Franklin Photos

Franklin Video 4

Nashville Dog Training Club Trial - January 28, 2011

Day 2 Run 2 - Open Standard
This was a run that we wish we could forget.  We had 1 wrong course, 1 refusal, 1 table fault, and an elimination for leaving the ring.  I'm glad there is always tomorrow.

Franklin Video 3

Nashville Dog Training Club Trial - January 28, 2011

Day 2 Run 1 - Excellent B Jumpers with Weaves

What a run!  This is really fun.  Nina dropped her very first bar during this run.  I didn't give her enough forward momentum to complete the jump before I signaled to turn.  Her back foot clipped the bar.  She is now running faster and a bit more efficiently!  What a girl!

Franklin Video 2

Nashville Dog Training Club Trial - January 27, 2011

Day 1 Run 2 - Open Standard
Great run!  Too bad we had to skip the teeter for now.  That's another story.

Franklin Video 1

Nashville Dog Training Club Trial - January 27, 2011

Day 1 Run 1 - Jumpers with Weaves
Look for terrible handler error at jump #3.  Rest of run was very nice.
Wow!  Do I have a lot to learn!

Interesting Teeter Idea

To speed up slow dogs on teeter. First of all you need two teeters and one must be adjustable. First use just the adjustable one on the lowest or next to lowest level. Do this low teeter a bunch of times in a row over and over. Getting faster each time, since it's low it's easier and less scary and they will soon be getting pretty fast. 

Now you bring out the 2nd teeter and place it a little ways straight in front of the first teeter and at full height. Now run the first short teeter and straight to the 2nd full size teeter. And do this a few times. Now supposedly this method somehow works by muscle memory, which does make sense to me. 

I think it will most likely work best on just a slow moving dog not a dog that has a real teeter phobia but who know maybe it would work on them too. I guess the idea is by doing the little teeter over and over and over really fast. The dogs muscles get used to that speed and then when you stick the bigger teeter in front you should get the same speed. It's worth a try.

BRAC - Photo

Nina - Saturday 1/22/11
Blue Ridge Agility Club Trial
Fletcher (Asheville), NC.

This is the first photo I've gotten showing Nina exiting the chute. She always looks like she is having so much fun.

I have learned some drills that should help build up speed and straightness.

Photo from http://www.vwperryphotos.com

Perch Part 3: Zelda's Final Results

The Perch Part 2: Zelda 4 months

Perch Part 1: Zelda at 4 months old

Zelda's Beginning Running AFrame: Part 2

Zelda Beginning Running AFrame

Training the Chute - Zelda 7 months old

Zelda's Beginning Running Dog Walk

Crate Games Part 3 - Zelda 15 weeks

Crate Games Part II: Zelda 14 weeks

Crate Games Part 1: Zelda 13 wks

More About Feet

I have been doing stretches for several week to try to alleviate the heel pain associated with plantar fasciitis.

The TOE EXTENTION is a new stretch I added a couple of weeks ago that has made a big difference.  If done properly (you really have to pull back hard), it provides the best stretch of the tendons on the bottom of the foot.

Foot stretches to prevent plantar fasciitis

My Trial Journal

I started a trial journal this month based on info from the Jan 2011 "Clean Run".  It is still a work in progress, but I am already reaping benefits from consolidating information and standardizing how I keep track of documentation and data accumulated during trials.

The journal provides a method for keeping track of trial information such as:

• course maps
• run notes and observations
• scores
• strengths
• opportunities for improvement
• people I meet
• skills I want to work on / learn
• goals and objectives
• training plan outlines
• hotel information
• vendor information

 I am also using my journal for summarizing data:

• Pareto tracking of training issues
• Title Tracking
• Time Tracking (yps) for JWW and STD

Blue Ridge Agility Trial - Asheville

What a great weekend.  I loved using my new trial journal.  It helped me stay on track and keep focusing on opportunities for improvement.

