Etikett: Fitnessträning hund

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Weight management

Today´s subject is the right weight in dogs. Some of you might think this is not an issue. But unfortunately, it is quiet on the contrary 60% of dogs are overweight or obese.

Many dogs that have walked through my doors in the past years, have been overweight.
I have treated dogs with bad joint disease, with the biggest issue being, that the owner felt so sorry for his dog, he kept giving him treats. This resulted in obesity and caused severe mobility, inflammatory and pain issues.
Sometimes I have overweight dogs and owners (this always feels a bit more awkward for me to point out). Another all-time classic is “he is too heavy because he was neutered”, and not to forget my favourite line: “the vet said his fine”.

I do not mean to be the moral police and make you feel bad. The goal of this blog today, is to raise awareness and gain knowledge. One reason for overweight, I have not mentioned yet, is that the owner simply does not know that the dog is too heavy. 

So, were to begin? Maybe in the food bowl. 😊
We are what we eat, and our dogs are what they eat. But here comes one big difference, we get to choose what and how much we are eating and in theory we know what is good and what is not so good for our body. Our dog is never going to think “oh if I eat all this I am going to get fat”. A lot of dogs will be just really happy about the food, as it is a great reinforcement for theme. Sometimes I do not know, if it´s their genetics telling theme “you never know when the next meal is arriving” or if they have lost a sense of “ok that’s enough”? What ever way, I know a lot of dogs that will never say “no” to food.

My first tips for weight management (before we dive into the problems it can cause):

• Use a weighing scale every time you prepare food for your dog.
  Don`t measure 1dl, measure 180g or what ever the amount is that your dog is receiving. Measuring in cups or dl can be deceiving, because depending on how those kibbles are lying in the measuring tool it can easily be 20-40g more than you think.
• If you are feeding fresh food, it is the same, you need to weigh what you are feeding, and if you are mixing it up a lot, you need to consider how much fat is in the meal (ex. Chicken and Beef contain different amounts of fat).
• Read exactly what you are feeding your dog, study the package, often you will not find the calories per 100g, but you might find the energy it delivers. You will definitely find how much fat is in your dog´s food.
• Know what you are feeding, the bag might say “light” or “senior” or whatever. But that does not mean, that it is suitable for your dog.
• Don´t forget to take all the treats you are feeding into account as well!

Little advertisement drop:
If you are interested to learn more about dog food, we have a course coming up in February 😊.
https://www.dogrehab.se/loumlpande-kurser.html

Problems of being overweight:

• More work for the heart
• More weight on the joints = more wear and tear on the cartilage
• Blood flow is not as good, as the heart needs to work harder (more volume) and the fat is taking up space leaving less room for blood vessels and lymph vessels (more pressure in the vessels)
• In extreme cases movement can be compromised
• Endurance is compromised
• Breathing gets harder
• It is more likely that your dog can get:
  • Arthritis
  • Heart disease
  • Diabetes
  • Skin disease
  • Cancer
  • Breathing problems
• Being overweight can cause more pain. Fatty tissue releases inflammatory mediators. So, to say it in a nutshell it can make inflammation in your body worse (“it’s like poring petrol on a fire).
  Ex. if your dog (or you for that matter), have Arthritis and overweight. Loosing this extra fatty tissue will not only reduce pressure, wear and tear on your joints, but it will also reduce the inflammatory process leaving you with less pain.

Extra Benefits if your dog is the right weight:

• Less cost in food
• If your dog has health issues, possible less cost in medication
• Possible less cost in vet bills and physiotherapy
• Maybe more cost for activities, because you are motivated to go out and train together with others 😊

How can I tell if my dog is the right weight?

1. It should be easy to feel the ribs, but they should not be visible.
2. When looking at your dog’s back from above, you want to be able to see a waist. Like an “hourglass figure”
3. Looking at your dog from the side you want to see the belly line going up at the end of the chest, it is called “an abdominal tuck”
4. This applies to all breeds.

