Clicker training

As problems with her knees mean we can't continue with agility I have decided I need to do "something" with Molly as she is a young dog with an active brain which really needs work or the devil will make work for idle paws!!

I therefore enrolled us both on a clicker training course at Learning about Dogs so we could try to improve our skills together.  The other dogs on the course were 4 greyhounds, a collie and a terrier cross and Molly was initially a bit freaked out by the greyhounds and decided she needed to do much hiding under my chair.  Despite this things went well when we started work and by halfway through the day she was reduced to occasional glances at the scary dogs.

We covered luring, timing and delivering of treats and had a go at both free-shaping and shaping with an object all of which went well a and we learned and more importantly enjoyed learning together.  The next part of the course is 3rd March.

We have been putting our new found clicker skills to good use teaching Molly a solid walk backwards which is one of her assigned physio exercises for this month.

Vet Update

We travelled back down to Wales for a review of Mollys progress.  The conclusion was she had improved her muscle tone - but not enough yet to hold her knees fully in place.  We have another month of exercises - this time stairs, running up hills and walking backwards including walking backwards over poles.

It will keep up busy for a while anyway!!

So far we have had a few trips to the bridge over the ring road to go up and down the stairs, done some running at the Wedge and Allesley Park where there are decent slopes, and done some clicker training to learn to walk backwards.  I am also gradually increasing the amount of off lead exercise she is having with so far no return of limping so hopefully improving muscles.

Our next specialist vet visit is 27th February.

Progress

This weekend we have started to return to off lead running - first minute was almost a disaster as we met up with Auntie Tricia and her three dogs and a certain clumsy collie ran straight over Molly causing much yelping and running to humans for a cuddle!!  Fortunately no harm done and that certain collie (yes I mean you Leo) managed the rest of the walk without running her over again!

We did a nice long walk and Molly had several off lead periods without any return of limping.

Come on quick before the mad collies get here!

Too late - they are chasing meeeeeeeeee

Settled down now and mooching with the gang

.....and the result of lots of spanielling along the floor on a frosty morning is .....

....soggy ears and a soggy face.

New bed and vegetables!

I had promised Molly a new bed after Christmas so after a look around at a few I settled on a lovely soft cushioned bed.  Unfortunately I don't think Molly found her bed as easy to operate as I expected her to!

Hmmm - well it does not seem very comfortable and it is a bit cramped...

Help - it has gone dark .....

After a few minutes I decided to rescue her and turfed her out of the bed and put it back together for her - she does not exactly look delighted though does she!

Whilst she was having new experiences I thought it would be a good idea to try and introduce her to some fresh vegetables as previous dogs have always loved a bit of fruit or vegetable now and then as a treat.  I had a very small carrot so gave her, her very first carrot.

Hmmm - not sure what this is or what I am meant to do with it.  Looks like you can chew it - but I am not totally convinced I like it.

Pesky Wabbits

We had a lovely walk on Christmas Day.  Good company with Auntie Tricia and Leo, Poppy and Grace and nice weather.  We went for a repeat performance on Boxing Day but unfortunately a certain dog got the scent of rabbits and was off chasing.  Even more unfortunately when she came back she decided that she had hurt one of her back legs and could not use it for a good few minutes.

It was her left hind leg - the one which had previously been her better knee.  After a bit of vet visiting it is clear she had slipped her kneecap and must have stretched the ligament so that is currently no longer her better knee.  We are considering it a setback rather than a disaster and carrying on with the physio and exercises although we are having to have an on lead spell followed by a gradual build up to off lead again - and hopefully no more rabbit chasing!

New Year

2011 has been a very tough year for me and pretty difficult for Molly at times as she has also had to contend with a new home and very different life style.  We have both got through it together though.  We were invited to some friends for New Year so had a lovely dinner and then saw in the New Year with good company, Molly asleep on my lap and a mug of tea.