No matter what breed of dog you have, there’s a chance that he or she has a hidden talent for sport. Keeping your dog active through dog walking is the key to a long and healthy life for your furry friend, but for some dog owners and their companions, daily exercise can turn into something more.
If your dog is athletic, highly active and suffers from no physical ailments, then it might be time to try out some dog sports. With more than 100 dog sports to choose from, it’s best to try out a few and see which one (or more) your dog excels at most. Here’s a list of dog sports that you should be aware of if you think your dog has what it takes to become a canine athlete:
- Agility: Have you ever seen dogs running flawlessly through obstacle courses on TV? Well, that’s a dog sport known most often as agility. This sport is for highly athletic, intelligent and obedient dogs who aren’t afraid to jump through hoops, run over heights and step out of their comfort zone. It looks like the nearest place to find an agility course is at Canine Country in Lower Gwynedd, PA.
- Canicross: If you’re already a runner, you should consider bringing your dog into the mix through the sport of canicross. Exercising with your dog is already common, but this is more specific. It’s cross country running with dogs, and only a trail, a leash and a lot of energy are required to make your foray into canicross successful!
- Conformation: Here’s a sport for dogs of all shapes, sizes and breeds. Commonly referred to as a breed show, conformation is a dog show where judges decide how closely your dog conforms to the established qualities of each particular breed. If your dog is purebred, then entering a conformation show could be a great way to get your dog’s sporting career started!
- Disc dog: Before their were frisbees, dogs would spend all day playing fetch, never satisfied until the next stick was thrown. Today, dogs and their owners from all over the world take part in distance catching competitions as well as choreographed and non-choreographed freestyle catching routines. Click here to learn more about the sport.
- Dock jumping: Be it for distance or for height, dogs have been competing in dock jumping competitions since the sport was introduced to the Incredible Dog Challenge in 1997. You’ve seen it on TV, and if you want to learn more about how to get your dog into this unique sport, check out this website.
- Dog surfing and skateboarding: Surfs up, dude! Most famously, pit bulls are known for their skateboard-riding skills while dog surfing is open to almost every variety of medium- to large-sized dogs.
- Weight pulling: If your dog is particularly strong, then he or she might excel at weight pulling, a sport defined by the pulling of a cart or sled loaded with weight. It’s like a strongman competition for dogs! While this sport is certainly not for every dog, it’s important to keep in mind that it was established as a way to remember the heritage of working dogs. That’s right – there was a time not so long ago when our dogs worked just as hard as us around the home and the farm.
Even if you’re fostering the career of the next elite animal athlete, there will come a time when human business gets in the way. When that happens, count on Top Tails Dog Walking and Pet Sitting to keep your dog company while you’re away. If you try any of these sports out, we’d love to hear about it in the comments!