compensatingwhenitIStryingto
performtoitsmaximumpotential.The
examplethatcametomymindisa
slightlyoverweightdogretrievinga
dumbbelloverahighjumpinthe
obediencering.Asthedogputsoutmore
efforttohoistitsbodyoverthejump,he
isoverexertinghisrearlegstopropelthe
bodyoverthejump.Oradogracing
downthefieldtofetchathrownFrisbee
orballsuddenlycomingtoastopbutthe
extraweightpreventshimfromstopping
properlyandhejamshisfeetintothe
ground.Dr.Shoemakergavestatistics
aboutanteriorcruciateligament(ACL)
tearswiththehighestnumberofcauses
beinglongtoenailsandextraweight.
Whenadogcompensateshisbody
forsomefactorthatisthrowingoffhis
abilitytostandormoveproperly,thecompensationsnega-
tivelyimpactthestructureofthedog,andweardownother
parts.Shetalkedabouthowacrookedtoothcanaffecta
dog'sabilitytostand.Followthisexplanation:thecrooked
toothpressesagainstanothertooth,thiscausesthenervous
systemtobecomeuncomfortablesothedogslightlytiltsits
headtoeasethediscomfort.Theslightlytiltedheadnow
causesthedog'sweighttoshiftalittlesothathecanremain
standingupright.Inordertoremainstandinguprighthe
hastoholdonelegslightlyoutofpositionsothathe
doesn'ttipover.Shiftingthislegout
ofpositioncanthrowthehipsoutof
alignment.Afterawhile(days,weeks,
months)ofstandinglikethis,the
dog'smusclememorybuildsup
andheALWAYSstandslikethatto
compensateforthecrookedtooth.So
evenifyoutrytomovehisoneleg
backintoproper“stacking”position,
thedogwillmovehislegbackto
wherehismusclememorytellshim
itismorecomfortable.Ofcourse,
thisisareallysimpleexampleandit
certainlydoesn’texplaineverydog’s
issues,butyoucanseehowphysics
andthelawofgravityinfluenceyour
dog'sabilitytojuststand!
AsDr.Shoemakertalkedmore
abouttoenaillengthshedemonstrated
herfool-proofmethodoftrimmingtoenails.Acoupleof
canineattendeesreceivedcompletemanicuresandpedicures
whilebeingsnugglyheldbyDr.Shoemaker.ThePBGV
demodogswerenomatchforher!Shedemonstratedher
"box"methodofcontainingthedogunderherarmand
clippingthetoenailsonlyafterthedogstoppedstruggling
andsnuggledintoher!ThatwasahugeWOWfactorfor
manyofthefolkswhonowhadatake-hometechniqueto
trybythemselves!
Dr.Shoemaker'sallottedtwo-hourseminarspilled
overwiththeattendees'enthusiasmforher
information.WeescortedhertotheWelcome
Partywhereshewasabletotalkindividually
withmorefolkstoshareherinformationand
answerotherquestions!
Thankyou,Dr.Shoemaker,forparticipatingat
ourPBGVNationalSpecialty!Thisshortarticle
onlysuperficiallytouchesonthevastamount
ofinformationsheshared.Herwebsitehas
interestingarticlesandisverysoothingtoclick
through.Pleasevisitatwww.alwayshelpful
veterinaryservices.com.
I
32
www.pbgv.org
Summer2014
ISaberTails
Shoemaker
continuedfrompage31
WomenofthePBGVHealth&RescueFoundation.
Fromleft:DirectorsJillOttoandHelenIngher,Vice
PresidentLauraLiscum(withOrangeman!)and
PresidentLindaMurray.
NationalMentorUpdate
byKittySteidel,JECchair
Atnationalwewereinneedofmentors.Thefollowing
breedershavegivenmetheir75wordsorlessoutlining
theirexperienceandclubmembership,butwestillneed
more.Ifyoufeelyouqualify,followthestepsonpage53.
SandiBustin
SusannahCooper
CarolDoerge
DonMoore
VickiWillmann
Fivejudges/prospectivejudgesattendedtheJudges
EducationProgramatnational,boththeseminarand
thehands-onpresentation.Thehands-onwasexceptional
astwoprofessionalsgaveinformationanddemonstrated
thevirtuesandshortcomingsofseveraldifferentdogs.
Attendeeswere:
SusannahCooper
AlFerruggiau
RichardNance
LindaPorch
PhyllisRosinsky