Clean Run - April 2018 - 65

Endurance (Aerobic) Exercises
Although strengthening exercises
should proportionally outweigh the
other categories of exercise for an agility
dog, endurance activity should not be
neglected. Trotting (at least 20 minutes
without stopping) and swimming (at
least 5 minutes without stopping) are
excellent endurance exercises. When
the environment is not conducive to
these activities, alternatives include land
treadmills, indoor swimming pools, and
underwater treadmill. The underwater
treadmill, in particular, is an excellent
tool for resistance training, the difficulty
of which can be altered via the use of
jets, an incline, and/or increased speeds.

Balance Exercises
A great indoor balance exercise is to
have your dog exercise on a large wobble board. You can have your dog do
sit-stand-sit, stand-down-stand, spins in
both directions and play tug on a large
wobble board to improve balance.

Proprioception
(Body Awareness) Exercises
The Ladder: Proprioception exercises
train the body where the limbs and
head are in space, thereby allowing the
dog to respond appropriately to sudden
movements or changes in direction,
protecting against potential injury. Our
favorite proprioceptive exercise involves
walking slowly through a ladder laid on
the ground. Once a dog can move forward slowly, the handler can ask them
to move forward then backward, then
do the exercises facing up, down or
sideways on progressively steeper hills.
Another way to use the ladder is to have
the dog step sideways with just the front
or rear legs in the ladder, and to do that
exercise on hills.

Pick Up Sticks: This proprioceptive exercise bears a resemblance to the childhood
game of the same name in which poles are scattered randomly on the ground and
the dog must negotiate their way through the poles.
Walk the Plank: Walking over a narrow plank elevated to approximately elbow
height also encourages body awareness and appropriate paw placement.

Flexibility Exercises
A warm-up session prior to competition is important for preventing injury. Warm-ups
should consist of walking, then light jogging, followed by stretching exercises that
mimic the activity in which the dog will compete, such as weaving between your legs,
or using the practice jump. Stretching prior to competition should always be active,
with your dog stretching of its own volition (usually by following the movement of
a treat, of course!). Active stretching should focus on the spine, helping the dog flex
and extend the spine, as well as flex the spine sideways.
Spine Extension: Have your dog do a play bow and hold it for 10 seconds. This extends the spine and also stretches the forelimbs.
Spine Flexion: With the dog standing
sideways in front of you, with its head
near your right hand, put your left hand
under the chest, just behind the elbows.
With your right hand, put food on the
ground between your dog's front legs
while you push up on the chest with your
left hand. This flexes the spine.
Lateral Spine Stretches: While your dog
is nibbling on a snack, move the snack along the side of your dog's shoulders, then
along the side of the spine towards the pelvis, stopping for about 3 seconds at the
pelvis. Then move the food down along the side of your dog's leg and pause beside
the foot-this puts rotation into the lateral stretch. Then repeat in reverse, and do the
same thing on the other side.
Don't be discouraged by poor weather or inopportune environments. Many of these
simple exercises can be done almost anywhere at any time of year. Be sure to vary
the frequency and duration of exercise each week, give each targeted muscle group
at least 3 days to recuperate before working those muscles again, and give your dog
one day off from training and conditioning per week.

The Importance of Rest
Lastly, even though year-round exercise is vital to your dog's health and career longevity, don't forget the importance of rest! Every canine athlete should have one contiguous month without sports-specific training or competition with only moderate,
fun exercise during that period. Studies have shown that under these conditions a
dog is unlikely to experience any reduction in strength or cardiac capacity, so don't
worry-give your dog a break! D

Dr. Nicole Chun received her Bachelor of Science in Animal Sciences from Oregon State University in 2011 before graduating from veterinary school in 2015 from the
University of California, Davis. She then completed a rotating internship in medicine and surgery at BluePearl Veterinary Partners in Tampa, Florida. Dr. Chun is interested
in pursuing a residency with the American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation. She is currently completing an internship in sports medicine and
rehabilitation at Veterinary Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Group in Annapolis Junction, MD, and recently obtained her (CCRP) with the University of Tennessee. She
is performing research on platelet-rich plasma in cats and flexor carpi ulnaris strains while at VOSM. For more information on Dr. Chun, please visit www.VOSM.com.
Dr. Chris Zink is the VOSM sports medicine consultant, evaluating canine structure and designing individualized retraining and conditioning programs for canine athletes.
She is the award-winning author of Peak Performance: Coaching the Canine Athlete, Dog Health and Nutrition for Dummies, and The Agility Advantage, and co-author
of Jumping From A to Z: Teach Your Dog to Soar, and the DVD Building the Canine Athlete. Her books have been translated into numerous languages worldwide. Dr.
Zink has obtained more than 80 agility, obedience, retrieving, tracking, and conformation titles on dogs from the sporting, herding, working, terrier, and hound group.
Dr. Zink was also voted Outstanding Woman Veterinarian in 2009. Dr. Zink presents Coaching the Canine Athlete ® seminars worldwide, and her veterinary training and
experience in canine athletics provide a unique perspective on canine sports medicine. For more information on Dr. Zink, please visit www.VOSM.com.
April 18 | Clean Run

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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Clean Run - April 2018