This past weekend on the gamble she got stuck in the poles, and yelped. The angle wasn't super awful but I think she tried to collect for the poles and slid. From what my friends said she slammed her shoulder/neck into the poles and then her body flung into the other pole. Poor Woo. We stopped of course to make sure she was okay, and I kept an eye her for any soreness later on. This picture was snapped by my friend michelle. I can't remember which course it was- but look at her....totally psycho.
Her second attempt to injure herself was on a standard. She had so much speed and momentum that she flew over the top of the a-frame, touched the down side once, and jumped into position (2on2off) Ugh. I saw her out of the corner of my eye and was horriified. Geez. Wendy even managed to get a photo. You can almost see her legs quivering in this photo.
Someone commented after one of my runs and asked if I was scared because she runs so fast, and so hard. I said yes.
7 comments:
adrenaline is an amazing thing isn't it.
yikes that is an awful position on the frame, her back is practically in a U at the top of her shoulders.
After I said to you you can't run courses thinking your dog is going to get hurt ... mine does. nice.
she is not a graceful fast dog, she is a power dog. you can here the ground move when she runs by!!!I
I remember Kathy Keats saying dogs either have grace and speed, or power and speed.
Give her thorough warm-ups and cool downs like you do, and keep that arnica bottle full.
she is a power dog for sure- not smooth and graceful like Gyp-
but if she keeps it up she is going to be broken and in a wheel chair long before she is ready.
i have some thinkin' to do about how I can make agility a bit safer for her- she loves it so much I couldn't bear to not let her play-
but at the same time she needs to be more careful in the poles and on the frame....
wonder what would happen if I got rid of my bottom on the frame...do you think she'd jump?
I think you might want to consider a running A-frame, especially since she slams into 2o2o so hard. You can try easing her into to running the AF, sometimes releasing her from 2o2o as soon as she touches the yellow, sometimes making her hold the yellow, and then gradually stop giving the 2o2o cue altogether. See how she does, she might have a really nice natural running AF! :)
~Nat
When I first saw the picture of her at the bottom of the A frame I thought, boy, was she flying!, you can see how far her front feet have dug into the ground!....I didn't realize she really was"flying!!!"
Sarah and I emailed back and forth this morning about it and I thought i'd post it here, it is an interesting discussion for sure...
From Sarah:
no she won't jump she has been going into that position for like 5 years, even when she breaks on her own or you quick release she runs through it. I might only use your 20 20 when you have too - ie. out of position, need to use a directional etc
it is for sure the contacts and weaves that are hardest on her body.
maybe you need to find some trials where there are some extra jumpers runs - so you can work hard towards that atchc and keep her out of all the classes at some trials if it is really bothering you.
you do the right thing by not doing 4 7's if they are weaves in snooker etc, you seem to know her limits, but there is nothing you can do about her slamming her self when her body is so compact and powerful, that is how she is built, they are built like that for a reason. she's a brickhouse!
Amanda wrote:
yeah. i have been thinking about what i can do to minimize the risk- and I have been seriously considering losing the 2on20ff on the frame...
hmmmmmm
from sarah:
well you didn't have it at Nats (well quick release), she is a give an inch, take a mile dog .... you might have to just stick with the quick release - which you have done - just so she isn;t having to stay in that position - get there and go ....
Amanda wrote:
yeah- but i don't want to dilute the cue either- if I say bottom I need to expect her to stay in position...and if I am more often than not releasing her right away it will become an issue. I think I might need to say nothing- and keep my bottom cue strong for when I do need it...
decisions, decisions...
from sarah:
what i was thinking of doing is giving a second cue, i had started it with gyp over 3 sessions after Nats. - but stopped as I really need to go back and break it down, giving the word RUN, with the hoop i started clicking it for her and rewarding ahead, but it was funny, she actually started coming into her 2020 better ... i was confusing her as I wasn't 100% sure about it ... so we are at the 2020 still
so i think wicca still needs permission - she will probably still stick the 2020 even if you say nothing unless you are running hard - and she is reading your body. i might try the second cue ala Susan Garrett ....
Amanda said:
that's a good idea....will start playing around at home with that...
hey that was a private conversation beeeotch!!!
kidding :)
My first agility Cardi was a power dog - in fact, a judge friend once commented that he took the phrase 'run-through' too literally. I retired him when his mind started writing checks his body couldn't cash. On the East Coast of the US, I can't think of many, if any, corgi folks - Pem or Cardi - who teach 2O2O for contacts. The general consensus being that it is too hard on their shoulders/backs. 9.5 times out of 10 you will see running contacts. For the teeter, they are taught to control the tip and ride it down closer to the center of the board to avoid the shock when it bangs.
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