Seeing so many overweight dogs, many people, even professionals, have lost the sense of “what is normal”. This makes the whole perspective shift. Dog shows can pose an additional problem. I see a trend in show lines having poor posture and being overweight. People interested in a breed, might follow different shows and get used to images of heavy looking dogs winning prices. So it becomes the new normal. Let´s not let that happen!

I have had concerned clients come in and tell me that people do not like the way their dog looks, and that the breeder has told them the dog is to thin. Fact is, each of those dogs were in perfect weight condition, actually since losing all that weight, they were in their best form ever.

Here is a Picture for BCS that might help you:
https://wsava.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Body-Condition-Score-Dog.pdf

In most cases you want to aim for a BCS of 4-5 with good musculature.

How can a dog lose weight?

Dogs are experts in turning just truly little fat, into a massive amount of energy. Meaning, you probably will not be able to give your dog so much exercise that he will lose weight. (Also keeping in mind that he cannot move as well when overweight).

• In obese dogs I recommend starting the journey together with a professional to advise you.
• 1.Key is about managing the food intake
• The whole family needs to be on board
• Keep a food and weight diary and make sure everyone involved in feeding, or giving treats uses it. Ensure that you are truthful, and you may work out exactly why you are struggling to manage the weight!
• Measure your dog’s chest right behind the elbow and his waist right behind the chest. Sometimes weight loss is not that obvious, if your dog is gaining muscle at the same time.
• Get your dog moving, and if possible consider swimming or a water treadmill (use a life west to reduce stress mental and on the body)
• If your dog is not losing weight pls check with you vet. Weight gain can also be caused by a hormonal disbalance or other diseases. Never wait to long to get your buddy checked out.

Please feel free to ask me any questions.

Happy Holidays!
Alexandra

Body-Mind-Bond (scroll down for English)

Fitnessträning för hundar är ett 3-i-1-paket. Det är inte bara för ”working dogs” arbetande hundar eller för rehabilitering av skador. Fitnessträning är för alla hundar: valpar, seniorer, jakthundar, agilityhundar men naturligtvis också för sällskapshundar.

Vi älskar alla våra hundar och vi vill att de ska ha ett bra, hälsosamt och långt liv. Fitness är inget magiskt trick, men det hjälper er att nå gemensamma mål.

Som du vet, om du tränar yoga, pilates eller besöker gymmet flera gånger i veckan, då kommer du att hålla dig i form och vara frisk. Du kommer att bli starkare och få mer energi du får också bättre kroppskontroll. Ditt immunsystem stärks och du håller dig friskare, allt detta fungerar precis likadant för din hund.

Hundar är så fantastiska djur, de är positiva, glada och energiska. De är ”födda för att springa”. Många hundar kommer att ge 100% så snart de blir aktiva och det spelar ingen roll om din hund ”bara” leker med sin vän eller om ni tränar Agility tillsammans eller utför någon annan aktivitet.

Hundar förstår inte begreppet ”att bara göra något som en hobby” … Det är ”allt eller ingenting som gäller”!

Vi som hundägare bestämmer hur livet för våra hundar ska se ut, det betyder att de inte har mycket val eller kontroll för vad som ska ske i det dagliga livet. Därför är det vårt ansvar att ta hand om våra hundar på bästa sätt.

Med fitnessträning kan du stärka din hund för alla eventuella äventyr. Men det är inte allt!

Kommunikation är mycket viktigt när du tränar din hund, genom att träna fitness med din hund så blir du duktigare. Du lär dig att observera din hund, hundens rörelser och rörlighet, du lär dig att se om hunden inte förstår dig eller om hunden blir trött.

Jag personligen vill att min hund ska tänka själv och jag vill att hunden ska kunna göra val som vi båda kommer att vara nöjda med.

När vi tränar fitness så betyder detta att jag vill att min hund ska förstå övningarna som vi gör, hunden bör veta exakt hur den ska röra sig, för om den vet det så kan den också förbättra övningen/rörelsen mer effektivt. För att uppnå detta så klickar jag in många av övningarna med shaping. Desto mer man tränar såhär, desto bättre blir man på att kommunicera med sin hund. Dessa nya färdigheter stannar inte bara i gymmet utan det kommer att överföras till allt ni gör tillsammans.

