The Danger of Photos in Fitness

The internet loves a good before and after - because the difference over time PROVES that something is working. And while I LOVE a good posture analysis and always suggest that my students take pictures or videos before they start working with me, I also remind them not to, “Fall in love with a picture.”

Canine fitness is not just about posture and structure - it has so much more to do with movement and comfortability. The final position is not more important than noting how the dog moves from position to position - you can train a dog to sit properly, but can they effortlessly glide from a sit to stand? Do they move from a stand to a down with control and purpose? Or do they just fall into position? What happens when you ask them to walk or trot? Are their limbs moving evenly or do they have a hiccup in their step? Are they hiding a stride issue when they trot that can only be seen when you ask them to move slowly? There are so many more questions beyond a couple of photographs that must be answered before we decide the best workout for our pups.

A sloppy sit, stand and down are symptoms of structure and musculature issues - but perfect form in either position doesn’t directly link to proper strength.