Health Resources
* Important Note: We highly encourage you to contact the NEMDA Health and Genetics Chairperson at health@nemda.org to submit up to date health and genetics information from your Entlebuchers.
This information gets entered into the Entlebucher database and will help breeders make better educated decisions, and to make improvements with future breedings of this fantastic breed! Make your Entle a part of the Entles for the future!
Fitness and Conditioning
Warm up
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Before you do any vigorous activity with your dog, start out by warming them up. Warming up your dog before any strenuous activity is so important if you want to minimize or avoid injury. As we all know, the Entlebucher always gives 100% for everything they do!
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Warm ups should be 5 to 10 minutes. This consists of getting their cardio and muscles worked up gradually before they go for an all out run. Jogging or walking at a brisk pace for 5 minutes is the best way to start.
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You can also have them perform some tricks and body awareness skills once they have jogged for several minutes.
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Some examples of tricks and body awareness exercises you can teach them are bow (curtsy), roll, sit up, back up, wave a paw up high, and crawl. All of these are excellent at stretching and building core muscle strength.
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Be careful about stretching your dog when their muscles have not been properly warmed up. This can potentially cause strains or tears in the muscles.
Cool Down
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A proper cool down is as important as a proper warm up. Do not just stop abruptly after a hard exercise. A good way to cool down is by walking for five or ten minutes.
Exercise Tips
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If you are planning to do any performance activities, I highly recommend you talk to your vet and receive a clearance before you get your dog into any jumping active program. Get you dog’s hips and elbows x-rayed so you'll know if there are any joint issues.
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Be careful with any fetching exercises that cause your dog to constantly land on the hind legs such as frisbee or throwing toys high in the air. This could potentially cause serious back or rear end problems.
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Make sure your dog is not overweight before doing any strenuous exercises. It they are heavy, gradually work off the weight. Brisk walking is excellent way to shed pounds and improve muscle tone. Be especially careful not to have an overweight puppy. This will compound any problems they may have in the future.
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In regards to puppies, do not do any long distance running, jumping, or twisting until their growth plates have closed. This occurs betwee 14 to 18 months old.
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There are plenty of other activities you can teach your puppy before getting into high impact sports.
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Be careful about exercising your dog on hard surfaces. This can cause very serious muscle injuries and can slice paw pads very easily.
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Two of the best exercises for dogs are swimming and walking. This keeps them fit without a lot of strain on the joints. If you plan on swimming, make sure there are not any strong currents or waves that will cause your dog to panic. Make sure they always have a controlled exit or a platform they can rest on. Jumping on and off a high ledge into a pool can cause undue strain if they are not in top condition. Make sure the water temperature is not too cold or too warm. Adjust the time they are in the water if you can’t control the temperature. Too cold is not good for the joints and too warm will overheat them.
Fitness and Conditioning Resources
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Canine Sports Productions – Great resource for conditioning the canine athlete.
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Fit Paws – Excellent products to keep your dog conditioned and strong!