Last week posts, Canine Senior Staying Fit with K9FITvest generated much curiosity, comments and questions.We asked Krista Wickens, co-owner/founder of PetZen Products/DogTread, to provide us more information about the K9Fitvest.
What Is The K9FITvest?
The K9FITvest is designed to help dog owners; as well as canine fitness and rehabilitation professionals, increase (or rehabilitate) a dogs level of fitness simply by wearing it. It is the only functional canine sports apparel that includes the benefits of resistance training, sensory integration, cooling and safety all in one design.
The K9FITvest uses a combination of strategically placed resistance weights and compression to improve a dog’s muscle strength, endurance and body awareness while being worn during exercise. No training is required to use the vest – in other words the dog does not have to learn a new trick. Guidelines for wear time and strength building are included with each K9FITvest. It is specifically designed to ramp up fitness and can be worn and used during any type of activity that you and your dog enjoy.
How does the K9FITvest work?
The most common method for enhancing strength is resistance training. Resistance training increases strength by making the skeletal muscles work against an opposing force. The K9FITvest uses controlled weight-resistance as the opposing force to challenge and strengthen a dog’s body throughout the entire range of motion during any exercise that is performed when it is worn. The dog’s body in turn responds by strengthening and burning more calories.
How Should the K9FITvest Fit?
It should fit snug and hug the body tightly. The snug fit ensures the weights do not shift and slide. The compression design also aids in body awareness. The snug fit and weight has been used to aid with posture and has been known to provide a calming effect. It helps dogs to engage their core and postural muscles.
Is the K9FITvest Good for Dogs with Arthritis?
Arthritis is a progressive degenerative joint condition that causes inflammation and pain. Goals for arthritic clients include pain management, improving range of motion and increasing strength. Increasing the strength of the muscles surrounding the joints can help alleviate pressure on the arthritic joint. The K9FITvest has been used to help increase muscle strength for arthritic patients.
Is the K9FITvest Good for Puppies?
We recommend using the K9FITvest resistance feature on dogs that have closed growth plates. Typically 18-24 months. However, the K9FITvest may be used without weights or just with the Gel Packs to help calm puppies. The compression qualities of the vest can help provide better focus during training.
Can Cats Wear The K9FITvest?
There a few cats testing the vest, but the design was created for dogs. The weight parameters should be adjusted to accommodate a feline frame.
Is the K9FITvest Hard to Use?
No training is required. In other words, your dog does not need to learn a new trick to use it. Simply put it on and then participate in your favorite activity. Start with a few minutes every other day in the beginning and build time, intensity and repetition of exercises gradually and progressively.
My dog has Hip Dysplasia – Can I Use the K9FITvest?
For mild cases and early detection the K9FITvest has been used both with and without weights. Strengthening and developing the hind muscles will assist the dog later in life and prolong activity. It is important to reduce jumping as well as sudden stops and starts for dogs with hip dysplasia.
I Don’t Know Much About Canine Resistance Training – Where Do I Start?
It is important to have
a well-rounded fitness program which includes resistance training to improve joint health, muscle, tendon and ligament strength; as well as cardio, balance and flexibility exercises. Check out DogTread’s site for variety of K9FITvest detailed exercises.
We hope this post has provided you more information about K9FITvest and answered most of the questions from our previous post.
For an expanded version of this post, visit DogTread.
Many Golden Thanks to Krista Wickens.
Disclaimer: DogTread provided Sugar with K9FITvest. DogTread gave GoldenWoofs permission to recreate their “What is the K9FITvest?” infographic image. Golden Woofs believes the health benefits of K9FITvest and glad to share information with our readers. Golden Woofs did not receive any monetary compensation for this post.
Lots of Golden L♥VE n Woofs
SUGAR
The vest looks fabulous on you Sugar! And it sounds like it can do a lot of cool things too.
It’s nice that it is so multi-functional! Especially the cooling part. I wish they made one in Mr. N’s size.
I think the cooling part of the vest would be important for us as the heat & humidity is building here and we have to be careful now not to overheat…..
You are certainly the best dressed fitness dog, Sugar! That vest looks awesome!
You need matching green socks Sugar!
Slimdoggy Jack also loves the K9FIt Vest. Simple way to add intensity to almost any exercise.
This is such a neat idea. I don’t think my dogs would ever need it as they live on the farm and run around like turkeys all day, but it could be the answer to many high energy breed owners problems who live in the city. Sugar sure looks like she enjoys it!
Wow Sugar… that Vest sounds AMAZING.
Thanks Sugar! We so appreciate the post and we are so glad that you are enjoying the vest. Your form looks great – what a great inspiration you are to all senior dogs!
Sugar, this vest sure sounds like something I could use. Imagine me doing some resistance training around the neighborhood…then when I go camping, I would be a hiking machine! Great dawg! I like that it has cooling packs too. I am always wishing I had something like that especially since it can get SO HOT here in South FL.
Love the infographics! This was an excellent and informative post!
Have a terrierific weekend!
Oz
This is so cool. We need to tell our friends about it
Lily
You look great Sugar! Many thanks for a wonderful review and all this interesting informations. Have a golden Friday!
Sugar you are the best dressed fit dog around. Have a fabulous Friday.
Best wishes Molly
Happy Friday to you Sugar…
and thank you again for helping with the howl-o-ween blog hop
Hugs your bfff Madi
What a cool idea. You look super snazzy in your K9FitVest. Thanks for sharing the review.
You made us nervous about cats wearing them! We think it looks best on you Sugar!
Oh, I thought it was a girdle and I was gonna buy it for Stanley. Don’t tell him I said that!
Your Pals,
Murphy & Stanley
Sugar looks very cute and looks proud to be wearing it.
This vest looks awesome-thank you for sharing and explaining so much about it and how it works!
Great post and awesome pictures.
I especially wondered about the arthritis, so glad to have that answered. I think this could be really good for Sheba to help build her muscles and strength.
Wow! Very interesting product. The snug fit has another benefit. It makes it easier to tell whether long-haired dogs are over- or underweight.
Great job helping all the doggies to stay fit!