lowers her haunches into an anticipatory, quivering sit. I fling her yellow tennis ball into the shallow lake. Charging full tilt, Sadie splashes after it. She is focused, confident, and ecstatic. My heart balloons with delight.
Then Sadie stops dead in the chest high water. The yellow ball bobs away. Her ears flatten back. Her eyes grow round and worried. She gingerly wades back to shore avoiding me to take cover under a near-by bush. Her back is hunched and her tail tucked. My stomach turns. My girl is hurt—again. Damn!
Sadie detached or stretched the superficial digital flexor tendon under the third toe on her right hind paw last Sunday (August 8). We won’t know which until she heals completely.
Extended 3rd toe
That’s a mouthful, so here’s a picture. Can you see how when the paw is weight-bearing (she’s standing in the photo) the third toe extends beyond the second toe?
Fifteen months ago exactly same thing happened to the third toe on her left hind paw. That’s the injury that spawned the now famous Peanut Butter Manicure.
The Doggie Paw Gods smiled on us last time.
Healed left paw
Apparently the tendon did not detach. It took about a year, but that flexor tendon tightened right back up, and now her left rear paw is back to normal as you can see. If the tendon had detached, the toe would have stuck out permanently.
Doctors orders: No running, jumping, pivoting, or playing hide and seek around the giant blue spruce tree in Mama Kitty’s garden for 3 weeks. Anti-inflammatory pain medication for 2 weeks. Six laser treatments at least 48 hours apart. Then, gradually return to running, jumping, and rough-housing with her BFF, Romeo.
We have been in official down-shift mode for 1 week with 2 more to go. This is not fun for either of us. Sadie loves to go full tilt and then crash. So I have been busy conjuring ways to tire her out by stimulating her sweet, furry brain without stressing that tendon.
Here’s one. I’ll share more in the next post:
Yummy Frozen Treat-in-a-Sock-in-a-Box
Ever since she’s been a puppy, Sadie has loved taking boxes apart as I described in What Makes Your Dog Really Happy? I’ve added two levels of difficulty for this activity which keeps Ms. S occupied for about 30 minutes, excluding the 10 minutes or so it takes me to assemble the game during which Sadie is intensely focused on my every move. Of course, the more we play this game, the more accomplished she becomes and the less time it takes her!
Ingredients:
Box, Purple satellite stuffed with Evo 95% duck then frozen, Old tube sock, Freeze-dried liver bits
Set-up: Stuff the liver bits into the toe of the sock, then stuff the satellite into the sock. Put the stuffed sock into the box and close the box folding box flaps over each other.
Game on: Then I ask Sadie to sit and wait while I toss the box onto the floor. I release her and the game is on!
Yum!!!
Like I said, I’ll tell you about more games in Wednesday’s post. But, I’m running out of entertainments fast. Please help! How do you engage your dog when physical activity isn’t an option? What ideas do you have? An inquiring poodle wants to know.
I like bobbing for baby carrots. A couple weeks ago I didn’t know 2 things.
1. My dogs like baby carrots A LOT.
2. They sink.
So with a bowl in a study stand I will toss in baby carrots and the dogs “bob” for them. After they start getting good at fishing out carrots I add more water. In future plans is putting the carrot under a clear container at the bottom of the dish. Also decreasing the size of the carrot increases the difficulty. The carrots move more when they are smaller.
Both my dogs love playing in water so this is best done outside since there is generally a lot of splashing.
I love this. Carrots are not her favorite, but I can try other goodies. Thanks!
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Hi!
I’ve had my slovakian rough haired pointer, Grey, off since mid April with a shoulder injury that just is taking forever to fix. He’s adjusted really well. And he was a two hour per day free running dog. He gets his food in a tug-a-jug and we do impulse control training, watch mes, anything that doesn’t involve movement. And very important was for me to let go of the idea that he ‘needed’ two hours a day free running. Once I got into that being quiet was better for him the easier we both adjusted. now it’s the normal routine. Good luck and hope she gets well soon.
Louise
p.s. have you tried ttouch?
