Do you have a canine athlete or a really active dog at home? Did you know that a proper warm up should be performed before every practice session and competition run? It is essential in order to prevent injury, improve body awareness, increase blood flow to the muscles, and prepare the body for competition. Pulling a resting dog out of crate and going immediately into an explosive activity can be disastrous as the body is not prepared to work. Over the last decade canine sports increased dramatically in popularity. Dogs enjoy being active and learning new skills, and their owners enjoy bonding with their pets as they go through the training process. Most dogs try incredibly hard at whatever task we ask them to do whether they are world class athletes or at the beginner level. Disregard for their own body, handler miscues, lack of conditioning and body awareness, etc. can often lead to trips, spills, and plain old muscle soreness. We will explore how basic massage and stretching techniques will help to promote relaxation, soothe sore muscles, and enhance range of motion in your dog.