Jag har ett exempel på en ung hund med liten träningserfarenhet, ingen smärta i hundens kropp, men rygg- och kärnmusklerna saknade styrka, ryggen hängde och hela hunden verkade lite lös i sina rörelser.

Efter ungefär ett halvt år av fitnessträning ”just for fun” (en gång i veckan), så kan både ägare, vänner och jag se en enormt positiv förändring. Hunden har nu rak rygg, hon vet hur man rör sig och hennes gång är nu fast och korrekt. Det är så trevligt att se hur ägaren och hunden har vuxit tillsammans som ett team. Det värmer mitt hjärta när hundarna och ägarna kommer in till mig och alla är glada och trivs med att arbeta och prova nya saker.

Ett annat exempel är hur hundar som kan vara lite rädda för det okända, börjar ”blomma ut” efter flera lektioner av Fitnessträning. Jag vet inte hur många gånger jag har hört ”åh, men min hund kommer inte att göra det” … Men om du bara justerar övningen lite och tar små steg och gör övningen enkel, så är jag ganska så säker på att hunden kommer att klara av att göra det vi tänkt oss.

Så låt oss avsluta med en sammanfattning till varför det är bra för din hund att börja med fitnessträning:

BODY
Mer: Styrka, balans, rörlighet, uthållighet, koordination och kroppskontroll

MIND
Din hund får: Mental stimulering, blir lugnare, får bättre självkontroll och ökat självförtroende.

BOND
Du och din hund får: Förbättrad kommunikation, förbättrad teamkänsla och ännu mer glädje.

Tack vare de saker som nämns ovan så minskar också risken för skador!

Är du intresserad av att prova Cross Flex-träning med din hund?
Här bjuder jag på fyra övningar som du kan prova på att göra tillsammans med din hund:

Nosetouch

Rear end awareness

Bowing

3-Legged stand lifting front paws

//Alexandra Sgier, 076 134 23 44
dogrehab@dogrehab.se
www.dogrehab.se

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Body-Mind-Bond

Fitness training for Dogs is a 3 in 1 package. And it’s not just for ”working dogs” or for rehabilitation. Fitness training is for all Dogs: puppies, seniors, Hunting dogs, Agility dogs but of course also for your pet dog.

We all love our dogs, and we want them to have a good, healthy and long life. Fitness training is not a magic trick, but it helps you a lot to get to your common goal.

And as you know, if you do Yoga, Pilates or visit the gym several times a week, you will be fit and healthy, you will have more strength and energy, and better body awareness also your immune system will be on top of its game. And all that is exactly the same for your dog.

Dogs are such great animals, they are positive, happy and energetic. They are ”born to run”. Many dogs will give 100% as soon as they get active and it does not matter if your dog is ”just” playing with his friend or if you are training Agility together or any other activity.

Dogs do not understand the concept of ”just doing something as a hobby”… It’s all or nothing!

For dogs living with humans means that a big part of their life is decided for theme, the don´t get much choice or control in their life. So, it is clearly our responsibility to take care of our dogs, in the best way we can.

With Fitness training you can strengthen your Dog for all his adventures. But that’s not all!

Communication is very important when training your dog, through Fitness Training you learn to become an even better trainer for your dog. You learn to observe your dog, his movement and mobility, you learn to see if he is not understanding your communication or if he is getting tired.

I personally want my dog to think for himself, and I want him to be able to make choices that we will both be happy with.

In fitness terms this means I want my dog to understand his exercises, he should understand exactly how to move, because if he knows what he is doing, he can also improve on it more efficient. To achieve this, I ”shape” (clicker training) many exercises. And the more you train like this, the better you get at communicating with your dog. And these new skills are not just staying in the fitness room, they will transfer to everything you do together.

I have an example of a young pet dog with little training experience, no pain in her body, but the back and core muscles were lacking strength, so the back was hanging and the whole dog seemed a little too lax in his movements.

