Subtitle: An Evidence-Based Approach to Improving Performance and Preventing Injury
Author: Carolyn McIntyre, PT
Length: 74 pages
Release Date: July 2026
Whether your dog competes in dog sports, enjoys hiking and outdoor adventures, or simply loves being active, every bout of physical activity places demands on their body.
Warm-Up & Cool-Down for the Canine Athlete is a digital E-book that provides an evidence-based, practical guide to preparing your dog for activity and supporting recovery afterward. Drawing on current research, clinical experience, and real-world application, this fully revised 2nd Edition helps dog owners understand not only what to do, but why it matters.
What's Included
- Video demonstrations for every warm-up and cool-down exercise via QR codes
- Dynamic warm-up exercises to help prepare your dog's body for activity
- Cool-down strategies and exercises to support recovery after activity
- Progressive sample warm-up and cool-down routines you can begin using immediately
- Sport-specific considerations to help adapt warm-up routines for different canine sports and activities
- Practical solutions to the most common barriers that prevent owners from warming up and cooling down consistently
- Evidence-based recommendations grounded in current research and over a decade of clinical experience in canine rehabilitation
This E-book will teach you how to build safe and effective warm-up and cool-down routines, adapt them to your dog's individual needs, recognize subtle changes in movement, and confidently prepare your dog for whatever activity lies ahead. The result is a practical, evidence-based approach that helps reduce injury risk, support long-term soundness, and keep your dog doing what they love for years to come.
Who Is This E-Book For?
- Dog owners who compete in canine sports or enjoy an active lifestyle with their dog
- Owners looking to help reduce injury risk and support long-term soundness
- Owners wanting practical warm-up and cool-down routines they can begin using immediately
- Veterinary professionals, canine rehabilitation professionals, trainers, and canine fitness instructors looking to expand their knowledge of warm-up and cool-down principles
- Anyone interested in learning more about preparing dogs for activity, supporting recovery, and promoting lifelong movement and health
About the Author
Carolyn McIntyre is the founder of McIntyre Canine Rehabilitation in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. With over 18 years of experience in human physiotherapy and more than 10 years in canine rehabilitation, she helps active and sport dogs recover from injury, return to activity safely, and maintain long-term soundness and performance.
Carolyn holds a Master's degree in Physiotherapy, a Diploma in Canine Rehabilitation, and a certification in Small Animal Acupuncture and Dry Needling. She works with canine athletes both in person and online, providing rehabilitation, return-to-sport, and canine fitness programs for clients worldwide.
She has developed more than 15 canine fitness programs and is the creator of the Path to Success Integrative Canine Fitness and Health Hub, an educational resource designed to help professionals build safe and effective canine fitness programs. In 2019 and 2020, Carolyn served as the canine physio for Team Canada at the IFCS World Agility Championships.
E-Book Format: This E-Book in only available as a PDF file. A PDF file can be read with Adobe Reader on your computer or laptop, and can also be transferred to various reading devices from your computer.
Please note that you must have an account in the Clean Run store to purchase and access the download. If you do not have an account, you will be prompted to create one when you check out. Once you have completed checkout, you can get your E-Book by going to your account download page, https://www.cleanrun.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=access.download. For instructions on how to download the file to your personal computer and then transfer it to your reading device, please go to How Do I Load My E-Book to My Reading Device?
"One of the biggest challenges veterinarians face is helping owners consistently implement safe exercise and conditioning strategies at home. Warm-Up & Cool-Down for the Canine Athlete bridges that gap with clear instructions, practical exercises, and an easy-to-follow framework that owners can confidently apply. I feel confident recommending this resource to clients with active and sporting dogs and believe it is equally valuable for veterinarians and canine rehabilitation professionals looking to improve compliance and support long-term soundness. This book should be part of every veterinarian's and canine rehabilitation professional's library." —Kayla Swanberg, DVM, Agility Competitor
"I am pleased to provide a glowing review of the 2nd edition of Warm Up & Cool Down For The Canine Athlete. The latest edition provides updated references and clear guidelines for creating a warm-up and cool-down regimen for a variety of canine sporting activities. The scannable QR codes are a fantastic addition and complement the written work perfectly to enable readers to also see the exercises being performed properly. I believe this book will help active dog owners with preserving and enhancing the physical health of their sporting dog companions!" —Laurie Edge-Hughes, BScPT, MAnimSt (Animal Physio.), CAFCI, CCRT, CSmAnimAcup/DryNeedling
"The 2nd edition builds on the first with a clear and concise plan that is backed by the latest research and from a hands-on professional practitioner. This comprehensive guide is packed full of valuable information, and applies to any active dog to aid in detecting a physical issue or preventing injury. It provides a flexible approach, assisting with time management and conflicting priorities. There is clear instruction on several targeted exercises with video links to help guide you. You won't want to miss a single page of this valuable resource." —Jan Vlasak, PT, CSCC
"This is a super informative workbook! All the recommendations are science backed, and you’ll finish reading with a clear idea of a strategy you can put in place today! The exercises are well explained, and the overall plan is not overwhelming, just a simple program to help ensure your canine athlete shows up at their best!" —Grace Heck, Multiple Team USA Agility Member
"Like many handlers, I know countless exercises and fully appreciate the value of warmups and cooldowns, yet I still struggle with execution. Carolyn's book provides a clear, actionable framework that explains the reasoning behind the choices and a systematic way to prioritize exercises, making for an effective, repeatable plan." —Carol Lawrence, World Disc Competitor, Dog Trainer
"I have always believed that warm-up and cool-down are important for my dog before training and trialling. The problem was that without a structured approach to get me started I found it stressful and confusing. The Warm-Up and Cool-Down for the Canine Athlete ebook has become an invaluable resource in my training and trialling routine. With step-by-step descriptions, photos and videos of exercises (most requiring very little space and no equipment — perfect for a busy dog sport trial location!) and sample warm-up programs outlined for each sport my dogs and I participate in, the guesswork is gone! The videos are my favourite feature. A QR code for each exercise sends me directly to the clip showing it demonstrated. I can access this content on-the-go wherever my dogs take me!" —Elaine Welbourn, IFCS World Agility Championship Medalist, Dog Agility Coach
