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Senior care

Strength & balance

The head-up weight shift from the video, plus vet-recommended home exercises.

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Get the vet’s OK first

Vets examine the joints and nerves and make sure pain is under control before prescribing strengthening work.7 VCA’s rehab-trained vets are blunt: don’t attempt balance exercises unless your vet or rehab therapist prescribed them.3

Tired looks like: panting, lagging, limping, scuffing nails, muscle tremors, losing interest in treats, refusing, sitting or lying down, or sloppy form. Rest days are fine.8

From the video

Three moves from the massage video that inspired this site. The first one has solid veterinary support; the other two need a professional to check your technique.

your hand work here no pressure

weight shifts backonto the hind legs

Step 1 · 1 min From the video

Head up, weight back

The video’s key point: an older dog’s head tends to drop, so keep it up. With the dog standing, rest a hand under the chin and bring the head gently up and back.1

A veterinary source supports the idea. Explaining raised food bowls, it says that holding the head where the spine stays neutral “will shift weight back on the pelvic limbs, which is actually a good form of exercise for dogs with pelvic limb [arthritis] (isometric strengthening).”2 Start with a few short holds and let the vet set the reps.

Watch for shaking legs, panting or wide eyes — stop and check with the vet.3
light support under the belly

Step 2 · 1 min From the video

Supported stand

In the video, the dog stands with its head up while a hand lightly supports the belly, “to help strengthen the core muscles.”1 Keep the support light enough that they’re still standing on all four feet.

We couldn’t find a veterinary source describing this exact exercise. Ask the vet or a rehab therapist before adding it.

slow, small, never forced

Step 3 · 1 min From the video

Seated shoulder stretch

With the dog sitting, one hand steadies the chest while the other eases a front leg a little forward “to stretch the shoulders.”1

Stretching a leg for a dog is called passive range of motion. Vets ask that a vet or rehab therapist show you the technique first, and that nothing ever be forced.4,5 In one study, owners stretching their dogs twice a day for three weeks improved joint motion, though active exercises are generally preferred.6

Vet-recommended basics

Common home exercises from veterinary rehabilitation sources.

gentle nudge, side to side

Step 1 · 1 min Vet-recommended

Weight shifting

With the dog standing square, press gently on one hip and then the other so they shift and re-balance. Do the same at the shoulders, then front to back. A treat can lure a small lean instead — just don’t let them sit.3

nose follows the treat — feet stay put

Step 2 · 1 min Vet-recommended

Cookie stretches

Hold a treat at the nose and slowly guide it toward the shoulder, the hip, or down between the front legs, while their feet stay planted.3 It works the neck, back and core without you touching a joint.

sit → stand, slowly

Step 3 · 1.5 min Vet-recommended

Sit to stand

Ask for a slow sit, then a stand. Start with 3–5 repetitions a few times a day and build gradually; the target for many dogs is 3 sets of 10–12 daily.7 Three-legged stands — gently lifting one leg for 3–5 seconds without squeezing the joint — are a next step once the vet approves.3

Walks count too

For dogs with arthritis, steady low-impact activity beats occasional big outings — think several short walks, like 10 minutes three times a day, rather than one long one.9,10 Skip ball-chasing and jumping down from furniture.9,10

Sources

  1. The dog-massage video that inspired this site — Social video (creator’s credentials unknown)
  2. Lifestyle Modifications — Kristin Shaw, DVM — Canine Arthritis Resources & Education (CARE)
  3. Exercises to Improve Proprioception — Krista Williams, DVM, CCRP — VCA Animal Hospitals
  4. Passive Range of Motion Exercises — Washington State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital
  5. Passive Range of Motion (discharge handout) — Veterinary Specialty Center
  6. Physiotherapy in dogs: techniques and evidence (Vet Sci, 2022) — Mille MA, et al.
  7. 5 Essential Therapeutic Exercises for Dogs with Osteoarthritis — Clinician’s Brief
  8. Therapeutic Exercise: Key Principles — Canine Arthritis Resources & Education (CARE)
  9. Exercising Dogs with Osteoarthritis — Krista Williams, DVM — VCA Animal Hospitals
  10. Activity Modifications — Canine Arthritis Resources & Education (CARE)

Sources checked September 2026. This guide is general education, not veterinary advice for a specific dog.