play & EXERCISE

Workin' On My Fitness

by Julie Schell DVM

Warm-ups and cool-downs are important.

Buttercup, Bulldog

Just like humans, dogs need plenty of exercise. The benefits of daily exercise include increased circulation and mobility, muscle development, improved mental spirit, and decreased chance of injury and obesity. However, some precautions need to be taken to ensure that dogs remain safe during their activities.

Warm up
Help warm up your dog’s muscles before exercise by gently massaging the large muscle groups, and starting by walking a few blocks well before allowing him to run at his top speed. It is important to also properly nourish your dog before exercise. Healthy nutrition will help prevent injury and promote proper muscle development. Discuss nutrition with your
veterinarian so that you can choose the optimal type for your dog.

Get moving!
It is best to give dogs daily exercise, come rain or shine, even if that involves simple leash walks around the neighbourhood. Small dogs may be able to play indoors on non-slip flooring, however if dogs are properly protected, they can enjoy their walks even during cold weather or snow. Find a properly fitting coat and protective paw covers for your dog, and start walking.
It is actually possible to train your dog to use an indoor treadmill to keep his muscles fit. The bonus? A treadmill is helpful if it is extremely cold and icy outdoors. Dogs can enjoy a treadmill, however, it is important to closely supervise them at all times and to do the training slowly. Ask your veterinarian for proper techniques and safety considerations.

Envy, Border Collie

Preventing dehydration and ensuring proper nutrition during exercise is vital. Provide ample amounts of water for your dog, as well as healthy snacks to prevent hypoglycemia. Many types of collapsible, easily packed water bowls are available for walking or hiking.

Cool down
The importance of post-exercise cool-downs cannot be underestimated. Your veterinarian can teach you how to properly massage your dog before and after his exercise. Gently and thoroughly knead all muscle groups. Your dog will thoroughly enjoy this special treatment (wouldn’t you?). If your dog becomes dirty during his exercise, it is important to bathe him to help prevent skin infections and to determine if any skin lesions occurred during his romp.
Many dogs are very active, often jumping on and off furniture, hopping in and out of vehicles and running up and down stairs many times a day. This can be the equivalent of a human jumping up and down heights of 20 to 30 feet. The stress on the joints is great and injured joints can often go undetected unless your veterinarian completes an examination. Address and correct these issues as soon as possible, before they develop into more serious injuries. (This is where chiropractic appointments and acupuncture can excel.)

Extreme sports
If you choose to enroll your dog in exciting sports such as flyball and agility, ensure they are in good physical shape and that their bones and muscles are sufficiently developed for this. That is why it is not recommended that puppies younger than 18 months participate in extreme sports – their bone’s growth plates have not yet fused and their muscles are not fully grown, thus, they are more likely to have serious growth-hampering injuries.

The Weekend Warrior
Many dogs, like their owners, are prone to injury due to ‘weekend warrior’ syndrome. This occurs when dogs have not been exercised all week, then on Saturday and Sunday they are let out to run for hours in off-leash parks, taken on long hiking or swimming trips, or encouraged to jump high to catch frisbees and balls. Because their muscles have been in a state of disuse, they become weak. If muscles are not used every day, they become atrophied. Then, when the dogs have sudden bursts of extreme exercise without proper warm-up, they can overexert their muscles, ligaments and tendons.