Oct 28, 2010

Since September

Since my training session last September, I have been administering regular doses of Ttouch on my own dogs. Even brief contact is done in a mindful way as well as snuggle time. I also do actual sessions just as I would do on a client. Even my own dogs teach me a lot and they seem to really dig it. Here's Jazz's example:
Jazz requests her Ttouch sessions on a weekly basis. This is displayed in a subtle manner of canine body language screamed at me from the bed, her favorite place to be worked on. Her sessions last on the order of 30 to 40 minutes. So, to date I have worked on her a total of 3 hours, roughly guessing. Have I noticed any changes?

Behaviorally, Jazz has ceased barking at passing boats, birds and cars. She acknowledges passing cars with nothing more than a brief glance , where she had been an avid chaser. Fishing boats coasting by our dock are still fair game, and that I find quite reasonable, but the large cruiser way out in the channel is now free to pass in the world according to Jazz. Birds flying by used to cause quite a fury of barking .... that I don't miss. Barking at clients or delivery personnel entering our little store is an increasing thing of the past. Fears are greatly reduced, confidence is much increased.

Physically Jazz shows improvement in her range of motion and balanced use of both back legs. Jazz's right hip suffers from genetic degeneration. Symptoms cropped up at 18 months of age and were severe enough to warrant surgery. Adequan injections improved mobility so dramatically that a full hip replacement was postponed indefinitely. She would still carry her leg down stairs and would play cautiously. She also slept crooked. ..... You're probably expecting me to say that all those symptoms are gone, just like the excessive barking and car chasing. That now she runs, bolts & jumps again with reckless abandon, soars down stairs with no favoring of her hip, and she now sleeps with relaxed, straighter legs.

Yes.

This is an odd angle but Jazz's left leg is clearly visible in what appears to be propped on Nestle's face. Actually her leg isn't touching his face, that's how far the lower leg would stick up in the air when she's laying on her side. She received Ttouch on her hips during the Chapel Hill training session and I have focused two session on her hips. While still quite cow-hocked, this uncomfortable looking sleeping position is much reduced.

(As soon as I have a picture of her new sleeping position, I'll post it)

Peace, love & Light,
Kat

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