June 2021: Well! It has been a SERIOUSLY long time since my last post to Bloggedy. Do I still remember how to post a new Blog blurb? Heck NO!
So, here I go with my attempt.
Recently, I accompanied a friend to a new-to-me dog enclosure in our area. She had been taking her 7-month-old pup there for some morning romps to get out the a.m. sillies and it proved to be a sweet, little, trampled-down spot with a good solid fence. Plenty of room for a dozen or so dogs.
It was not long before the few people at the park found out that I was a dog training coach and, feeling that I should give a wee something of myself, I gave them my recipe to keeping your legs safe when surrounded by dogs at play.
Here is the recipe: Place your knees together, bend them and hold onto them tightly with both hands. Dogs running towards you will kind of ricochet off your knee caps, Dogs coming at you from behind will knock you over, but your legs are already bent and you are that much closer to the ground. No whiplash! There is one other direction that they can hit you. More on that later.
Feeling that all was well in the world, and that a few people owning knees that currently work very well were now better equipped to keep those knees intact, I sauntered away to pick up a ball to throw for the gleeful dogs. RULE #1: Never take your eyes off the playing dogs. Why? Because many of the dogs (especially the ones who love being chased) will run full tilt WHILE LOOKING AT THE DOG BEHIND THEM!!
So, you may remember that I am now focussed on retrieving a ball to throw? Too late, I turn to catch the final second of a lovely, but large, dog running into my knees in the third direction; from the side. Personally, I find this direction to be the worst. I am sure that the slow-mo version of my fall would be comedic at the least and the full irony of it all was not lost on me for a second! I had to lay on the ground for several minutes to let the pain subside before being helped out of (with masks on) the field. Thanks to all the lovely people who were there that day, holding dogs, opening car doors, handing me leashes and generally making sure I made it home.
I am not sure if I yelped, but she sure did. Poor thing. She was, as previously mentioned, looking behind her to ensure that her pursuer was running as fast as she. (He was!) My knee is not yet healed enough, 2 weeks later, for me to yet have gone back to the park to see if the dog was indeed ok after our mishap but I have heard from good sources that she is fine.
So, Please remember; when at a dog park or anywhere that there are groups of running dogs, save your legs. Bend your knees and place them close together, hold on to them tightly with both hands and NEVER take your eyes off the dogs.
Hope everyone is having a happy and healthy day.
-Colette