Table 5.
Sport-specific training and physical conditioning exercise stratified by working trial disciplines.
| Messenger | Protection | Search | Tracking | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| N dogs | 33 | 169 | 226 | 667 |
| Duration of sport-specific training per week | ||||
| 0–1 h | 0 (0.0) | 4 (2.4) | 9 (4.0) | 27 (4.0) |
| 1–2 h | 4 (12.1) | 19 (11.2) | 28 (12.4) | 83 (12.4) |
| 2–3 h | 5 (15.2) | 16 (9.5) | 39 (17.3) | 113 (16.9) |
| 3–5 h | 7 (21.2) | 41 (24.3) | 56 (24.8) | 150 (22.5) |
| 5–7 h | 4 (12.1) | 50 (29.6) | 47 (20.8) | 151 (22.6) |
| 7–10 h | 11 (33.3) | 24 (14.2) | 25 (11.1) | 84 (12.6) |
| >10 h | 2 (6.1) | 15 (8.9) | 22 (9.7) | 59 (8.8) |
| Frequency of sport-specific training | ||||
| Never | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 1 (0.1) |
| Once a month | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 1 (0.4) | 1 (0.1) |
| Every other week | 0 (0.0.) | 0 (0.0) | 1 (0.4) | 6 (0.9) |
| Once per week | 3 (9.1) | 8 (4.7) | 17 (7.5) | 49 (7.3) |
| Several times per week | 17 (51.5) | 102 (60.4) | 142 (62.8) | 400 (60.0) |
| Daily | 13 (39.4) | 57 (33.7) | 58 (25.7) | 193 (28.9) |
| Several times per day | 0 (0.0) | 2 (1.2) | 7 (3.1) | 17 (2.5) |
| Total work load per week* | ||||
| Median (IQR) | 20.8 (9.8) | 17.0 (7.2) | 17.5 (10.0) | 17.0 (9.5) |
| Content of physical conditioning exercise** | ||||
| Cardiorespiratory1 | 5 (15.2) | 12 (7.1) | 13 (5.8) | 42 (6.3) |
| Muscular2 | 21 (63.6) | 102 (60.4) | 123 (54.4) | 339 (50.8) |
| Combination3 | 3 (9.1) | 19 (11.2) | 24 (10.6) | 84 (12.6) |
Data are presented in frequencies and proportions (%).
Total work load per week was defined as hours per week in daily physical activity, vigorous exercise and sport-specific training.
Conditioning was defined as physical conditioning 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.