{"id":6644,"date":"2021-10-27T01:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-10-26T23:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thebiokinetick9.com\/?post_type=tva_lesson&p=6644"},"modified":"2023-07-14T15:16:52","modified_gmt":"2023-07-14T13:16:52","slug":"stepping-off-and-stepping-up","status":"publish","type":"tva_lesson","link":"https:\/\/thebiokinetick9.com\/biokinetic-k9\/course\/stepping-off-and-stepping-up\/","title":{"rendered":"Stepping Off and Up"},"content":{"rendered":"

See the recording of this Live Session in the next lesson. <\/h4>\n

Click on “Mark Lesson Complete” below to access the next lesson.<\/h4>\n

Equipment Required:<\/strong><\/h3>\n

A stable platform that is large enough for your dog to stand on with two feet on in a neutral position.<\/p>\n

To start, the height of the platform may be set to approximately 1 inches or 2 cm.  When as your dog becomes more advanced or more comfortable with the equipment you may go as high as just below hock height. Do not rush the height – especially when walking backwards.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

The Exercise – Moving Forward:<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Muscles exercised:  Shoulders, Front Legs, Chest<\/strong><\/p>\n

Start with your dog standing neutrally on the stable platform.<\/p>\n

Bring your dog forward in order to step off the platform with his front legs – one step at a time – while keeping his back legs on the platform.<\/p>\n

You may ask your dog to take a step forward in order to allow for a straight, downward slowing spine (neutral topline) without any roaching on the spine.<\/p>\n

The goal is to have his front legs straight under his shoulders.<\/p>\n

Once you have good posture, ask your dog to hold this position for the required seconds<\/p>\n

Aim to keep his neck, head and muzzle neutral without causing your dog to have to stretch upward with his neck and head in order to reach his reward\/treat.<\/p>\n

After holding the position, ask your dog to step backwards back onto the platform into a neutral stand, lifting one front foot at a time.  Try and avoid jumping backward<\/strong> in order to get back onto the platform. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n

The Exercise – Moving Backward off a board<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Muscles exercise:  Hind legs – hamstrings and glutes, proprioception (body awareness)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Again, start with your dog standing in a natural position on the stable platform.<\/p>\n

Ask your dog to step off backwards.  He will start of being very uncertain about where his back feet are.  Help, guide and reassure your dog that all is just fine.<\/p>\n

Let him step off one foot at a time while leaving his front legs on the platform.<\/p>\n

The goal is to have him standing square with his front legs directly under his shoulders and his back legs with pasterns stable and perpendicular to the floor.  <\/p>\n

You want a neutral straight spine that ascends up to the shoulders with a neutral neck, head and muzzle parallel to the floor.<\/p>\n

Once you have good posture, again hold it there for a few seconds and ask your dog to step back up onto the platform, one back foot at a time, ending in a square stand.<\/p>\n

Check Points for any Backward Movement<\/h4>\n

Make sure your dog has a neutral stand (his top line or spine should be neutral for your breed of dog – make sure there is no roaching or dipping of the spine)<\/p>\n

Make sure he is looking straight ahead with his muzzle parallel to the floor.<\/p>\n

His front feet should remain under the shoulders and the foreleg is perpendicular to the ground. Paws are neutral, facing forward and the elbows should not flare out.Knees, (or stifles) of hind legs are under the hips and pointing forward.<\/strong> <\/em>They should NOT <\/strong><\/em>be flaring out any more than usual. The pasterns (heels of the feet) should be perpendicular to the ground. The natural angulation of your dog must be taken into account too.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Thoughts on Walking Backward<\/h4>\n

Many conditioning coaches include backward walking into their program – as did I initially.<\/p>\n

However, once having gone into effective biomechanical movements for the dog, I have learned that to walk backwards, the dog places much strain on the stifles (knees) including an outward rotation throughout the rear leg – this is especially true for dogs new to conditioning.  <\/p>\n

Dogs are biomechanically designed for powerful forward motion and the power is driven from the rear.  The muscles and how they are attached to the skeleton are all designed for this purpose and to walk backwards places strain on the muscles, ligaments and tendons.  <\/p>\n

Much backward walking movement exercises are promoted as a proprioceptive exercise and for the engagement of the hamstrings. But there are many more beneficial ways to engage these areas.<\/p>\n

For these reasons, I limit my dog’s backward movement exercises to only a very few steps and the stepping up onto a low platform. It is important to take into consideration all the check points of the backward movement.<\/p>\n

Checkpoints<\/h3>\n

Standing<\/strong>:  Spine (topline) is neutral for your breed<\/p>\n

Head and Neck<\/strong>:  Neutral with muzzle parallel to the ground<\/p>\n

Feet<\/strong>:  Neutral with front feet aligned under the shoulders (not too far forward or too far back) and weight equally distributed between the two.  Similarly, hind feet are neutral under the hips or pasterns perpendicular to the ground.<\/p>\n

Elbows<\/strong>:  Ensure that the elbows are not flaring outward.<\/p>\n

Stifles (knees)<\/strong>:  Neutral for your breed facing forward. Ensure that the knees are not rotated outward.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Do not rush the exercise<\/em>.<\/span><\/strong>  Ensure deliberate movements of the steps on and off the platform. Movements should be steady, slow and moderate.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Progression<\/h3>\n

If you are a beginner, then 3 – 5 repetitions and hold the positions for 5 – 10 seconds is just awesome.<\/p>\n

As a beginner, remain at this stage for at least 2 – 3 weeks and the movements become fluid. You will see that your dog will require loads of confirmation to build confidence and surety from you. This will ensure that he learns to enjoy new challenges.<\/p>\n

Thereafter you may progress to an intermediate level of 5 – 7 repetitions, while holding the position for 10 – 15 seconds. <\/p>\n

Again, continue with this level for at least 2 – 3 weeks ensuring that your dog is fluid and correct in movement even at these higher number of repetitions. Before moving onto the more advanced level of 8 – 10 repetitions and holding the position for up to 30 seconds.If you are going to increase the level of the platform when progressing to the advanced level be sure to maintain the number of repetitions of the intermediate level at his new height.  DO NOT increase height AND repetitions at the same time.  Do either one or the other and maintain it for 2 – 3 weeks.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Watch for the following signs of fatigue:<\/h3>\n
    \n
  1. Hesitating to step off the platform (although this will happen initially when you start going backward with your dog)<\/li>\n
  2. Walking off the platform completely or not wanting to hold the position<\/li>\n
  3. Avoiding\/refusing the exercise (e.g. sniffing around rather than wanting to do the exercise) or doing another exercise completely e.g. a sit<\/li>\n
  4. Stepping off the platform completely instead of performing the exercise.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Video showing the exercise<\/h3>\n

    The video below is shown at normal speed and then again in slow motion.<\/p>\n

    Please take note of the importance of videos<\/strong> – in this video you will notice that even in this uncomplicated sounding exercise, Artemis shows a sign of weakness in his rear right leg – notice the instability?<\/p>\n

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