I'm looking for recommendations on getting a dog conditioned. This is a legitimate question: so, before any of you warriors rush into battle, my dog is not a puppy - she is 5 yrs old, has clean joints and is on the heavy side of normal (barely show weight) but after not doing much for the winter, she is soft. I'm specifically wondering if any of you have done work with the balance balls or peanuts and what your experiences were.
Walk, walk, walk and more walking. Benefits you and the dog. Start with short walks and increase. Calories - Cut food quantity in half and add greenbeans for volume and fiber.
thanks for your advice and I will absolutely incorporate walking into the exercise regime. What about rebuilding muscle - like back, and working on the excess at the shoulder?
Hi,
The Ball work is good for a dog that is already fairly fit AND if you know what you are doing with it. For basic conditioning I agree with the other posters. Walking, hill work and swimming..
The issue with Ball work for an unfit dog is they can possibly cause themselves harm if they don't have the strength to support themselves correctly on the ball.( Neutral spine, proper stance getting on and exiting the ball etc.
I see so many folks putting their dogs into postures on the Ball and Peanut and the dog's posture is horrible with a roached back and the feet splayed. Like any equipment if you do not know how to use it properly you can actually cause more harm than good.
If you would like to incorporate the ball or peanut I suggest you make an appointment with a Canine PT person who is knowledgeable about assessing your dogs strengths and weaknesses and can prescribe and show you how to do the exercises properly.
