Better in Motion - Canine Bodywork & Conditioning

10/21/2026

Continuing on my personal campaign to encourage healthy body composition in our pups, this study from 2002 is still well worth the time to read.

𝗕𝗼𝗱𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀!!!

"This study followed 48 Labrador Retrievers throughout their lives, and its findings helped establish a lasting connection between nutritional management, healthy body weight, and longevity in dogs."

TL:DR - The research found:

𝗟𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗻

𝗗𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗵𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗰 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲

"𝗕𝗼𝗱𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀: The study linked greater fat mass and declining lean body mass with mortality, highlighting the importance of maintaining a healthy body composition."

𝗟𝗼𝗻𝗴-𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺 𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀

Note, it's NOT under-feeding that is being talked about here - it's feeding appropriately for ALL of the considerations (age, activity level, health status, etc.)

As always - your dog's vet is your important lead for guiding weight management and changes. I can help support you with implementing their advice in many ways both for the short and longer term.

Keeping our pups as healthy and happy for as long as possible is my goal, and I love to natter about this stuff (hahaha, sorry to my long-suffering family), so feel free to reach out if you have questions or want help getting started, staying on track, or leveling up.

💛🐾💛

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗪𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗟𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆

This study followed 48 Labrador Retrievers throughout their lives, and its findings helped establish a lasting connection between nutritional management, healthy body weight, and longevity in dogs.

Here’s what the research found:

𝗟𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗻: Dogs fed 25% less food than their pair-matched controls had a median lifespan of 13.0 years, compared with 11.2 years in control-fed dogs—a difference of 1.8 years.

𝗗𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗵𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗰 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲: Food-restricted dogs developed age-related chronic diseases later in life, with osteoarthritis among the particularly notable conditions.

𝗕𝗼𝗱𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀: The study linked greater fat mass and declining lean body mass with mortality, highlighting the importance of maintaining a healthy body composition.

𝗟𝗼𝗻𝗴-𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺 𝗻𝘂𝘁𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀: The dogs followed their respective feeding regimens from puppyhood, emphasizing the potential importance of nutritional management throughout life.

Although initially published in 2002, this is still as important today.

Because healthy weight management is more than an aesthetic goal. It is an important component of preventive veterinary care, with potential implications for both lifespan and healthy ageing.

For veterinary teams, this research reinforces the value of regularly assessing body condition, individualizing feeding recommendations, and discussing nutrition with pet owners before excess weight becomes a problem.

Subscribe to VetEd to help us access more veterinary journals.

Kealy RD, et al. Effects of diet restriction on life span and age-related changes in dogs. JAVMA. 2002;220(9):1315–1320.

Lawler DF, et al. Diet restriction and ageing in the dog: major observations over two decades. British Journal of Nutrition. 2008;99:793–805.

10/18/2026

🐕 When you see videos of dogs on slat mills, they are almost always flying at top speed, muscles pumping and hair (and saliva!) flying. 💨

🐾 Because they are completely dog-powered, it’s easy to look at them as just an outlet for explosive sprinting.

But if you are only using a slat mill for full-speed runs, you are missing out on its true potential.

When incorporated thoughtfully, a non-motorized slat mill is a highly versatile tool for a balanced canine conditioning program—and some of its greatest benefits happen at a much slower pace.

🐾 Beyond the Sprint: The Power of Controlled Movement

Sprinting is fantastic for anaerobic power and fast-twitch muscle development, but structured, slower work on a slat mill targets entirely different fitness components:

✔️ Trotting for Endurance:
Lowering the intensity and encouraging a steady, rhythmic trot shifts the workout from an anaerobic sprint to an aerobic endurance session. This builds a strong cardiovascular base for optimizing health.

✔️ Active Resistance Walking: Because a slat mill requires the dog to physically push and pull the weight of the belt to make it move, even a slow walk acts like weight resistance training. This builds core stability, muscle strength, and can help increase bone density.

✔️ Gait Awareness and Proprioception:
Moving slowly forces the dog to focus on placement, balance, and how they utilize their limbs. It ensures they are reaching a full, balanced stride rather than relying on pure momentum.

🧠 The Mental Side: Confidence & Focus:

Because a slat mill is entirely free-spinning, the dog holds all the control. If they slow down, the belt slows down; if they stop, it stops.
Teaching a dog to navigate this equipment at a slow, deliberate pace builds mental engagement and confidence.

It takes self-control for a high-drive dog to listen to their handler, hold a specific gait, and stay focused in a single plane of movement without just defaulting to a frantic sprint.
In contrast, a less-driven dog has to engage with the handler to maintain forward movement... both build relationship and take thought.

