![]() This is why it’s important to watch for signs of fatigue (Principle 4) and stop before your dog’s form gets sloppy. When performing repetitions of an exercise, make sure you always do the last repetition with proper form. This then starts a vicious cycle of muscle loss, joint and muscle stiffness, pain, and further limiting the use of their injured leg. Otherwise, they learn that they can get where they want to go on 3 legs. Your dog should only go for a walk if they’re using the leg that had surgery, rather than hopping on 3 legs. The same is true even you’re starting a walking program after surgery. This is why we start slowly with exercises your dog can already do, then we make it more challenging (Principle 5) once they have mastered an exercise with correct form. Doing exercises with poor or wrong form will only reinforce the incorrect movements. When doing therapeutic exercises, you ONLY want your dog to do them with good form. And then the tissues adapt to the habit in either a good or bad way. People with poor posture don’t think, “I want to slump my shoulders and hold my neck in a forward position.” (Did you just sit up straighter?) Having poor posture leads to further poor posture out of neuromuscular adaptation. Muscles get trained to do a certain task or maintain a certain posture, and then the task becomes second nature. Practice makes perfect! The more our bodies do specific activities, the more the motion becomes natural and automatic. That would set you back several days before you can establish the baseline again. That’s OK! Walking for 1-2 minutes without limping is much better than walking for 10 minutes and having your dog limp home. This may mean that the first walk is very short. Then, you gradually build from there (See more in Principle 5). You want to establish the baseline of what they can do without being sore (More on this in Principle 4). When starting a walking program, start with a distance you know your dog can manage without limping. It might seem boring or not challenging enough, but resist the urge to overdo it! If you ask them to do too much, especially when first starting out, you risk injuring your dog or at least making them very sore. This will ensure your dog has the proper form and doesn’t put too much stress on their body. Make sure you start all exercises at an easy level. Upward dog (back legs are stretched out straight behind them while they stand straight on front legs).Play bow (downward dog back legs straight with the rear end in the air while their front legs are stretched long in front of them-the CARE logo!).Once they learn that these motions are “good,” they’ll become exercises your dog will want to do on command. We also recommend “capturing” the following postures when your dog performs them naturally at home. ![]() We recommend training using a clicker or capture word, such as “YES!” so you can reward your dog instantly when they perform the movement or command you asked. This will require using a reward to train with such as food, praise, or a toy. NOTE: Never use force when training! Dogs must be engaged in the activity because they want to. If your dog does not already know these commands, we recommend that you teach them, working with a professional dog trainer if needed. Heel (walking on a leash without pulling).Here are the ones your dog should know before you add more challenging exercises: ![]() Therapeutic exercises, which help build muscle strength and keep joints mobile, start with a foundation of basic obedience commands and “tricks.” In this article, we outline the 7 principles of a good therapeutic home exercise program as part of your dog’s arthritis management. Other benefits include strengthening the bond between you and your dog and helping them lose weight! If your dog has been diagnosed with arthritis, your veterinarian will likely tell you to make sure they get regular exercise.Įxercise, including walking, is a great way to help strengthen your dog’s muscles and manage pain and lameness. The benefits of a therapeutic exercise program ![]()
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