Active Dogs
Most American dogs have a pretty casual life style. Their days consist of eating, sleeping, interacting with the family and (hopefully) a daily walk. While this is a pretty good life, one I envy frequently, there is actually SO much more a dog can do. Have you considered becoming more active with your dog? It’s a great way for your family to enjoy a new hobby with your treasured pet. From helping others to helping yourself, there are a variety of activities to consider for you and your dog.
Therapy Dog Enrollment
If you have a well-mannered dog that responds to basic obedience sufficient to bring them into new environments, making your pup a therapy dog could be a perfect fit. These dogs are used to enrich the lives of those who would benefit from the physical contact and unconditional love a dog can provide. Nursing homes, hospitals and schools commonly utilize therapy dogs for various programs and situations where enrichment is needed.
Search and Rescue
Training a dog to do search and rescue requires dedication and sometimes years of training. Most people find it to be a very rewarding hobby and active dogs often enjoy the work. There are many books and Web sites available on training a dog for search and rescue, as well as local training groups.
Fly-Ball
If your dog LOVES to run and play ball this is a perfect fit. Flyball is played as a team where each dog has to run down an alley and over hurdles towards a box with a tennis ball in it. Once they grab the ball, they have to run back to the starting line so the next dog can start. This is a race against the clock and teams compete side -by -side. It’s a high energy sport and the dogs I’ve seen do it LOVE it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=131pmVXZga8
Weight Pull
Does your dogs like to pull on its leash? This is a sport where you can actually harness that drive. In this sport dogs wear a special harness and learn to pull various weights. Before getting started in this sport be sure that your dogs is full -grown and does not have any orthopedic problems. Start slow and keep in mind that injuries are possible.
Carting
Many large breed dogs were once used to pull carts that contained either people or cargo as part of their daily ‘jobs’ as working dogs. Breeds such as Rottweilers, Bernese Mountain Dogs and other working breed dogs have traditionally been used for carting, however, now people are even training small dogs to pull little carts.
Earthdog
This activity is for small breed dogs such as Dachshunds and small terriers originally bred to hunt rodents. During earth dog activities, dogs get the opportunity to dig and maneuver through manmade tunnels while following the scent of vermin. This activity allows dogs an outlet for their hunting instincts.
Canicross
This is cross country running with your dog, which is tied to you and aids in pulling you up hill.
Agility, Obedience and Rally
These events are now becoming available through the AKC for mix breed dogs.
These are just a few of the activities you can do with your dog. Take some time to explore all the possibilities out there and get more details on the web. Life is short play hard. Enjoy your dog to the fullest because some people can’t do all this fun stuff…poor cat people.
--Dr. Hamilton
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Dr. Hamilton is an oncology resident at Michigan State's Animal Cancer Care Clinic and a regular contributor to Wag Reflex.
Donna Sapp on July 21, 2009 at 11:47 AM
This is a very poor description of earthdog and poorly placed for two reasons:
1) It is NOT "an activity is for small breed dogs such as Dachshunds and small terriers originally bred to hunt rodents"
and
2) It belongs with activities such as herding, lure coursing, field trialing, etc, not with the activities that it is currently being listed with.
Also, Agility and Rally are offered now across the country to any breed of dog or mix. This is not some new thing and they are both quite popular and available. The AKC is not the end all be all.
This was a very poor column, not researched at all.
herbs on September 14, 2009 at 05:30 AM
I think we all have to learn a lot from American dogs life style. And try to follow them....LOL..
cable on September 17, 2009 at 02:57 AM
Well this sounds really awful to me because my doggy only takes care my house and my compound.But its great to see that dogs are taking place of camels and horse.Anyways thanks for the post.
green tea on October 20, 2009 at 03:33 AM
Thanks so much for posting this information! We appreciate the time you must have taken to present this information so clearly.
Bathroom Shower Stall on February 01, 2010 at 05:58 AM
That dog looks like he has his work cut out for him.