To perform this exercise correctly:
- Have your dog standing on a non-slip surface. The aim is for the front feet to stay still; your therapist will advise you on a specific setup for your dog (exercise step/ plank/ yoga block)
- Get your dog into the correct position by luring their front feet toward the front of the object.
- Ask your dog to sit correctly – this is achieved by using your lure to rotate their head and neck upward, moving body weight back and flexing the hindlimbs.
- Next ask for the down – this is achieved by moving your lure between the front legs then moving forward along the ground.
- Next ask for a sit again – this can be achieved by moving the treat lure up in a straight line
- Now ask for the stand – most common command is “up” – your dog should have their front feet at the edge of your object of choice, and the stand is achieved by moving the lure slowly and gently forward and down in front of the nose. You might need to block front leg movement with your own body, or encourage hind leg push up by scratching the belly.
This activity is similar to “sun salutations” for humans – it encourages an effective warm up of key joint connective tissues, stimulates blood flow to desired muscle groups and activates the neuromuscular system, therefore is a key warmup exercise used prior to most exercise or as a morning stiffness remedy.