There are many sports activities that you can do with your pet. Some of these activities may come naturally to your dog and require little to no training. Some of them will require you to put in a little more work. Either way, spending time with your dog enriches our lives. Teaching our children to respect and care for animals is a priceless lesson. I am not endorsing any of these specific organizations or activities, but merely letting you know they are out there. Always compete with an eye for safety, some activities are not advisable for dogs with certain handicaps. For example, if your dog is a tripod don't make him run.
Barn Hunt is a race within an enclosed barn type building. The dogs are looking for a rat that is hidden inside of a PVC tube where it does not get hurt when found. This game is easier for those crittering dogs that love to dig up the yard looking for moles. Any breed is welcome, and titles are available through the governing organization. The first level is just going to see if you can read your dog, its an instinct test. You take your dog into a small fenced area with bails of hay and there are three tubes, one with a rat, one with rat bedding, and one that is empty. Your dog might do directly to the rat or you may have to direct them to each and see if the presence of the rat gets any reactions, even as slight as a change of breathing. If you get it right then you move on to looking for rats hidden among bails of hay. One of the requirements is that your dog go through a tunnel created by the bails. Their website has a calnder that lists clinics where you can train a little.
*I've done two instinct tests. One was a pass and one was a miss. For the dog that missed I would need more training to understand her cues that she found a rat. Both of them are critter dogs, but motion and scent are different. Keep that in mind. A dog that loves squirrels loves the chase, this is not a chase game.
*I've done two instinct tests. One was a pass and one was a miss. For the dog that missed I would need more training to understand her cues that she found a rat. Both of them are critter dogs, but motion and scent are different. Keep that in mind. A dog that loves squirrels loves the chase, this is not a chase game.
Lure coursing is a race to catch a plastic bag type object being pulled around a track on a wire. This is a sight hounds favorite game. Its really meant to mimic chasing small game, although no bunnies are involved. There is a lure instict level, so you don't have to go all in to decide if you dog will do this. You should also be sure that you condition your dog first. Because this is a sprint with sharp turns an unconditioned dog can get injured. I have not competed in this.
There are 3 well known Dock Diving organizations, DockDogs, Ultimate Airdogs, and NADD. The link provided is for NADD because they partner with the AKC. But you can google the others to find an event closest to you. Ultimate Air Dogs partners with the UKC. DockDogs stands alone as the original organization and they will provide you with much more access to competitions than the other two. Dock diving is simply letting your dog jump from a dock into water after a toy. Its super easy for many water oriented dogs.
*My personal opinion is not to start with DockDogs. They cost $50 annually just to be a member, and then the waves (which means 2 jumps) are $28-30. Its very expensive. In return you get a nice big pool to jump in and a name brand, but they blast music at you and its hard for dogs, and people, to hear. If your dog is the least bit nervous they will likely not enjoy the venue as they encourage cheering DURING the jump. There is only one handler allowed on deck. In the other two venues, NADD and UAD you may have two people on the deck. So if you dog sucks at a stay, someone can hold them. Both are cheaper, NADD is a one time registration fee and $20-$25 per splash (2 jumps which you can do back to back). If you are just finding out if your dog will jump you can go and get practice time on the dock before the competition.
*My personal opinion is not to start with DockDogs. They cost $50 annually just to be a member, and then the waves (which means 2 jumps) are $28-30. Its very expensive. In return you get a nice big pool to jump in and a name brand, but they blast music at you and its hard for dogs, and people, to hear. If your dog is the least bit nervous they will likely not enjoy the venue as they encourage cheering DURING the jump. There is only one handler allowed on deck. In the other two venues, NADD and UAD you may have two people on the deck. So if you dog sucks at a stay, someone can hold them. Both are cheaper, NADD is a one time registration fee and $20-$25 per splash (2 jumps which you can do back to back). If you are just finding out if your dog will jump you can go and get practice time on the dock before the competition.
