This exercise strengthens a dog’s front and hind ends and builds explosive strenth – a maximum amount of force in a minimal amount of time. The hind end includes muscles of the hips, knees, Achilles tendon and lower back. Rear limb muscles increase a dog’s speed and power, and are critical to move from positions such as a down or sit to a stand, or going up stairs. As dogs age, rear limb muscle atrophy is common so it is important to works these muscles over your dog’s lifetime.
The front end consists of the neck, shoulders and front leg muscles. The front legs are responsible primarily for weight bearing and stability and are used to change direction, land, and controlling the dog’s speed. Dogs place the majority of their weight on their front legs so strengthening the front end muscles improve stability when running, landing jumps or traversing over unstable surfaces. Jumps works your dog’s hind end during takeoff and front end on the landing.
Be sure to start with the bar heigh very low and have your dog moving (not standing still) before they actually jump. You may start with a leash is needed to direct your dog.
For the evaluation, set a height that is appropriate for your dog’s size – the dog must jump (not walk over) the bar in order to pass the evaluation.