Activity level and mild HD with new rescue

[Ceej]

Hi everyone!

I'm still waiting for conformation an our travel plan for Toggle. We expect to be traveling to get her on the 19th of April. She has been diagnosed with mild HD. It is stated that she only has an occasional limp after overexertion. I have not dealt with HD before and have some questions.

Toggle is a high drive and bossy girl. I am planning to use exercise as a way to help her live with her drives and keep her physically and mentally challenged. I have recently read about a RDN member's HD dog participating in herding without any problems. I was thrilled to see that an HD dog can still do these things. I feel herding would be perfect for Toggle. How do I get involved in herding? That is a whole new thing for me as well.


How will I know how much exercise is right for Toggle? I would hate to over do it and have her limping...I am going to talk with her foster dad and see what she is doing now and try to build on that when she arrives. Am I on the right track?

Any wisdom or tips for us? I want things to be as perfect as possible for Toggle as she deserves only the best!

[AngelBunny]

Tracking is something in which a less than orthopedically stellar dog can take part.

Here's the link to info on the AKC's site about tracking. There are RDNs who track their dogs (myself included, tho, alas! Mox has no talent.) and the sport has been discussed on RDN.

Herding can be an expensive activity. Herding lessons cost $95/hour where I train.

Talking to Toggle's foster dad as to her level of gimpiness is a good idea. The biggest piece of advice for a dog with HD is to keep the dog lean.

Play it by ear to see how much activity Toggle can manage and stay painfree.

Swimming is an excellent exercise for a dog with HD. It builds muscle w/o placing strain on the skeleton.

Toggle is a lucky girl to have such a caring owner!

[Ceej]

Thanks for the reply AngelBunny...$95/hr!!! OUCH!

I looked at the tracking information on the AKC website and it looks very interesting. I think that Toggle's HD would not be a factor in her ability to perform while tracking.

The trainer we will be using works with Bluetick Coonhounds in search and rescue. I am betting she would be a great resource for me to utilize regarding tracking.

Since you are involved in tracking, do you have a favorite reference book that you would recommend to me to get started?

I'll have to check out swimming sites as well. Too cold right now to swim in the rivers or lakes around here and pools are not so common here.

Thanks again for the reply! :-)

[AngelBunny]

Originally Posted by Ceej

Since you are involved in tracking, do you have a favorite reference book that you would recommend to me to get started?

I do and it's one of the first books on tracking I bought. I've read a couple since then and still think it's a fine intro to the sport

Check out the TRACKING CLUB OF MASSACHUSETTS' site. Scroll down to see info on ordering TRACKING! A Practical Guide for TD and TDX, a 100 page paperback.

I like it because it's a nice introduction to the sport, focusing on tracking w/o providing eye-glazing, mind numbing detail about how wind currents, temperature, humidity, et al affect scent and consequently, the dog.

My kennel club has a group of people interested in tracking. I took one of their intro to tracking clinics. (If you think you wanna explore tracking and can find an intro to tracking clinic/workshop, I recommend you and Toggle sign up. All the tracking clinics I've attended were taught by AKC tracking judges.)

It's been a huge disappointment to me that Mox is such a dud at tracking. She's a rescue and is quite a talented dog. (It was her talent that got her ditched in a shelter in ME. Moxie is poster pup for what often happens when an ill-informed, naive family gets a Rottie puppy and becomes overwhelmed by the dog's energy and intelligence: Ditch the dog in a shelter instead of giving dog what Fido needs--lots and lots of physical and mental exercise.

In Mox's case that happened when she was about 6 mo old .)

[debbiej]

Like AngelBunny said, keeping lean is very wise and swimming is great exercise. nice long walks up and down grassy or sandy hills are good too. My HD girlie love obedience, rally is mentally stimulating. I could be wrong here, but I think the sudden pivots and turns while herding could be hard on joints. I would ask your vet about adequan injections, my girl was helped tremendously by them.