© 2009 Who Paws Wins

For those of you who attend Flyball tournaments in the North of England you may have come across my dog Toffee running in the team Who Paws Wins. You may have watched her and wondered why she runs a little bit differently and noticed the bump in her back, you may even have wondered if she should be doing flyball.
On 30 May 2004 whilst being walked by some friends with their dogs she was hit by a car and rushed to the vets. The L2 spinous process was fractured and impinging on the spinal nerves a referral was made to see an Orthopaedic Surgeon to see if permanent paralysis could be avoided, within an hour of being seen she was operated on immediately with her back being plated and pinned. Then it was a case of waiting to see if she would walk again. Toffee was in hospital for 2 weeks, I visited her every day and held a chew while she nibbled on it. She took everything in her stride, everyone said what a lovely temperament she had and how she never needed muzzling no matter what they had to do.

I was thrilled when I was able to bring her home to a cage which I placed by the back door so she could look at the garden. Life revolved around the cage and she never complained.

 

Toffee

After two weeks at home she started to weight bear when in her sling and two weeks after that I was cooking in the kitchen when she tentatively hobbled in to see what was cooking! It was amazing. The vets were thrilled her recovery was far speedier than they had even hoped for! A hydrotherapy course followed, the highlight for Toffee being in the hoist as she has always loved heights! Slowly Toffee regained her strength and lead walks became longer.

About August I took her for her first off lead walk by a water park where she could do a lot of laying in the water which she loves. She was amazing I watched her go down to the water and then on one occasion there was a little step back up which she could not manage I was just about to lift her up when I thought I would see what she would do and without her even looking at me for help she looked around to find an easier route and find one she did. Her final check up with the surgeons and they were amazed at the sprightly dog that walked in and we were given the all clear to let her do whatever she feels capable of doing.

I have always been guided by her behaviour on walks and at home as to what she could and couldn’t do, she had loved agility especially being high up on the A-frame, so I spoke to a trainer about enrolling Toffee on the beginners agility course again to see how and what she could do and she began that six months after the accident as she loved it so much. With great fortitude and courage she went from one obstacle to another, the sack tunnel she couldn’t quite squat down far enough (although she does it with ease now! ) the dog walk at half height and with the trainer and I either side she was soon perfect on it. But the piece de resisistance was the A-frame at about half height we tried and with a harness to ensure safety she climbed up, a few more goes and once again she was Queen of the Castle!

After the Agility course I started taking her for socialisation mainly to her sister Treacle’s flyball classes she used to do a few of the jumps but that was it she wasn’t interested in the ball at all. At that point I used to have to tell people not to stroke her back as it was too sensitive.

Five years on she competes at flyball, regularly goes up the A-frame at almost full height. We have passed our Kennel Club Good Citizen bronze & silver award, she has been a finalist for the James Wellbeloved Tails of Achievement Award and she now has over 200 points at flyball. Best of all though she loves chasing around with her sister and finding muddy puddles to get filthy in, she can be a diva though and loves playing to the crowd and will only do things on her terms but she was exactly the same before the accident and I would not have her any other way.

The only thing she is ever forced to do is to get off the sofa for a wee before bedtime! People are amazed when they hear about her accident after they have seen her running around. She has gone far beyond anything I ever thought possible when she was lying in the hospital cage. Toffee is a truly amazing dog and takes everything in her stride with real positivity. Her unwillingness to let anything get in her way has been an inspiration and I am truly blessed to be her mum.