I might give it a try! I thought you had to do obedience to do agility? Tucker is my fly boy LOL

I think I've read that a puppy can have loose patellas because the bones are still developing and hardening and that they can become tight as they mature?? LP is such a hard one.

Rylie has grade 2 in both legs. Lacys is grade 2 left and grade 3 right.

I reread the grading scale recently. Grade three is when the patella always rests to the side of the groove but it can be manually moved back into position, but then pops right back out again when let go. Grade 4 is the same as grade 3 but with 4 can not even be manipulated back into the groove. So there really isn't a lot different between 3 and 4. 3 and 4 are both severe and may cause pain and limping and will at the least probably cause arthritis as the dog ages. Both may require surgery, but I'd only recommend it if the dog is limping or in pain. Dogs that have the surgery can still have limping and arthritis so that's why you should not do surgery unless the LPs are causing the dog pain.

Grade 3 isn't as bad as grade 4 in most cases....Brookie and Harvey has a grade 3 and it comes out and can be popped back in and stay in....Brookie when overweight it will pop out while running and she'll pull it up and I have to pop it back into place but now since her weight is under control it hasn't popped back out in over a year. I don't recommend the surgery either unless there is limping and pain. If you give glucosmine it does help with the joints and help with the arthritis.

I keep saying I need to get a good supplement. There is a good liquid one I may try soon. Lacys right patella is out almost all the time but I can move it with my fingers. It won't stay in the groove though. I reread the scale because I kept thinking it had to be worse than a three but then saw the difference was a four couldn't be manipulated back in the groove.

Btw Patty - lacy came with a 48 hour health guarantee too...such a joke. Something like Parvo even takes longer than 48 hours to show symptoms from exposure.

Grade 4 usually will have the limping and pain because it won't stay in the groove and it hurts. I can always pop Brookie's back into place and not have a problem with it. Harvey hasn't had any trouble in a very long time since weight is under control. Weight is our concern since I saw more problems with it popping out more so but again, since their weight is for sure under control I've had no problems or symptoms of LP. They unfortunately still jump up and down and with my concrete floors I'm always paranoid they will re-injure it UGH...
Anyone that has a 48 hour guarantee has no business breeding anything...

Yep. I don't think Lacys is anymore thank goodness.

Same here and they both are closely monitored in progression. So far, after 3 years no progression. With glucosmine with their food I'm sure is helping as well...Good luck to Lacy and Riley....I hope Lacey is feeling better btw...

Donna

I actually start my litters out on some equipment at 8 weeks. So long as you are being careful and not asking them to jump (mine don't jump any jumps or the tire until they are 1 yr) or learn to weave (for physical reasons better to wait until they are around a year) you can do alot with the little guys, teaching them to run with you, teaching them front crosses, how to follow your hands, to go between the jump standards etc.

I don't really take any classes for anything beyond puppy obedience anymore so I try to balance the agility and obedience out so it compliments each other. Really the big thing in agility is that they learn to "come" and sit and down on the table, they can learn all that as babies whether they take a class or not.

Now for a big dog, I would have at least puppy and beginner obedience under my belt before trying agility, because then you have issues like them trying to pull you over while you are trying to get them on the equipment etc. With a little dog that really is not an issue.

It really is fun, and in any beginner class the dogs will be on lead for most of it anyway, so the "come" thing is not such a big deal until you get past the introduction phase and start doing sequences of equipment.