# I hope I did not ruin her



## cubbysan (Mar 13, 2007)

Today I brought Sailor to my breeder for some show handling practice. We had not been there for about 8 weeks. She takes her around the ring a few times, and she says she is not running the way she used to. Her beautiful movement is gone, it was there 8 weeks ago, and has been there over the past year, especially when my breeder handles her. She is not reaching the way she was with her front legs.

She thinks it could be from two things 1) she is having pain or discomfort in her shoulders or 2) it is from obedience, we have issues with her pulling, so now she is hesitant. She did loosen up a little with time, but still was not herself.

She also did not want to take her eyes off me and wanted to keep coming back to me. Usually she is all over my breeder, loves to go in the ring, and my breeder is so happy with her movement.

She is 17 months. She also had her vaccines today rabies and the distemper/parvo/lepto. My breeder did not think that the vaccines would have caused this. I am wondering otherwise because they were in the shoulders. Also, do they go through another fear period around this age?


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## MercyMom (Dec 19, 2011)

Oh no. I am so sorry you are dealing with this. I can't see how you ruin her. Hopefully she's just sore and will bounce right back.


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## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

If all the vaccines were done on the same day, more than likely it was from that.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

> She also did not want to take her eyes off me and wanted to keep coming back to me


 Assuming it wasn't her feeling a little sore from the vaccinations, seems like this would cause a little hesitation in gaiting. Bertie is the same way when his breeder takes the leash to demo something for me those times she's given me privates. Carol is a really great handler and can work a dog through whatever, but her comment at the time was to get Bertie so he'd work with somebody other than me, I'd have to drop him off with a handler prior to the show as opposed to ringside drop-off. 

Another thing is if it isn't the dog, than it is the handler sometimes... good example is the last show the come away critique is I can get Bertie extending better and reaching better if I'm lengthening my own stride. I apparently run like a hobbit...  

The dogs can be trained for conformation and for obedience at the same time without issues.


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## SunnynSey (Jan 17, 2015)

My dogs sometimes act a little off when they get vaccinated, I think she was just not being herself due to the shots. No chance you ruined her, your girl will be back in the flow in no time.


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## cubbysan (Mar 13, 2007)

Thanks everybody! My probably run like a hobbit, too, I am always told in class to take longer strides, my legs just don't go any farther.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Marie - the good news is after the show and confabbing with friends, one friend especially who has put a lot of CH's on her dogs has had the same critique leveled at her all the time as far as her needing to extend her stride for her dogs (BMD's). Hasn't kept her from doing well with her dogs...


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## cubbysan (Mar 13, 2007)

I am just getting nervous, she has not been shown since last October, we are growing her out. I have her in our specialty for puppy sweeps, and puppy classes in two weeks. She will be 18 months a few days later. My two co-breeders will not be able to handle her because of their other dogs - so it is all up to me.


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## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

I would get her out off leash on the trails. Do you run or can you run or jog for spurts of time? Get out and move you and your dog. Make it fun and the extra movement will help her and you both. Maybe she just needs a little muscle. Bring treats, make it a game.


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## Ljilly28 (Jan 22, 2008)

This happened to me too recently. I have been doing up heads up heeling with Mystic, and so enjoying it. I sent him to "camp" aka a four day show in Delaware to make sure he remembered, but he sat in the ring and heeled , which he had never done before. I am confident he can get that they are different venues with different equipment and handlers, but it is not going to be pretty until he does lol. I do think lots of dogs can do both but it is way easier to just do one. Like you described, he went a long chunk of time just doing obedience and no stacking/gaiting, so now I am sure to work on both each week changing collars. I really hope she rebounds quickly - maybe just the shots, maybe needing to work out the context. For sure you did not ruin her!


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## cubbysan (Mar 13, 2007)

She is back to normal - I just need to stretch my stride. My breeder did say she does sometimes seem to compensate for me. It is a great excuse to lose some weight and get into shape. My breeder is happy again. 

I did awful in the show - we did puppy sweeps and puppy class, but she did 100 percent better than in class three days earlier, that made me happy. I talked with one of the judges afterwards, and she said my hand was shaking like crazy, but gave me a lot of encouragement, and told me to practice.


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## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

The great news is, you put yourself and your dog out there. Let's face it, showing a dog is very intimidating. You overcame that and got out there with your dog. Good for you! I hope you got a nice pro photo of you and your dog with the judge. Win, place or lose, you get it an honest try! That's is the most important thing. Now you can learn from your experience and go in from here. I hope you continue to show and have fun!


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## Aislinn (Nov 13, 2010)

I showed my collie in herding, showing and obedience, talk about a lot of different commands and needs! She also was a therapy dog. I learned fast to solidify a stand stay with a hand signal. When I showed in conformation I gave the signal for a stand stay and she'd move right into it. When I showed in obedience I also learned fast that I had to let her go play therapy dog and greet people before asking her to do the obedience. We once had a captive audience four people deep when she decided to do both together in the obedience ring! Dogs keep us humble. *G*


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## cubbysan (Mar 13, 2007)

She is getting better, but she is compensating for me. I need to condition myself first. 

My breeder's daughter is a professional handler, and popped into class the other day. We had her take Sailor around the ring, everybody's mouths dropped, she was perfect and beautiful! Her footwork was unbelievable. The pros make it look so easy and beautiful. It was the first time I understood the concept of how important it is that the handler should disappear in the background, so all that is noticed is the dog.


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