Thanks to Pat Doan for the great ideas and positive encouragement.

Thanks to Susan Wilson for the use of her fabulous facility (just off Exit 33 on I26)

 

Helping people select, raise, train and obtain a 

good dog by earning their trust and respecting who they are.

Thanks to Judy Cheat (and Asha) for being my first agility friend and colleague. I always love seeing you at trials! 

Blue Ridge Agility Club Trial - Day 1

Super day w/ 5 MACH points in JWW and 3rd place & 1st Q in Open FAST. Nina really ran with a lot of enthusiasm & control. It was a fun day!

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Budweiser has done it again.......with dogs!

I love it when the mutt outsmarts the border collie!

Oak Ridge Kennel Club Trial

This photo shows Nina resting after a long day. It was bound to happen: no Q's this weekend. But, it was a great weekend with lots of learnings.

Special thanks to Barb for teaching us the Bang Game with the teeter.

Thanks to Pat for directing me to Jan. 2011 Clean Run. Great teeter article "When Pigs Fly."

Thanks to Joe for the wonderful dinner Saturday night.

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Running Contacts

Silvia Trkman Running Contacts

My Agility Goal

My AGILITY GOAL is:

• to learn how to handle properly
• to earn my dog's trust
• to build the partnership necessary to compete as a team
• to respect my dog for who she is.

Nina Growing Up

Nina's First Portrait
She looks so sad.  Does she miss her mommie?

Nina's Mom & Dad
The feet belong to Breeder Cathy Adamson - Lilpoodles
She no longer breeds minis.

They were tall mini's

Mom was a pretty, light silver

Cathy is from Bardstown, KY

Shownoff Mystical Quincy - PR09647107 - Nina's Dad

Shownoff Darla - PR09601702
Nina's Mom - They look so much alike!

Beth and Nina - First Meeting

She looks so little!

Nina giving us that "look"

Am I cute., or what!

3 months

Looking Proud

Playing Fetch

Nina with the Twins

Nina and Penny

First Groomer Haircut - WOW!

Nina at Five Months

Nina on her first camping trip

Nina at 6 months

Pretty Girl - All Stretched Out

Having fun in park in Bozeman, MT

Nina Hiking

Nina vacationing in Utah

Fox 6 WBRC News Birmingham

Stretches

Heel pain can be caused by stress placed on the plantar fascia ligament when it is stretched irregularly, which causes small tears and inflammation. Stretching and strengthening exercises can help the ligament become more flexible and can strengthen muscles that support the arch, in turn reducing stress on the ligament.

Exercises for plantar fasciitis-when combined with other steps such as resting, avoiding activities that make heel pain worse, using shoe inserts, icing, or taking pain relievers-usually succeed in relieving heel pain. 

Stretching exercises should create a pulling feeling. They should not cause pain. It's best to do each exercise two or three times during the day, but you do not need to do them all at once.

1. Plantar Fascia Stretch by Rolling

The plantar fascia can be stretched by rolling it over a round object such as a ball, weights bar, rolling pin or can or bottle.

Plantar fascia stretch by rolling

• While seated, roll the object with the arch of your foot.
• Roll the foot repeatedly over the object, applying increasing downwards pressure.
• If you are able to, progress to doing this exercise while you are standing up.
• Using an object which can be cooled in the freezer, such as a bottle or can, also applies cold therapy at the same time!  (A frozen plastic bottle of water works great!)

2. Calf Stretch 

This exercise stretches the muscles at the back of the lower leg (the calf) and the Achilles tendon.

Stretch for the Gastrocnemius muscle

• Stand facing a wall with your hands on the wall at about eye level. Put the leg you want to stretch about a step behind your other leg.
• Keeping your back heel on the floor, bend your front knee until you feel a stretch in the back leg.
• Hold the stretch for 15 to 30 seconds. Repeat 2 to 5 times.  
• Repeat the set 3 times a day.
• Gradually hold the stretch for longer (up to 45 seconds).

