It’s time to consider the beginning of training and competition for the year. Hopefully your dogs have had a break over christmas to rest their joints and avoid the heat. Now you need to consider how to get them back to optimal fitness before the serious training for sports begins.
Slow preparation to begin will result in less soft tissue injuries, especially in conjunction with a stretching program to maintain + enhance flexibility1. Starting a conditioning program prior to beginning sport training (i.e. jumping and weaving) helps the dog improve balance and proprioception – the main skills behind injury prevention when jumping, landing, and turning2. Strength training protects joints, also helping prevent injury to muscles, tendons and ligaments.
Conversely, over training3,4 (whether for too long without a rest break of at least a month, or for too many sessions or too long per session) may induce injury5, as can inadequate conditioning. Hence starting slowly with conditioning before restarting any serious training to help protect your dog and reduce their likelihood of injury.
What does this mean for you? It means that before doing any training of high impact or high intensity, you should get your dog to a suitable level of fitness in the following:
- Muscle endurance
- Cardio endurance
- Flexibility
- Muscle strength
- Proprioception
- Body condition
There are many ways to achieve this in ways that are tailored to your lifestyle and your dog. To get a program designed to suit you just send me a message/email or give me a call!
Shaw Paws Fitness 