Canine Fitness and Conditioning

In the world of dogs, you may have heard references to “fitness” or “conditioning” or seen photos or videos of dogs doing fun things with colorful blobs, poles and cones. What you’re seeing is likely some form of fitness or conditioning training or physical rehabilitation. But what are these, and are they really different from each other?

Let’s talk physical rehabilitation first

Plainly speaking, physical rehabilitation restores function. Let’s say your dog usually hikes with you three miles a day, but she tore her ACL and surgery was the only way to get her back on her feet. Post-surgery, a rehabilitation practitioner will do their best to restore your dog to her regular hiking regime. Rehab practitioners use tools such as cold laser therapy, underwater treadmills, exercises and specific manual therapy techniques, all of which are proven to speed healing, relieve pain and restore function. Rehab is also a great option if your dog has become weaker due to age as these techniques can help regain strength and balance.

But physical rehabilitation is a specialized field that requires extensive knowledge, not just about the body but about the tools available and how to use them to achieve the best, safest and longest-lasting results. This means you should only choose a legally qualified practitioner – in California either a Licensed Physical Therapist with a CCRT or CCRP (Certified Canine Rehabilitation Therapist or Practitioner) or a Veterinarian or Veterinary Technician with a CCRT or CCRP.   

Now let’s talk about fitness and conditioning

Unlike rehab, fitness and conditioning are designed to maintain and enhance existing function, so they can start anytime in a dog’s life or after physical rehab has been completed. All bodies lose strength with an injury, especially adult bodies. Because we want to keep our dogs in good shape through all their life stages, we want to maintain and build on the gains made in rehab.

But what’s the difference between fitness and conditioning? In short, fitness training is designed to enhance overall physical fitness including cardiovascular health, while conditioning training includes overall physical fitness, but with additional work for specific goals.  For example, you want your dog to be strong, balanced, injury resilient and to age well. Your friend wants all that for their dog, too, but also wants Rover to be a Flyball champion. You might both start with similar exercise programs for your dogs, but your friend’s program would add exercises specifically aimed at excelling at Flyball and increasing their resiliency to injuries common to that sport.

Both fitness and conditioning training can improve your dog’s overall strength, balance, proprioception (physical self-awareness), endurance, flexibility and speed. They can also help your dog reach and maintain a healthy weight, which is an important part of overall health and function, and crucial to healthy aging for both canines and humans. 

Generally speaking, dogs lose strength, balance and flexibility much faster than humans and the older they get the faster these go. This is one reason people with younger dogs should start a balanced exercise program early before the dog shows signs of needing it. Bodies that are strong, flexible and well balanced are also less prone to injury and, if they do get injured, tend to heal and recover more quickly than bodies in poor condition.

Another important aspect of conditioning and fitness training is the mental stimulation it provides our dogs, a timely consideration during the ongoing pandemic. While we’re sheltered in place due to COVID or bad air, training is a great way to alleviate boredom, get in some good one-on-one time, and give your dog the mental and physical stimulation they might be missing these days. Learning to communicate with your dog through training increases your level of understanding and deepens the bond you already share. This is exciting and fun for dogs (plus there are treats involved!). 

However, this is also a specialized field requiring formal education and experience. Fitness and conditioning trainers should have the title ‘CCFT’ after their name, meaning Certified Canine Fitness Trainer. This certification is earned through the same school that grants the CCRT certification to physical therapists and veterinarians, but uses a different approach and emphasizes very distinct aspects of a dog’s physical wellness.  CCFTs generally use much of the same exercise equipment found in rehab, with the exception of restorative or rehabilitative tools such as cold lasers or underwater treadmills.

A qualified CCFT should be able to assess your dog’s current fitness level considering all aspects of their current health and condition, including age and breed.  This assessment is then used to create a well-rounded and customized fitness program that addresses all your dog’s major muscle groups and movement patterns, as well as their flexibility, endurance, speed and cardiovascular health. The program may be further customized so your dog can reach specific goals you might have for them.

A skilled CCFT should also know when to refer you to a veterinarian for further assessment and be willing to work collaboratively with any of your dog’s other care providers. Preventing injury and ensuring your dog’s well-being should be the priority of all caregivers, including rehabilitation practitioners and fitness and conditioning trainers.