Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I was wondering if dogs that do agility can get any long term effects from it. Are they more prone to have joint problems or anything like that? Can it physically wear them out so much that they may not live as long and healthy as a dog that doesn't do agility?
My GSD mix is fast, fearless, and full of energy. When we go for walks, she loves to jump up on walls and snow banks, and she's very smart. She's 4 1/2 months old and she can sit, lay down, roll over, stay, leave it, and beg. When I give her her food, I tell her to sit, and then i put it down and tell her to stay. we're at the point were I can actually walk in the other room and when I come back, she is still waiting for me to give her the OK. I can do the same with treats if I put them on the floor in front of her.
She does laps around the house and uses our furniture as agility obsticles. And she is extremely fast. She'll go around the back of the couches, over chairs, under the coffee table, around the legs of the kitchen table, and do it all over again. It's like she knows how to do everything agility dogs do, but she's never been trained.
I have never even looked into it, just watched the dogs on TV and love it. Thanks for any advise anyone can give me!

>>I was wondering if dogs that do agility can get any long term effects from it. Are they more prone to have joint problems or anything like that? Can it physically wear them out so much that they may not live as long and healthy as a dog that doesn't do agility?
>>My GSD mix is fast, fearless, and full of energy. When we go for walks, she loves to jump up on walls and snow banks, and she's very smart. She's 4 1/2 months old and she can sit, lay down, roll over, stay, leave it, and beg. When I give her her food, I tell her to sit, and then i put it down and tell her to stay. we're at the point were I can actually walk in the other room and when I come back, she is still waiting for me to give her the OK. I can do the same with treats if I put them on the floor in front of her.
>>She does laps around the house and uses our furniture as agility obsticles. And she is extremely fast. She'll go around the back of the couches, over chairs, under the coffee table, around the legs of the kitchen table, and do it all over again. It's like she knows how to do everything agility dogs do, but she's never been trained.
>>I have never even looked into it, just watched the dogs on TV and love it. Thanks for any advise anyone can give me!

>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Yes, agility causes a lot of injuries, both acute ones and long-term damage. It's very popular right now, and agility competitors don't want to hear it, but yes, the sport of agility does put a dog at risk, any dog. If the dog's structure is not perfect, the risk is increased.
-----
Kathy Diamond Davis, author, "Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others," 2nd edition, and the free Canine Behavior Series at www.veterinaryforum.com

Thanks Kathy,
I think we'll steer clear of the agility thing. Especially since she is Half GSD. I know they're prone to hip dysplasia and especially with their sloping backs, they can have leg and hip problems. Cookie doesn't have a sloped back, but her back legs are constantly bent like a GSD, so I think we will steer clear of the agility, but I will still let her use the living room as a course! Can't see any harm there.
Thanks so much Kathy!

What about things like Frisbee or similar events? Is there anything we could do with Kaiser (assuming we work out his problems) that would make use of his energy and be fun for him, but not cause any injuries? He's just such a high jumper and he loves to do it..

Of course any sport type activity has some risks but what are some of the lower risk things?

>>What about things like Frisbee or similar events? Is there anything we could do with Kaiser (assuming we work out his problems) that would make use of his energy and be fun for him, but not cause any injuries? He's just such a high jumper and he loves to do it..
>>
>>Of course any sport type activity has some risks but what are some of the lower risk things?

>>>>>>>>>>>>

Frisbee is dangerous because of landings from things like jumping off the handler's back. Also even in backyard play, anytime your dog jumps up and lands on just the hind legs is a risk of horrible injury. Since a Frisbee gets carried by the wind and is hard to control, I consider it too dangerous for my dogs.

Obedience is good for dogs, especially if you avoid the jumping classes. Rally obedience is okay, too. Freestyle (dance) is good. Tracking is great.
-----
Kathy Diamond Davis, author, "Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others," 2nd edition, and the free Canine Behavior Series at www.veterinaryforum.com

What are all these obedience activities? I have never heard of them.
My ex boyfriend had a pit bull that loved to jump up and hang from branches on trees. She would do it for hours if you let her. Well the last time she did it, she seriously injured her hips, she needed surgery that cost $1200 per hip and she could never jump again. She had to be towel walked for two weeks. Since then, I have been very careful of not letting Cookie jump on anything higher than the couches, and she's real good about it. Even when we play catch, she just sits there and opens her mouth. Sometimes her front paws will go up, but she never completely jumps off the ground. When we are playing fetch outside, I throw it real low to the ground, almost rolling it.

