Something occurred to me today while out walking: human athletes are always told how important it is to warm-up before strenuous exercise and cool down after it...

Please give me a slap if this is a real newbie question, but then I AM a real newbie!

So I was wondering: normally when I'm out walking with my dog, there's a good bit of on-lead stuff before I get to the "safe" places where he can run free or whatever, which could count as a warm-up, and then of course we walk home on lead afterwards, so there's a natural cool down period then. And in my "horsey" days I remember always riding the last mile home at the walk.

But when you're at a show or a race meeting, your dog might have been standing around for a while, sometimes (possibly usually!) in cold and/or wet conditions, and then, suddenly, he's in a race, from a standing start... could this be an issue for a dog, health-wise? And then, when the race is finished, would you walk him to cool down gradually as they do with racehorses, or just let him stand and pant for a bit?

I didn't really think about this when my terriers were racing because they would work themselves into the frenzy from hell at the mere mention of the word "race" so were thoroughly ready by the time the traps opened (and by then everybody was glad they were running into the distance!).

Hi there - Tina showed me some really good warm up stretchy exercises when i went to Worcester, not sure that i could put them into words though!

Just a thought, Tina (&Chris?????) you don't fancy doing a little photo project do you, or are the exercises a state secret???

Ooooops! kev left himself logged in on my pc

all back to normal now

will sort something out to go on tl when i get home
i dont mind sharing my secrets on here with friends

always warm up and cool down same principle for all animals

You will see most people at race meets giving their dogs a good warm up walk round before racing Jules, though the hounds do seem to get just as worked up when they spot the lure as your terriors would have. As we can never predict our lovely British weather & you don't know what your dog will be put up against, I always travel with a bottle of electrolytes as well, in case they do over exert themselves. (Not that mine has ever exerted itself, but you get my drift!)

We usually walk ours around,( normally away from the racing as they get so wound up ), I've tried several different electrolyte mixes but still can't get them to drink any even tried adding it to water at home but no joy.
Some people also use muscle rub/embrocation before racing, similar to horses.
On cold days we put coats on them between heats.
Almost forgot 1 of us has to supervise the car as we have a couple of retired racers that get so wound up that they eat the car, seat belts are a favourite even when muzzled