Skip to main content

Dog Sports

Dog sports are a wonderful way to keep your dog working and to make some other dog friends!  Most dog sports have dogs work one on one with their handler to keep the dog focused and able to do what they are practicing.  If you have a reactive dog, these sports a lot of times are great to help build confidence around other dogs without being in direct contact!
Courtesy of google.ca

 Agility: great for high energy dogs!  If you have a high energy dog that gets way too aroused (excited) I would suggest staying away from agility as it has a tendency to amp them up.  My dog Tux would be a horrible candidate for agility because of his over excitability.

You also want to be careful introducing puppies to agility.  You need to make sure that you find a good foundation class that won't let the puppy put too much stress on their growing joints and muscles.  Often times I suggest you wait until your pup is done growing before introducing them to the sport of agility.

Calgary Canine Center - agility and nosework classes available
Superdogs - agility and nosework classes available




Courtesy of google.ca



Nose work: a great way to help your dog focus on finding individual scents.  Classes for nose work will start off with foundation work before expecting your dog to be able to pick out a certain smell from a row of boxes.  Nose work is low impact, so even puppies can do this one!  If you have an unruly pup, getting them into some kind of dog sport is a great way to channel their energy!








Courtesy of google.ca
Weight Pull: great for dogs who have lots of energy but can't be over stimulated!  This is one that Tux loves!  He has been able to build muscle and tone his body to a nice healthy looking physique.  Weight pull is also great for younger dogs who are still developing.  Make sure that your weight pull instructor knows how old your pup is and they should adjust for the growing pups!  We go out to the Western Canada Pull Club as regularly as we can.  We also have created a cart to have Tux pull weight in the back field and have some plate weights that he will drag longer distances for endurance.

WCPC (Western Canada Pull Club) - first three classes are no charge to figure out if your dog is going to like the sport!



Courtesy of google.ca




Barn Hunt: a wonderful outlet for all those ratting terriers!  I don't know much about this, but I have heard it is a blast!  Again, any breed can try and succeed at this sport - give it a try and see if your dog loves it!

Barn Hunt Association - more information on the sport and how to get into it







Courtesy of google.ca


Frisbee: any dog can learn how to catch a frisbee!  Except my boys apparently.  As long as you start your dog off slow and teach them how to chase and retrieve the frisbee for you, they should be able to do tricks to catch it eventually.  Probably not the best for those dogs that get too over excited.

All Canadian Disc Dog - your reference for everything frisbee in Canada!





Courtesy of google.ca

Herding: usually left to those natural herding breeds like Australian shepherds, Rottweilers or cattle dogs, but I'm sure any breed could give it a go!  If your dog is a natural, they will get right in there and move the sheep around.  Once you know your dog will heard, you can train signals in order to direct your dog into where you want them to drive the heard.

Phantom Ridge Boarder Collies - offering stock dog training for all breeds (south of Calgary)






Courtesy of google.ca


Dock Diving: Amazing for any breed!  You use what your dog loves to chase, and throw it out over a pool!  Some dogs take a while to get used to jumping into the water, others love it and thrive with chasing a toy into the pool!

Sleep Rover - offering introduction and dock diving training









There are many other dog sports that you could enroll your dog in, these are just a few of the more common ones!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Nipping

All puppies are going to go through a stage of nipping.  Puppies don't have hands to help them explore the world around them, so naturally they are going to grab, taste and tug on anything new that is introduced to them.  Their mouth is their hands, so we need to help them understand from a young age what is acceptable to put their mouth on and what is not.  Please note that nipping may become worse around teething time as it is uncomfortable for the pup to grow in those adult teeth.  Refer to our post on Puppy Teething and how to help minimize the nipping with management of their pain. Some puppies will go through a more intense period because of their genetics.  Dog breeds that are a working breed are more likely to have a more intense nip stage.  Examples: herding dogs: boarder collies, Australian shepherds, cattle dogs, etc; working dogs: German Shepherds, Malinois, Belgian Shepherds, etc. There are a few different methods that we can try to help your pup understand that
Post a Comment
Read more

Different Types of Collars

You may go to the store to get your dog a new collar and become overwhelmed from the selection.  In this post I will outline the general use and position of each collar, whether to use it on a puppy or not, and why there are so many different styles. Flat Collar Flat collars are your regular, every day, tag holding collars.  If your dog isn't a puller or has learned not to pull, these are perfectly fine to use on a walk.  If your dog does pull on a walk, a flat collar is not going to help you any. Harnesses There are many different types of harnesses available on the market.  Step through harnesses, buckle around the barrel harnesses, mesh harnesses, the list goes on!  Harnesses are good for brachycephalic breeds that have trouble breathing or any dog with issues with their trachea.  Generally, we don't suggest putting your dog on a harness for your every day walks because it gives them more ability to pull you around, but sometimes a harness is necessary.
Post a Comment
Read more

Why We Don't Use Retractable Leashes

If your dog pulls you all over the place when you go on a walk, your first fallback may be a flexi (retractable) leash.  This post explains the dangers that come with using a retractable leash and why we choose to avoid them for our own dogs as well as discouraging clients from using them. Courtesy of www.jacksonranchfordogs.com More Pulling The first issue with this kind of leash that I will mention is that it teaches your dog to pull.  A retractable leash always has a constant pressure on your dog's collar or harness.  If you are trying to get away from your dog pulling, you would be better off teaching your dog to walk nicely on a loose leash as opposed to clipping them to a device that always puts and keeps tension on their body. Hitting the end of the leash You only have so much distance before you will get pulled around again!  Retractable leashes only give you about 16 feet for your dog to roam.  If they decide to take off after something, they will hi
Post a Comment
Read more