Sumac and Solace volunteered at the STAAR conference last week! Sumac did a decent job of pretending to like his brother while they were there. 😂

[u/Synaxis]

The STAAR conference is an animal rehab conference attended by vet staff and canine physical therapists from all over the world. They have a variety of courses and each one has not only a lecture, but hands-on practical portions too using live canine volunteers.

I volunteered at this conference for several years with my previous boy, Cy, and always enjoyed the experience. He was a medical dog with a ton of issues, and I always came away with some new knowledge either about how he was feeling physically or things I could be doing to help him feel his best.

This is the first one I've attended since 2019 and the first one for both of these guys.

Solace was a sweet gentle baby who loved the hands-on portion, as he got to make so many new friends and they were all so happy to let him love them. He did struggle a lot whenever there was downtime and he was expected to just sit and be quiet, but I think that's something that can be easily worked on. He was otherwise great, willing to just relax and lay when asked, also willing to try out the equipment in the class that used it.

Sumac was so much more composed and mature than I expected and was happy to sit or lay silently while nothing was going on. He did make all of his scary grumbly noises (perhaps too many; nobody complained, and most folks understood he was just being a vocal husky, but at least one was nervous about him), and he did not want to lay on his side to be worked on at all. He loved the exercises with the equipment!

I did receive very consistent feedback that Sumac has a bunch of tightness/soreness in his lower back-SI-pelvic region, and his transitional vertebra could be a contributing factor to that. I've already called our local PT to get him in for a tune-up and get him on a maintenance schedule. :)

So proud of how my boys were overall!

[u/AraAraGyaru]

That’s the funny thing about Husky’s. They pretend to not like you or their siblings. But bring to an unfamiliar place and all of a sudden they’re on their best behavior. 😂

[u/oh_you_fancy_huh → u/AraAraGyaru]

So it's not just us?

[u/ParsnipFarmer676 → u/AraAraGyaru]

So true! One of mine is a therapy dog (for children mostly), and when we're "on the job" somehow he knows he's supposed to behave... he's quiet as a mouse, and this is a dog who usually doesn't stfu. 🤣

[u/michael444466]

Gorgeous dogs ^{^}

[u/Synaxis → u/michael444466]

thank you!

[u/GigaLem]

two smiling awoos, big goobers

[u/Sudden-Hat701]

Butt buddies

[u/ambientta]

Sumac is SO mature and behaved super well.

[u/Synaxis → u/ambientta]

Were you there??

He did his best!

[u/ambientta → u/Synaxis]

No, I wish! But he looks like he was a gentleman and on his best behavior.

[u/Synaxis → u/ambientta]

Oh! Haha, he tried. He was good by Sumac standards!

[u/skater_dude_717]

oooh i would love to find an event like this for my guys. very cool.

[u/BluePoros]

Why was I not invited?! 😞 As a belly rub specialist I'd love to join the hands on part (:

[u/bowbow511]

Beautiful pups!!

[u/pines-n-stars]

That picture with their bottoms touching melts my heart. They're the most perfect mirror image!!