10 Sports You Can Do With Your Dog

Dog sports are a wonderful way to bond with your dog and provide physical activity and mental stimulation. There is a dog sport to suit pretty much any breed and owner personality. Some sports are competitive, some just for fun, some entertain while others are solely for you and your dog. Below is a comprehensive list of the dog sports that are out there and a description of each. 

AGILITY

Canine Agility is a competitive sport that takes place within an obstacle course. Dogs are trained to go over jumps, through tunnels, across off-the-ground walkways, all in a specific order. Each step of the way the dog is guided by its handler. Speed plays a part in the competition but accuracy in completing the obstacles is paramount. Agility is an excellent form of exercise as well as bond building between owner and dog. Titles and prizes can be won when competing in agility. All breeds can do agility but high energy breeds such as border collies, Australian Shepherds, and jack russel terriers especially excel in agility. 

CANINE FREESTYLE 

Canine Freestyle is basically doggie dancing. Movements of the dog/ handler team are choreographed to music much like a dance. Routines typically involve spins, twists, turns, jumps, and weaves all in time to music. The dog learns individual "moves" and then they are linked together to form the dance. This is a great activity for owners and dogs who are creative and love to perform and entertain. Many therapy dog groups do canine freestyle routines for nursing homes, schools, and other organizations. Any breed of dog can learn to enjoy canine freestyle. 

DOCK DIVING

Dock diving is where dogs jump off a dock into a pool of water in the attempt to achieve the greatest distance or height. Dock Diving is the doggie equivalent to the human long jump or high jump. The handler throws a toy off the end of the dock to encourage the dog to jump as far away as possible. Distance is measured where the tail base meets the water. This sport is great for dogs who love the water such as Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, Chesapeake Bay Retrievers and Portuguese Water Dogs but any water loving breed can enjoy this sport. 

FLYBALL

The sport of flyball is a relay race where a team of 4 dogs race one at a time over jumps to retrieve a ball from a "flyball box" and race back to give the ball to its handler. Once one dog has returned back with the ball the next dog is released from the starting line. The first team to have all 4 dogs finish the course wins. Any breed of dog that loves balls can play this game. 

LURE COURSING

Lure coursing is a fast paced chase sport. Dogs chase an artificial "lure", usually a white cloth or plastic bag, across a field. It can be a straight run (Fast CAT) or it could weave around in various patterns. This is traditionally a sport for sighthounds such as greyhounds, whippets, Saluki or Rhodesian Rodgebacks but all-breed lure coursing is becoming more popular. It's an ideal activity for dogs who love to chase. 

RALLY OBEDIENCE 

In Rally Obedience a dog/ handler team completes a course made up of signs describing specific obedience exercises to perform. Judges design the course and observe as teams swiftly navigate the course. A score is given based on the number of errors made. Dogs need to have an excellent heel command  and knowledge of basic to advanced obedience skills. Rally is typically open to all breeds. Trials have several levels from Novice to Champion. 

TRACKING

Tracking is an activity in which the dog follows a scent trail that has been laid out. This is a great activity for dogs who love to search and find and use their keen sense of smell. These events mimic search-and-rescue missions and can lead to real life search and rescue work. Popular breeds for tracking include beagles, bloodhounds, and coonhounds

CARTING

Carting is a sport where dogs pull a cart filled with various items or weights. The handler guides the dog pulling the cart through a course to showcase the dogs skill and strength. Carting can be done by all breeds but is especially popular for large breeds such as Mastiffs, Rottweilers, St Bernards, and Bernese Mt Dogs. 

DISC DOG

Disc dog is also called "Frisbee dog" and it's exactly what it sounds like. The dog is trained to catch a flying disc thrown by the handler. Some competitions measure distance a dog can catch a disc, some are the number of discs a dog can catch in a certain time frame, others allow freestyle choreography to see how well a dog and handler can work together. Any breed of dog can participate in disc dog but Australian Cattle Dogs, border collies and Australian Shepherds are frequently seen competing in this sport. 

EARTHDOG

Earth dog is a hunting sport largely popular with terrier breeds. Dogs navigate a maze of man-made tunnels and dens to find "vermin", usually a rat in a cage. The sport tests the dog's natural ability to use its nose to hunt and find the rat at the end of the course. Neither the dogs or rats are in danger in this sport, they do not come in contact with each other. There are various levels from introductory to master. 

The above sports are just the start of what is available in activities to do with your dog. There are also herding trials, Canicross (owner/dog cross country running ), sled dog racing, schutzhund (protection dog work), and many others. If you are interested in getting involved with any of these canine sports contact a local dog training facility near you. Many offer classes to teach the skills needed to participate in these canine sports. Or ask your veterinarian if they can point you in the right direction. A quick internet search can provide you with some local resources also. 

❤ Katie Watterson

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Don't forget to catch Katie's blog from last week: https://www.homemadepuppies.com/basic-dog-grooming-for-all-coat-types

*As always Katie's advice is on this blog are only meant to be used as tips and should never replace your veterinarian's advice. Always consult your veterinarian regarding your dog's health.