1 Agility events are short duration with high output. In similar human events, Post-Activation Potential (PAP) has been found to be critical for full performance. See Figure 1. These studies show that muscular performance is acutely enhanced when preceded by a near maximal neuromuscular activation exercise. In agility dogs, this means incorporating a run and jump into the warm-up exercises. 2 Warm-Ups There are general warm-up exercises that all sports dogs should do, and then there are specific warm-up exercises for a dog with a pre-existing injury. Cardio The first part of warming up is cardio exercise. This increases the heart rate and blood flow and, therefore, the body and muscle temperature. * Walking or trotting: Do 5 to 10 minutes. At a moderate exercise level, it takes about 10 minutes for the muscle temperature to raise and reach equilibrium. * Low tugging: This actively engages muscles in the forelimbs, spinal column, and hind limbs. The ty must be low so as not to hyperextend neck. See Figure 2. 46 Clean Run | August 18http://vosm.com