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Site Overview
My name is Dr. Robert L. Gillette I have devoted
my veterinary career to the athletic and working dogs. I would like
to use this site to provide information to those who might find it useful.
Canine Performance is based upon three major
factors
Anatomy (musculoskeletal system)
Physiological (conditioning and training)
Psychology (drive)
"The most important element
of canine sports medicine is recognizing the athleticism of the patient."
Canine Performance Basics
Managing the Canine Athlete
To design the best conditioning
and training program for your dog you must have:
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A basic understanding of performance metabolism
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A working knowledge of the canine anatomy
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A technique that can be used to assess
these two areas.
Sports
Medicine Philosophy
The working dog and the canine athlete
require a different view medically than the normal companion canine. The
tried and true methodologies of the past are often inadequate for establishing
the levels of performance required by today's standards. To best
address the medical conditions of performance, the veterinarian must
have a working knowledge of the physiological, and psychological demands
placed upon these dogs. Trainers and owners should also have an understanding
of the physiological demands placed upon their dogs. This mutual
understanding is the basis for a synergistic veterinary/client relationship.
Therefore the following information is provided to help both parties to
develop training, conditioning, nutritional, health care and breeding programs
based upon the needs of the performance dog.
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The Field
of Canine Sports Medicine
Canine sports medicine is the field of
veterinary medicine devoted to the special needs of the working dogs and
the canine athletes. The methodologies that are used in Canine Sports
Medicine can also be used in the active pet dogs and the couch potatoes.
Canine Sports Medicine is divided into
two areas of interest, Pre-Performance and Post-Performance.
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Pre-Performance
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Post-Performance
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area of medicine includes conditioning and training for optimum output
and prevention of illness and injury. |
Post-Performance
medicine includes the decisions of treatment or therapy of an injury and
then a rehabilitation program that allows the athlete to return to its
work safely and efficiently. |
Areas of influence are:
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Genetics
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Training
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Conditioning
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Nutrition
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Injury Prevention
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Areas of influence are:
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Nutrition
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Medical Care
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Injury Treatment
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Rehabilitation
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Reconditioning
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Canine
Performance Inhibitors
There are 3 general conditions that have
a detrimental affect on performance:
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Fatigue
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Pain
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Psychology (Drive)
Fatigue:
The moment fatigue sets in, it will begin to diminish the level of performance.
Energy and focus is diverted away from the activity and utilized by the
body to maintain function. Designing a training and conditioning program
to suit the type of work or athletic event your dog competes in can minimize
the affects of fatigue. The program should address: Genetics (breeding),
Training, Conditioning, Nutrition, and Health Care.
Pain:
The effects of pain on performance usually go unnoticed. The dog
has the ability to minimize pain by altering body movement in such a way
that the abnormality is unperceivable by the naked eye. This altered
movement created by the primary cause of pain puts altered forces upon
the rest of the body. In the athletic or active dog these abnormal
forces lead to secondary and tertiary gait problems. At some point
in this chain of events breakdown occurs and an injury will be the result.
Psychology:
If the drive to compete is not in the dog it does not matter what kind
of condition the dog is in it will not perform at it's full potential.
This psychology could be a result of genetics or training, or it could
be medical. Both of the two previous affectors can alter the
psychology or drive of the canine athlete. Sometimes the will to
perform will over-ride these conditions. This can be good for a single
event, but can push the body past normal limits which can affect future
performances. The effects of fatigue or pain will then act to divert
attention away from the competitive performance or daily task. Before
beginning any animal behavior therapy the medical problems should be resolved.
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Slide
Show
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Optimum Performance Slide Presentation
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| Several attendees have asked that I provide a copy of some of the slides
that I present at my seminars. I have added this to my web site for
their benefit. |
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Just enter the Zip code and it will take you to the Weather Channel Website.
Hit the "Back" button on your browser to return to my site.
I hope you find this useful. I have found this to be a very helpful
site. |
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