Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Video Blog: Sit to Stand Exercise for Dogs

The "Sit To Stand" exercise is one of the most common exercises that we give to our dog owning clients. In so many cases we are working with dogs that have hindlimb weakness. This exercise can be compared to weight-lifting exercises to buiold strength.

The dog is positioned head away from the owners body with the owner kneeling or crouching over the dog. The hind limbs are squared up so that the paw's position on the ground is directly under the dog's hip joints. In small dogs the thumbs are placed over the tops of the pelvis and the pinkie fingers are placed behind the knees. Pressure is placed downward over the pelvis at the same time that the pinkies are pressing on the backs of the knees. This forces the dog to squat and the resistance the dog places against this movement tires the muscles used in standing. Three or four sqats is the correct number to start with and one quickly gets a feel for the number that is takes to tire these muscles. Like most rehab exercises, this one should be performed 3-4 times per day and shouldn't take more than a few minutes each time. Working on this exercise for a longer period of time is counterproductive.

In smaller dogs it often helps to put your "Pinkie" behind the knee to get the stifle (knee) to flex while pushing on the pelvis (hip bones).



In larger dogs it is not possible to position ones Pinkie properly and some pressure can be exerted behind the hamstring muscles. In very large dogs it is often necessary to place one's shoulder over the pelvis to produce enough downward force to cause a squat.



1 comment:

  1. Recently, I'm thinking to give my dog a daily exercise to make his more healthy and I start give him a morning jogging routine. We both get tired everyday and it is good for his health and also for me too. I want to gain more his exercise, but I know what are the best and easy that I can give to him. When I read your article it is simple, but contains an informative content and tips. Browse more about: Vets Sheppey

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