Meet Laurren & Her Canine Team

For this Active Dog Month feature, we’re spotlighting Laurren Bastian—Certified Canine Athlete Specialist and Certified Canine Strength & Conditioning Coach—who is widely recognized in the world of dog agility. As a multiple-time AKC World Team member and national champion, Laurren has built an impressive career working with high-performing canine athletes.

At home, she shares her life with seven dogs—six Border Collies and one Husky—named Dublin, Savage, Denali, Maestro, Sparx, Bantr, and Spectr. 

Laurren's Journey to Elite Competition

Laurren’s journey into agility started simply—after seeing the sport on TV, she gave it a try with a high-energy Labrador and quickly became hooked. From there, her passion grew into a career.

With a background in human orthopedics, she brought a unique perspective into the canine world. That foundation, combined with her certifications in canine fitness, has helped shape her approach to training and performance today. This summer, she’ll be competing at the European Open 2026 in France, continuing to perform at an elite level on the international stage.

Laurren is also the founder of Oakley Canine Athletics, a functional fitness company focused on the overall health and conditioning of canine athletes. Through her work, Laurren is dedicated to educating agility teams of all levels while providing personalized fitness training to help dogs reach their full potential. Her mission centers around developing strength, balance, body awareness, and overall conditioning to support both performance and long-term health.

A Training Philosophy Built on Strength

At the core of Laurren’s approach is a strong belief in the connection between fitness and performance. Her training philosophy focuses on creating consistent agility behaviors through targeted fitness exercises.

Rather than relying solely on repetition of agility courses, much of her weekly routine is centered around exercises that prepare her dogs physically for the sport. This approach helps keep training low-impact while reducing unnecessary strain on their bodies. By prioritizing proper conditioning, she aims to help her dogs stay strong, avoid burnout, and perform at their full potential.

Laurren also incorporates rest and recovery into her program. Her dogs get time off throughout the year, and she follows a tapering approach leading up to competitions—allowing them time to fully recover and recharge before performing.

The Importance of Muscle Health

One of the biggest takeaways from Laurren’s experience is just how important muscle health is—not only for agility dogs, but for all dogs.

Through her work, she’s seen how prioritizing strength and conditioning can support performance and longevity. She shared that she has used MYOS as part of her dogs’ routine for years and has noticed meaningful differences in their overall strength and ability to stay active over time. Even her oldest dog, at nine years old, continues to train and compete with impressive energy.

Advice for Everyday Dog Owners

While Laurren works with high-level canine athletes, her advice applies to all dog owners. She encourages people to be more intentional with how they engage their dogs—setting aside even just 10–15 minutes a day for purposeful exercises that support both physical strength and mental engagement.

While it can be challenging to fit into busy schedules, she emphasizes that this time can make a meaningful difference—not only for a dog’s long-term health, but also for strengthening the bond between dog and owner.

Laurren’s approach is a powerful reminder that building strong, healthy dogs goes beyond the sport itself. Whether competing on the world stage or enjoying everyday activities, prioritizing fitness, recovery, and muscle health can help dogs live active, capable lives for years to come!