I've always known that swimming was great exercise for dogs, but this weekend I learned something new about doggie paddling. I've been working with a puppy who wants only to pace. For those that don't know, pacing is where the two legs on the same side move forward together. Not the ideal gait for the show ring. My friend recently finished her dog (Kumbe) who, as a puppy used to pace. I then asked my friend how she got her dog out of pacing. She simply replied, "I took him swimming." It never dawned on me that if a dog paces in the water, they sink. To properly swim, they HAVE to gait correctly. Sometimes the simplest answers are right in front of our face.
Since we're on the subject, I thought I would share more benefits of swimming. Swimming involves the use of almost all the muscles required for movement, without the stresses of walking or running. Also, because water resistance is greater than air resistance, the muscles have to work harder. I found an interesting statistic from Dr Arleigh Reynolds, a Veterinary Surgeon and Canine Physiologist. According to studies, one minute of swimming is equivalent to about four minutes of running.
Summer is winding down...find a pool, lake, pond or river soon and get your exercise on!
Since we're on the subject, I thought I would share more benefits of swimming. Swimming involves the use of almost all the muscles required for movement, without the stresses of walking or running. Also, because water resistance is greater than air resistance, the muscles have to work harder. I found an interesting statistic from Dr Arleigh Reynolds, a Veterinary Surgeon and Canine Physiologist. According to studies, one minute of swimming is equivalent to about four minutes of running.
Summer is winding down...find a pool, lake, pond or river soon and get your exercise on!
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