The best exercise for your dog
Do you know the best exercise you can learn and teach to your canine patients? One that can be extremely beneficial for adolescents, adults, athletes, and geriatric dogs? This exercise can help dogs with hip issues, it will strengthen the muscles of acceleration for speed and jumping ability, and so much more.
Watch the video below to see the exercise and several ways to perform it correctly with your dog.
The Benefits of Backwards Walking
Walking backwards has a number of benefits for dogs.
It strengthens the muscles on the back of the rear limbs.
The muscles in the rear limbs:
help dogs rise from a sit or down position
help dogs stay standing - older dogs or dogs that are weak in these muscles, may sink in the rear when they stop walking, backwards walking helps prevent this
propel the dog forward, which aids in running speed and jumping ability
help stabilize the knee, support for the cruciate ligaments (gastrocnemius muscle)
help stabilize the hip (gluteal and biceps femoris muscles)
Walking Backwards strengthens the muscles on the back of the front limbs.
The front limb muscles:
support the wrists or carpal joints.
Older dogs or dogs that have chronic repetitive carpal/wrist joint injuries are weak in these muscles (forelimb flexor muscles)
Dogs that look like they are “down in the pastern” or hyperextend at the carpal joint can benefit from walking backwards.
are the major standing apparatus of the front limbs (triceps muscles)
control deceleration allowing for more controlled movements, faster stops, sharper turns (forelimb flexor and triceps muscles)
allow for better cushioning of the spine when the dog lands from a jump
Other benefits of walking backwards
Walking backwards helps enhance a dog’s balance and proprioception, meaning that a dog knows where their body is in space better, which makes them less likely to mis-step or mis-jump and injure themself.
It also strengthens the trunk muscles, which are key to overall stability.
Tips from the Video
If you haven’t already, be sure to watch the video, as we discuss the importance of head position in creating longer, more productive movements for quicker strengthening.
We also discuss how to help a dog that is weak in the rear and wanting to sit down or the dog who is stubborn and tries to sit down or spin out to the side to avoid performing the exercise.
Each dog is different and we want to give you options on how to perform Backwards Walking to allow you to use this as a foundation exercise for many more challenges.
Backwards walking is truly one of the most versatile exercises with challenge levels for dogs that can barely walk forward to dogs that can walk backwards on a ball unassisted on a hill.