ANIMAL PHYSIOTHERAPY

Making the decision to study Animal Physiotherapy has been a huge one for Sally. 

She has worked hard to reach the high level of expertise she now possesses in human physiotherapy (her forte is cardio-thoracic and Intensive care physiotherapy ) and has willingly passed on her knowledge to many students and junior physios she has mentored.

Changing to Animal Physiotherapy involves enrolling in a Masters course at Liverpool University in England as Australia does not have a degree in Animal Physiotherapy at this time. Nor does New Zealand. This means that most of the course is done online with some compulsory time live-in in Liverpool too. A very expensive exercise !

Of course she needs to work to support herself and finance all of this too.

Luckily she has a friend who has an Animal Physiotherapy Practice who mentors her and provides her with practical training.

Recently Sally organised a workshop where a number of students were instructed in hands-on physio techniques. A large number of docile "patients"  were recruited from friends in the doggy world. 

Above and below you can see Scout taking a starring role with a rather aristocratic friend waiting her turn !

It seems that these days people tend to treat their animals with surgery and physio where one they would have been put to sleep or left to carry injuries dosed up on pain killers.

Massage and guided exercise seems to be very similar to the way humans are treated

And the animals don't seem to mind it a bit.

Acupuncture is also a valuable tool in dealing with pain issues and the animals often dose off when being treated.( look closely and you'll see the needles below )

Sally is now treating a few patients of her own ( under guidance of course ) and enjoying it all immensely.

The dog below had a stroke and was completely paralysed only a few weeks ago. His owners are delighted with his progress.

Finally it is all settling into place. 

Sally and Scout have moved from the Gold Coast to the Sunshine Coast to be close to the Animal Physiotherapy Practice where she now works part time. She also works at a hospital nearby and her life is very busy with work and study. Her aim is to divide her working time between dogs and humans.

Scout is happy. She has a new beach to explore.

As long as she has waves to catch,

cool water to swim

And Sally nearby she's happy !

Cheers.

DISAPPOINTMENT

Today, Tony and I should be wandering the streets of Paris, our favourite city in the world,

at the end of a five week trip to Austria.

Visiting places like these.

Unfortunately that holiday had to be postponed at the last minute on medical grounds.

Due to pre-cancerous changes in some cells, major surgery was called for and I am thanking my lucky stars that modern medicine has made the experience so trouble free and painless.

Now for the mine field of trying to recoup costs via credit card free travel insurance.
Our flights were able to be changed ( a precaution we took for the first time because of all of our Oldies ) but, as I book all our accommodation in apartments via the Internet, I am struggling to gather all the information required from several different apartment owners with different cancellation policies.
Luckily the end amount is not large - only around $2000 - and a small price to pay for continued health.
I consider myself very lucky to have dodged this bullet !!!

I'll let you know how the insurance claim goes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Recuperation time has been spent on making Scout some items for her trip to Sydney for the Flyball Nationals.

Her club colours are purple and yellow.

A rug to cover the mattress in her crate

and a pillow to rest her weary little head on were required.

 Looks like she is happy with both of them.

Now Sally wants a rug for herself so it is underway.

I'd better get busy, it'll soon be too hot to crochet.

Cheers.

PS. I have now rebooked our flights for late April next year and given us another week as a bonus!

FLY BALL

Have you ever heard of Flyball ?

It's a sport for dogs ! A team sport at that! and it is played by dogs and their owners all over the world. ( On a recent visit to Scotland Sally was a welcome visitor to a club there.)

Now I don't know that the dogs actually comprehend that they are playing in a team

but their owners train them to compete in a team relay race jumping over small jumps to fetch a ball then racing back to their owner.

Then the next dog has a go - and it's all against another team and timed to precision too.

You can see by the expression on the dog's face that they absolutely love it.

When they get over the jumps there is a "box" - a spring loaded contraption which has four places where a ball can be loaded. ( it depends which way the dog likes to turn )

When the dog hits the bottom plate of the box  ( and they do this with considerable force depending how fast they  are running ) the ball pops out and the dog catches it then turns and runs back to their owner over the jumps once again.

This is Sally's Scout in action. She is super fast !

The skill of the relay race is to let your dog go so that they pass eachother on the starting line,

and that they don't get distracted by the other dog running towards them and actually run their own race and not run off with the other dog coming towards them or worse still run over to the other team and interfere with their run.

As you can imagine the noise is terrific as the dogs and owners are very excited and calling out.

All types of dogs can play - Jack Russels, Border Collies, Poodles, Labradors all in the same team.

The height of the jumps is decided by the size of the smallest dog.

Two teams compete against eachother and the start is a bit like Drag Racing for cars with a moving light that starts at the top and moves downward till it goes green. ( you can see it in the picture above on the starting line showing green between the two teams.

As each dog has its turn the owner moves it into position and tries to time the release so that the dogs cross on the line.

Scout gets so excited it is all Sally can do to hold her back till its her turn !

When the dog has run its race it drops the ball in exchange for a Frisbee or some other reward toy and the owner plays tug with it.

