For dogs who prefer treats to retrieving, apply the same techniques to making the dog work hard for a low calorie treat. Your job as a coach is to protect your dog. He does not understand the long term effects of overdoing it or recognize the possibility of injury. Whatever the activity, watch for signs that he s tiring, and switch to something less demanding, give him a rest or stop altogether. Never assume that a dog is fit for one exercise because he s conditioned for another.
Muscles become accustomed only to regular activities.
The risk of serious injury to your dog during strenuous activity can be diminished by entering into a training program at a reasonable pace. A dog s enthusiasm for an activity does not equal fitness. Even though he may want to continue, you may have to set safe limits for him. When I m talking about exercise, it doesn t matter. Dogs get the same benefits we do - reduced stress levels and weight control.