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Magic of Physical Therapy: Even Puppies Can Benefit!

There are so many wonderful benefits to Physical Therapy such as eliminating/reducing pain, improving mobility, balance, getting you back to sports, taking care of your kids, feeling younger and more energized. It is a perfectly safe and natural solution without drugs, injections, or surgery.

What most people don’t know is that Physical Therapy is even great for puppies! My dog Lola gave birth to 7 adorable Bichon Frise puppies five weeks ago. We’ve been doing things such as puppy yoga, potty training, and even gait training. The puppies are already climbing stairs and that is very advanced for their developmental stage. Now we can barely keep these little fur balls contained.

And while Physical Therapy is great for training brand new puppies, it is also very beneficial for your dogs that have endured an injury, or are simply getting older and developing arthritis, or recovering from surgery.

How can you tell if your dog needs Physical Therapy?

  • If they are limping or hopping
  • Leaning to one side/avoiding one paw to get up and down
  • Difficulty squatting to go potty
  • Avoiding going up and down stairs
  • Being inactive and not wanting to playing
  • Taking a longer time getting up from laying position

Physical therapy techniques for dogs and other pets:

  • Massage Therapy: Increasing the dog’s circulation to promote healing and decrease pain
  • Pool Therapy: Helps dogs use their large muscle groups to strengthen while reducing stress on joints.
  • Physical Exercise: Helps your dog gain strength, balance, and flexibility so they can be active again.
  • Range of Motion: A Physical Therapist will rotate the dog’s limbs to increase flexibility in the muscles and joints.

This video an example of me working on gait training with these perfect puppies:

Sample