I'm not familiar with this, but anything that helps over straining is always a good thing. Some good R &R is good after too much. Some dogs are just active guys no matter what. Hope all resolves well.

Esther and her Snoop

Cassie,

I watched the videos. It is hard to see, but what you're describing, along with the panting, makes me wonder if he might be in pain or if it's just overuse and he's too tired or it's strained. Willows's situation was different because she was much older and had arthritis, but when she would run around for a bit she would sink down on her remaining front leg because of the arthritis pain.

The support brace sounds interesting. Does it take stress off the leg or just keep it positioned properly?

I hope you get things figured out!

Hugs,
Carol

Our PT vet recommended a carpus brace for Lexie, and I bet it would help your boy Domino. Ours came from Therapaws. Has Domino been evaluated by a PT or ortho vet yet? That would be a good place to start. I wouldn't recommend frisbee or other jumping around activities until he's been evaluated.

Good luck, and keep us posted. So glad you saved his life, btw -- he is a lucky boy!

Hi Cassie, it definetly looks like Domino needs a little break from the rough housing. Mav develops a similar stance when he's been over worked or spent too long on the trail. A little R&R should do him wonders but I would seriously consider the PT to assess the need for a brace and overall muscle health. Now that Lisa got a new laser that's both portable and quiet (Mav had a little fear of the louder one, lol) our laser therapy has really helped to relieve some of the strains that Mav has developed from rough play. We just had the brace talk ourselves this last session and will have to start setting money aside since he doesn't need it quite yet but will in the future. The issue with our young guys is we really have to be vigilant about keeping their joints and muscles as healthy as possible to give them a long, pain-free life which means that we may have to say no to play more than we want. Good luck!

Mandy and Mav

The length of our walks vary based on the temperature outside. When we had snow out the wazzoo hear in NJ I took Mav out for 4 mile walks without any issue. Keep in mind I kept water on me and stopped every mile for a 10 minute break that included water and a massage. Of course I have the benefit of Mav being a mini and only weighing 26 pounds so I could scoop him up and carry him if I wanted to keep going while he rested, lol. Now that summer is here, Mav really only goes a mile and he's done. The key is soft ground- the softer the ground, the less impact on the joints. Living in the pine barrens gives me plenty of access to sugar sand and peat moss in the bogs which is great for giving joints a little extra cushion. I don't walk Mav on pavement anymore because I noticed he was far more sore afterwards.

So in conclusion after that long winded answer, lol, I guess what I'm trying to say that its not how long the walk is, its the quality. If you slowly increase the length of your walk just keep watching Domino for signs of fatigue, stop regularly to make sure he doesn't overdo it, and carry lots of water. If Domino overheats during your walk try the swamp cooler from Ruffwear, its really helped Mav with his overheating problem but I still make sure to walk during the cooler afternoon hours. I also make sure to keep our pace at a comfortably slow walk, I find that I'm more able to pay closer attention to his gait that way than if we're rushing.

As humans we rationalize that a longer walk means a better experience for the dog but in actuality our best friends are just happy to be out and about by our side. The real purpose for the walk with any dog is mental stimulation, especially for herding breeds that are bred to DO and not just sit at home. Just take the proper precautions and you can go for as long as Domino says he can.

Keep hopping!

Mandy and Mav