Back Question

[Peteys Mom]

Ok I've been reading the boards here and at other doxie sites for several months now, and I am well aware of the back/neck problems that doxies are prone to have. I've read repeatedly NOT to let them jump i.e. from the couch, bed, stairs, etc. Sooooo....how can doxies safely compete in agility events that include jumps? Just curious.....

[JanUet]

Good Question! :appl:
I'm stumped!

Anyone else? :confused: I'd love to know the answer too :scratch:

[Jen]

Amy? Does it worry you that Laika and Owen jump? I'd love to do agility with Tasha, though the other dogs would freak her out, but since she's had two back incidents I'm wary for that reason too.

[areese]

I don't worry about my dog's backs doing agility. They jump 8 inches. They are strong and athletic. I checked with various doxie people before starting though. Personally I think having an overweight doxie is more dangerous than them jumping 8 inch jumps. BUT if my dogs had back problems, I don't think I'd do agility with them. I could have mine jump 4 inches...which is hardly a jump at all and an option for people who worry about the jumping.
My friend just had her doxie at the vet and he sees no problem with her doing agility (she's a short-legged little thing!) and thinks it's great for keeping the weight off her. She was x-rayed and her back looks great.
A dog can get hurt doing anything..playing ball, frisbee, jumping off the couch, wrestling with their dog friends. Or in the case of doxies, the disc problems can be inherited and are gonna happen sooner or later no matter what. I believe if their muscles are strong and they are lean and healthy, agility is ok for them. Obviously. Or I wouldn't be doing it. I wouldn't do anything I thought hurt my dogs.
This is what I got from some other doxie people when researching it.

While Dachshunds are not by any means the primary breed at agility
trials here in the US, there are quite a few doing agility with their
Dachshunds and the number is rising. There was a very small informal
agility match held this weekend in the Dallas Fort Worth (Texas) area.
The weather looked iffy so I think many just stayed home. I don't think
there were more than 25 total dogs but of those, 8 were Dachshunds.

The match organizer was joking about having enough for a major and it
seemed as if we were having a Dachshund specialty. Several others
commented about the number of Dachshunds and wondered if there was a
specialty coming up. <ggg> Just the national, and close for us.

I personally do not believe that a fit, healthy Dachshund is at risk
doing agility. The A frame is thought by some to be dangerous so they
choose to do only Jumpers. I don't think it's necessarily dangerous
unless you have dogs who insist on flying off rather than going all the
way to the bottom, whether you do a run off or two on/two off. Fly offs
are dangerous but they are regardless of the breed. My first agility
dog has NO problems going all the way to the end. The new one I've
started DOES like to fly off and I'm going to have to pay particular
attention so that he doesn't do it.

I've seen big dogs fall off the dog walk but no one raises concerns
about agility being dangerous for them. Actually, the dog walk is far
more difficult for the big dogs than it is for our guys. As in
everything, common sense and teaching so that it's the most safe and
consistent will be your guide.

Yes, sometimes things happen. Sometimes in life things happen. It's a
personal decision as to whether or not you feel safe having your
Dachshund run in agility. Have fun; enjoy!
and this:
Amy - Thanks for your e-mail. Doing agility is wonderful for doxies! My dogs love it (as you can see from the pix.) Doxies get back problems from jumping down from heights, such as jumping down from a high bed or chair. Or from being overweight (too much weight to carry between front and hind legs.) A healthy dachshund doesn't have problems from jumping off of the ground over 8" bars!! It is great exercise for their little bodies, too. The Dachshund Club of America even sponsors an agility event every year for only dachshunds to participate. It is so much fun. Go to www.DCA2005.org to see! Will I see you at any agility trials? Are you local (in or near NJ)? How did you find my website? Karen

ONe thing I did worry about was the way they train the "contact" obstacles (teeter, A-frame, dogwalk) where we take lessons. They teach them to stop at the end with back legs on and front legs on the ground. As Laika got faster, I worried about her jarring her back so hard by planting her front feet coming down the A-Frame which is steep. So I do running contacts now-they come all the way down and don't stop. YOu do have to train them to come all the way down cuz flying off them would be dangerous but so far that's not been a problem with mine.

[Jen]

I knew you'd have some good advice Amy!! :thankyou:

[Tex]

Good answer Amy!!!!

[Peteys Mom]

Question answered...thanks Amy!

[areese]

Well, both my dogs aren't really LONG (relatively speaking) and rather long-legged (again relatively speaking LOL) And puppies shouldn't jump until they are a year old at least...
I wasn't even planning on doing agility with Owen but had him take a beginner class just for his confidence and to get him moving..he was such a couch potato boy. But he loved it SO much and is so good at it and it has done wonders for his confidence. It makes me so happy now to run with him. At trials everyone wants to watch him run cuz he's so cute and so HAPPY.

[lotsadox]

I talked to my chiropractor (he was the dogs chiro first!) and the only problem he had with dachshunds doing agility was the teeter totter and A frame. He said that you would have to be really careful with that. But he also said that it was probably more dangerous to have an out of shape, overweight dog than one that was in great shape and at a good weight who was doing agility. I guess it's up to you to decide. :scratch:

[Peteys Mom]

Ok having learned this...can anyone give me some suggestions of how to break Petey from jumping onto and off the couch? He is so quick I usually don't see it coming until he does it.:shocked: