Since muscles play a major role in the life of your four-legged friend, the topic of muscle building in dogs is an important one important topic.
Your dog will not build healthy muscle mass on its own. Healthy muscle building is the result of a combination out of appropriate nutrition, progressive increase in load and adequately planned regeneration phases.
In this article you will find out when support for muscle building is necessary and lots of other helpful information on the subject of muscle building in dogs.
When does it make sense to build muscle in the dog?
A well-trained musculature not only protects your dog from illness and promotes its well-being, but also has many other advantages:
- Prevention of pain and injuries
- improved rehabilitation after injuries, operations
- Construction, relief & strengthening of joints, bones and tendons
- Improving coordination and reaction
- power increase
- Promotion of fat burning
- improved posture
A targeted muscle building in your dog should only begin when he is fully grown.
Depending on the size and breed, this is allowed training with 12 to 18 months to be started.
If your dog’s tendons, joints, and ligaments aren’t fully developed, targeted muscle building will do more harm than good.
A targeted muscle building in the dog can not only arthrosis preventbut is for one good quality of life a decisive advantage for dogs of all ages.
Well-muscled dogs rarely suffer from overweightwhich can lead to serious consequences, especially for senior dogs.
Important:
A targeted muscle build-up after an operation or an accident should never be carried out by a layperson alone, but requires professional guidance from a trained physiotherapist.
4 exercises to build muscle in dogs
Training for targeted muscle building can vary.
Exercises can be used to promote balance, mobility, balance, body awareness, coordination, motor skills, self-confidence and concentration.
In the beginning it is important that you start slowly with the training and slowly increase it. muscles grow not with constant load.
Therefore, a regular (progressive) increase in stress is essential.
Do a training three times a week at most, make sure that your dog in between rest days has.
2 exercises to build muscle without tools for outdoors
The following two exercises can be easily incorporated into the Everyday integrate, are free and coming without tools out of.
To swim
swimming is that ideal workoutto promote muscle growth. Due to the natural buoyancy of the water, swimming is easy on the joints and also suitable for pre-stressed and older dogs.
Most dogs love to swim. You can also support your dog in swimming training with a life jacket.
The swimming training should be increased slowly, otherwise there is a risk of a water rod if you overload yourself.
Of course, swimming training outdoors is more difficult in winter. In many cities in Germany there are special dog swimming pools where you can take swimming lessons for your dog.
Up and down the hill
This workout will often underestimated or overlooked, but is very effective.
Walking slowly, evenly uphill and downhill not only promotes concentration of your dog, but also the targeted use of the front legs and hind legs.
Gladly also about small obstacles like Cavaletti, promote the thrust from the hindquarters when going uphill.
2 exercises to build muscle with tools to do at home
Even your own living room can be converted into a gym for your dog with just a few small tools:
balance cushion
With the help of a balance cushion, various micro-movements are carried out, which stimulate the muscles to grow.
Another benefit of these pillows is the immense variety of ways they can be used.
obstacle course
Here is yours creativity no limits. Much of what is usual Household can be found in a Living room obstacle course convert.
This not only supports your dog in muscle building, but is also beneficial for yours binding.
Because what welds dog and human closer together than a joint training, which Fun might?
Muscle building through diet
First of all, I’m not going to recommend any supplements or powders for muscle building here.
This is not only wasted money, but usually not even necessary. Unless your vet specifically recommended it.
Purely through one adapted diet your dog will not build muscle. However, it is the same as in humans: the dog’s muscles need protein during regeneration.
Make sure your dog is on during training balancedgets dog food tailored for him, which one high protein content contains.
This ensures that all of his needs are covered.
Other ways to build muscle
A healthy dog that is used to capacity according to its disposition does not need many tools for healthy muscle building.
Getting enough exercise and activity is the best thing you can do for your dog to build muscle.
By the way: one of the best forms of training is healthy, peaceful social interaction with other dogs. Every muscle in the whole body is stimulated.
Conclusion
A well-muscled dog not only looks healthy, it is healthy too.
You can use simple means to specifically promote muscle growth in your dog and thus support its health, well-being and healthy aging.
Do you have a tip or even a question about muscle building in dogs? Please leave us a comment.