Table 4.
Sport-specific training and physical conditioning exercise in the full cohort of competition dogs (n = 1582) and stratified by participation in various disciplines.
| Full cohort | Agility | Obedience | Rally obedience | Working* | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N dogs | 1582 | 430 | 790 | 596 | 847 |
| Duration of sport-specific training per week | |||||
| 0–1 h | 103 (6.5) | 46 (10.7) | 42 (5.3) | 39 (6.5) | 35 (4.1) |
| 1–2 h | 238 (15.0) | 85 (19.8) | 102 (12.9) | 100 (16.8) | 101 (11.9) |
| 2–3 h | 288 (18.2) | 92 (21.4) | 142 (18.0) | 135 (22.7) | 146 (17.2) |
| 3–5 h | 398 (25.2) | 116 (27.0) | 208 (26.3) | 150 (25.2) | 202 (23.8) |
| 5–7 h | 303 (19.2) | 56 (13.0) | 166 (21.0) | 105 (17.6) | 179 (21.1) |
| 7–10 h | 153 (9.7) | 21 (4.9) | 77 (9.7) | 46 (7.7) | 107 (12.6) |
| More than 10 h | 99 (6.3) | 14 (3.3) | 53 (6.7) | 21 (3.5) | 77 (9.1) |
| Frequency of sport-specific training in total | |||||
| Never | 1 (0.1) | 0 (0.0) | 1 (0.1) | 0 (0.0) | 1 (0.1) |
| Once a month | 8 (0.5) | 4 (0.9) | 3 (0.4) | 4 (0.7) | 1 (0.1) |
| Every other week | 26 (1.6) | 12 (2.8) | 9 (1.1) | 15 (2.5) | 6 (0.7) |
| Once per week | 123 (7.8) | 45 (10.5) | 56 (7.1) | 49 (8.2) | 63 (7.4) |
| Several times per week | 946 (59.8) | 272 (63.3) | 466 (59.0) | 352 (59.1) | 505 (59.6) |
| Daily | 426 (26.9) | 88 (20.5) | 217 (27.5) | 154 (25.8) | 250 (29.5) |
| Several times per day | 52 (3.3) | 9 (2.1) | 38 (4.8) | 22 (3.7) | 21 (2.5) |
| Total work load per week ** | |||||
| Median (IQR) | 16.5 (9.0) | 15.5 (8.6) | 17.0 (9.6) | 15.8 (9.2) | 16.8 (9.4) |
| Content of physical conditioning exercise*** | |||||
| Cardiorespiratory1 | 79 (5.0) | 9 (2.1) | 40 (5.1) | 26 (4.4) | 53 (6.3) |
| Muscular2 | 732 (46.3) | 175 (40.7) | 376 (47.6) | 250 (41.9) | 440 (51.9) |
| Combination3 | 308 (19.5) | 133 (30.9) | 145 (18.4) | 138 (23.2) | 109 (12.9) |
Data are presented in frequencies and proportions (%).
Working trial disciplines were defined as Swedish Schutzhund, tracking (SWDA), search (SWDA), messenger (SWDA), patrol (SWDA), International Utility Dog trials (tracking, obedience, protection, search and rescue), International Nordic Style, BH/VT, and mondioring. SWDA, Swedish Working Dog Association.
Total work load per week was defined as hours per week in daily physical activity, vigorous physical conditioning exercise and sport-specific training.
Conditioning was defined as physical exercises target to improve and/or maintain cardiorespiratory or musculoskeletal physical fitness components, or as a combination of both.
Activities including aerobic and/or anaerobic endurance, e.g., intervals in gallop, galloping in sand, trot or gallop of leash with handler riding bike.
Activities requiring muscular endurance, strength, power, stability, balance, mobility or agility, such as parkour, drag weight, weight vest during walking, jumping technique exercises, balance training exercises, tricks, static stretching, walking in snow and on uneven surfaces, under water treadmill training, cavaletti.
Activities requiring both cardiorespiratory and musculoskeletal components of physical fitness, e.g., hill climbing, running, agility, swimming, canicross, bikejioring, off-leash exercise in the forest, treadmill.