If you have a sporting dog, then you want them to be in tip top shape, so they can compete at their best, be injury free, and enjoy doing what they do.
This is achieved through a combination of:
- Correct conditioning in preparation for sport – which means choosing the correct type, frequency and intensity of exercise you do with your dog that is specific for their sport
- Flexibility – ensuring your dog is flexible with no limitations that may cause them to become injured when they train or compete
- Adequate core strength and proprioception or body awareness for injury prevention
- Choosing correct conditioning and sport for your dog’s body size and type
- Keeping them at ideal weight
- Ensuring good nutrition and supplementation
- Ensuring they have an ‘off’ season and undertake some alternative lower intensity exercise (just like a human athlete)
- Vary their exercise – strength, endurance, flexibility, mind stimulation
- Make sure they warm up and cool down before intensive exercise
- Body treatment – ensuring they are subtle and free from muscular or joint aches and pains
At Dogs In Motion our physiotherapists regularly perform not only treatments for injuries, but mobility and body assessment for sporting dogs to ensure they are performing at peak condition. They can set a regime of exercises for you to perform at home and show you how to massage your dog between visits
For Sporting dogs without injury, it is recommended they have a body assessment and treatment every 6 months. Please call us to find out more (03) 9553 0896