Evidence-based injury prevention for dogs participating in sports and competitive activities, covering common injury types, conditioning principles, and welfare-forward training approaches.
Dog sports participation should enhance welfare through enrichment, exercise, and human-animal bonding — but without appropriate safeguards, sporting activities can cause significant harm. The welfare of canine athletes depends on owner education about injury recognition, conditioning protocols that build fitness progressively rather than abruptly, adequate recovery between training sessions and events, and veterinary sports medicine support. Dogs cannot communicate pain verbally, so owners must become adept at recognizing subtle signs of discomfort and lameness. A culture of prioritizing the dog's wellbeing over competition results is essential for the welfare of dogs in sports.