CAN DOGS GET DOMS? Muscle Soreness, Recovery & Performance Explained
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- 6 min read
CAN DOGS GET DOMS?
Yes, dogs can experience muscle soreness after exercise, and evidence from veterinary rehabilitation and canine sports medicine suggests that dogs can develop a form of Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) similar to that seen in humans.
While dogs can't tell us they're sore, their muscles respond to exercise in remarkably similar ways to ours.
For working dogs, agility competitors, protection dogs, canicross athletes, and highly active family pets, understanding muscle recovery may be just as important as understanding training itself.
WHAT IS DOMS?
DOMS stands for Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness.
Unlike the burning sensation felt during exercise, DOMS develops hours later and typically becomes most noticeable between 24 and 72 hours after strenuous or unfamiliar activity. It is associated with temporary muscle stiffness, tenderness, reduced performance, and discomfort during movement.
For years, people believed DOMS was caused by lactic acid build-up. Modern research has largely disproven this theory. Instead, DOMS is now linked to microscopic muscle damage, inflammation, and the body's natural repair processes following exercise.
CAN DOGS REALLY GET DOMS?
The short answer is yes.
Veterinary rehabilitation specialists specifically acknowledge that dogs can develop DOMS following exercise, particularly when activity levels increase rapidly or when dogs perform unfamiliar movements. DOMS has been observed in rehabilitation settings, sporting dogs, and canine athletes undergoing conditioning programmes.
Dogs possess the same basic muscle structures as humans. When muscles are challenged beyond their current level of conditioning, tiny microscopic tears occur within muscle fibres. During recovery, the body repairs these fibres, helping muscles become stronger and more resilient.
WHICH DOGS ARE MOST AT RISK?
DOMS can potentially affect any dog, but it is more commonly seen in:
Agility Dogs
Frequent jumping, turning, sprinting and sudden acceleration place significant stress on muscles.
Working Dogs
Police, military, protection and search-and-rescue dogs often perform explosive movements repeatedly.
Sporting Dogs
Flyball, canicross, dock diving and lure coursing place high demands on the musculoskeletal system.
Weekend Warriors
Dogs that are normally sedentary but suddenly undertake a long hike or intense play session.
Senior Dogs
Age-related muscle loss and slower recovery can make soreness more noticeable.
Rehabilitation Dogs
Dogs returning from injury may experience soreness when workloads increase too quickly.
SIGNS YOUR DOG MAY BE EXPERIENCING DOMS
Unlike humans, dogs won't tell you their legs feel heavy.
Instead, watch for:
✔ Stiffness when getting up
✔ Reluctance to jump into vehicles
✔ Reduced enthusiasm for exercise
✔ Slower movement than normal
✔ Mild lameness that improves with movement
✔ Changes in posture
✔ Increased sleeping
✔ Sensitivity when muscles are touched
✔ Reduced athletic performance
These symptoms often appear the day after exercise and can peak around 24–48 hours later.
DOMS VS INJURY: KNOW THE DIFFERENCE
This distinction is extremely important.
DOMS Usually Causes:
General stiffness
Mild soreness
Temporary reduction in performance
Improvement within a few days
Injury May Cause:
Severe limping
Swelling
Significant pain
Refusal to bear weight
Symptoms that worsen rather than improve
If you suspect an injury, veterinary assessment is essential.
WHAT DOES THE LATEST RESEARCH TELL US?
Recent research continues to support the theory that DOMS is linked to muscle microdamage and inflammatory signalling rather than lactic acid accumulation.
A 2023 study investigating exercise-induced muscle soreness found increased activity of nerve growth factor (NGF) following eccentric exercise and identified this as a likely contributor to DOMS development. The study also demonstrated the well-known "repeated bout effect," where muscles become more resistant to soreness after adapting to a particular exercise stimulus.
This is highly relevant for canine athletes.
Dogs that gradually build conditioning generally recover better and experience less soreness than dogs exposed to sudden increases in workload.
WHY RECOVERY IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS TRAINING
Many owners focus exclusively on exercise.
Elite trainers focus equally on recovery.
Every hard training session creates stress within the body. Adaptation occurs during recovery, not during exercise itself.
Without adequate recovery, dogs may experience:
❌ Reduced performance
❌ Increased fatigue
❌ Higher injury risk
❌ Slower muscle repair
❌ Reduced motivation
Proper recovery allows muscles to rebuild stronger and more resilient than before.
