Canine fitness isn’t determined just by pounds or percentages of fat. Similar to human athleticism, it’s a combination of body condition, heart health, and the physical and mental ability to enjoy activity. Check this quick list to evaluate your dog.
BODY CONDITION
Veterinarians use a body condition scoring system, with a number range from 1-5, to evaluate a dog’s weight. Take a look at your dog. Three is the ideal score. You can feel the ribs, but not see them. When viewed from the side, your dog’s body tucks up at the waist, and when seen from the top the body tapers after the last rib; a score of “2″ means too thin and you can see the ribs; excessively thin dogs rate “1″ and other bones are easy to see. On the other end of the range, a dog rated “4″ has a layer of fat padding all of his body and it’s hard to see the “waist”. At “5″ a dog is obese and looks more like an ottoman, with no tuck at the waist or taper to the sides.
Condition isn’t just a matter of cosmetic appearance. A few extra pounds can significantly increase the chances of joint and ligament injury, add stress to the heart, contribute to dental disease, diabetes, and a host of other health problems. Pudgy pets don’t live as long as their leaner pals, either. Sound familiar? Our doctors say (or should say) the same things to us.
Running with your dog is a great way to keep your dog burning calories. But just as you consider your fitness level before you begin to train for a race, take note of your four-legged running partner’s fitness level before you go too far & too fast.
HEART HEALTH
Do you know your dog’s resting heart rate? Most runners have an idea of when their heart is working hard, but never give much thought to what’s happening under their dog’s furry chest.
The easiest way to check your dog’s heart rate is to place your hand along the lower ribcage of their left side, just about where the elbow meets the chest. (The heart lies between the 3rd-6th rib.) You can also check the femoral pulse by lightly placing your fingers, palm side to your dog, high on the inside of the thigh, and feeling for the strong pulse of the femoral artery.
Big dogs have resting heart rates (RHR) of 70-100 beats per minute. Medium dogs are about 80-110. Small dogs 85-120. But, everyone is an individual. Find out what’s normal for YOUR dog and then check him before you run and after you’re done. If your dog can’t get back to a normal heart rate within 5 minutes, it’s time to cut back on the speed or distance- or both. Don’t forget that excitement can elevate anyone’s heart rate. So check the RHR in the calm of morning to make sure it isn’t abnormally high. Just as you might think twice about knocking out your usual training when when your morning heart rate is too high, give your dog the same consideration.
Don’t train by heart rate? That’s fine. It still helps to know where your dog’s normal values are, because it’s a rare running dog that declines to join you when the shoes come out and the leash is in your hand. Better to have some guidelines for his health so you can be proactive on your dog’s behalf.
PHYSICAL HEALTH
There’s a long list of things that could define physical health. This is my quick visual check list: ease of motion/no lameness, easy breathing/no cough, wheeze, or hard panting; no food left in the bowl or unusual draining of the water dish; normal stool and ability to urinate; a glossy coat and bright eyes. If some of these items are off your radar screen, I’d encourage you to take note, for your dog’s health.
MENTAL HEALTH
If your dog isn’t always eager to go when your running shoes come out, or he/she doesn’t want to go the whole distance, lags on the leash, or simply sits down…then something’s up. The best thing about running with your dog is not having to hear complaints about going over the same ground as you did yesterday.
So if the tail isn’t wagging or the dog paws are dragging…make sure you find out why.
Our dogs deserve our attention to their health.
Liz Devitt, DVM
Tags: DOGS, Fitness, Resting Heart Rate