Cookie is crazy

[Berna]

It's been a while since we last visited the open field nearby where people gather with their dogs (something like an unofficial dog park). We know most of the dogs there and Cookie does fine with them, but since his injury I have avoided the place because I was afraid the younger dogs jumping on him may injure him.

We went this morning, since Cookie is doing much better now and he is the happiest when he is around other dogs. There were a couple of people there with their dogs, and two of them were tossing a ball to their two young girls. I said, why not, Cookie won't be able to outrun them anyway, and since we have started playing a little fetch I thought he wouldn't even try to run after them. WRONG. The ball was tossed, Cookie goes full sprint, outruns the two girls (a 9 month old Rhodesian Ridgeback and a 9 month old Bull Terrier), then stops abruptly where the ball fell, the FHO leg not strong enough to hold him and luckily he tumbles into a pile of leaves. He was fine but I had 10 heart attacks.

Needless to say, it was game over. No more playing fetch with youngsters.

[SunDance]

Oh, geez...reality sucks when it reveals an infirmity. Glad to hear he seems OK...I'd rest him for a while just in case.

[Berna]

We just went for a walk and he is fine. Thank god.

[POPTOP]

Just visualizing you, silent scream on your face. Glad Cookie is OK and doing so well.

[smartrock]

His heart is still in the game even if he can't compete the way he used to. I'm impressed that he outran those youngsters. Sorry, Cookie, sounds like you need to stick with pups closer to your own abilities. What a big heart he has!

[MontananDakota]

Yeah I think that's pretty impressive too, it says a lot about the shape he's in
And I too can imagine that scream....

[Blackboy98]

As I started reading the post, my heart was pounding thinking you were going to say ' here we go again with the FHO leg being a problem'.

So glad he (and you) are OK. When these dogs feel good, they have so much energy and love to play, not knowing it might hurt them.

[kimbersmom]

Yikes! I'm impressed at Cookie's speed, though!

Kimber's backend is weakening and despite an increase in exercise, she's not using her bad leg very much. But her heart is still All Lab. Every day, we have to throw the frisbee (once), and take her for walks, and let her play King of the Hill in our yard, watching over everything. Her spirit is so strong. Sounds like Cookie is similarly heart-strong!

[Berna]

I know right, I was surprised as well. A few months ago, some friends were playing fetch with their Lab and Cookie didn't even try to run after her, he would jump when they threw the ball and just stop watching the other Lab running to fetch. Although he is consistently improving both energy and strength-wise, never in my wildest dreams would have I imagined he would be able to sprint like that.

When we play fetch alone he never runs like that, probably because he knows there is no competition.

On the other hand, a couple of days after the FHO surgery he ran after a plastic bottle a neighbor threw for him because she forgot he shouldn't run, and he ran after it on his 3 good legs.

Labs will always be Labs I guess, puppies at heart, forgetting for a moment that they are weaker than they used to be and forgetting about their aching joints.

You've gotta love them for that!

[Snowshoe]

I'm not surprised. It doesn't seem to hurt, or they don't notice it limits them when they are having fun. If it really doesn't hurt or limit till after the fun then there's no way they can know. Heck, I know competitive, athletic humans who DO know it will hurt after, or even it hurts when they do it and still they go all out anyway. Hope your heart has recovered since it seems Cookie is fine.

Oban had a cold laser treatment on Monday and I told the Vet I think he will be hurting more all winter and needing more help. In the cooler weather, still on short walks, no other dogs, still he is more active, happier, crazy, gimpy during and worse after a walk. The ortho rehab people told me NO off leash walks but the poor dog doesn't know why, he doesn't understand. So he's off leash.