Strength Training Motivation

Sticking to something or staying motivated to continue with something can be hard if you don’t have a clear reason as to "Why" you are doing it.

Many people don’t continue if that initial desire is vague or simply wanting to “prevent injury” or “make my dog stronger.”

These words are too vague and are not going to keep you going.

Below, in Resources, you will draw up your own Mission Statement to help keep you motivated.

Take some time and write something tangible, something that kicks into your soul. We help you complete it.

Grow success and reduce frustration

For many of you, your dog may be new to canine conditioning or even learning a new skill.

Dogs may be unsure of what you are asking of them and may become confused. This may cause frustration for both you and your dog and frustration may remove all enthusiasm for moving on and progressing with your dog.

One cannot simply throw a dog onto a new piece of equipment and expect them to understand what we want of them, why they need to be on the equipment nor our excitement for getting them stronger.

The same frustration or apprehension happens for humans that face something new without understanding the benefits that lie within that something new. But the difference is that we could explain the benefits to humans so that they understand, and they can make an informed decision, but not so for dogs.

For our dogs, we need to protect and grow their confidence in us and our decisions for them.

Conditioning is a lifelong journey and anything we can do to set them up for success allows you to improve the results of your efforts, moving you closer to your target goals.

How can we set up our dogs for success effectively?

Here are a few ideas or things that you can keep in mind as you start your conditioning journey with your dog:

1. Make sure your equipment is safe

We are introducing our dogs to new equipment.

It "feels" different than the ground to their feet and it may be higher than the ground with your dog being weary to stand on something that they are unsure of.

Introduce the equipment slowly - do not force your dog onto equipment. Let it be their decision to step onto it with lots of encouragement from you.

Make sure it is stable and does not wobble to avoid creating suspicion around the equipment.

Make sure that your dog has sure footing on the equipment and that the surface must stand on is non-slip.

Start off with bigger boards if necessary, so that it is almost impossible to step over the equipment and much easier to step on the equipment. You can always downscale the size of the equipment once your dog is confident in standing on the equipment and as you progress.

Be generous with your praise and treats even if your dog places one foot on a piece of equipment and let your dog know that his decision to "try" was awesome.

2. Assess your environment

If you have a highly distractable dog, make sure your conditioning environment is distraction free and your dog can focus on you easily.

Ensure that the floor you are working on is non-slip. slippery surfaces, such as tiles, hardwood, linoleum etc. may cause your dog to be worried about slipping especially when he has to produce a power movement. He will be unable to give his all if slippery floors are a concern.

3. Make your treats/rewards worthwhile

Some dogs will work for kibble and others require a higher value for their treats - this is especially true when starting a new exercise or a new piece of equipment. The higher value treats will help increase your dog's enthusiasm for doing something new during their conditioning session.

Ensure to take into consideration that your treats form part of your dog's calorie intake. Depending on the calorie content of your treats, ensure that you feed a little less for breakfast or dinner on conditioning days. I normally will perform conditioning exercises by using my dog's breakfast portion on that day and then they have their normal supper in the evening.

4. Don't rush a session

Remember that even if your dog is not quite correct in his movements when starting out, his body is still working and still getting tired. When learning something new, he is also getting mentally tired trying to figure out what is expected from him and how he needs to move his body. Afford him the mental time and space to figure things out.

Try not to rush a session to get to a result or a certain number of repetitions or sets within a session. Each dog is different, and some dogs need more time to understand what is being asked of them. There is no rule that your dog must be able to do an exercise after x-number of attempts.

Video your sessions (especially in the beginning) so you can see your own body mechanics and treat placement along with your dog's body mechanics. Video helps you see just how hard your dog is trying for you, where you may improve and how you may better help your dog in the execution of a correct movement.

5. Know and respect your dog's limits

Recognize your dog's signs of stress and fatigue. We have a PDF download on some examples in the next chapter.

Videoing your sessions will most certainly help you recognize these signs in your dog as they try to work through the exercises. I have included videos of my own dogs showing signs of fatigue to help you along in this program.

Each exercise follows on from the previous exercise. Please don't push your dog into a challenge they are not ready for. Break down an exercise and layer it up, giving huge amounts of praise, encouragement, and reward at each layer to build your dog's confidence in performing the final exercise.

Don't push your dog into exercises they are not ready for.

This program is divided into three sections of exercises:

Mastering Basic Moves (Strength Foundations)
Getting Stronger
Dynamic Stretching (in the Bonus section)

Please do not progress onto the "Getting Stronger" before your dog has mastered the Foundations of Basic Moves section.

The Basic Moves section is there to develop the areas of strength required to execute the Getting Stronger exercises.

6. Keep your session short to start

Remember your dog is going to get tired quickly when starting out so keep your sessions short. You will be able to build on these as your dog gets stronger and fitter. Rather do 2 - 3 short sessions of 3 - 10 minutes a day than one longer session. Do not work to overload or until your dog is tired while they are still learning and trying to master the exercise.

You will get so much more accomplished with shorter lessons of training/learning, and your dog will enjoy them, looking forward to the next session even more!

7. Don't skip your Warm-ups!

This is particularly true for any dynamic stretching exercise along with any of the exercises in the Getting Stronger portion of the program.

Warm-ups not only get the body ready for exercise, but they also help to get the dog into the mental zone for focus and connection with you. Try to start each session with a simple exercise that you know your dog enjoys and will easily earn a reward for doing it.

A list of exercises that are suitable for super warm-ups are marked in your Exercise Tracker with a #.

8. Get into a routine

This is good both for you and your dog. Setting up a set routine of exercising at least 3 times per week will not only ensure optimum results but will help you have a schedule that does not interrupt life too adversely. It will help you plan your time, day, weeks, and months.

Place it in your schedule and block off that time with the same importance as a Doctor's Appointment. After all, you entered this program to strengthen your dog and avoid injuries - so yes, it is as important as attending an appointment. 😊

A weekly routine will help your dog get used to using the equipment and build on his exercise consistently. All this equates to more rewards for both you and your dog.

These small tips will help reduce frustration and failure and build confidence and success with your program and conditioning journey! Enjoy it and enjoy your dog.

Set your dog up for success!

You must be logged in to access this course

Hellooo and Welcome!

Strength, Injury Prevention and Signs of Fatigue

Understanding Your Dog's Body

Foundations in Strength Building - mastering your basic moves

Extra: Strengthening Pasterns (wrists)

Getting Stronger!

Continued Support