What Sports Can You Do with Your Dog?

Sports with a dog is a great opportunity to get to know your pet better, establish contact with him and improve both his physical condition and your own. Even people who once had doubts about such activities, once they begin, fall in love with sports and usually do them for many years. Today there are many kinds of sports for dogs, and every year there are more and more of them. We will not describe all the varieties, but we will discuss the most popular activities. 

Getting Started in Dog Agility

Dog agility is a dynamic sport in which it is important to not only show agility but the ability to work in a man-dog team. The main task is to overcome the track with contact and non-contact obstacles faster than others (about 20 types of obstacles are present: tunnels, barriers, swings, slaloms, etc.). Without a leash and collar, receiving only voice commands without tactile reinforcement and food reward, the dog demonstrates an excellent understanding of a person at a glance. Any dog, including mongrel dogs, can practice this sport. Height, weight and age are not limited, but the best results are shown by active dogs that are not obese and have a light constitution. Puppies and dogs with an elongated body (dachshunds, basset hounds) are not recommended for training, since sudden or awkward movements can cause a pinched nerve.

Freestyle Canine Training

The most artistic dog wins in these competitions. Movement to music, charisma, and courage - these are the criteria that distinguish freestyle from other dog sports. It is ideal for poodles, mittel schnauzers, miniature schnauzers, and fox terriers - medium-sized, artistic breeds endowed with good musical abilities and quick reactions. Freestyle kennel is a team sport, so regular exercise will help you and your dog understand each other better.

Teaching Your Dog How to Play Frisbee

This sport consists of catching a plastic disc on the fly. This is a wonderful, democratic sport for dogs who love lots of activity. It does not require special financial investments and conditions for training, and gives a lot of pleasure, both to the owner of the four-legged athlete and to the animal. Frisbee allows the dog to play his favorite game "fetch" while maintaining excellent physical shape. Dog breeds for Frisbee sports are active, traditionally jumping, and do not have much mass. Excellent results are shown by temperamental dogs: border collies, Australian shepherds, fox terriers. Frisbee will be difficult for obese dogs with a shortened jaw. It is recommended to start the first training sessions after the complete formation of the dog's musculoskeletal system.

New Dog Sport - Pitch and Go

Pitch and Go is about bringing an object to different areas of the site. For 90 seconds in the individual competition, it is necessary to complete as many throws and assists as possible. Unlike a frisbee, a dog does not bring a plastic disc, but balls or special items for retrieval. The sport is intended for dogs of all breeds and ages, who are in sufficient physical condition for training. In turn, in a person, he develops accuracy and the ability to get into the right, highly rated zones. To be successful in a competition, it is necessary to teach the dog to perfectly execute the command "Aport" with the supply of the object to the hand of the handler. The best results are achieved by the team in which excellent mutual understanding is achieved and where the dog follows commands quickly and without question.

Flyball: A Dog Sport for All Breeds

Flyball is a team type of competition, which consists of overcoming obstacles with barriers with and without a shady ball, alternately by 4 participating dogs. The peculiarity of this sport lies in the ability to coordinate the actions of four-legged athletes and to organize their performance smoothly, without mistakes. This sport is suitable for active, temperamental, but obedient breeds, regardless of their size: terriers, border collies, whippets, poodles (including miniature ones). Mixed dogs are also allowed to participate.

Weight Pulling Is a Fun Dog Sport 

Weight pulling is the movement of a load with the help of a dog. According to the rules of this sport, any breed of dog is allowed. However, to move the cart, the dog must have massive, well-developed bones, have a proportional build, large paws, and a strong back and chest. The psychological characteristics of the animal are also important: resistance to stress, reduced excitability and good contact with the owner. In weight pulling , Staffordshire Terriers, American Bulldogs, and Pit Bulls show good results. Such sports contribute to the development of strength, dexterity and the ability to immediately respond to handler commands.

Canicross - Fun with Running

Canicross is a team run on straight or rough terrain. The owner, running behind his pet, controls the dog without the help of a leash - exclusively by voice commands. Initially, the canicross was just a temporary replacement for the sled dog breed and served to keep sled dogs fit in the summer. However, over time, it became a separate discipline. The canicross is suitable for breeds with endurance to travel long distances while being contact and obedient. In addition, the dog should not be long-haired - they have a hard time being in the sun. Most often, huskies and malamutes can be found in canicross competitions.

Lure Coursing for Dogs

Coursing is a hunt for mechanical bait. This sport is predictably intended for hunting dogs, mainly greyhounds. But representatives of other breeds are also allowed to participate. In such competitions, the speed, agility, ingenuity and endurance of the pet are evaluated.

Winter Sports to Enjoy with Your Dog

Winter sports traditionally include skijoring, ski pulling and sled racing. There are no breed restrictions here either. The main thing is that the dog is obedient, strong and not afraid of extreme winter conditions. Although, of course, the most popular athletes are northern dogs. However, various breeds often show themselves as excellent sled dogs.

Summer Racing

Summer sports are bikejoring, dog-karting and dog-scootering. They are similar in principle to winter sports. So, bikejoring is a bicycle race with a dog, dog-karting is a cart race pulled by dogs, and scootering is a special scooter.

With love to your dogs, DogRook!