Laurie's Blogs.
Dec 2019
Dog Play Dangers
If you’ve been in this canine rehab business long enough, you too have likely witnessed the onslaught of injuries subsequent to rough play of dogs at dog parks or daycares. I recently read an article on this topic and thought it would be good to share and add some commentary to the discussion.
Here’s my inspiration:
So, we all know that dogs need some form of exercise to stay healthy. For the purpose of this blog, I’m talking about your average pet dog, not the canine athlete. Plenty of pet parents take their dogs to the off-leash park or to doggy-daycares, where they romp and play with other dogs. Many of these dog owners are delighted when their dog comes back pooped-out and tired… and subsequently are chilled-out and relaxed in the evening. They delight in seeing their dogs enjoy the company of other dogs and truly believe that they are doing what’s in the best interest for their dog.
On the flip side of this, is that in these scenarios, a lot of injuries can occur! The blog I linked to above discusses how dogs in the wild would roam, hunt, chase prey, play, socialize, and just hang out. It was an active but not crazy lifestyle. In today’s day and age, many dogs are ‘couch potatoes’ until their human comes home to interact with them and/or takes them somewhere for a short bout of exercise or takes them to a play for an entire day of frolicking. Here in lies the problem.
•These dogs may not be physically fit enough to withstand musculoskeletal injuries as a result of rough-housing with other dogs or playing ball or frisbee until exhaustion.
•A shy, injured, or weaker dog can easily be overwhelmed or overpowered by a rowdy, rough, or larger dog.
•In the case of a busy dog park or a doggy-daycare, there isn’t always an option or area where rest is allowed or provided.
So… injuries occur!
What are some of the ways that we, as healthcare professionals, can advise these pet parents in order to minimize injuries.
1.Advocate for walks and hikes. Hill are great for building strength, and navigating different surfaces and terrains is good for balance as well as strength.
2.Twice a day walks / exercise is likely best if and when possible.
3.Warm up the dog before going to the dog park. Perhaps park farther away and/or walk to the dog park, before letting the dog run into the fray of excitement and pent up energy!
4.Intervene when things get too rough and wild. Remove a dog from chaos before an injury can occur.
5.Look for a doggy-daycare that has a ‘rest zone’, mandatory ‘rest time’, and one where the dogs are supervised the entire time that they are playing. Enquire about their standards or policies on rough-housing and breaking up rough play.
6.Find other games to play (not just throwing a ball or frisbee). Try playing hide and seek. Try hiding the dog’s toys and asking them to find the toy. Teach the dog to do tricks such as weaving through legs, walking on logs, going through tunnels, etc.
Some pet-parents just need a bit more guidance to understand what is and isn’t good for their dog in the long run, and how their well-intentioned actions may be leading to injuries and ailments. We in the rehab community should be proactive with this message, for the wellbeing of the dogs we treat (or may never treat)!
