Exercise Seminar

Now, you might think that I would go to an exercise seminar for me as I'm working so hard on getting fit. Today however, I did a seminar on Dog fitness.

Sarah Johnson came out and did an all day seminar (9-6pm!). She has a video out called Pilates for Pooches that is very good. The first half of the seminar was demonstrating the exercises in the video. The second half was exercise at the trial site.

Here is a link to her video: http://www.agilityinmotion.com/pilates.html

We started out the day doing exercises where the dogs pivot on boxes, walk across the boxes learning to step with each leg (the boxes were all different shapes and sizes, Dogs walked making sure all four feet were on a box before moving to the next one - hind end awareness was one of the key things here)

After the boxes, we moved to the balance balls and bosu (the bosu is for very advanced dogs and Sarah gave a strong warning to work up to it slowly).

Here Garret demonstrates the sit to stand to bow behavior.



Derede's dog Wingz was fabulous, demonstrating more advanced Bosu work.

Nick is teaching the back up onto the balance ball. He is using the xpen to help with the direction.

Here a boxer is just learning how to put his legs on the balance ball. Notice the box to the right. She can also use the box to walk onto the balance ball to make it easy for her dog.


We used the ladder to work hind end awareness walking sideways with the dogs lifting their legs over the bars sideways.

Here the dog is using two balance balls to work his core.


There were also cans attached to a board and we were teaching our dogs to lift up their front or rear legs and put them individually on the can. Fun shaping stuff.

After all this exercise, isn't the best thing to go get a massage? Well. we got to learn about our loaves of bread and kneading them. We learned about hula dancers and all kinds of interesting things. Two areas were covered, first what to do when you are at a trial (getting the dog ready to go into the ring, and then afterward when you are at the hotel room).

Each of us was supposed to lay our dogs down and slowly knead them using the techniques she was demonstrating. Here is a good loaf of bread.
An exceptional loaf of bread.
My loaf of bread. She kept trying to wrestle and play bitey face while I was kneading her. She had trouble finding her inner loaf.
All in all we had a great day. Fin had a full day with the mom with no other siblings. She was in heaven.


I recommend Sarah's seminar. I really didn't know what to expect, but was glad I went. It is inspiring to hear the stories of the dogs that she has helped rehab. She presents practical, easy to understand content that I am already applying to help my dogs have better body control. What I'm most excited about is what I learned for older dogs. I believe that the exercises that I'm going to start with Rocky will really help him.

If nothing else, this is one more fun thing to do with our dogs. If you get the chance, have your club bring Sarah out. You won't be disappointed.