Pete

[Sheri]

Need Exercises to help strenthen back and legs.

[Murphy's Dad]

Copied from another post...

Swimming therapy (aquatherapy, hydrotherapy, whatever you want to call it). Swimmimg does wonders for strength, endurance, and excersize. If you have a pool, use it. If not, find a horse training facility. Many have therapy pools and allow dogs to swim for a small fee. A long lead (10-15 feet), body harness, and (at first) a floatation jacket may be required. After six months, Murphy was swimming for 30 minutes straight. I can't do that!

Long walks in their carts are good too.

Murphy's Dad

visit Murphy's World - One Special Beagle

[Liz]

I have had great luck with T-Touch for horses. Some of their exercises are good for dogs as well. Linda Tellington-Jones is the author and I think has a book on dogs as well. I have been doing the belly scratch that helps condition the abs and thus strengthening the back as well. Good luck!!

[CarolC]

nm

[critters]

http://www.abledogs.net/poppy.html

link

[CarolC]

Hi Sheri, Hard to answer w/o knowing more about Pete. If he can stand you can do bounces. If he is little, place him on a table in a standing position with one hand under his tummy and the other on top of his back near the base of his tail. Bounce his hindquarters a little so he resists with his back legs. His feet should not leave the table--just his knees flex. When you feel resistance on the downward bounce, he is using his muscles. If he is big, someone on this message board was told to put their dog on a trampoline holding him in a standing position with a sling and bounce him in a similar manner. If he can't stand at all, you can exercise his back legs while he is lying down by pressing on his paw pads and letting him push back. You can also tickle/dig in between his back toes and get him to kick. There are many different companies making wheelchairs for dogs. The chairs can be put in a walking position where it supports the dog but he still walks with all 4 feet. That would give him exerise.

There is physical therapy available for dogs. I can give you info on locating therapy in your area if you're interested. They offer various forms of exercise, including swimming and walking on an underwater treadmill with their body held up by the water.

[Rajahs Mom]

but we use a Yoga ball and Raj is about 117 pounds. We just place her over it with her back legs on the ground. Then you bounce the ball. The back legs will try to compensate for the loss of balance by flexing (hopefully). We also have an old workout step. We set her rear on it and then entice her with food. Rajah, up! In a singing voice and she will try to stand. Then we set her back on the step. That way, since she is so tall, she doesn't have to go as far. And, of course, we swim. Good luck!

[CarolC]

My dog can stand, but it is easier for her to stand if she is sitting on a slope so her rear is sitting on the uphill end of the slope and her front feet are on the downhill end. That way her rear is already partly elevated so she has less distance to get up. She also likes to walk down slopes. There are some good slopes at a shopping center near here. I exercise her on the flat pavement, and set her down and let her stand and walk down the slopes.

[Pete]

Thanks for your help. I am not sure how much is feeling and how much is reflex but I seem to be getting more movement.

[Sheri]

Pete now weighs about 23lbs and is a Jack Russell.