It is hard when a dog owner has an injury and/or physical limitation and has an active dog.
My mom can totally relate to this.
It’s been 15 years when she had her major injury training for a marathon.
She was unable to fulfill her dream to run a marathon as it took her years to recover.
During her 2nd year of recovery, I came to her life.
In the beginning, she was not aware but I became her key to recovery.
I’m now a senior dog, still active but just imagine ME when I was a young golden pup.
Participating in various dog behavioral classes was a workout for both of us.
Agility/Flyball classes were my favorite. A backyard run was not enough, mom did not have a choice but to take me for several long walks a day. Mom and I surely bonded well.
I easily learned how to heel.
The sit-stay and down-stay became a game of commands during our fetch play.
Mom has not fully recovered from her injuries but she learned how to work around it.
She always says, “Pain Kills Pain.”
Being an active senior dog, I provide her lots of motivation
and continue to inspire her to be active.
Mom is able to run in short intervals which works well for me.
Down-hill and up-hill runs are my favorite.
My behavioral classes are very handy when we do these runs as I have to be off-leash,
be on a “sit” command (when going up hill) or be on a “stand” command (when going down hill) and be attentive to the “come” command.
Always use your best judgement and consult your doctor if you have any injury that limits you exercising your dog. There are many alternative and ways. Just keep in mind, you are lucky to own a dog as he/she is the best medicine you’ve got.
I am joining FitDog Friday Hop,
hosted by SlimDoggy and Peggy’s Pet Place.
Click Here to read our review of SlimDoggy App.
Read our previous posts on my Dog’s Health page.
Lots of Golden L♥VE n Woofs
SUGAR
Reminder!
If you have not check out my current giveaway, Sugar’s Furry Friend BOOK, Click HERE!
Sugar, excellent advice. Working through and around injuries can be a challenge. Slimdoggy’s dad has had ankle issues for years, but loves to run and run and run. Jack, being a senior has to be careful too. Once in awhile he develops a bit of a limp and we have to rest a few days, but better a few days than months resulting from overuse. Too bad about the marathon…know how much effort goes into the training, sorry you didn’t get to do it.
Great post Sugar and love your purple booties! I also know how tough those injuries can be on the humans. I had shoulder surgery a few years back and couldn’t run Cosmo in agility. Going through those types of injuries sure makes you appreciate your health! I hope Rocco learns to be as attentive as you are!
Your pals,
Diane and Rocco
Excellent post, Sugar. You are obviously very well-mannered. As kittehz, we sometimes forget ours! MOL!
So true Sugar. Great post. Being a senior but active dog myself and with my MOM having a little more than a few injury’s we know what you are talking about and we agree. I really have been some of the best medicine for my MOM.
Blessings,
Goose
Thank you so much for this post, Sugar. I broke my back a year and a half ago and all I wished for while in the ICU was to be able to walk my dogs again! I am so, so grateful to be able to do that and more but the dogs and their patience in my recovery meant everything. You’re so goldenly pawesome!
Certainly good advice Sweet Sugar.
We are really glad that you are OK after the horrid RAIN that you had. Hope you don’t get any more rain for a few days.
Excellent advice Sugar — your Mom is lucky to have you and you are lucky to have her 🙂
Keeping moving is the key – our mom has had rheumatoid arthritis and lupus since she was 21 – so every day is a battle but having us keeps her up and moving even when her joints are all stiff and hurting.
Sugar, you are so right. Dogs are the best motivators in the world.
Because our Mom has severe osteoporosis, th eonly really safe exercise she can do with us is walking. And even then she is at risk:) But when she broke her arm, it was very hard because she couldn’t walk us. So we had to get lots of exercise in our yard. The winters are tough too because she can’t risk slipping on ice. We love our walks and we know that in some small way we are helping her keep her bones as strong as they can be.
Woos – Phantom, Thunder, Ciara, and Lightning
I have a computer ban today Sugar, as I ran off this morning… 🙁 The fields looked so tempting and one paw followed the other….. and then I rooooollllllllled and rooooooollllllled and then I ate what I was rolling in…
Great post for the Fit Dog hop! Absolutely agree: dogs are the best medicine!
Sugar you are such a well mannered girl, you do all that off the leash.. Have a wonderful Friday xx00xx
Mollie and Alfie
You are such a sweetie to help you Mom stay active like that! Have a fun weekend!
Mom calls us the fitness buds, we motivate each other and keep each other fit. My sister is having some issues now that she is a senior dog and it looks like she will be sporting a purple shoe on her one back paw starting later today (had to order them). She still enjoys our long walks and occasional romping. Mom mostly runs alone but she too has some running injuries that won’t go away, so the mega runs are gone and she keeps it to 4-6 miles. I go sometimes but most of the time it is easier for her to run and then we do a long walk with her after. We try to keep her worn out if we can 🙂 It is a sad thing for people that have dogs and are not fit because we are great fitness partners!
Dear Sugar, I think the joy and love you’ve brought your mom, over the years has made her life so much richer.
I know that just having a pup here helps my blood pressure, especially if I am extra stressed. I love it that you can both do short runs together.
Paws and Enjoy!
