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