Pre Competition Check List
THE DOG BLOG
As a Canine Osteopath, MastersonMethod® Canine bodyworker and agility competitor here are a few pre-competition tips I wanted to share with you to help keep your dog healthy throughout the competitive season. About 7-10 days before the competition this is the check list I go through to enable Maizie to perform at her best.
Check dog’s feet and toes, they are under tremendous repetitive stress. (See my blog ‘Starting from the Ground Up: The Toes’’).
Keep all joints mobilized to help prevent injury to tendons, ligaments and muscles. It is imperative to keep joints mobilized to optimize Range of Motion (ROM). If muscles, tendons and ligaments are tight, joints will have decreased ROM thus increasing the probability of hindering performance and increasing opportunity for injury.
Observe your dog’s posture while sitting and moving , do they sit with the hind legs squarely under themselves, or do they sit crookedly, do they track straight when travelling, or do the hind quarters track to one side, do they move forward on a STRAIGHT LINE, or do they appear to be moving on two tracks?
Recognize your dog’s normal Range of Motion (ROM) in all gaits and turns, if something doesn’t seem right, it probably isn’t. Is your dog striding short, appear less fluid than usual, decreased ROM through the neck, more one way than the other?
Identify asymmetrical patterns in the body during performance, (ie which way do they turn more easily, which lead do they prefer while galloping, drifting to one side or the other).
Address muscle tension and restrictions BEFORE they become a problem.
Keep your dog’s mind healthy. Mentally, the dog’s mind needs to be alert, but focused. Excessive tension in the mind and body can lead to distractions, behaviour and performance challenges.
Palpating along the spine
TMJ check
Testing the range of motion through the neck