Strength & Conditioning for Active Dogs – The Canine Fitness Centre

Active Dogs

Conditioning the Canine Athlete

Canine sports abound these days, and range from agility and disc dog to dock diving, hiking and many more. A primary concern for canine athletes is the risk of injury. You can help your canine athlete avoid being sidelined from the sport he loves by putting him on an individualised conditioning regimen. A conditioning program tailored to your individual dog, and the sport they are involved in, will help prevent damage to their muscles and joints.

Conditioning the Working Dog

Our programmes are tailored to help working dogs develop core strength, body awareness, and self-confidence. Working dogs will benefit from conditioning programmes from puppyhood to their working career, retirement, and beyond. Working dogs have many of the same risks associated with highly competitive canine athletes and can reduce their risks of injuries by having a consistent physical training program.

Performance needs for assistance dogs

Assistance dogs will benefit from core strength and balance training and strengthen the bond between the owner and assistance dog while giving the dog an important outlet for its excess energy. Therapy and assistance dogs need to be confident when walking across any type of surface and in different environments.

Performance needs for controlled sports

Controlled canine sports such as Heelwork, Rally and Watersports have a variety of specific needs such as: Balance, proprioception and body awareness; Mental strength and stamina; Strength and power for high intensity and low frequency exercise; and Muscle stamina through low intensity and high frequency exercise

Performance needs for endurance activities

Differing from sprint sports, endurance activities include Canicross, Sled dog racing, Bikejor and hiking or running. Some of the specific needs are: Balance, proprioception and body awareness; Cardiovascular fitness; Increase in muscle energy efficiency; Increased use of fast twitch muscle fibres and specific muscle groups; and Muscle stamina through low intensity and high frequency exercise

Performance needs for service animals

Breeders, trainers and handlers of canine dogs used for protection, search-and-rescue, and emergency services know the importance of work hardiness for their working dogs. Dogs with these jobs are often exposed to different challenging and unstable surfaces and need to be ready for long hours of field work.

Performance needs for sprint sport activities

Our strength and conditioning programmes are tailored for the needs of sprint sport animals who compete in agility, flyball and hoopers.Some of the specific needs are: Balance, proprioception and body awareness; Cardiovascular fitness; Increased use of fast twitch muscle fibres and specific muscle groups; and Strength and power for high intensity and low frequency exercise

Performance needs for working animals

Working dogs move fast in the field and often hurdle over and under natural obstacles to hurd and chase down their game. Having keen body awareness and a strong core can help your dog perform their best when they are on the job. Proprioception exercises can help a dog instinctively learn how its body moves in space so that it can respond to different environmental factors at fast speed.

Sporting/Working Dog Assessments

Designed specifically for the working and competitive dogs. The assessment will include slow motion gait analysis, stance analysis, musculoskeletal check, active and passive range of motion tests, measurements and balance tests. After all the information is gathered, exercises will then be recommended to improve any areas of weakness. We can also discuss appropriate warm up and cool down sessions.

£60 per assessment | Get a veterinary referral to see us