Relieving Muscle Pain in the Dog’s Lower Back & Hips
There is one common issue that affects performance dogs as well as older dogs. It is sub-clinical pain or “aches” in the muscles of the lower back and/or muscles of the hips. Clinically these usually do not present themselves in the form of a physical problem or illness. These issues are not typically recognized by the owner/handler. I will usually pick them out while taking a history from the client....
Is Sloppy Sitting in Dogs Something to Worry About?
Have you ever observed your dog's posture when sitting? Standing up from an improper or poor sitting position applies greater lateral bending forces to the knees and hocks, and doesn't activate correct muscles. So how can we achieve a proper sitting position? What is a proper sitting form (right photo) The dog should: sit squarely, with hips, knees and hocks aligned nicely, legs kept close to the body, and positioned equally...
Agility Training For Dogs: The Ultimate Beginners Guide
Watching the clever Border Collie, Tex, win the 2015 Westminster Dog Agility Contest or the whip-quick retriever, Joy, earn the large dog agility prize at the Purina Pro Plan Incredible Dog Challenge is enough to get your tail wagging, even if you don’t have a dog. The speed and discipline these canine competitors exhibit is inspirational. So, it’s no surprise that many pet owners get into agility training for dogs...
Easy Exercises for Canine Conditioning
Just like us, dogs can benefit from a stretching and strengthening program. It can build and maintain muscle mass, improve body awareness and balance, and provide a physical and mental workout. Canine athletes definitely gain an advantage from this type of conditioning, but senior dogs also need to stay limber. Couch potatoes and bored dogs can reap rewards too, because the activity is mentally stimulating. And some of these exercises can...
Muscle Actions of Canine Locomotion
Dogs have a great capacity for assisting their human counterparts in their daily lives and are very excited and willing to perform these tasks. This assistance can be in many forms, which include, but are not limited to, physical assistance dogs, guide dogs, detection dogs, military and police dogs, search and rescue dogs and hunting dogs. In the human world, there has been a great deal of research in developing programs...
Neurodynamic Techniques and Jumping Performance
I found a fascinating article that I think could be of relevance to our sporting dogs. I’m just going to put the abstract up here to start. --------------------- The immediate effect of neurodynamic techniques on jumping performance: A randomised double-blind study Aksoy, Cihan C. | Kurt, Vedat | Okur, İsmail | Taspınar, Ferruh | Taspinar, Betül Journal of Back and Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation, vol. 33, no. 1, pp. 15-20, 2020 BACKGROUND...
Why is Knowing if Your Dog is a Lefty or a Righty Important for Sport?
Have you ever noticed your dog preferring one side over another? It may come as a surprise but just like people dogs also have a left/right preference. A dog's brain is similarly organized like a human brain, meaning that the two hemispheres of the brain also have areas of specialization which can determine "handedness" or "laterality". In dog sport and canine physio we refer to your dog's preference as the lead leg. So...
Canine Conditioning for the Conformation Competitor
Canine conditioning has continued to gain interest and acceptance from other popular canine sports, such as flyball, agility, and obedience. Competitors are turning to canine conditioning to prevent injuries, increase their dog’s fitness level and competitiveness, and strengthen the handler-dog bond in a way that is rewarding for both parties. It might not seem as intuitive that conformation athletes can benefit from a canine conditioning program – after all, they...