Sunday, March 15, 2009

Trial, New Friends, Daisy & Ranger

Saturday I had the privilege to be the timekeeper for the AHBA ranch trial at Fido's Farm. Janie Nafsinger was the judge. Janie came over from the Boise area with Jodi Darling. Jodi and Janie have a blog together called Gem State Herding. Jodi is the author of Hay Ewe Stockdogging . I also had the pleasure of meeting Jaenne who writes Kip & Mo. Last but not least Colleen who shares her adventures on Reena's Training Blog.

I learned so much as the timekeeper. I was able to watch everything and hear the judges comments. One thing I realized - Beth and I could do this. So I think I am going to take the plunge and enter a trial in the near future.

The weather for the trial could only be termed as completely schizophrenic. One minute it was sunny, the next hail, sleet or horizontal rain. The tent we were standing in did no good. We were freezing and soaked to the skin several times. I couldn't feel my nose after 11 am. Elsie Rhodes took pity on me and loaned me her waterproof chaps, because I foolishly only wore jeans with my boots.

After the trial I went with Jodi, Janie, Jaenne, Colleen to dinner and had a wonderful time talking 'dogs' over some great food and hard apple cider - YUMMY! I think I may take up their invitation to go to the AHBA trial at Janie's on April 4th & 5th in Calwell, Idaho. When I told them I didn't think Beth and I were ready Jodi laughed and told me "Get out there and suck like the rest of us!". Why not!

Saturday after the trial I picked up our newest foster dog, Daisy. She is an gorgeous 6 month old Border Collie/Aussie mix. She has the classic markings of a border collie with a short tail and loads of CURLS! Lots and lots of springy curls!! I can't wait to get some pictures of her.

Today Beth and I went back to Fido's. We spent some time working a nice group of lambs. We helped Sylvia move the lambs through several different pens, then move the ewes from the high pasture into the barn. In doing this Beth really impressed me with her restraint and how well she was listening to me. I am going to go back this week and practice on the trial course (before Chris breaks it down) and see if we really can do this. Beth has had only a little pen work and it will be a good thing for me to become more secure in this.

Today before we left for Fido's we had a serious incident with Ranger. I don't know if his nose is out of joint with the foster dogs, or there is something else wrong. I am very worried about him.

Edited Post 3/17/09 Removed this section (Update: Ranger's vet visit results posted in comments)

I would love to hear if you have ever had an experience like this with your dog. What happened? Was there anything physical wrong with your dog? What did you do to get past it?

Thanks in advance!

14 comments:

Dancing shepherdess said...

Oh yeah- pain. That's the first thing I thought of. If you can, get him into the vet TODAY. Explain what happened. If Ranger has never acted this way, it's a big red flag that something physical is really wrong. The vet will need to do xrays, and palpate the heck out of his neck. Get him in today. I hope you both are okay. Go to the ER or Dr. for your hands. Jeez, that must have been so scary.

Sabine Peters - Artwork & Photographie said...

I am sorry, what happens to you and your dog.
I think, with his health is someting really wrong. He bite you, because he feels very uncomfortable and has probably also fear somebody touch the aching body...

The head shake suggests much on a violation or a hayseed or something else in ear. A walk to doctor is urgently.
Hope it is better soon.
(Please excuse my bad english ;o) )

Nibbles Treats said...

Poor Ranger! There is definitely something bothering him to cause him to lash out at you. We are crossing our paws that it is nothing serious. Please keep us informed as to what the vet says.

Tinkerbell, Oscar and Tucker

Laura Carson said...

Definately sounds to me like something is hurting him here. Poor guy - and poor you & John. How scary! Sounds like this was completely out of character for him. I'd also have the vet check his teeth.

Zippy bit me a few times when he first came to me, but he never bit very hard. Regardless it was emotionally very painful, and scary. Yes, I DID get over it. He wasn't in pain though - he just doesn't like having his collar grabbed.

Dog bites have a tendency to get infected - it may behoove you both to go get checked out. I got nailed (tore my finger open from under the fingernail) breaking up a fight once with Ginger & Bree, and it was not pretty.

I'm thinking good thoughts for you guys - please update us when you can. Feel free to email me at lkwillie13 @ aol . com (take out the spaces) if you wanna unload some of this.

Laura Carson said...

PS - I meant to say, also, just how sorry I am it happened. My heart goes out to you.

Darci said...

