Last Monday I was walking along with my group of dogs thinking what a great job I have. I was watching Sid the Australian Shepherd do loops around me and all the other dogs with Ollie the Black Lab in hot pursuit. Sid is rather fast and nimble which is a common trait of that breed. Actually as of late I have always enjoyed having the Australian Shepherds and Border Collie’s along on my walks as they do love to run in circles and entertain (wear out) the other dogs.
Well today I learned that labs maybe just as fast but they are not just as nimble. So Sid approached me from behind in a full sprint and jumped out of the way to pass me just on time but that left Ollie in hot pursuit to slam into my legs. So out form under me the legs go and I fly in the air and am now horizontal to the ground. Slam. As I am in the air I am thinking why did you have to slam into me and not a tree? We are walking in a forest after all. As I land I hear all the vertebrae in my neck go snap, crackle and pop. Whether I am hurt or not I have to scramble to my feet and get upright immediately. For some reason every time I fall and hurt myself my dog thinks the best way to protect me from her perceived threat that the other dogs will hurt me is to mall me herself. She really means well. So back on my feet I am and I am thinking that I must have whip lash. I keep walking and it only hurts a tiny bit and the more time that passes the better it feels.
I realize that Ollie gave me a Chiropractic adjustment. The funny thing is that recently I have had a lot of back and neck pain and strain and have been seeing my Chiropractor for it. I let him do upper back adjustments but won’t let him touch my neck. So maybe this was all for the best.
I am thinking though that Ollie and a few other Chocolate and Black labs I know who regularly play with the Australian Shepherds and Border Collie’s might benefit from going to agility classes.