Activity is the Name of Your Dog’s Game

By Amy Snow & Nancy Zidonis

Active dogs are happy dogs; they are doing what comes naturally. When dogs are active
they are healthy and mentally alert.
It is important for dog guardians to
remember that the dog’s level of
fitness needs to be on par with his
level of activity.

The “weekend-warrior dog” that

sleeps indoors all week and then
heads for the park for vigorous
play during the weekend is going
to suffer the same aches and pains
we experience when we jump into high-gear over the weekend with out prepatory
conditioning. The chance of an injury occurring during an intense game of ball retrieving
after a sedentary-couch-potato week is dangerously high. Muscles, tendons and ligaments
object to sudden excessive exercise.

When there’s a possibility of play, most dog’s enthusiasm ramps up. His endorphins and
adrenalin,(natural pain-reducers), flow freely and he is not going to feel anything but the
most extreme injury. To add to the pain-blocking effect of endorphins and adrenalin
pumping through the dogs system, dogs are not good at knowing when to stop and rest,
especially younger dogs.

Agility, Frisbee, ball fetching, strenuous hiking and all the many games and sports we
engage in with our dogs are good, healthy exercise when not done to excess. Even if
these activities are not taken to an extreme, tendons can become irritated and inflamed,

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muscles stressed and sore. As the dog ages the likelihood of joints becoming arthritic is
high. These are the types of conditions we see in dogs leading active lifestyles.

Conditioning and Acupressure

Physical Conditioning and Acupressure can go hand-in-hand in supporting the health of
an active dog. There are canine exercise physiologists who can guide you in building
your dog’s fitness level safely. Physical fitness is key to avoiding injury and having your
dog enjoy his favorite sport for many years.

Physical conditioning takes time and focused effort. There is actually a progression in
how the canine body responds to conditioning. The dog’s muscles are the first to build.
Cardio-vascular conditioning occurs second. And the third level of conditioning is the
strengthening of tendons and ligaments which hold the dog’s joints securely. All
conditioning regimes need to be designed for each specific dog and their particular sport.
Training programs will depend on their age, breed, weight, and current general fitness
level.

The next step in conditioning is to progress toward running on uneven terrain with
incrementally increased amounts of turning and pivoting to build well-rounded muscle
and flexibility of tendons and ligaments. Exercise experts advise to be sure to do a warm-
up before and cool-down after strenuous exercise. Remember to make water available for
the dog before and after activity.

Watch for fatigue and any indication of pain. A dog will naturally shift his body weight or
alter his gait to compensate for tired muscles or pain thus compromising other parts of his
body. It is when the body is even slightly off-balance when injuries tend to occur.
Veterinary sports medicine practitioners report that the most common canine orthopedic
injuries are repetitive stress injuries caused when the dog is tired but naturally driven to
continue.

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Adding Canine Acupressure to your dog’s routine every five or six days will further
enhance his fitness level. The ancient healing art of acupressure is a great asset to the
conditioning process. Acupressure, which is based on Traditional Chinese Medicine, is
known to:
• Build flexibility of tendons and ligaments
• Decrease inflammation of soft tissues and joints
• Strengthen and warm muscles by supplying necessary nutrients
• Relieve muscle spasms by establishing a smooth flow of energy and blood
• Remove toxins from an injured area while replenishing with healthy cells, and
• Reduce the painful build-up of lactic acid in the muscles by increasing blood
circulation.

Acupressure Session
There are specific acupressure points, or little energetic pools, on the dog’s body where
we can access and thus influence the flow of energy. By influencing the flow of energy,
we can optimize the dog’s conditioning program. The acupressure points shown in the
chart below will support your active dog and help keep him injury-free.

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Bladder 17, Diaphragm Transporting, (Bl17) is a powerful acupoint that enhances the
flow of blood throughout the body. Cardio-vascular health is the key to all the
biomechanical functions of the body. Good blood and energy circulation means that the
all the tissues receive nourishment so that healthy cells can form while lactic acid and
toxic substances are removed. It is the continuous flow of replenishment and removal that
makes for the strengthening and building of muscles, tendons, and ligaments.

Gall Bladder 34, Yang Hill Spring, (GB 43) is used facilitate the flexibility of tendons
and ligaments. Tendons and ligaments are like the new, young branches on a tree; when
the wind blows, they must be flexible and bend or they will snap and break. By
maximizing the flexibility and strength of ligaments, the flexibility and weight-bearing
capacity of the joints increase.

Spleen 6, Three Yin Meeting, (Sp6) is often used to nourish the muscles and other soft
tissues of the forelimbs and especially the hindquarters. Good muscle tone is dependent
on nutrient rich blood. Sp 6 is known for its ability to enhance the circulation and
nourishment of the blood.

Stomach 36, Leg Three Mile, (St 36) is used for many significant purposes. As the
Master Point for the gastro-intestinal system, St36 is very important in converting food
substances into refined, bio-absorbable nutrients to be circulated in the blood. St 36 is
known for its ability to contribute to a dog’s overall physical endurance because it
promotes energy throughout the body.

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 Acupoint Technique
Always have two hands touching the dog. Rest the soft tip of your thumb on the
acupoint identified on the chart and exert about one-half pound of pressure, less
pressure for smaller dogs. Place your other hand comfortably on another portion of
the dog’s body. On smaller dogs it
may be more comfortable to use
your index finger with your middle
finger on top of it for the point work
instead of your thumb.
Keep your thumb, or index and
middle finger, on the acupoint for at
least the count of 30. If your dog
shows any signs of distress or pain while holding the point, please stop and try it
again some other time. All of the acupoints are located on both sides of the dog’s
body. Once you complete the series on one side, please do the same acupoints on the
other side.
You will know you are doing a good job when your dog indicates he is experiencing
energy moving more smoothly through his body. Dogs express the movement and
harmonious flow of energy by yawning, stretching, passing air, rolling over, licking in
general or licking your hand on the point, and possibly breathing more deeply and
even falling asleep.

Keeping an active dog safe by offering proper physical conditioning and energetic
balancing with acupressure will add to so many more years of sharing fun and frolic –
Happy Ball Throwing!

Amy Snow and Nancy Zidonis are the authors of: The Well-Connected Dog: A Guide To
Canine Acupressure, Acu-Cat: A Guide to Feline Acupressure, and Equine Acupressure:
A Working Manual. They founded Tallgrass Animal Acupressure Institute which offers a
Practitioner Certificate training program worldwide, plus books, meridian charts, and
videos. To contact them: phone: 888-841-7211; web: www.animalacupressure.com;
email: info@animalacupressure.com