CCFT – Carolyn Close – Canine Fitness for Life

Is it really “just a down”?

Published on April 22, 2019April 22, 2019 by carolyncloseLeave a comment

“Down. Stay. OK!”

Dogs lie down and stand up so many times a day, but that simple movement can be adapted to efficiently work many areas of the body.

Picture a dog lying down from a sitting position. First, they move the rear part of their body down to the ground and then they use their forelimbs to walk the front of the body down towards the floor. There are not many muscle groups engaged during this movement…basically, the shoulders are working as they move down and in pushing themselves back up into a stand.

Now imagine the action of a “folding down”. This is when the dog lies down in the “sphinx” position with the knees and feet track forward while the hips are tucked in close to the body.

The dog starts from a standing position with the rear feet a natural distance from the front feet. The back is flat with no arch (if that is the dog’s natural topline) and the head is in a neutral position. As the dog moves into the down position, there is no movement of the front and rear feet. When moving back into the standing position, all four feet stay in place. No movement. Check out this video of a folding down in slow motion…

Throughout their lives, dogs carry most of their weight on their front ends. While the folding down/stand is a great exercise for all dogs, it is especially valuable as dogs reach their senior years. By utilizing the folding down and stand, the core and spinal muscles are strengthened while we are encouraging the dog to efficiently use their shoulders and hips. This type of down/stand not only strengthens the smaller muscle groups but it also teaches the dog to push themselves up with their rear legs.

When sets and repetitions are added in, the folding down/stand is a strength training exercise on its own. It can also be made more challenging, for example, if we raise the front or rear feet, add instability equipment, or other changes such as holding one foot as the dog moves into position.

Once this skill is taught it can easily be added in throughout your day. Try asking for 3-5 down/stands before a meal. How about asking for one or two before you throw their favorite toy? Or maybe pause during a walk or hike and ask for a couple. While this exercise is only part of a fitness plan, before you know it, you’ve worked them into your day without looking for any “extra” time for fitness training…HURRAY!

Luring VS Hand Targeting

Published on January 6, 2019January 6, 2019 by carolynclose2 Comments

Picture this: I am walking from my car into a store. As I walk I am browsing through my email or searching a website for a coupon. I may walk a crooked line, stumble, narrowly avoid getting hit by a car, or a number of other scenarios. This is because I am not paying attention to what I am doing and focusing on something else; my phone. If I put the phone away I can almost guarantee that none of those things are likely going to happen.

The situation is similar to what happens when we stick a treat in front of a dog’s nose to lure them into the position we would like them in. They blindly follow that treat and pay little or no attention to what the rest of their body is doing. Like us, they stumble and misstep. In the case of fitness training it can take them longer to *really* learn the proper position or body movements we are striving for.

Notice the differences in the body awareness and foot placement of the dog in the video below when using a treat to lure compared to using a hand target.

Luring can be helpful and I am not saying we should never lure. When teaching a new behavior I often use luring too, but in a different way. If you take the short amount of time it takes to teach a nose touch, a hold or a chin rest, you can use that to obtain the position you are looking for with ease. Just like any other foundation behavior, it makes future training easier to teach.

I was recently asking my young dog to target her rear feet, which she did easily (foundation behavior), however she likes to do things fast and move on. She repositioned her feet and wiggled back and forth continuously.

I put out my hand and asked for a nose touch and was able to have her step forward and move into the correct position. I asked for a “hold” and her feet stopped moving and she held the position perfectly. (See how this works with a chin target too. )

Previously I had used a treat that kept her dancing as she continued to try to figure out what I wanted. (Surely, just standing with two feet on this thing could not be “it”!)

So while employing the aid of a treat to lure the correct position can be used, why not try engaging your dog’s brain along with their body to get what you want and then use the treat as a reward marker. Thinking + Getting fit + Increasing the bond between you and your dog= WIN!

Seniors- Fit for life

Published on August 13, 2018 by carolyncloseLeave a comment

None of us like to admit that our dogs are getting older, but suddenly you are observing subtle changes in your senior dog’s day to day living. Are they gaining weight easier than in the past? Maybe they seem to be losing interest in playing or slowing down on your walks or their stamina is less than it was previously. Getting up on a couch or bed may be more challenging, or it no longer even exists in your dog’s daily repertoire. Perhaps you’ve noticed them hopping up or down the stairs when they used to move each leg independently and maybe you’ve started carrying them because you are concerned for their ability and/or safety. You are even noticing they are slower getting up from a down or a sit. When did this happen!?!

Any or all of these things happen eventually as our canine companions age, along with vision and hearing loss, balance issues, urinary issues … and these are just some of physical things we see. There are a variety of diseases that can occur as they age too. UGH!