Weight pull is a UKC event. From the link you can find where events are being held near you, and what clubs may be in the area. This sport is more popular for muscular dogs, but even tiny dogs have done it. Be aware that this is the type of activity that can cause injury is done wrong, or if the dog is not conditioned for it. Bully breeds are more commonly seen in this venue but even tiny poodles have done it. You will need a special harness designed for pulling weight. This is really not a sport you can train on your own since there is no much specialized equipment. Find a weight pull club to see the specifics. I have not competed in this.
Canine freestyle is a choreographed routine, like dancing, with your dog. There are certain moves that must be completed and the rest is just up to you and the music. Its fun to watch even if you don't compete. But it brings together obedience and creativity. Dogs that are good at this need focus, precisions, and like to move. Its complicated, and a lot of backchaining. But the choreography is meant to cue the dog as to what they should do. There are TONS of videos on youtube. They will make you jealous, but remember. This is hard stuff. I have not competed in this.
Treiball is a herding game using large inflatable balls, like for yoga. You train the dog to follow hand commands and push certain balls with their nose through a goal. Its great for herding breeds, and doesn't have the inherent danger or difficulty of herding livestock. There are not many clubs for this. But if you can teach a contact and get a yoga ball you can start in your living room. Even if you don't compete, pushing a ball around the yard will be a good activity. I have not personally competed in this.
Nosework is meant to mimic the scenting skills of detection dogs. Make no mistake, this is not the grueling experience of search and rescue. Not even close. But dogs that like to use their nose will enjoy locating the scents of Birch, Anise, and Clove hidden in various scenerios. The first level is an Odor Recognition Test (ORT) that proves you can tell when you dog has reached the odor. You must pass an ORT for each scent before attending a trail. Trials are competitive for space. It often takes a year for people to be ready. But this can be a good outlet for even aggresive dogs because they compete in an enclosed area, often on leash, and there are no other dogs around. The best way to start is to find a trainer and attend a beginner course. The beginner course just introduces your dog to searching, it is not an introduction to odor. The designers for this program have developed very specific guidelines for training, and thus trainers must pass their course and teach in exactly the same fashion. The club requires an annual fee for you, but only a one time fee for the dog. The cost per NACSW NW1 varies, and is usually around $25. But as you get better they begin to charge $150 per trial, which is a lot for sure. Other organizations such as UKC do not charge as much but may also use different scents. So look very carefully at whether trials are even held near you and how much they cost.
*You will spend more in the training classes than the competition, but you will have learned a lot about your dog and become a better team. I have competed in this with a live SAR dog that needed something to do while I was not on a SAR team. The people are generally very nice. There is some aspect of socializing but not after you run the course. You are not to tip people off as to where the sources are because they stay the same through the whole competition day. One other problem you may encounter is that they initially train by putting food with the scent and then later remove the food and use food as a distraction. This is not the best way to train a dog to search, but just be aware you will have to train your dog to do something and then untrain them.
*You will spend more in the training classes than the competition, but you will have learned a lot about your dog and become a better team. I have competed in this with a live SAR dog that needed something to do while I was not on a SAR team. The people are generally very nice. There is some aspect of socializing but not after you run the course. You are not to tip people off as to where the sources are because they stay the same through the whole competition day. One other problem you may encounter is that they initially train by putting food with the scent and then later remove the food and use food as a distraction. This is not the best way to train a dog to search, but just be aware you will have to train your dog to do something and then untrain them.
Geocaching is not a "dog activity" per se, but it is a way to get out and about with your dog. I took up geocaching as a way to amuse myself while I had to hike a long time to burn off dog energy. Walking around in circles for an hour is not fun for me. So geocahing provided me with a focus while I was excersing the dogs. And it takes you to some cool places. Essentially, there are little boxes of various sizes hidden all over the world. There is probably one within a mile of you now. You can use a GPS or an app on your phone to help you find it. This is a free game, by the way, but you can always upgrade to a membership that gives you more hides. You find the hidden box and sign the log. If you want to keep one of the trinkets that are in the box you can, just replace it with something else. Then you log the find on your app or computer. That's it. Its a treasure hunt while walking the dogs. I highly recommend it. Kids love it to. Its a family activity that gets the dogs out for a walk. What have you got to lose?
