Thank you so much for all the wonderful, kind, and supportive comments on our new addition! Rule, as she has been christened, says thank you.
Today Im participating in the Positive Pet Training Blog Hop, hosted by Rubicon Days, Tenacious Little Terrier, and Cascadian Nomads. Januarys theme is "National Train You Dog Month", and as always, any positive-based training posts are accepted.
I debated on doing a sort of "Plans for 2016" training post, but quickly dropped the idea in favor of something Ive been really enjoying lately, and something that I feel is invaluable to those of us with active dogs, or any dogs, really!
Whats that, you ask? Fitness, and how to keep your dogs body strong and healthy!
2015 was my year of getting fit and healthy. I quit sugar in late December of 2014, and aside from yogurt, peanut butter, and natural sugars like fruit and honey, havent had any since then. Ive kept up with yoga 4-7 days a week. I started running and walking, and have been consistently doing 5 to 10 miles a day. I quit gluten, Im careful with getting enough sleep, and eat incredibly healthy.
I had one small cold in October, but was otherwise 100% healthy. In the years before, Id be sick 5+ times a year. My moods are stable, my skin is clear for the first time in my life, I feel amazing, and I am so happy. I cant imagine its much different for our dogs!
Having a fit and healthy dog has always been a top priority of mine. The vast majority of dachshund owners do not exercise their dogs, leading to overweight dogs and more back problems than you can shake a stick at. I refuse to have that for my Doxie girls, or Pike or Rule. Aside from a good diet, exercise is one of the best tools for a healthy dog. These are some simple, fun training activities you can do with your dog to help increase strength, balance, flexibility, and overall stamina.
Disclaimer: Know thy dog. These exercises are preformed by young, healthy dogs with no medical problems. Be careful!
Parkour
Something Ive become a little obsessed with lately is Parkour for dogs, or "Barkour", as it is sometimes called. Parkour training is a way of using your environment as an obstacle course, involving climbing, jumping, running, vaulting, ect. Its the same thing for dogs!
I like it because you dont need any fancy equipment (Im cheap!), and anywhere you go can offer different challenges for you and your dog. Everything from trees to fences to picnic tables to playgrounds can be used! You can even earn titles in the sport from The International Dog Parkour Training Association. I may try both Nola and Rule for these soon.
I only started the girls on this about a week and a half ago, but already theyre picking it up and loving it. Its Nolas favorite time of day!
Some cues used in the below photos:
Paws Up! (front feet on object)
Up! (jump onto object)
Pretty (sit pretty/beg)
Stand (stand on hind legs)
Climb (self explanatory)
Up on here (walk along an elevated surface)
Working on climbing on cue! #positivedogtraining #dogtraining #smartdog #climb #dailydog #dachshunds #dachshundnola #dachshundsofinstagram #dogstagram #dogsofinstagram #trainyourdog
A video posted by @dachshund_nola on
Climbing over an obstacle
Were working on going under, too!
Climbing up
Climbing down
Up on a bucket
Up on a cinderblock
Increasing difficulty by having her back feet on the bucket, and her front on my leg.
Climbing
Standing up on a cinderblock. Bonus core and rear workout!
Shes such a happy dog!
Balancing on a narrow board
Paws up
Jumping off
Using a tree to show off "paws up!"
Now the other side!
Rear end awareness on a hunk of lumber.
Paws up
Balancing on a narrow walkway
Tandem paws up!
And again!
Stretching
Any athlete, human or canine, needs to have warm ups, cool downs, and stretches. Warming up literally warms and ready the muscles and sinews for activity. Cool downs allow the body to work out lactic acid, prevents stiffness and soreness, and lets the heart and respiratory rate to return to normal. Stretching helps to maintain flexibility and fluidity, allows blood to better circulate, and greatly reduces the risk of injury.
I do all three of these with the girls before a Parkour session, before a run or long walk, before an intense play session (especially tug), and before working on physically demanding tricks.
For cool warm ups and cool downs, Ill have them do a few sit/down/stand/repeat drills, a quick brisk walk and/or backing up or other rear end awareness exercises. It only takes a few minutes, and helps to get the girls into a training mood.
For stretching, I follow the things listed here. Theyre easy to put on cue!
Conditioning: Poses and Equipment
There are a few great poses your dog can learn to help build muscles. Sit pretty (or beg) is fantastic for building core strength. I do this one a lot with Nola; having a strong back and core reduces the risk of back issues. Standing on the hind legs builds both the rear muscles as well as balance. Holding positioning, or changing position, on some kind of balancing equipment not only builds balance, but also overall strength.
