In this episode...
We dive into the importance of body checks for injury in dog sports, conditioning, and fitness when training dogs for competitions, especially in protection sports.
Repetitive training can lead to imbalances in a dog's muscle structure and potential injury. This is because the emphasis is placed on specific muscles for certain movements all the time.
We created a workshop called "Body Checks for Injury". The workshop is there to help handlers spot common imbalances or potential injuries. It is aimed at teaching dog handlers how to identify common injuries and discomfort in their dogs before they become bigger issues.
It is important for a dog's muscles to stay in balance during training. Unfortunately, overtraining can cause muscle imbalances that could lead to injuries.
We talk about some of the injuries we've had during training and provide some tips on how to use conditioning programs to keep them from happening again.
Join us in this episode to learn how you can keep your K9 athlete (and partner) healthy and happy while training for sports competitions.
Three takeaways from this episode:
- Conditioning and fitness are crucial for a dog's well-being and to prevent discomfort. Neglecting strength and conditioning training could lead to imbalances and even injuries in the dog's body.
- Injuries from dog sports are common, but many handlers may not spot them. Knowing the areas in your dog that are being put under extra demand due to the sport helps you target those areas. In this way you help protect the integrity of the whole body and spot injuries early.
- Training for a sport can cause imbalances and repetitive strain injuries. A well-rounded, strong dog is necessary for high-performance sports. It's important to vary exercises to target and strengthen all areas of the dog's body.
Listen to the full episode for more insights and tips on keeping your dog healthy and well-conditioned for sports.
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