It’s the second week of our YuMOVE Wagletics campaign with Team GB heroes British 1500 metre record-holder and 5 x European champion Laura Muir, 3 x Paralympian and Rio 2016 silver medallist Lauren Steadman and 2 x European U23 champion Jemma Reekie.
#YuMOVEWagletics promotes doggy health and exercise, with all of the films that we will be sharing with you designed by Laura Muir, who is a fully qualified vet away from the athletics track.
Exercise 2: The Weave
The second exercise that we will show you is The Weave. This exercise encourages better agility and mobility for your dog and can be easily adapted for senior dogs or dogs with stiff joints.
Watch as Paralympian and Rio 2016 silver medallist Lauren Steadman demonstrates The Weave alongside her German Shepherd Meric Belle.
Give it a try
To complete The Weave at home, you will need to use markers. Cones are preferable, but these can easily be replaced with everyday objects that are commonly found in the home - you can see Lauren Steadman has used some wellington boots! If you don’t have any wellies lying around, use items that are soft and won’t injure your dog while attempting the exercise - toilet rolls and tupperware boxes work well for this.
Once you have set-up your markers, practice The Weave by showing your dog a treat and then using the treat to direct your dog as you walk together through the markers, rewarding them when they complete the task.
Be sure to use consistent verbal or hand commands when training so that your pooch will associate your commands with the actions you are asking of them. To make it more challenging, decrease the distance between your cones or makers and increase your speed.
Adapting for older dogs or dogs with stiff joints
If you have an older dog, then you can adapt this exercise for them by increasing the distance between your cones and markers and decreasing your speed.
Show us what you can do
Join in and attempt to complete these exercises while also sharing your own tips and tricks when it comes to keeping dogs active. Simply upload your attempt at the doggy exercises to social media using #YuMOVEWagletics for a chance to win amazing prizes, including one-on-one coaching sessions from our athletes, product bundles and doggy toys.
Top tips when doing these activities
- Always keep hydrated– when exercising, it's important to ensure that your dog has access to plenty of water, if you're out and about with your dog, ensure you always have a bottle of water or a bowl for them.
- Always keep cool- on hot days, exercise your dog during the cooler parts of the day, in the early morning and late evening. Watch out for signs that your dog is overheating, including heavy panting and loss of energy. If you recognise these signs when exercising, stop, find a shady spot, and give your dog water.
- Always warm-up– for safety, these exercises are best completed after warming up. Taking your dog for a 15+ minute walk immediately before agility, with the opportunity to run free or play with a retrieve toy or tuggy can help to reduce any risk of injury. It is preferable for the dog to be able to gallop and stretch all their muscles prior to commencing agility work.
- Consider when you exercise - For safety, we advise never to exercise your dog on a full stomach.
- If you have any concerns always speak to your vet - If your dog has any pre-existing health conditions or underlying injuries, always seek veterinary advice before completing any exercise with your dog.
The Wagletics campaign will run across our Facebook and Instagram channels from 7th - 28th August. Lauren Steadman (@laurensteadmann), Laura Muir (@lmuiruns) and Jemma Rekkie (@jemmareekie) will also be posting content to their own Instagram channels. Each week, the nation will have the opportunity to learn a new exercise for their dogs and will be shown how to master it by our GB heroes.
