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How
fit does my dog need to be to compete in agility?
At
WAAG we encourage owner's to ensure there dog's are of a healthy weight
and fit before undertaking agility. Indeed if your dog is discernably
overweight we won't allow you to proceed into our Agility2 class. While
agility is a great form of exercise for both handlers and dogs and can
assist in improving fitness, we need to remember that the dog will be
jumping and weaving quite early in its training and as such needs to be
fit, healthy and with no excess weight before it even commences training.
Any excess weight will place stress on the dog's joints and they will
most likely suffer arthritis as they age.
Just being a couple of kilos overweight can drastically reduce your dog's
ability to perform agility with ease.
If
you're not sure if your dog is overweight, just look for the following
warning signs:
- Can't
feel ribs anymore with light hand pressure
- Loss
of a discernible waist
- Pads
of fat in the neck region, over hips and base of tail.
Typical
causes of weight gain in dogs include:
- Overfeeding
– Pets with unlimited access to food often become overweight. Feeding
puppies too much can create fat cells that stay with a pet for life.
- Overeating
– Many commercial foods are loaded with salt and fat for improved taste
but can result in over-consumption.
- Feeding
habits – Feeding treats and rewards without reducing the meal sizes
can lead to obesity. Treats and rewards also need to be nutritionally
balanced.
- Lack
of exercise – Too much food and too little exercise will cause weight
gain. Believe it or not, dogs loose in a yard seldom get the exercise
they need. They need a walk daily or several times a week to build strength
and burn calories. Swimming is also an excellent form of exercise for
dogs and here on the Gold Coast swimming is an especially popular form
of conditioning your dog without placing stress on joints.
- Age
– Older, less active pets are prone to weight gain.
- Gender
– Female pets are more likely to experience weight gain.
- Neutering
– Spayed or neutered pets are twice as likely to become obese.
If a
weight problem exists, your veterinarian may recommend a program consisting
of exercise and a diet with reduced fat and calories. Vet's
All Natural Complete Mix Weightloss has been designed specifically for
the management of weight problems in dogs and when coupled with an exercise
and conditioning program can have your dog and you on the way to enjoying
agility safely together.
Articles
to assist in Conditioning your agility dog:
Determining
if your dog is overweight for agility: See Chris Zinc's article- Corpulent
Canines
How
to get your dog fit: See Chris Zinc's article- Canine
Fitness
Fitness
in your backyard by Susanne Clothier
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