If you enjoy training your dog and want to expand beyond basic manners, consider a dog sport. In recent years the list of sports you can do with your dog has grown by leaps and bounds, resulting in an activity to suit every type of dog and owner. Below is an alphabetical list of dog sports with a brief description and list of resources for each sport. Note that I intentionally omitted any sports that require lots of snow. The list is so large that we’ve split it into three parts. In the last article we explored A-D. In this article we’ll explore E-N, and then we’ll finish up with O-Z in the next article.
Earthdog: A sport custom designed for small terriers and dachshunds bred to dig and bark in pursuit of small game. Got a little dog that loves to dig in your petunias? Now you can put that instinct and energy to good use in a fun competitive sport. The American Kennel Club sponsors Earthdog trials, https://www.akc.org/events/earthdog/index.cfm, but participation is limited to purebred dogs. The American Working Dog Terrier Association, https://awta.org/, sponsors Earthdog trials open to both pure and mixed breeds. Unfortunately, the nearest Earthdog club is in Washington, DC https://www.scottieclubofdc.org/earth-dog.html.
Field and Hunt Trials: Retrieving, pointing, Trailing (e.g., Beagles) and Flushing dogs compete against each other or against a written standard. This is one of the oldest competitive dog sports and there are many organizations that sponsor trials. The American Kennel Club lists 20 field trial clubs in Maryland, including one in Talbot County. Local gun clubs may also sponsor field trials. Gun dog trainers have historically used shock collars and other pain-avoidance training techniques. Recently, a new positive approach to training gun dogs has emerged, pioneered by Jim Barry of Reston Dog Training, LLC in Reston, VA. For more information on positive gun dog training see https://raisingcanine.com/products/educational-products/pgd/. For a list of resources for hunting and field trial information see https://www.dogplay.com/Activities/hunt.html.
Flyball: A dog team relay sport where dogs race over a line of hurdles, then press on a spring-loaded pad that releases a tennis ball. The dog then races back over the hurdles with the tennis ball and gives it to their owner, at which point the next dog in the team repeats the process. The best way to understand Flyball is to watch this YouTube video: https://youtu.be/8T62QbgDl7I. For general information see https://flyballdogs.com/. Flyball looks like a blast but currently there are no Flyball clubs on the Eastern Shore, although there are some folks in Easton and lower Delaware interested in starting clubs (see the locator page of flyballdogs.com for contact info).
Herding: An ancient competitive sport in which a herding dog, under the direction of its handler, moves animals in a field around fences and gates and into enclosures. Dogs are judged on both their handling skill and timing. Although herding trials typically use sheep, dogs may also herd geese, goats, ducks, and cattle in herding training and trials. There are almost 80 different dog breeds historically used for guarding and herding stock animals, the most common being the various breeds of Collies, Shepherds, and Cattle Dogs. Some herding trials are limited to specific breeds, while others (e.g., AKC herding trials) may be open to any pure or mixed breed dog that displays a herding instinct. A great website for learning all about herding is https://www.herdingontheweb.com. For a list of herding trainers (none are close to Chestertown), see https://www.k9station.com/stockdog.htm.
Lure Coursing: A competitive sport where dogs chase a lure, resembling a small mammal, across a field. The lure is attached to a line pulled by a motorized pulley system. Lure coursing began as an alternative to chasing live animals and was originally limited to sighthound breeds (e.g., Deerhound, Irish Wolfhound, Greyhound), but new groups of lure coursing fans are opening up their membership to any and all dogs that love to chase. To learn more about lure coursing, visit https://www.lurecoursingfanatics.com/ or watch this YouTube video https://youtu.be/3ShaN5Wn8og. Unfortunately, I could not find any local clubs or events for lure coursing.
Musical Freestyle: A handler and dog team performs a choreographed musical routine, also known as Canine Freestyle or Heelwork to Music. Dog/handler teams are judged on teamwork, artistry, costuming, athleticism, and style in interpreting the theme of the music. Canine Freestyle has gained worldwide popularity in the last decade. To learn more, visit https://www.worldcaninefreestyle.org. With a good instructional book and some basic positive training skills, you can work up some simple routines with your dog. Competitions are held all over the USA and throughout the world.
Nose work: A new dog sport that puts a dog’s amazing nose and natural hunting abilities to the test in tracking scent trails and finding hidden objects. Although scent hounds typically excel at nose work, any dog can participate. The National Association of Canine Scent Work (NACSW) certifies nose work instructors and sanctions trials. For more information and to find an instructor, visit https://nacsw.net/. Although there are no instructors on the Eastern Shore, there are several in both Delaware and the Western Shore.
Stay tuned in two weeks for more dog sports!
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