Acu-Wellness

06/08/2024

Love this!

It is one of the purest things. 🥰

14/09/2023

Great information to know and be able to observe. It doesn’t matter if you are doing canine fitness, playing frisbee in the yard or practicing a specific sporting venue. All dogs fatigue. (They don’t think so). So it is our job to know the signs and stop prior to fatigue.

A very important topic in canine fitness -- signs of fatigue! Sharing this again because it's *that* important.


𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐅𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐆𝐔𝐄 𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐨𝐠?

Knowing when your dog is getting tired is a KEY part of fitness training!

Dogs can only communicate to us with their bodies, so it is OUR job as handlers to watch for signs of fatigue and to RESPECT what they are telling us.

Reaching fatigue during fitness training is important for progress & muscle development, but 𝒕𝒐𝒐 𝒎𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒃𝒆 𝒅𝒆𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒍.

Many dogs will work through fatigue, pain, and discomfort (especially in the presence of food rewards!!). It’s up to us to not let them go too far past physical limits.

Muscles that are tired cannot work as effectively as rested muscles. Working a fatigued muscle too long will put strain on other parts of the dog - weaker muscles, ligaments, or tendons - which can lead to compensation, overuse, and injuries!

SEEING the fatigue is not easy!! Especially if you are just getting started with your canine fitness journey. 🥰

I made this little cheat sheet to help the humans be more aware of what fatigue might look like in the dog!

You’ll notice the word “CHANGE” a lot in the descriptions below. This is the main thing I watch for with my own dogs when training. Watching for a 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 in posture, attitude, speed, topline, (etc) from the dog’s normal, or from the start of the session, is the best first step in reading your dog’s level of fatigue.

𝐅𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐆𝐔𝐄

𝐅 - FIDGETING - excessive foot movements, dramatic change in foot position, dog is no longer staying still or starts to offer other behaviours, etc.

𝐀 - AVOIDANCE - dog starts to avoid or refuse well-known behaviours, or leaves work entirely.

𝐓 - TOPLINE - change in the dog’s topline from the dog’s normal or from the beginning of the session (often showing up as roaching/hunched/rounded back or a dip behind the withers (swayback).

𝐈 - INTENSITY - change in the dog’s speed, intensity, and/or attitude of the exercise.

𝐆 - GENERALIZED STRESS SIGNALS - watch for excessive stress signals: lip licking, yawing, tucking tail between legs, sniffing, avoiding eye contact, hard mouth, loss of confidence (“shutting down”), becoming frantic, etc.

𝐔 - USE OF LIMBS - changes in weight distribution between limbs (dog offloads or favours one leg), change in leg position (tucking hind limbs beneath pelvis, or “posting” with front legs), etc.

𝐄 - EXTERNAL ROTATION - watch for external rotation of elbows, carpal joints, hips, stifles, and hock joints - especially if different than the dog’s normal posture.

If you see 𝐅𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐆𝐔𝐄:
1️⃣ Stop and give the dog a rest!
2️⃣ Reassess your session - At what point is the fatigue showing up? Can the dog comfortably & with good form complete more reps? Did you make it too hard too fast?
3️⃣ EITHER
A - Continue the session if the dog seems better after a rest.
OR
B - End the session if the dog continues to show fatigue!

⚠️𝐈𝐌𝐏𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐓 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄 ⚠️ If you are seeing these signs of fatigue REGULARLY (during training and in life) - keep track, make notes, and most importantly ask a veterinary professional. Your dog may be showing signs of chronic pain/discomfort instead of just fatigue! If so, it will be important to STOP canine fitness training, and figure out WHY your dog is displaying these signs, before you carry on with any training.

03/09/2023

Another good post. Gives you an idea of how long it takes for injuries to heal depending on the severity of the injury.

16/07/2023

Another really good blog.

Guest article from the team at Canine Arthritis Management: Hannah Capon, MA Vet MB MRCVS Danielle Pountain, RVN dip AVN dip HE CVN Cert SA hydro Lynsey Tindall, RVN dip AVN Rebecca Barr, BVMS MSc Behaviour MRCVS Melanie Bruder, DipCOT, […]

11/07/2023

For all my clients whose dogs enjoy the water. Great article.

