Benefits of Dog Sports

Would you use any of the following adjectives to describe your dog?

Hyperactive, unruly, stubborn, mischievous.  If so, you and your dog might benefit from dog sports?

There are more dog sports out there than agility, although this is normally one that comes to mind.  Dog sports were created to give outlets to working dogs that have no real life work to do.  Take the Otterhound for example.  This dwindling breed was bred to hunt otters, which has now been outlawed.  Now what can they do?  They may not shine in the agility ring, but they can search for essential oils in scent work.  They can chase a lure in fast cat or lure coursing.  They can work with their human in obedience or rally.  They can pull carts or jump off docks.  And all of these options are made available by different organizations that strive to provide pet dogs with fun and fulfilling work. 

There are a lot of benefits for both humans and dogs in the world of dog sports. First, competing really helps to build a line of communication between you and your dog.  Sometimes we feel at such a loss on what to do with our dogs, and sports helps us to break it down into smaller and more specific goals.  Sports are also great for human and dog physical fitness.  They keep us all active and while injuries are always a risk, the reward is much greater.

Short of actually working our dogs in real life situations, dog sports create the best opportunity to bond with your dog.  I swear, sometimes my sport dog can read my mind.  That level of communication through body language and learning is hard to come by without sports or real life work. While my dog may not be herding sheep as his ancestors were bred to, he is using his brain and body to complete a different task, which leaves him just as fulfilled. 

Lastly, joining in on the dog sport community can be beneficial for us owners.  You can bond with like minded people, find some really great breeders, and learn lots about what others are accomplishing with their dogs.  

Be careful… dog sports can be addicting.