We love our dogs as members of our family and it is often very difficult for us to watch these changes happen. If your dog has led an active life over the years than we’d like to see them continue that activity level as long as possible. If they’ve been rather sedentary much of their adult life, we cannot expect to bring them up to a peak fitness level but what we can hope for in either scenario is to slow down the effects of the aging process a bit, maintain activity, decrease muscle atrophy, and encourage a good quality of life into their golden years. Fitness exercises can help keep your dog mentally and physically active as you keep your dog thinking and moving. On top of all of this, it gives you some extra quality time with them. What are you waiting for? 😉

Some of the things to keep in mind while exercising your older pet :
• Be careful about over treating a dog that may already be gaining weight – use some of their meal in place of a “treat” while doing your exercises or do some reps of one or two exercises before serving them their meal (ex: do 3-5 down/stands and/or a 5 second sit)
• Don’t over do it- exercise for short periods, keep down the number of sets and reps, and progress slowly

Muscles that may need strengthening :
Many older dogs have a hard time using the rear and gluteal muscles to lift their back end up after laying down and will use their front limbs to pull themselves up. Therefore, strengthening both the front and rear muscles will benefit them in their day to day living. Another characteristic you might see in some dogs (young and old) is a sloped back, which means they could use some core strengthening too.

Some suggestions for exercising senior dogs :

Keep them moving…

Walking

– shorten your walk, split it up into multiple walks throughout the day if possible (ex. 2-3 ten minute walks) and slow down if needed
– Depending on your dog’s fitness level while walking- limit hills and increase flat surfaces
OR walk back and forth in a zig zag path up/down an incline

Strengthening

• Sit to stand
• Folding down to a stand

Body awareness and balance
• Curb walking
• Weight shifting
• Cavalettis
In this video, my 13 year old sheltie demonstrates some of the exercises mentioned above. Note: in the curb walking portion I’ve added in cones to help with flexibility and allow for some movement through the spine. I’ve used donut holders in place of cavalettis (with a smaller or less fit/capable dog, I would use cavalettis in order to provide something lower to step over)

As always, watch your dog for signs of Fatigue but keep in mind with our senior friends, refusal to do an exercise may mean they are in pain and not just just tired. Modify your sessions for the dog in front of you each day. For instance, the day I made the video for this post, Jive was having difficulty standing as I walked around him during the weight shifting exercises. He kept putting himself in a sit position. At first, I thought he just did not know what I wanted (even though he has done this exercise before). I let him sit and proceeded with the exercise so that he understood. When I tried the stand again, he was able to do maintain the position for a couple of reps, but then sat again. This was how we continued (and I decreased his number of reps) because this told me he could not handle the standing exercise on this particular day.

Like all seniors, taking on new challenges can bring some life to their world. Just as they have enriched our lives over the years, let’s continue to improve theirs.

Beat the heat!

Published on June 30, 2018 by carolyncloseLeave a comment

It’s hot out there!

There are days I just don’t want to do a thing, let alone exercise because it’s so hot out! However, I’m pretty sure that my canine counterparts don’t really care about the “Dog Days of Summer”. Their needs and wants don’t change just because it is hot.

I can make sure my dogs are still getting the exercise they need without risking dehydration or heat stroke, a very scary, very serious problem that faces all dogs in the warmer months.

Dogs don’t have the ability to sweat like we do and when they are overheated they can not always fully cool down by panting. Some breeds are more susceptible to overheating or do not tolerate the heat as well as other breeds can. Signs of overheating include, but are not limited to:

excessive panting and drooling
a bright red tongue or gums
thick saliva
increased heart rate and body temperature
skin around the muzzle or neck doesn’t snap back when pinched
Glassy eyes or fearful expression
stumbling

So what can we do to keep our dogs active and fit, yet safe? Some might suggest restricting exercise and while this may be an option for some, it is not for everyone. If you’re like me and train and compete in performance sports, then keeping your dog’s endurance up is imperative. (I would also argue that ALL dogs need to stay fit and trim whether they are performance dogs, seniors, or “just a pet” -but that’s another topic for another day 😉

One way many of us enjoy our time while conditioning our dogs is by walking with them. In the summer heat this can be dangerous so keep in mind the temperature outdoors. More importantly, consider the temperature of the pavement. With direct sun and no wind, although the thermometer might say 77 degrees outside, the pavement temperature may be 125 degrees! (data source James J. Bergens, MD contact burns from streets and highways, Journal of the American Medical Association; 214(11): 2025-2027.) Would you want to walk barefoot on that for long periods of time? While a dog’s pads seem thicker than the soles of our feet, they can still burn. Keep in mind that the temperatures may be cooler at night, but the pavement has soaked up the sun all day. Try walking in the cooler morning hours, or better yet, take them on a hike on a wooded path where it is shaded by trees or perhaps near a water source. Not all dogs like to wade in the water, but all dogs can enjoy walking by the cooler temps by the shoreline.

If you’re hitting the road with your pal, always bring fresh water with you on your adventures. If you’re romping around the yard at home, add some ice cubes to their water bowl or consider a dash of low sodium broth to entice them to stay hydrated.

If staying indoors is more your speed, consider a doggy treadmill like Dogtread. The bed of the treadmill specifically made for canines allows them to fully extend and trot for longer periods of time than we can often sustain. Not in the budget? Try setting up cavelettis for a great cardiovascular workout for your pup.

Summer time is a great time of year to get outside and be active with our furry friends. Just remember, all they want to do is go, go, go! Know your dog when it comes to exercising them. Pay attention to signs of Fatigue and how well they tolerate the heat. Make wise choices when getting out there this summer! If you’d like additional information on any of the exercises options discussed here or to get a conditioning plan for your canine,Contact me 🙂