I noticed a few days ago that Gimme is tending to sit with her right rear foot splayed a little out (no more than 20 degrees) and a bit far forward (the toes are about three inches further forward than the toes on the other foot, if you are looking down over the top of her). She is sitting back on her bum on that side, instead of over the hock. Its not completely a puppy sit and she's balanced nicely over the left rear. I suspect its something I didn't notice when she was at heel because I'd have to be looking for it. She sits so close to me that my own hip is in the way. I actually noticed it when she was sitting in front position.
She doesn't act like anything is bothering her, but I'm going to have her checked anyway. In the meantime we are approaching it as a bad habit and a training issue.
I started on my knees with her sitting in front of me (facing sideways). I just held off and then clicked any movement of that foot, which happens when she fidgets. After a few of those I switched to having her do tuck-sit-scoots around me. If the foot isn't where it belongs, I help her once or twice, and then c/t for it being correct. After that I just touch the toes to bring her attention to it and we try it again. She ended up doing 6 in a row of tuck-sit-scoots bringing the foot under her and sitting forward balanced over it. Isn't it amazing what you can do with a clicker!?!
I'm inclined to think its just a bad habit that I missed. Still I'll have her checked just to be sure. One of my Milestones Class students does bodywork, so I'm going to see if she can check her after class on Saturday morning.
2 comments:
Awesome that you'll be having her checked out; way too many people ignore those small signs! Sounds like she's doing great with the training though! :)
Thanks for recognizing that. Sadly I learned my lesson the hard way with Michael. I've never used this person for chiropractic for the dogs, but I understand she has a large following and does some weekend horse chiropractic clinics in nearby communities.
Gimme doesn't act like she's uncomfortable, but that doesn't necessarily mean anything. When I was in my twenties, my chiropractor-uncle Tom, noticed that I tended to sit in chairs with my knee bent up and my foot in the chair. It didn't hurt or anything, it was just something I did. He adjusted a spot in my hip and bim-bada-boom, the inclination to sit that way went away.
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