Everyone is smiling, dogs and owners alike . Often dogs get distracted and make mistakes.

Everyone laughs !

Have another try Scout , Rosie, Clancy !

A little more training needed on the turn, helpers line up along the edge of the jumps to guide a wayward dog back down the line.

Smiles and encouragement all round.

You can watch a Fly Ball race here

Not all dogs are speedsters like the Border collies.

The Labs do it all calmly at their own speed,

the Blue Heelers are business-like,

the Poodles bounce

but the thing they have in common is they have FUN !

Sometimes they win the relay, sometimes they don't

but when they win a medal they are justifiably PROUD !

It's nice to be back Blogging. Hope I can find more things to  write about in the future.

Cheers.

WHAT'S HAPPENING ?

What's going on ?

 

What's happening at my place?

 

1. Disaster averted !

 

I have been unable to get into my blogs!

Yes blogs, I have four on the go:

 

Helsie's Happenings

Helsie's Travels

Budget Baby Boomers' Travel Tips - abandoned but left sitting there

and Awesome Activities at Moggill - a CWA blog

 

Recently I have been unable to get into any of them.

When I signed in and clicked on Design to enter them I was faced with a blank page.

Nothing, just a white page with nothing on it!!

 

I tried my usual solution - rebooting the computer - no different.

 

I tried using another browser - no different.

 

I went away and came back the next day. Same thing.

 

I asked Tony .  No progress.

 

Finally, in desperation I asked two blogging buddies for help, the first step on going from blog to blog and putting the same comment on all of your blogs asking for help from any tech savvy bloggers out there.

 

Both of them set to work to find a solution for me and while Carol ( in Cairns ) was at work Sandy ( Tea Cup Lane ) found the solution for me !

 

Tony cleared my Cache and History and boom I'm back in business !

 

That's what I love about the world of Blogging.

When you have a problem your pals are always there to help you through.

 

Heartfelt thanks Sandy and Carol

 

2. Cooking

 

Recently there has not been much good stuff happening in my kitchen.

Tony and I have been dieting !!

Trying to get some weight off before our trip.

We both need it.

I need it more !

So we've been eating salads - easy enough in this weather - and not much else!

Needless to say Tony has lost twice as much as me !!!

 

BUT !

I've been seeing people making bread out there in the blogging world.

 

Artisan, no-knead bread

in particular

( on this blog and this one )

 

and I just had to have a go.

 

WOW ! Just look at this !!!

 

 

Yes, it is as easy as they say !

 

and when you slice it ......

 

 

 

Lovely holey, bread with a chewy crust.

 

I'll be making it again !

 

3. A Visitor

 

 

Yes, Scout has come to stay for a month while Sally is on holidays.

She ( Sally ) is spending two weeks in New York and 2 weeks in Whistler skiing.

 

Scout 's making herself at home.

 

 

Too much at home sometimes!

Not allowed on the new chairs Scout !!

 

Scout's habit of early rising is taking its toll on Tony.

 

 

 

4. Another disaster !

 

Sally's bathroom renovation has been a disaster.

 

Incredibly poor workmanship and $9000 down the drain so Dad and cousin Ben to the rescue.

 

They are jackhammering it all up while she is on holiday and organising and supervising the repair.

 

5. Exercise !!!

In an effort to help with the weight loss drama I am now swimming 1000metres - 20 lengths  -one kilometre - twice a week at the local pool.

As the pool will be closing in three weeks time for the Winter this will not continue but then it might be cool enough to do a little walking in the evenings with Scout.

 

Suffice to say exercise and I are not friends !!!

 

and now finally the most exciting of all

 

6. An Engagement !

 

 

These two special people

my handsome son Brett ( do you think he looks a bit like Bear Grills ???) and his lovely girlfriend and partner for about 6 years, Sarah

have finally decided to get married later in the year.

We are so happy for them and delighted to have Sarah an official member of the family.

 

So that's what been happening here !

 

Cheers. 

A DAY AT THE BEACH WITH SCOUT

Do you remember Scout?

 

 

She lives with Sally and now she's all grown up.

 

Scout's favourite place in the whole world is

the beach.

 

Where she lives on Queensland's beautiful Gold Coast there are special beaches that are set aside for people and their dogs.

 

Recently we spent some time with them on the beach.

Scout's favourite game is to catch the Frisbee.

 



She fixes the Frisbee with a Border Collie stare,

gets ready

 



 

and she's off !

 

 

She's good ! Catching them in mid-air

 

on the fly !

The Frisbee gets covered in sand.

 

Scout gets covered in sand too !

 

Back and forth, back and forth.

 She tears up and down the beach with her precious Frisbee.

Sometimes other dogs want to join in .....

 

  but she never surrenders that Frisbee

 

and when Sally throws it into the water

 



 

she just charges in after it !

 

She's a great swimmer.

 



 

Doesn't mind putting her head under water

 

and often Sally joins her for a swim.

We played for over an hour until she was completely worn out.



 

  Then we sat on the sand and watched what the other dogs were doing for fun.

 

 

 

 

 Doggie Heaven !

 

Cheers.