One of the things I love doing with my puppies is foundation fitness skills. Whilst you have to keep it safe and appropriate, there are so many benefits to starting on foundation fitness.
Here's what to consider:
š¶ We want the skills to be safe for puppies (no huge heights, no highly unstable gear etc.).
š¶ Keep it to very short sessions.
š¶ Do different things every session, we don't want puppies doing highly repetitive exercises.
What are the benefits?
š¶ We can teach puppies muscle memory for correct form in positions like sit, and down, which will help muscle development be even, and stop sloppy sitting becoming a habit.
š¶ We can learn communication and training skills in a fitness context.
š¶ Puppies can be desensitized to movement, textures, colors, shapes and surfaces in a low stress and safe environment.
š¶ Puppies can learn some of the essential sports skills, without equipment. This means when it comes time to teach these skills they already have muscle memory for the movements and positions.
š¶ We can develop their confidence.
Here you can see tiny human Blake, and sports puppy Amethyst gaining confidence for movements, textures, equipment, and textures.
And here's Amethyst learning an excellent stand, a fold back sphinx down, and the movement between positions. So clever!
Want to learn more about this, and set up your sports puppy?
Join me in my Fenzi Dog Sports Academy webinar!
Building Bravery: Fitness Foundation Skills to Develop Confidence
US date/time: Thursday, August 10th, 2023, 3pm Pacific Time NZ date/time: Friday 11th August 3pm NZT Fee: $19.95 USD
Do you have a dog that finds some things a little scary? Maybe lacks the confidence to attempt new equipment or obstacles? Maybe you have a young dog that you want to start right with fitness foundations. If so, this webinar is for you!
This webinar will help you develop foundation fitness skills with confidence and enthusiasm, and then look at some more advanced fitness skills to continue to develop confidence and bravery.
This webinar will cover:
Training techniques to ensure confidence in learning new skills
Smart equipment set up, and easy alternative options
How to train the foundation fitness behaviors
Some more advanced fitness skills designed to further develop confidence and bravery
This webinar is appropriate for:
All dogs with clearance for fitness, including puppies!
Dogs lacking general confidence
Dogs lacking confidence in equipment or skills that are elevated, or on gear that can move e.g. contact equipment
Dogs and handlers who would like to start on the foundation fitness skills
Sign up here:
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