Laurie's Blogs.

Think about it first

So, let’s say you saw a video of a dog running across a row of inflated peanut balls, and you thought, “Cool!  Hey, I want to try that with Rex!”  Firstly, ask yourself, “Why?”  Will it address any of the key components to improving fitness?  Does it help with strength, flexibility, balance, coordination, muscular endurance, power, skill, cardiorespiratory endurance & capacity (aerobic), or anaerobic power & capacity?  And if yes, is it a component that your dog needs?

Testing or Modification

Now before you try the exercise, you should ask yourself if there is a way to test your dog’s ability to do this exercise.  Or if you do try the exercise, and Rex is an “Epic FAIL” at it, is there a way you can modify it in some way?  Modification is so important to preventing injuries.  My Friday yoga class is a great example of this.  Because the instructor was seeing so many people injuring themselves in yoga or doing yoga oddly or with just plain poor body mechanics, she created a class where the moves were broken down so that POSTURE was key, and each person learned to feel proper posture in their own body!

Break it down

Let’s break down the exercise of running across a row or peanut balls.  What does it require?  To do this exercise the dog would already need some balance, lots of coordination, muscular strength and power.  Okay!  Does your dog have a basic level of each of these?  Realistically, one should think twice if the dog is not athletic, if the dog is a senior, if the dog has any neurological compromise, if the dog is lame, or physically deconditioned in any way.

Modification & Setting up for Success 

If your dog is already athletic and you think that you would like to use the exercise of running across a row of peanut balls as part of a conditioning program, then how could you introduce the exercise safely?  I’d try walking across a platform-peanut-platform combo.  And I’d go slow at first so the dog really understands foot placement.  If that goes well, perhaps add another peanut, and again lure Rex across.  Stick with this for a while.  Start with simply walking across, then next time ask the dog to stop midway across, and then resume the walk.  My intention for doing so would be so that the dog really has to understand the importance of foot placement on these surfaces.  Try speeding up AND slowing down when going across.  Both will help.  While ‘faster, faster, faster’ may look cool, it put knots in my stomach watching the potential for injury.

Evaluate

Something else to consider would be the dog’s posture as he goes across the bridge of peanuts.  Maybe video your dog so you can watch, or have someone else lure him across.  Where is his head position?  What about abdominal tuck?  Is he rounding his back or is he stretched out?  Is he sure of his foot placement?  How well does he transition from ball to ball? If you have made your ‘peanut bridge’ safe (i.e. it doesn’t slip or give-way), and the dog is fit enough to even try the exercise, then he should have a certain amount of confidence & success when he attempts to cross.  If not, you need to modify until you see in him the confidence and posture you want to see!

Conclusions

All in all, modification is a great thing!  It keeps everyone safe and is potentially more targeted than doing something that looks cool, just for the sake of it.  Okay, my rehab friends, go out there and do some good!  Be thoughtful.  Be critical.  And don’t be afraid to modify.