Many people don’t understand the importance of conditioning until their dog has suffered an injury. They feel that participating in dog sports IS conditioning. That couldn’t be further from the truth. ALL dog sports require specific conditioning to prevent injuries and to ensure that your dog is performing optimally and comfortably. Many dogs are physically uncomfortable or in pain but will continue to work because they love it and want to please us.
Something slightly off in your dog’s performance? Often it is physical and it’s not picked up by conventional medicine. Want to optimize your dog’s performance? ALL performance dogs are athletes and all athletes require a conditioning program! It doesn’t have to be complicated, time consuming or require a lot of equipment. We will look at exercises that can easily be done at home with a minimum of equipment. Quality over quantity is my mantra! Many people are “conditioning” their dogs, but just like with human core work, form is of paramount performance.
Exercises done incorrectly can actually cause injuries. Whether you are playing sports just for fun, a novice competitor or seasoned team, conditioning should be part of your routine. The best part is that dogs love it!!
