Skip to content

Pooch to 5k

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Personal Training for Dogs?
  • Code Of Conduct for Running With Dogs
  • Training Programs
  • Media
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy

Pooch to 5k

Running with dogs

Injury Prevention Strategies for the Canine Athlete

by Admin

injured-dogDogs that are involved in athletic activity place a great deal of stress on their bodies. While exercise is healthy, not taking the proper precautions can cause serious injuries.

Your vet or canine physical therapist can help to manage an injury after it occurs but prevention is better than cure. Weight management, stretching and adequate warm ups from a young age are a crucial element of maintaining your dogs mobility and reducing the risk of them getting hurt.

Growth Issues

Many dog owners will want to start running with their pet from a very young age. However, dogs should not start intense training routines until the growth plates in their legs are fully closed. This is usually around 14 months but varies depending on breed. Ask your veterinarian when you should start running with your pup and until you have the okay from them, stick to low intensity exercises. After all, you want your running buddy to be out exercising with you for a long time.

Weight Management

Overweight dogs are more prone to problems and keeping your canine running buddy lean is a very important aspect of avoiding injury. It makes sense; if he is overweight, there is more impact on his joints with each step and more potential damage to his joints if  he turns quickly.

The Warm-Up

The warm up is not only an essential aspect of improving performance, but will also significantly reduce the chance of injury because gentle exercise of the muscles will prime them for further activity.  A gentle warm up of 5-10 minutes is a good idea for both you and your dog.

Stretching

Stretching can be useful to increase your dog’s flexibility, reducing the chance of injury and improving his performance. Stretches between 15 and 30 seconds are generally considered more effective than stretches of shorter duration. In the human world, there is some controversy as to the benefits of pre-exercise stretching but it’s fair to say that you should warm up your dog’s muscles before he stretches.

Appropriate Recovery

What if the worst should happen and your dog pulls up from a run lame? First port of call is your dog’s health professional. Once you have a diagnosis, you’ll be able to figure out how to get him back on track. It’s important that you follow your dog’s health professional’s advice closely, even if he looks like he is raring to go. Many people have developed a more severe injury after not properly looking after a minor one, and dogs aren’t any different. Resist the temptation to do too much too soon, in spite of those big brown eyes looking at you. He’ll be much better off in the long term.

Post navigation

Previous Post:

Canine Cross Training Ideas

Next Post:

Dietary Recommendations for Canine Endurance Athletes

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Dog Health and Fitness Newsletter

Subscribe to our dog health and fitness newsletter for training advice, nutrition information and more, to help you care for your canine athlete.

Download Our Free Training Programs

Click here to download our training programs so you can start your dog on his journey to fitness and health.

First Aid Courses For Your Pet!

First Aid and CPR for Pets

Our Favourite Sites

  • Parkrun
  • Tailrunner

Categories

  • Dog Breeds (3)
  • Dog Friendly Runs (14)
  • Dog Health (30)
  • General (33)
  • Nutrition (4)
  • Product Reviews (8)
  • Runner Health (5)
  • Running Buddy of the Month (11)
  • Running Training for Dogs (10)
© 2025 Pooch to 5k | WordPress Theme by Superbthemes