Canine Sports
Finding Yor Dog’s Inner Athlete
By Jaime Van Wye
Canine sports have grown in popularity in the past twenty years and now there are many from which to choose. So when the only competition your dog might have faced was who got the best spot on the couch, participating in canine sports could be a fun activity for you both.
A WIN-WIN SITUATION
Getting your dog involved in a sport is great for his physical and mental health. Increased muscle tone and strength can help your dog maintain a healthy weight and prevent injuries. Obesity in dogs is linked to many health problems and can be helped with a solid exercise program. Participating in a dog sport can also be beneficial for you. Getting your dog over jumps or catching Frisbees will get your heart pumping as well.
Participating in a canine sport can have positive benefits on your dog’s behavior too. Many people decide to get their dog involved in a sport because the dog is, quite frankly, driving them crazy. Dogs that are “busy” need mental stimulation or they’ll quickly invent their own — which may be digging holes in your yard or chewing up all your shoes.
While sports are not a cure-all for behavior problems, many people that participate in dog sports report that their dogs are generally more responsive and focused. Because most sports require that you communicate with your dog using commands such as “jump this” and “catch that,” this ability to direct your dog definitely seems to cross over into everyday life.
In addition to the mental exercise that structured activity provides, the physical exertion does two things for behavior: It releases endorphins in your dog’s limbic system, which can help your dog feel less frustrated and happier, and perhaps more importantly, it tires them out. “A tired dog is a good dog” is the mantra of so many dog trainers for a reason. The focus required to complete tasks seems to work double-duty to exhaust them; your dog exerts more effort to concentrate on a sport than he does just running wild at the dog park.
MAKING THE BEST CHOICE
It’s critical to find the right sport for you and your dog in order to really get the most benefit. If you’re both not enjoying yourself, why do it? Luckily, there are tons of options out there. Depending on your dog’s temperament, he or she may have an affinity for certain specialty sports.
Agility appeals to many people because it’s fast, fun, and even beginner dogs can have a blast on the course. You work in tandem with your dog to guide them over and around obstacles, which are raised or lowered depending upon your dog’s size. The caveat to this is that it’s done completely off leash, which means you’ll use your voice and body language to communicate to your dog where to go. While off leash control may seem like a distant dream to many dog guardians, starting with a basic agility class can help you focus your dog and develop distance commands. Group classes are available for about the same amount of money that you’d spend on obedience classes, and while you could start agility training in your backyard with a jump or two, specialized equipment will mean you’ll have to work with a training center to learn all the obstacles.
Frisbee, or disc dog, probably requires the least amount of equipment to start. You just need a flying disc toy, like a Frisbee, and a dog that will chase one. You can easily start your dog in your backyard or a local park. As you start to get the hang of it, enroll in a class or attend a seminar to fine-tune your skills. Border Collies, Retrievers, and other “ball-crazy” dogs do especially well at disc dog. High-level competitors have complicated routines that involve spinning, twirling and multiple discs. Some even participate in halftime shows at football games.
Herding — yes, sheep — is a great activity for dogs with an inclination to control the world around them. Shepherds, working dogs and herding breeds all seem to enjoy it. While certainly some dogs have a genetic predisposition to herding, like Collies and Shelties, you may not realize that other breeds like the Rottweiler excel. Herding normally requires that you visit a herding trainer that will help you and your dog learn how to safely herd livestock, normally sheep or goats. Costs vary to get involved, but count on traveling to locations where keeping livestock is permitted.
IT’S NOT WHETHER YOU WIN OR LOSE
Participating in sports does not necessarily mean that you have to compete, although many people love the thrill of competition. Dog competitions are held on weekends and require registration in advance through the organizer, usually at least four weeks ahead of time. At one time, many dog competitions were limited to pure breeds, but mixed breeds are permitted in many competitions now. The American Kennel Club just passed regulations allowing mixed-breed dogs to compete in agility, tracking, obedience and other nonconformation events. (Conformation measures the dog according to breed standard, like at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.)
The drawback to competing for many is cost and travel time. Competitors who get the bug soon find themselves driving all over the state to attend events, which can quickly exhaust your bank account. However, many competitors make great friends within the dog community and quickly find a social niche with like-minded individuals. For those that want to keep the competition low-key, fun matches are often held locally involving less pressure and less cost. Some agility groups hold competitions where every dog is a winner and gets a blue ribbon to take home.
STARTING OFF ON THE RIGHT FOOT
Before getting started in any sport, make sure that your dog (and you) are healthy enough to participate. If your dog hasn’t had a physical exam in the last year, take your dog to the veterinarian for an annual work-up. You should also inquire about vaccines that might be required, since participating in a sport might put your dog in contact with a lot of other dogs and their concomitant germs. If your dog has ever been injured, make sure that he or she is completely healed before attempting new activities.
Young puppies should participate in programs where the emphasis is on building a bond with you and on developing their balance, coordination and self-confidence, not on creating an uberpup. Puppies need time to grow and mature, so a solid foundation of fun should underlie any sport work with them. Some training centers have special puppy classes that take into account the immaturity of both personality and growing joints. Be careful not to tax your puppy too much too soon, but exposing your young dog to new experiences is an excellent way to continue socialization.
Similarly, owners of older dogs should approach new sports carefully, making sure that increased or novel exercise isn’t causing injuries. Some dog sports, like tracking (where the dog follows a scent trail), are excellent low-impact activities for older dogs.
Whatever breed, age or size of your dog, participating in a sport will enrich your dog’s life. Plus, you’ll benefit by developing a true working bond with your dog. Who knows, maybe your canine athlete will be a champ someday.
MORE SPORTS
» DOCK DIVING – Made for ball-crazy dogs that don’t mind getting wet. Competitors leap off a dock after a toy thrown into the water, and the longest jump wins.
www.dockdogs.com, www.splashdogs.com
» LURE COURSING – An ancient dog sport dating back thousands of years. These days, a mechanical lure is whipped around a field, and dogs chase it with the fastest dog declared the winner. www.asfa.org
» FLYBALL – Dogs clear small hurdles to hit a flyball box, which pops a ball into the air. Quick dogs grab this and run it back to the start over the hurdles, and the next dog goes. www.flyballdogs.com
» RALLY OBEDIENCE – Competitors guide dogs through a course to perform obedience exercises like turns, down-stays, and heeling. Polish up your obedience skills with this sport. www.apdt.com/po/rally
» EARTHDOG – Small dogs originally bred to “go to ground” after game like raccoons compete by using their senses in the dark to follow an underground maze to reach a prize. www.dirt-dog.com
Jaime Van Wye is a Certified Master Dog Trainer and the owner and founder of the Zoom Room, a dog training franchise specializing in obedience and agility based out of Los Angeles. She is also the Dog Daycare chair for the Pet Care Services Association. www.zoomroomonline.com.