Noreen & Hunter
If you are injured and cannot walk your dog, you may not need to look far to find a temporary fill-in like a teenager or a neighbor who walks their dog and can take yours along. Purrs and hugs, Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth and Calista Josette
pain kills pain – that’s brilliant!!! I will tell it to my dad, he was in the soup as he had a surgery on the shoulder and he had no idea how to hold my leash :o) Have a golden friday :o)
You give such sage advice Sugar. I like that.
Have a woof woof day and weekend. My best to your mom. 🙂
Super post filled with sage advice, Sugar. You and mom are lucky to have each other!!
Have a wonderful weekend!
*Cairn cuddles*
Oz
Go Sugar go! It’s great to keep our peeps active! Love your shoes too 🙂
That is a great post Sugar. You looks so good running around. We bet you did help you Mom to recover. Hope all of you have a super day.
Great advice Sugar. We are lucky as we can go out everyday. We too are sure you help mum recover. Have a fabulous Friday.
Best wishes Molly
Aww sugar, good job for keeping your mom fit. You guys are perfect for each other 🙂
Wonderful, informative post Sugar! We’re glad you helped your mom get better after her injury and that you both enjoy walks together so much! Us kitties are more for the recuperating moms since we tend to stay put a lot.
LOVE the cool, action photos=you are SO awesome, gorgeous Sugar!!…And those purple running shoes are great!!…We are really glad you found your Mommy=we can see how much love you have for one another…Have a fun weekend, precious friend…kisses…Calle, Halle, Sukki
Great photos! We wish your mom continued recovery. Remember – Strength Doesn’t Come from What You Can Do – It Comes From Overcoming the Things You Once Thought You Couldn’t ~ Rikki Rogers. Keep Fighting the Good Fight!
You look quite active to me Sugar!! I can’t even imagine how you looked as a Golden Pup!! Sounds like you were like an Airedale!! BOL
Kisses,
Ruby
Yes! Move it or lose it, we always say. Sugar is definitely an inspiration and a super fit sexy senior!
I have a similar story – I got a bad overuse injury training for a marathon. I still managed to do the marathon although my time was slooooow and I had to walk a lot. I’ve never really been able to go back to running more than intervals – but it’s fun to run/walk with the pups.
Clearly you and your mom have an awesome partnershp Sugar…I know that even when I tore up my ankle last year Gizmo still needed to go out so I grabbed a cane and we went places where he could be off lead while I hobbled along behind him…We kept moving and it was good for both of us
What an excellent topic Sugar. I’m glad you’re able to motivate your mom to keep moving, despite her injuries. Sometimes it’s easy to be fearful to get back into exercising after an injury, but once the doctor says its okay to exercise, we all need a furry friend to get us moving again!
I just love those flying ears! I’m so glad your mom has you, Sugar. 🙂
Dogs are indeed the best medicine. And the best medicine is sweet, like Sugar! 🙂 I don’t have severe injuries to try to work with. However, I do have fibromyalgia. The thing about this health issue is that in order to keep the symptoms at a minimum, I have to get regular exercise. On the other hand, if I overdo the exercise, the symptoms will flare up. It can be difficult to find the balance sometimes. My dogs help me a lot. Walking has been the best exercise for me. It’s a mild enough exercise that I seldom end up overdoing it. And the dogs love it so we can do it a lot.
Oh Sugar, what a joy you are! And an excellent post
Ah, Sugar, you are such a wise dog! And, kind-hearted. My Callie and Shadow are a lot like you, but we have no place nearby where we can go off-leash, except our own back yard. You are so lucky to have that freedom! They are, and have been, my best friends, medicine, and inspiration for getting my butt out of bed on rainy days. Together we are teaching Ducky to join us.
Sugar, you are such a cute pup and very cosideratre.
My mom broke her foot a couple of years back. I was doing agility classes at the time…. but, my dad took over for a couple of weeks and then my mom got a walking boot and we were back!
Sugar, you and your mom continue to inspire us daily!
Wyatt
What a great post Sugar. Excellent advice.
Great slogan…pretty true too! Keep those Purple’s a flying Sugar!!!
I think having an active dog is so wonderful if you are injured! You are right. I know you serve as her motivation and inspiration.
Sugar, what kind of injury did your mom have? Did she ever get to run a marathon? My mom ran a couple marathons and sometimes thinks she should run another but then she comes to her senses. We are glad you still get to run with your mom cuz we love running with our pawrents. But, we sure wish they would run faster. Do NOT tell them but me and Stanley secretly plan on tricking them into speed work so they will run faster! BTW, just wanted to mention we might not be around too much for the next week. Mom just painted the kitchen and mudroom and she is getting ready to do the living room/hall/stairway. She says she hates painting, oops she said to put that in caps, HATES painting and these big projects are miserable. Me and Stanley hate them cuz we get lonely.
Your Pals,
Murphy & Stanley
After one of my spine surgeries, I couldn’t even walk for a long time. I asked my friends to stop by and take my dogs for walks during the day when my husband was at work. They refused to leave my side! I’m not kidding. For that reason, I got back to walking much sooner than I otherwise would have. I think it was a good thing.
So, we know what you’re talking about!!!! I’m glad that you and Sugar have found things that you love to do together for exercise!
Great post! I tell people the walks are for the dogs, but they’re just as much for me. :-0