❓𝐋𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐣𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐝𝐨𝐠𝐬 – a true need or just a fancy gadget? 🤔🤔 🤔

A lot of you have been asking us about the use of swimming vests - so we put together some pros and cons about it! 👇

https://www.dogs4motion.com/en/blog/302-life-jackets-for-dogs

Tiredness. Influence on movement. Safety. Training output. Experience. Some dogs have a bit more difficulty with swimming techniques, but how about natural-born swimmers? 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐯𝐞!

23/06/2021

I am so excited to be working with Clean Run! Bringing acupressure to owners of all sports dogs

Introduction to Acupressure for Sports Dogs of All Ages - A self-study course with Jill Golgosky in the Clean Run Learning Center -- https://www.cleanrun.com/product/introduction_to_acupressure_for_sports_dogs_of_all_ages_self_study_course/index.cfm

No matter if you have two or four legs, we all need balance in our lives. How can we do that? Acupressure!

Acupressure has been around for over 5,000 years. Amazing, right? It is one of the five branches of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and has so many benefits. These benefits range from reducing stress and anxiety, improving mobility, strengthening muscles, and keeping the immune system strong to name a few.

In this self-study course, we are going to touch on the theories behind TCM and cover two different acupressure points protocols to help keep your young and older dogs balanced and moving their best. You will be able to do both protocols on your own dog at home—no needles required, just your fingers.

Who would not want to tap into some of that knowledge and bring balance back to their dog’s body?

Watch this video for a preview of the course -- https://youtu.be/Rjrdqa_Db60

25/12/2020

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all my clients. Thank you for your support thru out the year. See you in 2021!!

19/07/2020

Very thankful for my partnership with All About Dogs.

19/06/2020

Acupressure and massage can be so beneficial to our senior dogs. Providing relief from arthritic stiff joints and muscle tension, allowing them to move more freely. Just ask these two, they love their weekly acupressure/massage sessions. ❤️

04/06/2020

Something to think about....

🐾 Arthritis treatment on a budget 🐾

The body is designed to work multiple planes of movement, i.e. forwards, backwards, sideways and in rotation, but not continuously or repetitively in any one. Also, not continuously at one pace/gait or speed - repetitive motions like ball/stick/frisbee chasing can easily cause injury and speed up the progression of arthritis and chronic pain!

Choose less repetitive and lower impact activities.

21/05/2020

This is great information.

Excited 🥳 to get your dog 🐕 hiking again or back to running, weaving and jumping?

🛑WAIT⚠️

What you are about to read may actually PREVENT AN INJURY!!

Have you and Fido been getting more quality couch time during self isolation? 🤨🐶 As you return to some of your missed and loved canine activities, neither of you are at the same fitness level you were 8-12 weeks ago.

FITNESS 💪 levels can DECLINE in as little as 2 WEEKS😲 . If your dog has gained weight there is even more stress on both the musculoskeletal system (muscles and bones), and the heart and lungs.

This all means your DOG MAY HURT THEMSELVES MORE EASILY if you ask them to do what they did right before the pandemic.

While they may also be uber excited to get back on the trails or back in the agility arena, our job is to do it safely so we don’t have an unwanted vet or rehab visit.

👉Think of it as a “RETURN TO SPORT/ACTIVITY” plan 🐕

🐾 1. Create the supports your dog needs for success. This means getting some baseline line info on your dog’s current fitness level.

Be real about weight gain. While every breed is a little different, a generalization is that you can see your dog’s waistline and feel their ribs. You may need some help with nutritional planning for your dog to ensure they have a balanced diet that meets their health and energy requirements.

In addition, before starting any type of exercise plan, ensure your dog is healthy and has no major injuries. If you have concerns, it is good to check in with your vet.

🐾 2. Adapt their regular walk routine - If you and Fido have been restricted to 15 min leash walks daily, then returning to off leash running or sporting activities needs to be very gradual. Watch for signs of fatigue during your walks and periods of play.

