Is there anyone about that knows about dogs?

There's a few of us about. What do you need to know?

Thanks.

H and I recently rehomed my sisters dog, a 3 year old Springer Spaniel. When we take her out for walks we use a 'Wheeker' and a tennis ball which she absolutely loves. However her legs are getting torn to bits. The pads above her hocks on her front legs are all cut and bleeding and her back legs are all cut as well.

Should I stop throwing the ball for her? Or will it all just harden up like a bricklayers hands?

It would be a shame to have to stop throwing the ball for her because she just loves it but I dont want her to be in pain or anything.

She never got that much exercise at her previous home and now she is getting about 2 1/2 hours a day so it could be that her legs just arent used to the rough and tumble.

I wonder if she's actually nibbling her paws and that's what is making them bleed?

I'd take her to the vet to get checked out.

No its definitely from when she skids along the ground when chasing her ball. Was thinking about taking her to the Vet but at the end of the day they are just small grazes so dont know if they can do much.

Are you throwing the ball on grass or tarmac / gravel?

We throw it on grass.

Hmm, seems very strange. Maybe you could try putting socks on until the wounds have healed properly and take is easy with the ball.

It maybe worth getting checked over by the vet though to be on the safe side.

i dont know why she is getting cuts - but i would definitely have the vet check her over to make sure there isnt some kind of infection that is making her more sensitive

as a point of common sense it would be better to build her up more gradually - to go from nothing to 2.5 hours a day of strenuous running around is not going to be a good thing

Fatgirl - Its just when she runs to get the ball usually she is running so fast that she slids and her legs are obviously scraping along the ground.

Los - They do get so excited dont they!! She is great otherwise and fairly well trained its just these grazes that are worrying me. Will take your advice re the Sudocream on the cuts.

I am thinking the same as you in that the pads should harden up. Like when a bricklayer starts out their hands get ripped to bits but after years of work there hands are like leather.

Janey - We have to exercise her that much otherwise she would be pacing about the house. Its broken up exercise so 1/2 hour first thing, 1 - 1 1/2 hours in the forrest at lunch and then 1/2 in the evening.

Oh cool - will have a look tomorrow when I go to Tesco.

I think re the exercise that its affected me more than her I am absolutely knackered with all the walking! ?

To be honest, i'd leave off the frantic running after the ball play until her legs are completely healed up.

And i'd still seek the advice of a vet - she could have a skin problem that is making her skin more irritable.

Grazing and cutting her paws/legs on grass doesn't seem quite right to me.

H has just reminded me that when I throw the ball at the forrest its on a mud track so rougher than grass. Might stop throwing the ball at the forrest and just throw it when I take her to the field.

I also have a 5 year old (one eyed lol) Springer that doesnt know when to stop! lol

She doesnt get the cut feet, but when we take both dogs on holiday and go on the beech we will be down there for about 3 hours a day, all over the rock pools etc. Just when she is on holiday, she gets really stiff, and starts to limp. So when she gets like this we dont take her down as much. We believe that this is because she i not used to it, as we both work, and I think this might be the same problem that you are having.

I would speak to a vet though just to make sure that the dog is ok!

Whilst that amount of exercise is great for her physically - once you're sure there's nothing contributing to the cuts and grazes - what are you doing to tire her mentally? Dogs need mental stimulation as well - you'll be amazed at how tiring 20 minutes of clicker training is compared to 20 minutes of walking, even though the dog isn't moving around much! I'd give the physical exercise a back seat until her paws heal and then build it up gradually again but in the meantime take a look at Kay Lawrence Training Games books, or Mary Ray's Tricks for your clever canine. Even better, as she's a springer, you could try Helen Philip's Clicker Gundog stuff - even if you have no intention of ever working her in a shoot, focusing and using her natural insticts is the best exercise of all.

She sounds like a lucky pooch to have found you though.