Fitness & Conditioning

Canine fitness, or conditioning, is very similar to human athletic fitness/conditioning - the intent of canine conditioning exercises and programs is to keep dogs healthy and fit for the types of activities their owners intend to do with them. The programs should be targeted for specific purposes, i.e exercises that increase flexibility in the spine for the purposes of increasing weaving performance in agility., strengthening the neck and rear for flashy heel work, etc.

Canine fitness is not only a great physical activity for dogs, because it’s basically a targeted workout program, it also makes for a good mental workout, because the dog has to really think about the movements they are making when working on specific exercises.

It is an especially great activity to do with young puppies, because it doubles as an exercise to build a relationship with your puppy and also teaches them body awareness and proprioception (not to mention the benefits of an exercise that works their brain too). Teaching body awareness and working on exercises that target specific muscle groups or movements will help reduce a dog’s chance at injury, and help them recover more efficiently from an injury.

If you would like to work with an individual certified in fitness/conditioning so that they can help build a program for your dog, there are three credentials for individuals certified in fitness and conditioning - Certified Professional Canine Fitness Trainer (CPCFT), Certified Canine Fitness Trainer (CCFT), and Certified Canine Strength and Conditioning Coach (CSCC). Look for someone with one of these credentials - typically many of them will offer virtual options as well as in-person.

The Canine Conditioning and Body Awareness Exercises group on Facebook offers great advice and is a good place to get started with some foundation exercises.