Laurie's Blogs.

Based on last week’s blog about “Preventing the 7 Deadly Sins of Tendon Management”, I am happy to bring you (my first draft of) Baseline Protective Tendon Training for Canine Athletes.

So, it is perhaps a fallacy that athletes need a total ‘rest period’ from training.  Yes, a rest from intensive training, but perhaps a total rest from training can do more harm than good when it comes to keeping tendons (and muscles and ligaments) strong.  The following is a listing of exercises that I believe all sporting dogs should do during their “off season”.

Protecting the Shoulder (with a bonus effect on the wrist & digit flexor tendons):

1.  Push Ups (with rear end elevated):  Set your dog up so his/her rear legs are higher than the front legs (or stop him/her while going down stairs.  Then lure your dog downwards to take a treat on the floor (and bend the shoulders and elbows).  Repeat 5 - 10 times.

2.  Shoulder Abduction Balancing: Start with your dog standing squarely on all four legs.  Standing on an unstable surface increases the difficulty of the exercise.  Slowly lift the EACH front leg off the ground and further up and out to the side. Hold 10 – 30 seconds, replace & repeat 3 - 5 times with each front leg.

Protecting the Iliopsoas (hip flexor muscle)

1.  Loving on the Stairs (iliopsoas stretch):  With rear feet on the ground, encourage the dog to put its front feet up on a higher step or stair (higher step or stair for bigger dogs, one step or stair for a smaller one).  Keep the dog in position by giving treats or affection.  Hold the position for 30 seconds or up to 2 minutes.  Repeat twice a day.

2.  Forward Reach (with rear end elevated):  Place your dog’s rear feet up on a stool or step, and use one arm in front of those legs to get him / her to hold the position.  Next lure your dog to take a treat out forwards and down by the ground in order to get a stretch of the iliopsoas muscle.  Then lure the dog to follow a treat from under its chest and then back out forwards again.  Perform 10 times. Repeat once a day.

Maintaining Rear End Strength (with a bonus effect on the Achilles tendon)

1.  Sit to Stands (with front end elevated, or facing up hill): 

    a. Start with your dog placing its front feet on a stool, then ask or lure him to sit while keeping the front feet    on the stool.  Repeat 5 - 10 times.

    b.  Start with your dog facing uphill. Then ask for a sit, then for a stand. Repeat 5 - 10 times.

2. Hill / Stair climbing: Walking uphill or upstairs will help to actively stretch the iliopsoas and downhill / stairs walking works the iliopsoas in the opposite way.  Add some of these every day or whenever out for a walk.

3. Jumping Up onto a Platform: Practice jumping onto a low platform, low bed, or low couch. Three repetitions a day.  

Maintaining Rear End Body Awareness

1.  Backing up:  Encourage your dog to back up (leading movement with rear legs).  If your dog does not know this as a command, then lure him or her into a narrow space and then walk toward them and ask or motion for them to back up.  Repeat a 3 – 5 times per session.

Maintaining Abdominal Strength

1.  Plank: Set your dog up to have front feet on a stool / block and rear feet on a second stool or block.  Have blocks placed slightly farther apart than the dog's normal standing distance.  Hold for up to 1 - 2 minutes.

These exercises could be done daily or 3 – 4 times per week.  The goals are to minimize deconditioning, protect against tendon injuries during the next training & competing season, and to heal any tendon injuries that arose throughout the regular season.

Daily walks, runs, or hikes are also recommended to maintain general cardiovascular fitness as well.

Have a great ‘off season’!

Cheers,

Laurie