That's what I figured, about Frisbee.. That's good to know.. I guess Kaiser will be staying on the ground We definitely don't want to increase any risk of hip problems..

Especially with GSD mixes. I was talking to my friend the other day who is a vet tech, and she said because of their sloping backs and bent back knees, some of them can't even stand up properly. Luckily Cookie's back is nice and straight, but I still don't want to risk it.

Definitely.. Kaiser's back is straight too but only most of the time.. His tail is usually up over his back but sometimes he carries it like a GSD and then his back has a bit of a slope to it and his legs seem to position differently..

How do GSD's usually carry their tails?
Cookie is the same way, her rear legs have a slight bend to them, like they're never perfectly straight.

Hi- In my view I wouldn't start agility until she is mature enough to take the strain, but that doesn't mean you cant start small! Do planks across the ground/poles on the ground and really get her thinking before you start! good luck!

My vet calls it the, "Canine equivalent of High School Football." I have to agree with her to a degree. Yes, dogs do suffer injuries from agility- long term and short term- especially at competitive levels.

I did agility with my older dog and it ended up compounding a knee problem she has. I'm starting it back up with my younger dog that does not have any known issues to date and is at ideal weight. We are taking it slow and I do warm up and cool down my dog before runs. Yet, I'm a bit timid still. I may never compete with him. The school I go to emphasizes safety quite a bit. Even so, I've seen dogs injured in classes and at trials. Yet, I've also seen the very happy grins on their faces while running the courses. There's inherent risk to dog and handler for that matter. If you choose to do it, have your vet check your dog over completely prior and make sure you follow their recommendations. Don't rush it and keep your dog in shape with daily work outs.
-----
Chelle and the rest of the crew including, but not limited to Kita and Taiko (the shiba inu wrestle maniacs), Adi (reserved and dignified tabby cat), and all 28 reptiles

So I have to ask...what kind of reptiles do you have? I have a ball python who since he's escaped a couple months ago, had been extremely aggressive toward me. I can't pick him up without a coathanger in fear of getting bit. He used to be a nice boy...
Thank you so much for your advise, although I think we'll stay away from the agility for now. This is my first dog and I don't feel I know enough to take on that big of a health risk responsibility. Thank you for your honesty!

I've had reptiles in my home for the last 15 years. My husband and I use them for public education so we have a large variety including: leopard geckos, bearded dragons, uromastyx lizards, plated lizards, common boa constrictors, island locality boas (cay caulker), argentine boas, carpet pythons, egg-eating snakes, corn snakes, ground boas, a woma, a pueblan milksnake, and a reticulated python. I think that's all of them, but I may have missed one or two. It's almost easier for me to name the individual in a list vs. the type it is.

As for agility with your pup, once your pup is older, you might want to look into it again. The dogs really do love the sport. I have fun doing it as well. There's a balancing act sometimes with our pups- it's the choice between getting out and having fun working with them and challenging their minds, or letting them become couch potatoes. It really depends on your dog on what's acceptable. For my older girl with the knee issues, I'm convinced she would have loved to continue with agility in spite of being in pain. It was my vet's choice to pull her and not her own. Since then, we've had an incredibly hard time keeping the weight off of her which in turn can lead to more problems than agility.
-----
Chelle and the rest of the crew including, but not limited to Kita and Taiko (the shiba inu wrestle maniacs), Adi (reserved and dignified tabby cat), and all 28 reptiles

""I've had reptiles in my home for the last 15 years. My husband and I use them for public education so we have a large variety including: leopard geckos, bearded dragons, uromastyx lizards, plated lizards, common boa constrictors, island locality boas (cay caulker), argentine boas, carpet pythons, egg-eating snakes, corn snakes, ground boas, a woma, a pueblan milksnake, and a reticulated python. I think that's all of them, but I may have missed one or two. It's almost easier for me to name the individual in a list vs. the type it is. ""

That IS a lot of reptiles. How big is your reticulated python? I have never heard of Uromastyx lizards or a woma. What is a Woma? That sounds interesting. My bf and I have been contemplating getting a Tagu. Any insight on the idea? Every one I met had excelent temperment.

