Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2011 8:08 pm Post subject: Hydrotherapy working for Brodie-how much excercise now?
Hi everbody , some advice needed please
Brodie has had 7 hydro sessions now and no sign of a limp he has another 4 to go.
Before he started his hydro the vet advised 15 minutes lead walks on soft ground and maybe try walking him up and down the street, which takes about 4 mins, did both of those with no problems.
However I was getting really concerned about the fact that he was not socialising with other dogs, apart from Zak and other people apart from family, and all the other things he needs to see and do.
Mentioned this to John (hydro man) last Tuesday and he said to start increasing his excercise gradually to see how he copes, so he now does a 20 minute walk around the block on an evening, and during the day I increased it to 30 minutes down the park on a loose lead so that he could have a bit of freedom and all was well.
As soon as he hears a lead hes at the door waiting to go out, sat so perfectly wagging his tail but of course I've not taken him out with Zak, (we're out for about 2 hours every morning, it'll be ages befor Brodie does that).
So today I decided I would take Brodie to the park, with Zak, please read on don't me yet.
Drove to park, Zak went off on a mad dash for freedom , kept Brodie on lead, when Zak had released a bit of excess energy I let Brodie off lead. Oh the look of sheer pleasure on his face, bless him, you could see that all his christmases had come at once .
He was off lead playing sniffing meeting and greeting for about 15 minutes, every time I blew the whistle he came to me, sat and was rewarded with a liver treat, he even left Zak to do this, so all the training in the garden paid off. You've got no idea how proud of him I am for behaving so well.
After that i put him on his lead and took a steady walk back to the car locked him in his crate while Zak had a chase about with his girlfriend, Gracie.
He wasn't limping at all while we were out this morning, got up from his sleep this afternoon perfectly ok with no sign of a limp, he's been geeing Zak up for the last hour, which is normal for this time of day, still no limping so I'm guessing that we didn't overdo it this morning but I'm not taking him out for his walk tonight cause I don't want to overdo it, hes got hydro in the morning so he can have a walk tomorrow night,....... then do the same as we did today on Wednesday????
So question (after all that) is..... do you all think that is a sensible way to build up his excercise, or is it to much off lead.
Oh forgot to say, he's 7 months old
xxx
____________ Never look down on anybody unless your helping them up
Was just flicking back through your posts to remind myself what was going on with Brodie!
Here is the 'build up' advice Luna's specialist gave us. I have done under this amount of exercise as on a daily basis the end build up was more than she has been used to on a regular basis!
I can't remember how old Brodie is?
Days 1-14 Rest (no stairs, sofa etc etc)
Days 15-30 3 x 5mins walks a day on day 15 then 3 x 7mins walks on day 16, increase by 2mins each day until 3 x 35mins on day 30.
Days 30-45 stick to 3x35mins walks a day on lead
Days 45-60 off lead on FLAT areas
Day 61 unrestricted
I'm reluctant to let Luna off lead to hoolie with other dogs still (even Tucker) but will let her off to stretch her legs on flat-ish areas. That is mostly because I KNOW Luna has a hyper adrenaline switch that means she will be LUNATIC!!! Until she has a good few hydro sessions behind her I'll continue to be careful about her twisting and turning on hoolies. Her muscle mass has decreased around her hips and now I know she has poorly hips I want her good muscle mass back in place!
I think what you are doing balancing a big exercise day with a calmer one is sensible. Go with your gut - if you feel tense watching him and worried then restrict him from the play side of things and do an off lead pootle away from other dogs...
You could of course pop back into your vets or give them a ring and ask what they suggest in terms of his exercise nowadays....!!!
I nearly posted earlier, but as i'm no expert, thought others with more knowledge would give better advise.
I think you are taking the sensible approach, I totally agree with the need for socialisation. just don't let Brodie do anything daft and wreck all the good work.
Gary and Toby.
Thanks for the info Laura
Hes 7 months old
Where I took him today was dead flat, he was mostly staying near Zak with a little gamble when he needed to catch him up so he wasnt tearing about like a lunatic, and when he met the other dogs it was only a little sniff, wag of the tail then back to me or Zak, but at least he did see another part of the world where he could have a bit of freedom. Thats why I was so proud of the way he behaved, I had visions of him totally ignoring me, not coming back and chasing like an idiot cause he had some freedom for the first time so i was well pleased when he didn't. We've just been out in the garden for his last loo time and he's still not limping so at the moment all well.
Thanks again for the info I'll print it out so that I've got it handy
____________ Never look down on anybody unless your helping them up
No probs! I'd say so long as he carries on like that, carry on as you are!
Luna is trying to bumtuck given the freedom of an extendible lead! Poor old Tucker wondered what on earth she was doing bouncing on him this morning! She is an absolute lunatic so I am taking things steady with her until she's had a few more hydro sessions! I have the feeling that 3 years and more of recall training will go out of the window off lead and since when was a sniff and a wag to greet another dog a good idea! You want to roll around on the floor in front of them and then bumtuck away surely! !!!!
I didn't take him out for a walk last night as he had, what i thought, was a hard hydro session yesterday, 5 mins warm up then 23 mins with the jets on then 5 mins cool down, even after that long John had a job to keep him out of the pool I was watching him every time he moved last night but I'm glad to say "no limping".
He had elastic legs this morning when he got up to the point where I had to put him in his crate immediately after his breakfast just to keep him still So i did the same as Monday, took him out with Zak, he played with Zaks girlfriend Gracie, (another Dane) only a minute then Zak told Gracie off so we strolled back to the car and on the way we met Rosie (2 year old black lab) who sexually assaulted him, several times he's had a good rest this after noon and he's now making Zaks life a misery over a pigs trotter (he's already had his but Zak likes to wait until Brodie has eaten it, then Zak taunts him while he eats his own bless 'em still not limping though
____________ Never look down on anybody unless your helping them up
Couldn't get Luna to pool again until Fri - she 'took it easy' last Friday after op, rest and not being there since May (had been using outdoor venues for swimming as it got hot!) so only did about 10-15 mins ish of swimming split into shorter chunks... far more than a dog normally would in her position though! She free-swims in a large pool doing lots and lots of retrieving as she loves her football and hasn't done any retrieving since the beginning of September - despite it being her most favourite hobby! She loves swimming and I almost have to carry her in and out of the area as she'd very happily launch herself into the pool before the cleaning shower and launch herself in rather than leave!
Daughter has just walked in through the back door Brodie nearly took her legs out running in so fast promptly followed by Zak.....who wants his pigs trotter back so brodie bless his little heart dropped it on my lounge carpet. lovely! hes still not limping though thats good int it
____________ Never look down on anybody unless your helping them up
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Hydrotherapy working for Brodie-how much excercise now?
, some advice needed please
me yet.
So i did the same as Monday, took him out with Zak, he played with Zaks girlfriend Gracie, (another Dane) only a minute then Zak told Gracie off so we strolled back to the car and on the way we met Rosie (2 year old black lab) who sexually assaulted him, several times 
