[Terri]

This is a topic that I have not seen covered on this forum. Do you warm up your dog before running him at a test or trial? Also do you cool him down after you run him? I know when my kids were younger and into competitive sports this was a must. I know the horses that race do warm ups and cool downs. I do not notice most people warming up their dogs or doing a cool down at hunt test. I have only been to a couple of field trials, but I do not recall seeing anyone warm up or cool down the dogs. Not saying it did not take place, I just did not see it. At swim meets there is a lane just for warm ups and cool downs. So if you are warming up your dog and cooling it down what steps do you follow at the test or trial? If you don't why not?

Just trying to learn,

Terri










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[Trevor Toberny]

I brought it up awhile back and didn't get a response. May have less dogs with injuries.

 

[Labs R Us]

Great topic. I hope we get some responses.

 

[RNTquackaholic]

It makes sense. Get them all stretched out and warmed up so they don't pull tendons and stress joints. Going "hunting" we let ours run from the truck/4 wheelers to the blind or hunting spot, and they get the fiddle around while we are putting out decoys and such. Then it's serious time, but they've kinda "warmed" up a little. And the cool down is when we get back to the truck and I towel the dog off (He rides in the cab) and then the ride home.

 

[Mark L]

It depends on what the running order is. Last weekend, I was almost last, so I took Peyton out about 3 or 4 times and walked her for about 5-10 minutes up and down the road so she could warm up and take care of business. Then I took her out about 10 minutes before we lined up to again walk around. Of course, we are running Juniors, so the test is not that hard on the dog.

Mark

 

[i_willie12]

I do Pretty much using your same thinking we warmed up in sports in highschool and college why should the dog.... They are in that box for a while they need to get the muscles going.. Now what i do most people will think is CRAZY but its my dog so... I normally get mine off the truck a couple times, find a quite spots and we kick a soccer ball around!!! Thats what we do at home, it relaxes him, its fun for him, and it gets him moving... I try to do this 2-3 times a day at a HT and try to do it about 15 mins before we run..

 

[DoubleHaul]

There have been several discussions of it. In one not too long ago, Jeff Telander went into detail what he does--as did others. If you couldn't find it in the search function, you could try searching Jeff T's posts. Or google it and it will probably bring up the thread (google works much better than the RTF search function generally)

 

[Rainmaker]

There have been threads over the years about warm up routines before training/testing and cooling down dogs afterwards. These days, I use Dennis Voigt's TRA DVD's pre-trial routine before I get to the grounds and once at the grounds, do lots of walking/trotting of the dog on lead before we go to the holding blind. And periodically in between if we hang around all day. Dogs generally get staked out after running anymore, vs being put back in the crate, so they can roll & stretch.

http://www.retrievertraining.net/forums/showthread.php?t=55086
http://www.retrievertraining.net/forums/showthread.php?t=57774&highlight=warmup+routine
http://www.retrievertraining.net/forums/showthread.php?t=39192&highlight=warmup+routine

 

[Taterboy]

I did sports when I was younger and my wife has competed in multiple equine events and stretching, warm up and particularly warm down was always a part of the routine.

For some reason when I got in to the dogs it was not a consideration it was air, run and stake out. Then my derby dog had a significant tendon injury at 20 months of age. After a consultation with a canine physical therapist the routine has changed.

Now we warm up by walking, jogging, massage and stretching all are part of the pretrain or trial routine. Stretching and body control exercise such as walking up and down inclines and walking over poles are part of our obedience routine. I think the warm down is just as important as the warm up if not more so. Once you have run and if they are wet dry them off and warm them up, if they are hot cool them down and walk them out for 15 to 20 minutes in either case then stake out. The warm down is very important in preparing their muscles and tendons for the next run.

Field trial dogs are at the pinnacle of the sport and we should treat them as the elite athletes that they are. If they were thourghbred race horses we would have a team of trainers and chiropractors attending to each animal. Think about it a horse runs over a groomed track and a field trial dog runs and swims over and through every thing we can think of.

Chris

 

[JustinS]

I generally try to get to a test early just so I can throw some fun bumpers and burn some energy that they have built up, it is hard to do during the day as I have been approached before by a marshall telling me i couldn't train on the test grounds - I told them I had a hyper dog and just needed to let her loose for a few min but she said bumpers are a training tool and I couldnt do it so now I try to find an open hay field or park in a nearby town it helps when there are more dogs running so you can get more time - cool down a big rub down, and an ear cleaning after water marks

 

[jwcbf]

I generally try to get to a test early just so I can throw some fun bumpers and burn some energy that they have built up, it is hard to do during the day as I have been approached before by a marshall telling me i couldn't train on the test grounds -

When I go to air my dog before we run, I first give a light massage/stretch to shoulder and hips... and then yes, a few fun bumpers. How else do you get them stretched out/warmed up? I don't consider that training.

These days, I use Dennis Voigt's TRA DVD's pre-trial routine before I get to the grounds and once at the grounds, do lots of walking/trotting of the dog on lead before we go to the holding blind.

I can see folks having an issue with this.

JW

 

[Ray Kirkpatrick]

We try to stop on the way to the test grounds. Air & warm up.
Not a lot you can do on test site as rules against training on grounds prevail.

 

[EdA]

What do you do in training, dogs typically get much more warmup at a field trial than they get in training where they get much more work. The typical training group is pressed for time and there is simply not enough time to do pre training warmup, get your dog, get to the line, and run the setup so the next person can get to line. Then we change guns in the field and press on. Game day preparation involves airing and free run for 5-10 minutes before going to line.

 

[Gwen Jones]

When I was working with rehab vets after cruciate surgery, the vet rehab said that we should get the dog off the truck and put on lead. Then, all the way to the line while airing etc. we should have them heel - take a few steps and then sit. He said that sitting then standing is like doing deep knee bends and is one of the best things that we can do to warm them up and get the muscles stretched out and ready to run. This is such a simple act and one that can save us a lot of heartache and money.

 

[i_willie12]

What do you do in training,

Dogs get off my truck if they have been in the box for more than 1 hour they get 4-5 fun bumpers before we go to work.... IDK if people are in a hurry or not!!!! They need to losen up...
Same goes for jumping out of the truck!! If they have been in that box for awhile they arent allowed to JUMP out of the truck i lift them down to the ground.

 

[Archery1973]

These days, I use Dennis Voigt's TRA DVD's pre-trial routine before I get to the grounds

I watched that and thought it was a great idea.

What would people suggest as warm up for derby level dogs?