THE ROLE OF PROTEIN IN MUSCLE RECOVERY
Protein plays a critical role in maintaining and repairing muscle tissue.
Canine sports nutrition experts note that active dogs have greater protein requirements than sedentary dogs because exercise increases muscle protein turnover. During and after activity, muscles continuously break down and rebuild. Adequate dietary protein provides the amino acids required for this process.
High-quality protein sources support:
✔ Muscle maintenance
✔ Recovery
✔ Lean muscle development
✔ Exercise adaptation
✔ Performance
The Kennel Club notes that active dogs often benefit from diets containing at least 26% protein or higher depending on workload and individual needs.
WHAT ABOUT BCAAS?
Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) include:
Leucine
Isoleucine
Valine
These amino acids play important roles in muscle metabolism and recovery.
Human sports science research has repeatedly shown that BCAA supplementation can support recovery from muscle-damaging exercise and may reduce markers of soreness in some situations.
While canine-specific BCAA research remains limited, the biological role of amino acids in muscle repair is well established.
HOW TO REDUCE THE RISK OF DOMS IN DOGS
Build Fitness Gradually
The single most effective strategy.
Avoid sudden increases in:
Distance
Duration
Intensity
Jumping volume
Sprint work
Prioritise Recovery Days
Rest is not laziness.
Rest is where adaptation happens.
Feed An Appropriate Diet
Athletic dogs require nutrition that matches their workload.
Quality protein is particularly important.
Maintain Hydration
Even mild dehydration can negatively affect performance and recovery.
Keep Dogs Lean
Excess body weight increases stress on muscles, tendons and joints.
Warm Up Before Exercise
Progressively increasing activity before intense exercise can help prepare muscles for work.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Yes, dogs can develop a form of Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS).
The evidence from veterinary rehabilitation, canine sports medicine, and exercise physiology supports the idea that dogs experience muscle soreness following unfamiliar or intense exercise in much the same way humans do.
For most healthy dogs, mild soreness is a normal part of adaptation and conditioning.
The key is balancing training with recovery, proper nutrition, hydration, and gradual progression.
Because stronger dogs aren't built during exercise.
They're built during recovery.
ADVANCED ANIMAL CARE PERFORMANCE NUTRITION FOR ACTIVE DOGS
For owners of agility, sporting, working and highly active dogs, meeting increased nutritional demands can sometimes require more than a standard maintenance diet.
The Advanced Animal Care Hench Range has been developed to provide additional nutritional support for muscle maintenance, recovery and overall performance in active dogs.
JACKEDBITE TRAINING CHEWS
JackedBite Training Chews are formulated with approximately 35% protein from quality protein sources, alongside a comprehensive amino acid profile including naturally occurring Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs).
Key features include:
✔ High protein content
✔ Essential amino acids
✔ BCAA support
✔ Added vitamins and minerals
✔ Convenient daily chew format
For agility, sporting and working dogs, protein and amino acids are essential components involved in normal muscle maintenance and repair following exercise.
JAYFUEL HIGH GRADE PROTEIN
For dogs with higher activity levels, Jay Fuel High Grade Protein provides an additional source of quality protein designed to complement a balanced diet.
Protein contributes to:
✔ Maintenance of lean muscle mass
✔ Recovery following exercise
✔ Normal growth and repair of body tissues
✔ Ongoing conditioning programmes
Jay Fuel can be particularly useful during periods of increased training, competition schedules or rehabilitation programmes where nutritional demands may be elevated.
EMPOWER MAXIMUM MUSCLE SUPPORT
Empower Maximum Muscle has been developed for dogs requiring additional support for maintaining condition, muscle mass and overall physical development.
Suitable for:
✔ Working dogs
✔ Sporting dogs
✔ Active companion dogs
✔ Senior dogs experiencing age-related muscle loss
✔ Dogs returning to exercise after periods of reduced activity
Maintaining healthy muscle mass is important for strength, mobility and long-term physical wellbeing.
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NUTRITION ALONE IS NOT ENOUGH
While supplements can help support nutritional intake, they should always be viewed as part of a complete performance programme.
The foundations of canine performance remain:
✔ Appropriate training
✔ Adequate recovery
✔ Quality nutrition
✔ Proper hydration
✔ Veterinary care
✔ Gradual conditioning
When combined with sensible training and recovery practices, nutritional support products such as the Advanced Animal Care Hench Range can help active dogs meet the demands of training and competition.
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