Nose Work & Target Training - Useful and Fun For All Dogs
Last week, we saw a Facebook post that really caught our attention - a Corgi named Daisy competing in K9 Nose Work. What jumped out was that this Corgi had degenerative myelopathy (DM) and was in a wheelchair, and her mom wheeled her around in a wagon, going from station to station to compete. In their last competition a few weeks ago, this dynamic duo came in 9th overall! This is Daisy, in...
Foundation Training - Essential Basics for Conditioning (see PROMO CODE)
When building a home, most builders agree that a solid foundation is the most important component - without a solid base it's just a matter of time before the home's structure becomes damaged. The same is true when training your dog - without a proper foundation, dog's body is more prone to damage and injury. Here's a great self-guided, online course on this very subject (use PROMO CODE: VitalFoundations10) From the Ground Up: Foundation Essentials for...
Understanding Behavior Conditioning in Dog Training
It is important to understand behavior conditioning and how it works in order to best control it when it comes to our canine companions. First, let’s get the technical “speak” out of the way and then we can talk in more layman’s terms. There are different types of conditioning when it comes to behavior. We normally refer to two types of behavioral conditioning when it comes to our dogs: classical...
FUNdamentals K9 Conditioning Course by Jana Gams, DVM, CCRP
MASSIVE SHOUT OUT! It's an honor and pleasure to officially introduce Dr. Jana Gams to the Vital Vet community!! "Think Before You Throw" and "Is Sloppy Sitting Something to Worry About?", are two of Vital Vet's MOST POPULAR articles - both written by Dr. Jana Gams. Check them out if you haven't done so yet. Many of you are asking for more from Dr. Gams. Well, here it is: Dr. Jana Gams is...
THINK BEFORE YOU THROW
Repetitive ball throwing: facts and alternatives Not sure what might be bad about repetitive ball throwing? Read and learn some more appropriate ways of exercising and bonding with your dog. “A tired dog is a good dog” - perhaps, but we are really happy that more and more dog owners are becoming aware of a potentially bad outcome from repetitively playing toss & fetch with a ball. Not only can...
The Role of Equipment in Conditioning
When talking to a friend recently, I made the comment that my average client has minimal training experience, so in many cases I need to rely on simple exercises with specialized equipment instead of specialized exercises with simple equipment to get the results I want. This caused me to think about the role that equipment plays in conditioning, especially considering how expensive it is. How Important is Canine Conditioning Equipment?...
Know-How for Dog Fitness: Understanding Weight Distribution Is the Key
If you are already doing fitness exercises, or are interested in starting them with your dog, you need to understand the dog’s neutral position, weight distribution, and what is happening during specific actions, activities or sports performances - how and why something as simple as the direction your dog is looking in can affect your dog’s body, AND how to use this to your advantage when doing fitness! I find people...
Progressing your Conditioning Exercises like a Pro!
Do you know how to progress your dog's exercises? As muscles become accustomed to the demand of a work out, you’ll need to introduce new challenges to make the muscles work harder - this is known as progressive overload. By increasing the challenge to your dog's exercises you not only introduce variety to the workout but you also proof the behavior and challenge your dog physically and mentally! When talking...
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