Signs of fatigue during and after walks:
⚠️Slowing down or lagging behind
⚠️ Difficulty getting into the vehicle to return home
⚠️ Excessive panting that lasts a long time after exercise
⚠️Disinterest in the activity
⚠️Mood/personality changes

If you have a sporting dog and have started training, start slow and low. Skills training and conditioning are not the same thing. Your dog needs a certain level of “conditioning” to be able to “perform” various skills.

Signs of exercise fatigue:
⚠️Difficulty maintaining posture/form,
⚠️Refusing to work (walking away, offering other behaviours),
⚠️Yawning,
⚠️ Excessive panting
⚠️ Shaking/quivering muscle

Fatigue isn’t bad. It is actually good when coupled with a plan for recovery. It’s how muscles grow and adapt. It is bad when we misread fatigue as a non compliant behaviour and push out dogs to do something when they are trying to tell us, they are just getting tired.

🐾 3. Movement/exercise plan -. Create a basic plan of 3 exercises that you do 3xs/wk for about 15 minutes with your dog. Set a timer! Don’t over do it and watch for fatigue. As you your dog’s fitness improves then revise the exercises to challenge your dog more. Mix it up and give them breaks to avoid over training.

👉 Be sure to give your dog a few minutes to warm up and cool down before both cardio activities and exercise plans!👈

😊QUICK TIP! 🐶
Remember when I said skills training and conditioning aren’t the same? This may help. 👇

Your conditioning plan is based on the components of fitness. We usually put the components of fitness all into one group for dogs BUT there are actually two groups. HEALTH related and SKILLS related.

HEALTH RELATED - activities that promote overall health and longevity.
SKILLS RELATED - ability to do activities more effectively

While FITNESS/CONDITIONING PLANS should be composed of both, only focusing on skills will result in only a small improvement in overall health and happiness. It’s important to have the main focus on health and build skills on top of that.

HEALTH related fitness
✅Cardiovascular endurance
✅Muscular endurance
✅Muscular strength
✅Flexibility
✅Body composition

SKILLS related fitness
✅Speed
✅Power
✅Agility
✅Balance
✅Coordination
✅Reaction Time

Hopefully this was helpful! 🙏

QUICK RECAP:
✅Assess your dog's current health & fitness (Support),
✅Gradually increase the length and intensity of walks (Adapt) while watching for signs of fatigue
✅ Create a very basic exercise plan (Move) focused more (but not solely) on health components of fitness. Do it 3xs/wk for no longer than 15 minutes and gradually increase the challenge!

Go slow and have fun! 😃🐕

👉 If you want a handout on the components of fitness, PM us at and we will help you and your dog out!

18/05/2020

To all my clients
Hope you are all safe and healthy. I have missed each and every one of you. ❤️
At this time, I am starting to see clients again, keeping both myself and you safe while I work on your dog. I will also be at certain agility trials so watch for for further details on that. Can't wait to see everyone again.
Let me know if your furry friend is in need of my services. 😀

20/01/2020

I want to say thanks to all my equine clients who have supported me with this journey I am on. One in particular has warmed my heart. Meet Naiomi, a mini donkey, with a shoulder issue. Thank you Lori for giving me the opportunity to work on her. We are seeing wonderful results.

24/12/2019

Reese feels so relaxed after a massage/acupressure session. Now he is ready for the holidays. 😄

01/12/2019

Great day at Medina swarm CPE agility trial! Had the pleasure of meeting more people and working on their amazing dogs providing massage and acupressure therapy.

25/11/2019

Thanks to Denise and everyone else at Countryside Agility. Good luck to Virgil and Dazzle at the Agility Invitationals! Look for me again in January at Countryside Agility—dates to follow.

14/10/2019

Does your dog need a massage/acupressure session?
Dates at The Agility Gym
Nov. 16th and 26th
Dec. 8th, 17th and 21st

12/10/2019

Bree can't wait to get her massage/acupressure session.

09/09/2019

Does your dog need a post performance massage and acupressure session after an agility run?
The answer is YES!
This session will help supply your dog's muscles with nutrients while getting rid of harmful toxins, thus providing healthy recovery.
So, look for me in the next couple of months at various agility trials, so I can provide a well deserved massage/acupressure session to your dog.

26/08/2019

Happy National Dog Day from Emmie and Acu-Wellness. 😀❤️

15/08/2019

15/08/2019