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1. Agility. The fastest growing dog sport in the US, thousands of dogs and their owners compete in agility activities each year. Agility games are competed on an obstacle course. A typical agility obstacle course includes a teeter totter, weave pole, a jumping activity, and a tunnel. The dog with the fastest time wins. If you are interested in training your dog to compete, we suggest contacting one of several organizations, including the American Kennel Club (AKC), the US Dog Agility Association and the North American Dog Agility Council.
2. Flyball. Flyball pits dog relay teams against each other. One dog streaks down a short course over small hurdles toward a box, touches the box and makes a ball pop out, grabs the ball and then races back toward his teammates so the next dog can set out on the course. Fastest team wins. If you are interested in Flyball, contact the North American Flyball Association (NAFA).
3. Dog dancing. Want to dance with your dog? Canine Freestyle dog dancing is essentially you and your dog dancing a choreographed performance. The World Canine Freestyle Organization also holds dancing events. If you are interested, contact them.
4. Dock Jumping Does your dog LOVE water? It's all about distance. Doggies leap as far as 20 feet from the dock after a training dummy. This is growing in popularity, but there isn't an organization overseeing it.
5. Frisbee. Probably the most popular activity, playing frisbee with your dog is fun for you and them. Dogs are judged on distance and other criteria. There are lots of tournaments around the country. Some of the organizations hosting tournaments include the Canine Frisbee Disc World Championship and the US Disc Dog Nationals.
Another top sport activity that should be mentioned is tracking. Tracking offers your dog opportunities to look for a particular object by following a scent trail left by the lingering scent foot steps from a “track layer”. The scent can be minutes to hours old. Dogs gets back in touch with nature, using their powerful ability to smell things humans can’t. “Go Find It” activities can be inside, or outside. AKC offers titles for tracking both in the field or in urban areas.
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