Have you ever watched a conditioning video online and wondered if your dog can do that? I recently have a friend share a video of an Aussie doing yoga with their owner. While it was an amazing video of physical ability it got me thinking about how what we see online can look pretty impressive but it can also be pretty deceptive in the amount of work and training that went into the work out. 

Much of what the dog in the video was doing is a form of circuit training. Moving smoothly from one exercise to the next. But, just like the video of the Aussie doing yoga, there is a surprising amount of training and work that goes into getting your dog ready to do a circuit workout. 

I'd like to make a wager with you. Following the end of lockdowns and a return to normalcy we'll probably see an influx of injury as dogs return to regular training and sport. The reality is during this pandemic we've all had to adapt to some pretty big changes to our lifestyle and regular habits. Many of our dogs were coming out of winter breaks and before they could gear up for a summer of activity a global pandemic cancelled training class, competitions, and placed restrictions on outdoor activities. As a result, our canine athletes might have experienced a significant down turn in their usual physical activity and as a result, lost muscle tone and strength required for successful completion of their sport endeavours.  

Getting a new puppy is an exciting and busy time. Something I was just reminded of as I brought home the latest addition to my pack a couple of weeks ago. A small, sassy girl I have named Keeper.  It's amazing how easy it is to forget how MUCH work a puppy is and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little overwhelmed with the amount of work we had ahead of us. 

Once your puppy comes home they begin an intensive learning period as they become accustomed to the routine of their new home, begin to learn basic commands, and start foundation work for  future performance endeavours. But you may be wondering, how to introduce your puppy to canine conditioning. The good news is that a lot of the skills you'll need for a future in sport can also be taught as you are building your canine conditioning foundation skills.  This week I'll discuss what we can do to start getting our puppies ready for conditioning work down the road.