Conditioning, Core Strengthening, & Rear-"Wheel" Speed

I am so excited for Wednesday, December 30! I ordered a little Christmas present for Vegas and I and it is supposed to arrive via UPS from Clean Run. It's the Get on the Ball 2 DVD set. It's been quite some time since we've taken an on the ball seminar and my memory fails me on what all we can do. Plus, Vegas is so confident with what we know that it's time to move on and really start to take advantage of her confidence - especially when it's dark when I leave and dark when I come home from work each day and colder than cold to boot!

The website shows the following topics on the 3 DVDs included:

DISC 1

• Introduction
• Goals of Ball Work
• Where Are the Core Muscles?
• What Dogs Should Get on the Ball?
• Are There Dogs That Should Not Get on the Ball?
• When Should I Use the Ball?
• Ball Basics
• Puppy Program
• Beginner Program
• Intermediate Program
• Advanced Program
• Cooling the Dog Down After Ball Work
• Sample Programs for Dogs with Physical Challenges
• Accessing the DVD Notes

DISC 2: SEMINAR

• Introduction
• Getting the Dogs on the Ball
• Reaching for Treats
• Standing on the Ball
• Sit to Stand
• Stand to Sit to Down & Down to Sit to Stand
• Leg Lifts
• About the Ball

DISC 3: SEMINAR

• Strengthening Muscles
• 180-degree & 360-degree Turns on the Ball
• Down to Sit to Stand & Stand to Sit to Down
• When Things Go Wrong
• Review with Students
• Cool Down & Conclusion

For reference, the author and originator of On the Ball work is Debbie Gross Saunders (http://www.wizardofpaws.net/). I've highlighted the areas I am particularly interested in for Vegas. I really hope that working these types of exercises continues to tighten her core and abdomen, strengthens her hind-end, brings her increasing awareness of her hind-end, and ultimately offers speed improvement over the narrower obstacles such as the dog walk and teeter. There are some other exercises I will be throwing in, too, such as walking backwards, walking backwards up the stairs, and stretching movements with her hind legs. Fortunately I have such a willing, cooperative partner who trusts her mama implicitly.