After about half a year of fitness training ”just for fun” (once a week) Owner, friends and I can see a massive positive change. The dog now has a straight back, she knows how to move and her gait is now firm and correct. And it is so nice to watch how the owner and the dog have grown together as a team.
And what warms my heart, is when the dogs and the owners come in and everybody is already happy and excited to work and try new things.

A different example is how dogs that might be a bit fearful of the unknown, start to drive and bloom after a few lessons of fitness training. I don´t know how many times I have heard ”oh, but my dog won´t do that”… But if you adjust the exercise and take baby steps, just as your dog needs them, I am pretty sure he will do it 🙂

So, let´s wrap up the reasons why your dog will drive with fitness training:

Body
More: Strength, balance, mobility, endurance, coordination and body awaerness

Mind
Your dog will get: Mental stimulation, calmer, selfcontroll, selfconfidence, more choices

Bond
You and your dog will get: Improved communication, improved bond, even more joy

And because of all the things mentioned above, the risk of injury decreases aswell!

So, are you interested to try Cross Flex training with your dog?
Here are 4 foundation exercises you can try with your dog:

Nosetouch
https://youtu.be/j7EZDfMz0AY

Rear end awareness
https://youtu.be/ozUXprQhEyw

Bowing
https://youtu.be/3C8kLfwoQGM

3-Legged stand lifting front paws
https://youtu.be/UnSUdO5jmRQ

//Alexandra Sgier, 076 134 23 44
dogrehab@dogrehab.se
www.dogrehab.se

Hej, jag heter Alexandra Sgier och ska gästblogga här hos HEYAB hund. Mitt inlägg kommer att delas på fredag den 6 november. Jag kommer ursprungligen från Schweiz och på grund av kärleken till snö och våra sibiriska huskies, bestämde jag och min man oss för att flytta till Sverige under 2019.

Min djurkarriär började 2001 och startade på allvar under 2010. Sedan dess har jag blivit hundfysioterapeut, djurkinesiolog, hästosteopat (vi äger 4 ponnyer), Klicker-tränare och CCFT (Certified Canine Fitness Instructor). För närvarande är jag inskriven för att bli en ”Fear Free certified professionel”.

Sedan 2013 har jag arbetat i mitt egna företag och under 2020 öppnade jag en Hundträning- och rehabiliteringsanläggning i Jörn.

Mitt motto är att behandla varje djur som en individ och ta fram det bästa av djurets fysiska och mentala förmågor.

Under Nordic Dog Days kommer jag att prata om mitt favoritämne: Fitnessträning för Hundar och hur det är till nytta för varje hund. Det är ett bra sätt att balansera din hunds kropp och sinne och få ett bra band samtidigt som du bygger vidare på dina kommunikationsförmågor.

Det är fördelaktigt för så många aspekter av din hunds liv. När du kommer in i träningen så blir det roligt och kan p.g.a. glädjen för både dig och hunden vara väldigt beroendeframkallande.

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My Name is Alexandra Sgier, I am originally from Switzerland, but due to the love of snow and our Siberian Huskies, my husband and I decided to move to Sweden in 2019.
My Animal Career started back in 2001 and really took off 2010. Since then I have become a Dog Physiotherapist, an animal Kinesiologist, a Horse osteopath (we own 4 Ponies), a Clicker-trainer and a CCFT (Certified Canine Fitness Instructor). Currently I am enrolled in becoming a “Fear Free certified professional”.
Since 2013 I have been working in my own practice and in 2020 I opened a Training and Rehab Facility in Jörn.
My Motto is to treat every animal as an individual and to bring out the best of his physical and mental abilities.

During Nordic Dog Days I will be talking about my favourite topic: Canine Fitness training and how it is beneficial to every dog. It´s a great way to balance your dog’s body & mind and get a great bond whilst building on your communication skills.
It is beneficial to so many aspects of your dog´s life. And when you get into it the fun and joy of fitness training can be very addictive.

//Alexandra Sgier, 076 134 23 44
dogrehab@dogrehab.se
www.dogrehab.se