Jump Boy: The 7 Most Popular Sports for Dogs!
Exercise for Dogs: The 7 Best Sports for Your Best Friend
Most dogs are highly energetic, and they need to be frequently engaged in some type of physical activity to expel their pent-up energy.
When thinking about the welfare of your dog, some obvious things come to mind; Diet and dog gut health, happiness at home and their safe space, a good bed and regular routine, and of course, exercise.
Most dog owners think that taking their dog for a walk will be enough, but we are sorry to burst the bubble! Your furry friend may need a little more care and attention than a mere walk.
There are numerous sports available for dogs these days that are challenging enough to keep them mentally and physically occupied.
They also help in their growth and development. We have rounded up the seven best types of sports for dogs that will prove to be highly beneficial for your beloved companion.
1. Agility
Our first choice is a no-brainer. Agility is among the most complex sports for dogs as it offers an intense physical and mental workout.
True to its name, agility tests the agility of your dog since your dog runs through an intricate hurdle course. The owners can't provide any support to their dogs other than guiding them through vocal and hand gestures.
There are various types of hurdles which mainly consist of pyramids, tunnels and weave poles. Agility is a quick-paced amusement that is a favourite among dogs of various breeds. Agility is a good source of workout for dog owners as well since they also run with their dogs to supervise them throughout the course.
2. Frisbee Dog
Frisbee dog (also known as Disc Dog) is a famous dog sport that came into existence in the early 1970s.
It doesn't take much to guess what this sport entails since it's pretty self-explanatory. Frisbee dog is a sport where the dog owner throws a disc or Frisbee into the air, and the dog catches the flying Frisbee.
This sport has been made further interesting by adding two categories to it.
The first one is known as toss and fetch, where the owners have to note how many tosses their dog catches in one minute. They strive to get the maximum number of catches while throwing the Frisbee as far away as possible.
The second category is known as freestyle, and it allows you to explore your creative side by choreographing a unique routine with your furry friend, using music and personalized catches.
The handlers can get as creative as they want with their routine, and their dog would also enjoy a super fun physical activity.
You can get hold of a frisbee anywhere of course, but there are dog-friendly stores and pet shops that might let you take in your pooch to choose their own!
3. Obedience Routines
Every good dog is obedient to its owner. Obedience routines are extremely helpful for cultivating mannerisms in your canine friend.
While exposing your dog to obedience trials makes them more dutiful and compliant, they also make for a great dog sport. This is a sport that specifically focuses on the mental development of your dog and makes them accustomed to a wide variety of commands.
You could also enter an obedience competition with your dog where the dog that follows the most commands wins the top prize. That being said, even if your dog doesn't win, both of you would still have a good time, and your dog would become more responsive to your instructions.
4. Dock Jumping
Who doesn't like to jump? Dock jumping is also known as dock diving, and this is one super physical dog sport where your dog jumps into a water body from a high dock and then tries to reach a greater height or distance.
This activity could be deemed similar to the human version of a high jump. However, it has the surprise element of water in it as well.
The dog owners also have a big part to play in this sport as they throw dog toys or balls high up in the air and their dog then jumps up to catch the toy.
This dog sport is also a famous competition where different dogs and their handlers come together to compete to see which dog jumps the highest and the farthest to catch the toy.
Legendary Dock Jumper - Spitfire!
5. Tracking Trial
There is a lot more to dogs than their physical and mental training.
A good handler always makes sure to entertain all the senses of his dog by engaging it in activities such as tracking trials. Tracking test is a canine sport which motivates dogs to pursue an odour trail through their smelling ability.
This expertise was commonly applied in fox hunting. However, considering how fox chases are now banned, this skill has been sharpened with the use of fragrance packs.
These days, detection trials are more commonly used in the event of tracking lost people or escaping offenders since the dogs are prepared for detection and retrieval operations.
However, this activity can also be carried out as a recreational event for your pet. While dogs from all breeds can take part in this activity, there are certain breeds of dogs that are more suitable for performing this task, such as Bloodhounds and German Shepherds.
6. Lure Coursing
All dogs are born with an innate sense of chasing, and some have a high ‘prey drive’ which drives their urge to chase things, especially cats and rabbits!
However, you can train your dog to hone this sense to safely practice chasing. This is a quick-paced sport that works as an excellent substitute for hare coursing. Instead of running after a living creature, the dogs chase a mock decoy in a vast field.
In the case of a competition, the dog who finished the course in the fastest time wins. You could also make this activity a bit more challenging for your dog by introducing some physical hurdles in the way too.
7. Herding Trials
Just like their intrinsic sense of smell, dogs also have an inborn ability to safeguard.
This is probably one of the main reasons why watchdogs have been famous for centuries. Even if your dog has been born and bred in an urban area, taking them to the countryside with vast fields and herds would bring out their inner herding ability.
Like most herding dogs who are trained to watch over a herd of animals such as sheep, your city dog could also become used to herding within a matter of weeks.
This dog sport is a great way for your dog to take up accountability, and it makes them more responsible.
Final Word on the Best Sports for Dogs!
Dog sports play an important role in making your dog more agile, obedient and responsible. They bring out the best in your dog by optimizing its growth and development.
