# Dog sports



## Makovach (Jan 24, 2012)

I am very interseted in dog sports. I've been working with Tucker's obedience to get it spot on so he listens on and off leash. Soon I want to start with sports. 

I'm interested in quite a few! Flyball, Agility, Dock Dogs, Scent trials, Herding, Shutzhound and maybe weight pullling.

What have your experiences been with sports? I've been working on researching all of them, so if you have any information to share, or links, please post them.

Can a dog be involved in too many activities? Should I only stick to one or two?


I'm looking for as much information as I can! thanks!


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## malluver1005 (Nov 15, 2009)

I used to do weight pulling and mushing with Aspen. He loved it of course because he was bred for that. He retired at 5 years of age because of shoulder problems...his top pull was 2950 lbs! He is currently doing lure coursing...he is resting now because of a cyst removal on his toe...but he loves this sport as well. He's all about the chase!

ETA: I would post pics of the mushing and weight pull, but I didn't have a camera back then.


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## Jacksons Mom (Jun 13, 2010)

I'd love to get more involved, but unfortunately don't really have the money to afford it. We did one agility course and had a blast.. at around $150 for 6 weeks, I believe it was, and that's the norm for this area and I simply don't have it. 

I REALLY wanna try nosework, and do agility again. Also dock diving. But alas, not enough money. 

But we make do our own way. He's got my dads pool, and other family members pools to swim in, and we do agility outside with some cheap equipment I bought, and we utilize logs, benches, etc outside and make it fun.


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## chowder (Sep 7, 2008)

What you can do really depends on the dog's personality. I was trying agility with Rocky but he has a total lack of interest. He'll do each item a few times then give me this look that says "okay, I think I've humored you enough for today" and just walk off. I could make him react 100%, but it would not be an enjoyable thing for either of us. It's just not in his nature. 

Then I tried it with Shade who gets soooo excited that he jumps over the bar and then has to take a few mad laps around the yard at random like a complete fool before he comes back to me. I think I could work with him but he's already 6 years old so probably doesn't have the hips for it anymore, considering his early years.

So, when I get my new pup we are going to do probably both rally and agility (hopefully). That pup will be small and of a herding type breed so it will be born to do that kind of activity, and it won't be hard on it's hips or joints.


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## Makovach (Jan 24, 2012)

chowder said:


> What you can do really depends on the dog's personality. I was trying agility with Rocky but he has a total lack of interest. He'll do each item a few times then give me this look that says "okay, I think I've humored you enough for today" and just walk off. I could make him react 100%, but it would not be an enjoyable thing for either of us. It's just not in his nature.
> 
> Then I tried it with Shade who gets soooo excited that he jumps over the bar and then has to take a few mad laps around the yard at random like a complete fool before he comes back to me. I think I could work with him but he's already 6 years old so probably doesn't have the hips for it anymore, considering his early years.
> 
> So, when I get my new pup we are going to do probably both rally and agility (hopefully). That pup will be small and of a herding type breed so it will be born to do that kind of activity, and it won't be hard on it's hips or joints.


Tucker loves the fun stuff. He doesn't like the obedience part (Or rally). We already play find it games with scents. He loves jumping off the dock or something after his ball. He will get on/off obstacles and loves to jump over and thru stuff. He loves to lay low and run the chickens/ducks at my dads house (he keeps them all in a group, not running them all over the yard). He does a lot of things that he finds fun, that I think I could relate pretty easily to sports. 

I would have to start with one at a time and see how it goes because money is tight. Classes are $60 for five weeks or more any where near my house. I was going to join bridget's club that he is in, but I don't have the time/money to drive and hour and 10 minutes away every week . 

They do have free classes on saturdays so you can see what works for you and your dog before deciding. This place only offers a few of my choices tho. Mostly I would like Agility/flyball to start with.


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## StdPooDad (Mar 16, 2012)

I don't blame him, he sounds like a smart dog. lol



Makovach said:


> Tucker loves the fun stuff. He doesn't like the obedience part (Or rally).


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## AveryandAudrey (Sep 20, 2010)

I run agility with my pei and she loves it! We dont compete but we run and do it at the local agility dog park. She's really good at it and its great exercise.


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## DaViking (Sep 27, 2011)

Search And Rescue training and volunteering as a SAR team is great fun and very meaningful imo. Not all dogs turn out a good fit for SAR work but those who arn't still get a lot of valuable training in nosework. I know lots of teams who decided to focus solely on tracking and scent sports after learning the basics during the early stages of SAR training. Maybe there are SAR groups not to far from where you live? There is usually no cost involved except for membership and cert. fees. No training fees because you basically train each other in smaller groups, unless you sign up for special camps etc. Highly recommended and one of the most social activities you and your dog can do. You kind'a have to enjoy the outdoors though, if not it's probably not for you.


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## DeekenDog (Aug 29, 2011)

I do tracking with Deeken. I started with Rally but he was only interested in the food so I decided to look for something else. Tracking is awesome because it really allows the dog to do something they're naturally good at (scenting) and take the lead. Deeken adores it. I posted pictures of urban tracking a while back in this thread:
http://dogfoodchat.com/forum/pictures/11114-tracking.html

and here's one of us in the forest:


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