Conditioning and Retraining the Canine Athlete

Exercise provides significant physical and psychological benefits for dogs. Rehabilitation professionals are frequently asked to design tailored conditioning programs for young dogs before starting athletic training and for adult canine athletes that need a more comprehensive and sports-specific conditioning program. The rehabilitation professional can have a significant impact on a canine athlete's career by providing the client with specific guidance regarding the most appropriate exercise program for their dog. Many dogs have significant imbalances in musculature. Variation within an exercise program can be achieved by incorporating an assortment of exercises, repetition ranges, and training modalities. Periodization is the process of planning training programs to include variations in training loads and cycles to maximize physiological adaptations for competition performance. Consistency is crucial for achieving and maintaining conditioning gains.