Two great resources on Facebook are Canine Conditioning and Body Awareness, and Structure in Motion - Too!
Im a sucker for dog gear of all kinds, and fitness and conditioning gear is no exception. Currently we only have a FitPaws donut, but this month Im planning on ordering several others, including:
Paw Pods
Balance Disc
Peanut
Wobble Board
Since Im cheap, Ill be buying the human version of these (and perhaps having my dad make a wobble board). Half the price and just as sturdy!
Nola and Rule also do 3-5 miles of walking and about a mile of running a day with me, in addition to play, with both me and all the dogs together. Those two are both high energy dogs, while Pike and Olivia lean more towards moderate and low, respectively.
Keeping your dogs in good body conditioning also greatly reduces the risk of injuries. Nola and Rule score as 4s on the Purina body condition chart, where Pike is a 5 and Olivia a 4. Its hard to see on Pike and Liv due to their coats, but you can see it well on the smoothies.
It may not seem that important, but how you pet a dog does matter… to the dog. Because canines are individuals, the “sweet spot” one dog enjoys may be an area you need to avoid with another, especially if you dont know the dog. Its important to teach children how to touch a dog to keep interactions between them safe and pleasant. Petting seems like a simple concept, but there are some things to keep in mind.
Wait for an invitation
Our first impulse is to reach down to pet a friendly looking dog, but in his eyes thats not a proper greeting. How you greet a dog matters. Ignore him while he takes a few minutes to check you out, and remember to ask the dogs owner for permission to pet him. If the dog doesnt appear interested in you or is holding back and hiding behind his owner, he may not be in the mood to have someone he doesnt know petting him. Hell let you know when hes ready for you to scratch his head.
Our own pets are comfortable with us because of the trust and bond weve built. We can pet them in ways they wouldnt allow someone else to do, and are much more likely to accept things from us they wouldnt from someone they arent familiar with. Never try to pet an unfamiliar dog who is trying to move away from you, is cornered, eating or lying down.
Use body language to put him at ease
Avoid reaching down towards a dog to pet him. Most canines dont appreciate having a hand swooping down from above. Its a threatening gesture in their eyes. Instead of standing over him, turn your body sideways and dont make direct eye contact, which can be seen as a threatening gesture. Ignore him and allow the dog to make first contact. If hes a shy or timid dog, when he feels you are not a threat hell approach you if he wants you to pet him.
Another way to show you arent threatening is to sit on the ground or squat down to the dogs level. If hes unsure, turn your body sideways to him or sit with your back to him and wait for him to come to you. Only do this if you know you arent dealing with an aggressive or scared dog. This is also a good tactic to use when trying to teach your own dog to come when you call him. It makes him curious, and most dogs will come over see what youre doing. Youve put him at ease and he feels more comfortable approaching you. As long as you ask before giving a treat to someone elses dog, tempting a shy dog with some CANIDAE Pure Heaven treats is one way to get his attention.
Non-threatening areas to pet
Stay away from the head, ears, mouth, tail and paws. The chest, shoulders and base of the neck are the more comfortable areas for most dogs. Move in from the side so you arent threatening. Some dogs like being touched at the base of their tail, but if you have never interacted with the dog before, its best to stay around the chest and neck regions. When youve developed a positive and trusting relationship, you have more leeway with where you are allowed to touch. You should be able to touch your own dog anywhere on his body.
Be gentle and calm
Use a gentle massaging motion that follows the direction of the fur. The idea is to calm a dog with soft, gentle strokes to help him relax and enjoy being petted. You can tell if he likes what youre doing because he will lean into your hand while you pet him. And he will also let you know if he wants some more when youve stopped petting. Stay away from patting, slapping or rubbing too hard to avoid getting him wound up or scared. Hugging an unfamiliar dog isnt a good idea, because a hug is perceived as being inhibiting and is uncomfortable for many dogs. Stay away from kissing dogs you arent familiar with.
Your own pet is willing to give you a lot more latitude because of the bond youve built. We need to touch the ears, tail, paws and mouth so we can cut toenails, brush teeth or clean their ears. We know where they like to be touched during play or while sitting on the couch cuddling. When you show a dog respect, he will give you his.
Top photo by Machu. Bottom photo by USAG-Humphreys
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