Please see any special notes below for specific settings for your dog. This exercise does not look to encourage your dog to jump, rather a proper and natural stride length.
- Set the Cavaletti’s low to the ground and spaces appropriately
- Use a treat to lure your dog slowly at a controlled walk over the poles
- Ensure you are using a non-slip surface (yoga mat, grass)
- Hold the treat low so your dog can see the poles and the treat
- Once your dog has got the idea of what you want it to do, use a lead instead of a treat.
Dogs use very little of their available joint range of motion with certain gaits, such as walking and trotting. Through the use of cavaletti poles, we can increase flexion of certain joints. This encourages a greater active range of motion and muscle strengthening through a greater range. In addition, body awareness and joint position sense are challenged by stepping over obstacles.