5 Canine Sports

Canine sports are one of the greatest dog shows that can ever be seen. Although the competition world seems to be filled with the same breeds, all dogs can participate in these sports. Find out which one will be the most appropriate for your pet and start having fun.

What are canine sports?

There are several canine sports to choose from. Some exercise the body while others only work the mind. However, in almost all of them, a combination of both is necessary, along with a human guide.

In these kinds of sports, it’s necessary to train the dog. However, the owner’s abilities are just as important. The owner has to be able to teach their dog new skills as well as go out and compete alongside him. Even though there are clubs and teams that help with training, the reality is that the dog and owner are on their own.

Any breed and almost any kind of dog can practice in canine sports. When it comes to rankings, the same breeds seem are the ones that are mostly used, such as Border Collies or Belgian Shepherd Malinois. However, in order to have fun, a dog doesn’t have to have these dogs’ physique.

If you want to start practicing a sport with your four-legged friend, look for a local team to help guide you with the first steps of training. They can also provide you with a course and any other equipment you may need for each sport.

1. Agility

Agility is probably the most well-known canine sport. It’s an obstacle course that the dog must go through that consist of high jumps, tunnels, seesaws…The goal is to complete the course as quickly as possible without making any mistakes on the obstacles.

This sport’s competitions are divided by the size of the dogs. The obstacles are set to different heights and speeds depending on the size of the dog. The layout of the obstacles and the course is different each time. There are also varying levels of difficulty. Similar to leagues in other sports, the competitors move up in them throughout their career.

The big challenge in this sport involves the humans because they have to train their dogs and be able to guide him through the course correctly, without getting them confused.

2. DiscDog

DiscDog is one of the most spectacular sports that exists. The human and dog create a choreography to music in conjunction with the throwing and fetching of a frisbee and even spins. 

To do so, you should use a special silicone, large and flexible frisbee. The dogs can do many tricks with the choreography memorized. The dog’s size doesn’t matter, but they should be big enough to perform the jumps, catch the frisbee and return it after jumping.

There are also different levels of competition. Also, since you have to make the choreography, it can be adapted to each dog and each human’s skill level. For this sport, the dog’s training is more important than the human’s ability to get through the course.

3. Canicross

This canine sport is very simple to practice, but both participants have to be very physically fit. It’s a race that humans and dogs run at the same time.  The dog will wear a harness that is fastened to the waist of their human.

The physical preparation of each participant is important and the competitions are open to any dog that is healthy and over one year old. Due to the physical demands of this sport, it’s important that you get your dog checked by a vet on a regular basis.  

4. Mantrailing

Mantrailing is a sport that relies on a dog’s sense of smell in order to find a missing person. So, this canine sport simulates the normal conditions that take place when searching for a missing person. Although speed is important, the dog’s accuracy is the key to finding the hidden fugitive.

This sport isn’t just for rescue dogs, it’s open to all breeds. However, in actuality, only certain breeds are mostly used. Mantrailing is a fun sport, it’s not meant to prepare dogs and humans for real-life situations.

5. French Ring

This may be the most demanding canine sport that exists today. The French Ring combines a dog’s physical strength with obedience exercises, so training is very important. 

During competitions, dogs have to go through different tests like jumping over obstacles, climbing palisade, controlling themselves without a guide, putting things in order and protecting their owner or looking out for bad guys. It’s a very demanding sport that requires a lot of training and years of competition to reach the higher levels. 

Canine sports are a great way to have fun with your pet. There are many different ones to choose from that will fit your dog’s size, age, and interests. But, most importantly, you have to remember that they are just games and aren’t an obligation for either of you.