Oh my! What a bad deal for all three of you. Im so sorry! Cant imagine why Ranger would do such a thing, but I do have a Std. Poodle that HATES being taken by the collar, and has thought about using his teeth a couple of times when Ive been in a hurry and just started to grab him by it. I caught the panic in his eyes on these occasions and let go and offered him a few choice words while adjusting my attitude and again more gently taking him by the collar. He still doesnt care to be handled by the collar, but I give him time to know that its OK and he is hesitant, but ends up going along with the program. He wasnt in any pain, nor has he ever been manhandled so I think it is just a quirk of the dog. We respect it and understand there are just some things we try not to do with him, or, rather we alter the way we do such things with him, IE give him time to realize we arent going to hurt him, not that he has ever been hurt, it apprears just to be what HE thinks is going to happen. The Weirdo. I hope it all works out for the best, and your hands and hearts heal quickly.

Fenway said...

I've thought about Ranger and came to the conclusion that I HOPE something is hurting him and that it can easily be fixed. That would be easy and I believe that if he were in his right mind and in possession of his faculties, he'd never have bitten you. I agree with the others—it sounds like he's hurting and sensitive.

How old is he? Is there an chance he could have had a minor stroke or some reaction to getting overheated?

My first border collie lived to be 15. From the age of 13 on, he was prone to biting. Basically, he was deaf and a tad senile, but since he gave us so many good years, we let him be and took good care of him. If I had to pick him up (he got quite arthritic and needed assistance) I threw a blanket over his head. This calmed him down and protected my hands and arms. He grew to understand and accept the blanket...and assistance.

Ranger looks too young to have any of the age ailments. Maybe an ear infection? The head shaking a pawing seem to point in this direction. Again, we saw this with our first BC—massive ear infection that was quickly cleared with medicine. Please make haste to the vet! Thank goD you don't blame your sweet boy. He's not of sound mind when he's hurting!

And thanks for the sandy paint idea for the teeter. I was going to post this, too, since Fenway started sliding on the board. The paint will make it almost like the real thing.

Good luck with Ranger and let us know what's up!

BCxFour said...

Ranger has an infected bite wound/puncture under his collar on his neck - which the vet said would have caused a great deal of pain when his collar was pulled in a particular direction. I normally do not keep collars on my dogs when we are at home. Right before this incident happened I had put Rangers collar on him, then we went out the door to the car. The biting started when I pulled on his scruff and collar - right where the wound is located.

The vet said it looks like it could have happened from play. Bonnie and Daisy are both still very much puppies (6 & 8 months old) have been harassing him alot. Abby also plays VERY rough with him.

I am keeping Ranger separated now so he can have some rest from he constant badgering to play. Today Ranger hasn't been more than a few feet away from me the entire day unless he is outside doing his business.

For now Rangers world is very small and will stay that way until I know he is healthy and things even out a bit.

Thank you to everyone for your support and encouragement. It means so much....thank you.

BCxFour said...

I feel terrible I missed this bite wound - I didn't feel it when I checked his neck later. There wasn't a lump this morning either. It was very soft and supple - I must have touched it a few times and still missed it. I knew I hurt him - I just knew it. He never would have done that to us...

The vet looked over his neck twice - then checked him throughly again with a comb to actually see the skin. There was no blood. He knew there was something there because Ranger was running a significant fever and showed sensitivity when he palpatated his neck. When he showed the wound to me and scraped the top scab off to clean it out - it started draining and still is draining out now. My poor guy I feel so badly for him.

Dancing shepherdess said...

Jeez. Glad that you found the issue, and that he can start healing now. How are you and your husband's hands?

BCxFour said...

Mine is infected. I think I will break down and actually go to the doctor today. Neosporin didnt work...'sigh'

Dancing shepherdess said...

GET TO THE DR. NOW. I have experienced with infected dog bites, and I ended up having repeat visits to the "wound center", which is really one of the grossest places you can enter.

Laura said...

Wow, I'm so sorry to hear all this. You've had a rough couple of days! That must have been so scary, and I am sorry Ranger was wounded enough to lash out--but I bet you are relieved there is a valid explanation for his biting. Take care of your bites (but if I were you I wouldn't admit to the doctors that they are dog bites, as they are obligated to report that to AC in some states).

BCxFour said...

I am heading off to the doctor this afternoon to have the punctures and cuts from pruning my roses looked at. No worries...I am not telling the doctor about this.

In fact I am going to edit my original post and remove much of the Ranger incident. For his safety and mine. Not to mention insurance reasons.