Are you looking for ways to improve your dog’s fitness, core conditioning, and balance? FitPAWS is a great tool to add to your dog’s fitness and conditioning regime.
What is FitPAWS? It’s canine conditioning and rehabilitation equipment. FitPAWS helps develop confidence, body awareness, strength, balance and coordination. Their inflatable platforms such as their discs, pods, peanuts and donuts are fun ways for your dog to improve his fitness.
The equipment is used by dog trainers and rehabilitation professionals as well as many pet parents who want to offer an additional way to help their dogs whether they are getting ready for the show ring, are recovering from an injury or just want to get in better overall shape.
Improving balance and stability is important for dogs of all ages, from puppies who are just starting to develop their coordination, to senior dogs that might have lost some of the strength they had in their earlier years. The more your dog improves his balance and stability, the more body awareness he will have.
The amount of time your dog will need on FitPAWS varies from dog to dog. Some dogs tire after 5 minutes and others can go for 15 minutes. The key is to not over-do the exercises but to do them regularly and in short increments. Some of the balance work is more about endurance than repetitions. A few minutes of balancing on a K9Fitbone goes a long way! Working together through the exercises is also a great way for you to build your relationship and communication with your dog.
You will use treats to encourage your dog to go through the movements, so be sure to select something that is high value but not too high in calories. Lamb or bison lung are great treats because they can be broken into small pieces and both have a lot of air so the calorie content is low.
We worked one on one with a rehabilitation expert who introduced us to FitPAWS, but you can learn all the moves you need by watching some FitPAWS videos online. It’s important that your dog is closely supervised when using the equipment. It’s not play-equipment, but truly exercise and rehabilitation tools that can greatly enhance your relationship with your dog while improving his fitness and well being.
For more ideas and toys that will help keep your dog fit in the comfort of your own backyard, check out these tips on Your Dog Advisor.
FitPAWS are happy paws!!