3. Another Calf Stretch

In addition to the above stretch this one will stretch the Soleus muscle lower down in the back of the leg.

Soleus muscle stretch

• Stand in front of a wall with the leg to be stretched just behind the other.
• Bend both knees and lean forwards slightly. Make sure you keep the back heel down. 
• If you need more of a stretch, raise the toes on an object 1-4 inches tall or move further back from the wall.

4. Stretching on a Step

Stretching on a Step

• Stretch by standing on the edge of a step and slowly lower the heels down below the step.
• Start using both legs and progress to one leg at a time
• Hold for at least 15 seconds.
• You should feel a gentle stretch.
• Be careful not to over-do this one

5. Towel Curls to Strengthen your Foot

Strengthen your foot with towel curls

• While sitting, place your foot on a towel on the floor and scrunch the towel toward you with your toes.
• Then, also using your toes, push the towel away from you.
• Make this exercise more challenging by placing a weighted object, such as a soup can, on the other end of the towel.

6. Marble Pickups

Using your toes will strengthen your feet. 

• Put marbles on the floor next to a cup. 
• Using your toes, try to lift the marbles up from the floor and put them in the cup.

BEFORE YOU GET OUT OF BED

Many people with plantar fasciitis have intense heel pain in the morning, when taking the first steps after getting out of bed. This pain comes from the tightening of the plantar fascia that occurs during sleep. Stretching or massaging the plantar fascia before standing up can often reduce heel pain.

• Stretch your foot by flexing it up and down 10 times before standing.
• Use a towel to stretch the bottom of your foot (towel stretch ).
• Massage the bottom of your foot across the width of the plantar fascia before getting out of bed.

Other steps can help reduce heel pain when you take your first steps after getting out of bed. You can:

• Wear a night splint while you sleep. Night splints hold the ankle and foot in a position that keeps the Achilles tendon and plantar fascia slightly stretched.
• Always wear shoes when you get out of bed, even if it is just to go to the bathroom. Quality sandals, athletic shoes, or any other comfortable shoes with good arch supports will work.

Participating in Sports

If you are participating in sports, it is very important to warm up and do stretching exercises before your sport. Warming up and stretching will make your plantar fascia more flexible and may decrease the chance of injury and inflammation.

You may want to take a pain reliever such as a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), including aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen sodium, to relieve inflammation and pain. Some people take NSAIDs at least 30 minutes before doing recommended exercise, to relieve pain and allow them to participate and enjoy the exercise. Other people take NSAIDs after they exercise.

Exercises to Avoid

Some exercises may make your heel pain worse. One example is exercise that involves repeated motions and pounding of the foot against a hard surface such as running or jogging. You should avoid this type of exercise.

Plantar Fasciitis

Well, I can now add this to my list of ITICES.  Hopefully, early treatment and routine preventive maintenance will relieve this one.  It hasn't stopped me, but the pain is not fun at all.

What Is Plantar Fasciitis?

Plantar fasciitis is an inflammation of the band of tissue (the plantar fascia) that extends from the heel to the toes. In this condition, the fascia first becomes irritated and then inflamed, resulting in heel pain.

                 

Causes

The most common cause of plantar fasciitis relates to faulty structure of the foot. For example, people who have problems with their arches, either overly flat feet or high-arched feet, are more prone to developing plantar fasciitis.  (Mine is a high arch.)  Wearing non-supportive footwear on hard, flat surfaces puts abnormal strain on the plantar fascia and can also lead to plantar fasciitis. (Does baking dog treats barefoot on hardwood floor constitute "non-supportive.)  Obesity may also contribute to plantar fasciitis.  (Another reason to loose those extra pounds!)

Plantar fasciitis can also be caused by very tight calf muscles which leads to prolonged and / or high velocity pronation of the foot. This in turn produces repetitive over-stretching of the plantar fascia leading to possible inflammation and thickening of the tendon. As the fascia thickens it looses flexibility and strength.

