234 Canine Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation
understanding that it means health, longevity,
and athletic success. The following is not an
exhaustive list of exercises by any means, but
should provide a variety of targeted exercises
to prevent boredom on the part of the client or
the dog.
One more point: strength training needs to be
fun for both the person and the dog, but espe
cially for the dog. If a dog does not enjoy the
activity that it is being asked to perform, its
focus will drift, and its movements will cease to
be purposeful. Strength‐building activities
should be used that take advantage of activities
for which the dog is predisposed by genetics
(like retrieving) or for which the dog shows
clear signs of excitement, even if that is just the
excitement of receiving treats.
Indoor strength exercises
Whole body strength exercises
Rolling a peanut ball. A peanut‐shaped phys
ioball that is about elbow height is placed
with the long side perpendicular to the dog
and the client, who are facing each other
(Figure 10.3). The dog then places its front
feet on the peanut ball and rolls it towards
the client, who uses their foot to control the
speed of the ball’s movement. Once the dog
is proficient, a larger peanut ball can be used
and the dog can move it both forward and
backward.
Backing up stairs. The dog is taught first to
back up on level ground (a good proprio
ceptive exercise) and gradually to back up
hills and eventually to back up a flight of
stairs ( Figure 10.4). This is an especially good
exercise for the stabilizers of the thoracic
limbs.Figure 10.3 Dog standing with front feet on a peanut‐shaped physioball. The dog will roll the ball forward and
eventually backward for an excellent pelvic limb and core exercise.
Figure 10.4 Backing up stairs. The client can start by
having the dog back up on a level surface, then hills,
then progressing to stairs. This is an excellent exercise
for the stabilizers of the thoracic limbs and
proprioception of the pelvic limbs.