Many handlers are concerned about running their dogs in agility trials held indoors on mats over concrete floors. Having run my dog many times on a variety of indoor and outdoor surfaces, I would agree that mats are not my favorite surface. However, I personally don't think there is anything inherently dangerous in it. And, my experience, and that of hundreds of others, would seem to bear this out.

Those who object to running agility indoors on mats point out how sore their legs, back, and feet feel after a single weekend walking around on such a surface and suggest that their dogs feel the same. I would agree that many of us are a little sore after a long weekend at an indoor trial. A couple of things to remember however:

1. No disrespect meant, but most of us weigh a lot more than our dogs. For instance, I weigh about 185 pounds, whereas Jordan, my Belgian Sheepdog, only weighs 43, a factor of about 4.

2. Humans walk on 2 feet, and dogs walk on 4. At a walk, the force humans exert on each leg is about equal to their body weight, whereas the force dogs exert on each leg is about equal to half their body weight, a factor of 2. At faster gaits, the difference is about the same.

Together, this means my dog is putting only about an eighth as much weight on her legs as I am putting on mine.

3. Most dogs have enough sense to lay down and rest at trials, whereas most handlers don't. Sure, both of you ran the course together, but how many times did you walk it during the course walk-through? How many times did you walk back and forth from the car with crates and bags and such? How many trips to the bathroom? And, at those big shows, how much time shopping?

4. Sure you were tired and sore at the end of the weekend, but in a day or
two, you were back to normal. The same is true for your dog.

Certainly, there will be some people who disagree and will refuse to enter indoor trials. Whether anyone runs their own dogs indoors on mats is a very personal decision that depends on a number of factors, including breed, body weight, body composition (percentage of body weight that is fat), body style, jumping style, working style, level of risk the owner is willing to accept, and various other factors. Of course, the same can be said for running your dogs in the rain, the mud, a snowstorm, or the dead of summer when the heat has turned the grass brown and slick. If running indoors is not for you and your dog, by all means, don't enter indoor trials. But for most dogs, the risk of injury associated with running indoors is minimal. Kurt Matushek DVM. ADCH NATCH MACH U-ATCH Jordan (BSD)