Thank you for your words of wisdom. They are a reminder to me to let go of my agenda for Sadie—like you, I think (thought) my dog needs lots of exercise. Well, I do believe she’s happier when she exercises–so am I when I do–but under the circumstances that’s not what’s good for her. I like your idea of impulse control and attention exercises. I hope Grey’s shoulder heals sooner rather than later. I know shoulders can be a bear, as I have a shoulder injury an it’s tough going. Thanks so much for your ideas and kind wishes for Sadie.
Oh, I forgot to mention. I have tried ttouch. Maybe I’m not doing it correctly, but Sadie doesn’t seem into it. I’ll try again.
Poor Sadie! Hope she will be better soon.
You could try different nose games with her. Liking hiding treats in the garden/yard on random places. Or using multiple boxes like above and only hide a treat in one of time. Let her try to follow a simple track made up of treats. And more like that, there a lot of possibilties.
It will not requiring much of her physically, and nosework is very rewarding (and tiring!) for Sadie. Of course take care that the amount of treats don’t cause other problems 🙂
Hi there—you must have been reading my mind. When I have accumulated lots of boxes I do what you are suggesting. Sadie has become so adept at taking boxes apart that it takes me more time to fix up the boxes than it does for her to undo them! Still, she loves it so I we play ‘boxes’ a lot. Hiding treats is a good idea too. Actually we do that as well and I think we need a new house because Sadie knows all the places to look. Either that, or I need to be more creative in finding places to hide the goodies. Thank you for your kind wishes for Sadie.
Poor Sadie 🙁 Poor you 🙁 One of my favorites is a cheapo version of Nina Ottoson type puzzle toys:
Take one muffin tin and initially put a high value treat in each segment. Then when Sadie is comfortable getting the food out of the tin, cover each segment with either a toy or a mini dixie cup so Sadie has to uncover the treat to eat it then only put treats in a few of the segments and cover only the segments that contain treats and finally, cover ALL segments but only have treats in one or two 🙂
I also LOVE to play shaping games with my dogs when they are not allowed a lot of physical exercise since 1. it is fun and 2. the mental exercise takes up at least a little of the physical exercise slack 🙂 Susan Garrett has a huge list of behaviors one might shape with a dog but her site is acting all funky so I will see if I can find a better link tomorrow for you guys!
I love the muffin tins!!! We’re going to try that. And, shaping. Well, tomorrow’s post has a story about that! I am no behavior shaping maven, but as you’ll see, we had a small victory. Before our little moment of mastery I would have shied away from SG’s list, but now….I’m ready. If you find a link, I’d love it. Thanks so much.
Susan’s inimitable staff is on the hunt for the link, can’t wait to read your shaping post!!! To me shaping is right up there with simply walking in the woods and playing frisbee as the most fun things to do with a dog 🙂
What once was lost, now is found 🙂
http://susangarrettdogagility.com/2010/01/the-puppy-one-hundred-and-thirty-five/
Which is, bizarrely the same link I posted above but this one works and the other leads to a page not found error for some reason, go figure!
Hi Barrie
Thanks so much. I’m visiting with my parents and have hardly any time. So I’m saving this gem for this weekend. I’ll let you know what Sadie and I decide to work on.
I don’t have any suggestions I’m afraid — the only time Frankie was incapacitated with back problems he had to stay in a large crate (which made me very sad) — but I think it’s terrific that you’re spending so much time and energy figuring out ways to keep your active girl occupied.
Hi Edie–thanks. I can only imagine how sad it was to see Frankie in his create. I hope his unfortunate confinement bore fruit, and that his back is, well, back.
[…] for keeping our dogs amused are always welcome and here is a lovely one from Boulder Dog blog; you don’t even need to wait until your dog is hurt and check out the ‘bobbing for […]
Of course, I like the Nina Ottosson games from Company of Animals – for engaging the mind. The Tornado is fun for Tashi. Other style of games have greater difficulty, though other versions get dogs using their paws, so…there’s hide and seek games inside if that suits your dog. It’s tough when the least bit of weight on a paw is a potential problem. I’m sorry for Sadie’s situation–hope it resolves well.
Thanks Mary. I’m only vaguely familiar with the Nina Ottosson games. I’m definitely going to check them out now that you and others have referenced them.