Post Injury Dithering and Rationalization

Cone head entertainment

Weasel was hurt at a recent tournament, and whenever one of my dogs is hurt, I go through the dithering angst:  Should I continue doing this?

The fact is, I know I am putting my dogs in danger when I do these things with them.  Every road trip could be a crash.  Every time they hit the box, something could go wrong.  I am putting them at the mercy of a hundred dogs and people I don't know, many of them dogs who are new to this and confused.  Yes, the judges are wonderful and care is taken to intervene when a dog appears to be aggressive or predatory.  But, surprises happen.  Then there is the fact that flyball is physically hard on them, with the repetitive jumping and collisions with the box, and sprinting from a dead stop to full speed, then screeching to a stop, over and over.  They would be much safer if I kept them at home and took them on hikes, or played Frisbee in the back yard.
I know I am putting my dogs in danger, yet I continue to do it.  Why?  I love them and go to great lengths to protect them and give them a good and joyful life.  I don't think flyball is the meaning to life.  It doesn't cure cancer or feed starving babies. But, it gives my dogs joy.  They love it.  All the crazy frantic obsessive-compulsiveness that drives a person crazy is transformed into a wonderful thing.  There are other sports, and my dogs dabble in those as well, but every dog sport has the potential for injury.  Dogs fall off of the equipment in agility or run into aggressive dogs ringside.  I have seen agility dogs with the broken down, over-extended front legs because of the stress of 2 on 2 off contacts.  Herding dogs are in danger of being kicked, or ground into the ground, or getting out at stock unsupervised and getting shot.  I have heard of disc dogs landing wrong and being paralyzed.  I'm not sure what the hazards would be for Dock Diving, but Spoiled One believed that water was dangerous.  Every dog sport is hazardous.  Weasel has sliced up her feet just running back and forth in the back yard playing ball.  (See metal lawn edging is evil)

Seelie at the Shelter

There is another reason I like to get my dogs out to sporting events.   Two of them are pound puppy specials.  Spoiled One had been returned to or abandoned at the pound by three different homes before I got him from Yamhill County Dog Control in Oregon.  At four months old, Weasel found herself as an owner surrender at Albuquerque Eastside Animal Control.  At that time, about half the dogs that came into the shelter didn't leave it alive.    I really want people to see these vital, enthusiastic, amazing dogs competing on the same field as dogs bred for these sports, so they can realize that there are wonderful, astounding dogs available through rescue and shelters.

So, I will continue doing flyball and other dog sports with my dogs, and, unfortunately, at some point, there will probably be another injury or accident, and I will go through the same debate with myself.  But, truth be told, they live a wonderful life, and I believe in my heart that, despite the risks, it is much better than being safely kept at home, sheltered from hazard.