If you wish to do sports with your dog, you should at first think about if it’s right for you pet, no matter if you want to do it for leisure or top-level. And not only from the point of view of your pet’s nature but also of its physical predispositions.
If you wish to do sports with your dog, you should at first think about if it’s right for you pet, no matter if you want to do it for leisure or top-level. And not only from the point of view of your pet’s nature but also of its physical predispositions.
In order for a sport to be beneficial for a dog and not harmful, it is necessary to consider at first whether it is suitable for the given breed considering its physical characteristics. Otherwise, we could cause health problems instead of improving its physical condition.
The basic questions are if your companion is not too large for the given discipline
(or too small) and whether it’s physically mature enough. For heavy, mollosoid breed, i.e. heavier dogs, sports which include jumping (such as agility or frisbee dog) are not very good, endurance sports (e.g. dog trekking or canicross), on the other hand, are not good for small and brachycephalic breeds. Then it also needs to be considered whether the breed tends to have some health problems, such as canine hip dysplasia. In such cases, it is better to consult a vet on the choice of a suitable sport.
You can start doing sports with your companion even when it’s still a puppy. But you cannot overload its developing skeleton and psyche. This doesn’t have to stop you in the preparation of your puppy for a sports career by training putting down things, running around them learning to fetch and so on. But you should avoid jumping and pulling before the end of the physical development.
Before a training session, don’t forget to stretch with your dog and end it before the dog is too tired. After your training, don’t forget about taking a breath and walking and don’t immediately put your dog in a cage or a car. Do not overload it and do not want more than its condition, age and skills allow.
If you aren’t able to train properly and sufficiently with your dog, keep it fit at least by walks, jogging or running. Imagine how you would feel if you were required to suddenly run a marathon or play a tennis match without any other physical activities. It would definitely tire me out. It is also unsuitable for your dog’s joints and muscles to do a sports activity only once a week during the weekend. Simply, for every dog sports it is true that if you don’t prepare your dog’s body for it systematically, it is harmful. Therefore, also fitness training is necessary besides usual training sessions.
You also have to be careful because of injuries. For example for agility, the most common injuries are caused by bad bouncing or falling on the obstacle but also joint diseases. sDuring coursing, there is a danger of a muscle fever. During dog trekking and coursing, we can avoid backaches by choosing a good harness and protective shoes for scraped, cracked or otherwise injured paw pads. When playing frisbee dog, a dog can injure gums or teeth, bite through its tongue and there is also a danger of joint diseases and tendon diseases because of unbalanced or wrong landings.
How did you choose your sport? Did you think about the options and needs of your dog companion? What did you take into account?
Allegedly, fast is instinctively practised by both wolfs and wild dogs. This has led many people to that assumption, that our dog on the couch should, once in a while, be fasting as well. A wild animal surely knows what it is doing, nature is wise, you...
In this cycle, we will get to know interesting dog personalities. Dogs play an important role in our life, so let us take a look what they have already achieved during our life together. We should find Hachiko in the dictionary next to the phrase...
Markéta is my long-time friend. We got to know each other through a shelter, from which I took my first dog and where I then started to help out. Under this association, Markéta runs a depository for cats in Prague, where I like to go when I have a bit...
Have you ever wondered how much movement is healthy for your dog and when it can be harmful? Or that not every movement is beneficial? Most dog owners never think about this. It’s said that the more you move, the better. But this is not always true.
As I mentioned in previous articles, I occasionally help out my friend Markéta, who runs a cat shelter. I had the opportunity to take part in several humane trappings for stray cats and would like to share the experience with you today.
Did you know that even your pet dog can suffer from depression? As with people, we shouldn’t underestimate the mental state of our dogs. How to recognize it and what to do about it?
In this cycle, we shall take a look at how cats and dogs are getting along in the world. Where people nurture and spoil them, or on the contrary they suffer and their situation is critical. Today I would like to introduce you to the cats of Greece,...
The approach of warm sunny days will surely entice many people to go for long walks. Many of us take our four-legged companions on vacation. It’s during these times that we should be careful about sunstroke, both for us and our dogs. How can we prevent...
Just like with people, being overweight can have a negative impact on a dog’s health. Preparing the right diet and amount of food to give them can sometimes be, however, like pure alchemy, and so your dog can start to become obese. If this is the case...
There seems to be more and more ticks year after year. Fortunately, the ways to protect our furry friends, whether dogs or cats, against these parasites are growing. Everyone can choose what product fits best for them and their four-legged companions.
Until recently skinny guinea pigs were relatively rare in our country. Word about them is quickly spreading, however, and they have become a sudden hit among breeders. What’s it like having these guinea pigs and what do they like to eat?
The kidneys perform one of the most important functions in the body - cleaning the blood. Due to their small intake of water, cats are more burdened than other animals and therefore suffer quite often from kidney problems the older they get.