🦴 Lower Impact on Joints

Choosing a slat mill with suspension and cushioning (like a FirePaw, for example), means far less jarring and impact on your dog’s body than a similar activity conducted outside on the dirt, grass, or asphalt.

🌟All of these make slat mills a stellar indoor alternative for reactive dogs, senior dogs needing low-impact conditioning, or canine athletes cross-training during the off-season.

⚠️ Remember: Balance is Key

While the slat mill is incredible for sagittal plane movement (straight forward and backward motion), it shouldn't be a dog's only workout. Real-world canine fitness requires three-dimensional stability.

To help optimize wellness, pair your controlled slat mill sessions with outdoor movement on natural, variable terrain to keep their lateral stabilization muscles sharp and proprioceptive skills on point.

Including appropriate focused conditioning exercises to develop and strengthen muscle chains, as well as other training or enrichment activities to keep their brains sharp and needs fulfilled can help to keep our pups as happy and healthy as possible.
It's all about the balance.

The slow and steady slat mill sessions don't make for flashy reels, but they do make for solid conditioning gains. 😄

10/14/2026

Reposting for this year’s Pet Obesity Awareness Day because your dog’s weight is SO vital to be on top of. 🐾🌟

Reducing excess weight helps with lessening forces on their joints, reduces fat stores which are known inflammatory agents, can lessen the impact of arthritis, and lower the risk of your dog developing devastating problems like cancer, diabetes mellitus, heart disease, anaesthetic complications to name just a few. (Source: VCA Animal Hospitals “Obesity in Dogs”)
💛Keeping them lean is just SO important.💛

If you have concerns about your pet, your first call should always be to their veterinarian. If a weight management plan is called for, I can work with your veterinarian and you to develop an accompanying strength and conditioning plan based on your pet’s individual needs.
And, as my clients know - I’m happy to help with accountability 😉😄 - in the most supportive way possible.💛

🧡🐶 A little extra love doesn't have to mean extra pounds. Keeping your pet active and at a healthy weight means more belly rubs and adventures together. 🐶🧡

✅️ October 9th was and it highlights an important way that we can help our pets enjoy a healthy lifestyle.

✅️ According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, "Reaching and maintaining a healthy weight can reduce your pet’s risk of disease and injury and gives them the best chance of a long, healthy, quality life."

Keeping your pet at a healthy weight lowers their risk of:

❌️ Osteoarthritis
❌️ Diabetes
❌️ High blood pressure
❌️ Breathing problems
❌️ Joint injuries and back problems
❌️ Kidney disease
❌️ Some cancers
❌️ Reduced life expectancy

(https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/pet-owners/petcare/your-pets-healthy-weight)

💦🐾 Fortunately, for most pets, one of the easiest components of healthy weight management is appropriate exercise! 🐾💦

As always, if you have concerns regarding your pet’s weight, please talk with your veterinarian; if a weight management plan is called for, we can work with your veterinarian and you to develop an accompanying fitness plan based on your pet’s individual needs.

Let's keep those paws moving - after all, we all are Better in Motion! 🐕🌟

09/20/2026

✔️Practice what you preach.
❤️Holly enjoying a little Red + NIR light on the road before bed.

09/20/2026

💜 Holly got to come with me to the Island today and hang out during client bodywork sessions.💜

She really is just the best travel buddy and has such fun exploring new spots with me. This trail is one of my favourite places to pop down to after ATDR sessions - Millard Creek. It's gorgeous in every season and today - bonus - there were chickens to practice ignoring 😜🐔🐓

09/20/2026

If you haven't seen this music video, you're in for a treat!

🎵OK Go's "White Knuckles" - 16 years old and still so fun.

🔆Fun fact - It took the dog trainers 3 months to train the dogs for the routines (no word on how long it took to wrangle the goat 😆🐐) and each of the 14 dogs had their own trainer on set.

09/11/2026

Ever the overachiever 😆

When your handler is unclear with her cues... just take it and run with it!
Love this pup 💕

09/09/2026

Y'all know how much I love tricks!!
If you're in Courtenay/Comox, this would be a great class to join and have fun while building the relationship between you and your dog! 😃🐾

08/30/2026

😄The Fall Virtual Trial Premium is live and entries open Sept 1-3.

https://canadianrallyo.ca/virtual-trial/

❗️Reminder that registrations are to be done through your CARO account login this time.

07/23/2026

😆🤭 Just in time for the Summer Circuit... hee hee.

💰💰💰

https://showsightmagazine.com/