Symptoms

The symptoms of plantar fasciitis are:

• Pain on the bottom of the heel
• Pain that is usually worse upon arising or when walking after resting.
• Pain that increases over a period of months

People with plantar fasciitis often describe the pain as worse when they get up in the morning or after they’ve been sitting for long periods of time. After a few minutes of walking the pain decreases, because walking stretches the fascia. For some people the pain subsides but returns after spending long periods of time on their feet.

  

Diagnosis

To arrive at a diagnosis, the foot and ankle surgeon will obtain your medical history and examine your foot. Throughout this process the surgeon rules out all the possible causes for your heel pain other than plantar fasciitis.

In addition, diagnostic imaging studies such as x-rays or other imaging modalities may be used to distinguish the different types of heel pain. Sometimes heel spurs are found in patients with plantar fasciitis, but these are rarely a source of pain. When they are present, the condition may be diagnosed as plantar fasciitis/heel spur syndrome.

Non-Surgical Treatment

Treatment of plantar fasciitis begins with first-line strategies, which you can begin at home:

• Stretching exercises. Exercises that stretch out the calf muscles help ease pain and assist with recovery.
• Avoid going barefoot. When you walk without shoes, you put undue strain and stress on your plantar fascia.
• Ice. Putting an ice pack on your heel for 20 minutes several times a day helps reduce inflammation. Place a thin towel between the ice and your heel; do not apply ice directly to the skin.
• Limit activities. Cut down on extended physical activities to give your heel a rest.  By walking on the painful foot you are continually aggravating the injury and increasing inflammation. Rest as much as possible and stop any unnecessary activities which place additional stress on the fascia.
• A good plantar fasciitis taping technique can help the foot get the rest it needs by supporting the plantar fascia. Tape is applied in strips across the plantar fascia taking the stress off the foot which healing to take place.
• Shoe modifications. Wearing supportive shoes that have good arch support and a slightly raised heel reduces stress on the plantar fascia.
• Medications. Oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen, may be recommended to reduce pain and inflammation.

If you still have pain after several weeks, see your foot and ankle surgeon, who may add one or more of these treatment approaches:

• Padding and strapping. Placing pads in the shoe softens the impact of walking. Strapping helps support the foot and reduce strain on the fascia.
• Orthotic devices. Custom orthotic devices that fit into your shoe help correct the underlying structural abnormalities causing the plantar fasciitis.
• Injection therapy. In some cases, corticosteroid injections are used to help reduce the inflammation and relieve pain.
• Removable walking cast. A removable walking cast may be used to keep your foot immobile for a few weeks to allow it to rest and heal.
• Night splint. Wearing a night splint allows you to maintain an extended stretch of the plantar fascia while sleeping. This may help reduce the morning pain experienced by some patients.
• Physical therapy. Exercises and other physical therapy measures may be used to help provide relief.

Long-term Care

No matter what kind of treatment you undergo for plantar fasciitis, the underlying causes that led to this condition may remain. Therefore, you will need to continue with preventive measures. Wearing supportive shoes, stretching, and using custom orthotic devices are the mainstay of long-term treatment for plantar fasciitis.

More Birmingham Pics

Julie Haase's MANDY Exiting Tunnel
Jan 2, 2011
Open Standard, BOTC Trial, Birmingham, AL



Is This Fun?  You betcha!

What a Jumper!



Nina Getting Ready to Nail the Dog Walk

Birmingham Agility Trial

3 Q's, one title, and our first six MACH points. What a weekend!  I enjoyed having my mom, sister, Ray McElevy and family and friends in the stands to see our runs.  It was the first time we really had a fan base.

Nina with Her Spoils

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First MACH Points

Nina resting with her squirrel after a hard day in Birmingham. She got her first JWW ExB points today. Only 447 to go.

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