As for the Agility, I do not want her to become a couch potato, but I would rather have a healthy old couch potato than an active dog with health problems. But I will keep her as active as phisically possible. When she is older and has better manners, she will be going to work with my bf at the body shop and he says he is going to give her work to do while she is there. Don't know what she could do at a body shop besides guard the cars, but I am sure it will be fun for her.
I will definately think about it and consider it further, but I worry about her being half GSD and being prone to back and hip problems, I would rather avoid her getting injured.

>>That IS a lot of reptiles. How big is your reticulated python?

-Our retic is 9' now and growing. He was a foster that stayed.

I have never heard of Uromastyx lizards or a woma. What is a Woma?
-The species of uromastyx I have are from Egypt. They are similar to the American Chuckwallah. Desert herbivores with big club tails for protection. If you ask me to compare it to something more "common" they are more like the bearded dragons than the iguanas.
-womas are Australian pythons. I absolutely LOVE the woma. He's about 5 to 6' long and soooo incredibly mellow.

My bf and I have been contemplating getting a Tagu. Any insight on the idea? Every one I met had excelent temperment.
-The black and white tegus are nice, but the goldens and reds I'd stay away from if I were you. Get a young one and work with it or get a mellow adult. If it's an adult and mean, it's wont' reform fast.

I understand your fears about the hips with a GSD. There are SO many activities one can do with one's dog these days. My two are involved in so many things that agility is just a small component. Therapy work, rally obedience, and regular obedience occupy our time mostly. I'm getting addicted to Rally obedience. It's formal obedience with a twist. Do a "Google" search for "Rally-O" and you will get a lot of insight into this growing sport.
-----
Chelle and the rest of the crew including, but not limited to Kita and Taiko (the shiba inu wrestle maniacs), Adi (reserved and dignified tabby cat), and all 28 reptiles

I held to Tegus the last time we were in the pet store. One of them was a blue tegu and he was mean, the black and white one was a sweetheart, but I don't know if we're going to do that anymore. My ball python is 4 years old, and we thought he was about half way through his life, but we found out he is just a teenager, just entering sexual maturity so we have a ways to go, and I just don't have room for another large enclosure. Unless they get along with bp's!
The Woma sounds awesome! How big do they get? Could I keep one with my bp, or will someone get eaten?
I will definitely look into Rally obedience and the other ones, I have never heard of obedience sports before. Thanks!

Sounds to me like your dogs going to do agility whether you like it or not. You don't have to get really serious about it, but It seems your dog would enjoy a few runs round a course and would do something similar anyway - Might as well teach the pup to do it controlled.

Ask yourself if you think this dog is having fun.

http://www.wimp.com/sharp/

I'd have a vet I trust check Cookie's joints, etc. at a young age the vet can get an idea or baseline to compare as she ages. I agree with the poster, saying that she is going to do 'agility' anyway in some form, so if you can set up some safe low 'obstacles' she should learn what her body can/cannot do. Italian greyhounds are known for having really fragile legs, so some owners really want to restrict them, whereas others (with whom I agree) suggest that safe areas to play in & run etc actually builds up muscles/joints, allows the dog to learn her own body's limits & you are LESS likely to have a leg break. Makes sense. We have a low dog walk & low a-frame & of course the tunnel & some low jumps/broad jump & a makeshift widely spaced weave. Two things in the regulation equipment that worried me was the tunnel had ridges in the bottom & then some of the jumps, the dog is required to jump at an angle. I think that some injuries are the result of owners forgetting that its supposed to be fun. I bet if you put your mind to it & with Cookie's natural creativity and smarts, you 2 can come up with your own fun version of safe obstacles & fun games to keep life interesting & new. She sounds wonderful & so are you to recognize & help focus her talents in the right way.

Thank you guys so much. Maybe I will do that. You're right she has just as much risk hurting herself making her own course as she would if I made her one, maybe even more, she's always slamming her rear end into things on quick turns, it's wicked funny to watch, her front end turns faster than her rear can and it just gets flung around.
I think the hard part is convincing my bf. He is very afraid of her getting hurt. But if I explain to him that it will be safer for her to do it in a controlled manner, than just running laps around the apartment, maybe he will understand. And of course, we have to see if Cookie is into it.
But I don't even know where to start with agility training. Maybe I should get a book. She is very smart. She learned how to Sit, Lay down, roll over, and leave it in the first week we had her. At almost 5 months old now, she can sit, lay down, beg, paw, roll over, speak, leave it, quiet, stay, down (stop jumping up), no biting, and come (with no other dogs or people around. We haven't tried with more distractions yet).