When I adopted my first Duck Toller, Indy, back in 2008, I had big dreams for the two of us. I had always wanted to compete in Obedience, and Indy and I were going to do just that. Over our two years of training and competition, Indy and I brought home a few ribbons and titles, and I have always been immensely proud of that. Our competitive time was cut short after his first cancer diagnosis at age 4. Indy lived until he was 12, and the week before we said goodbye, my beloved boy still went through his obedience commands with me.
So many options exist today for owners to participate in sport with their beloved canine companions. Traditionally we have thought about Obedience as the only option, but this is no longer the case. Even within Obedience there are variations on what can be done. And canine sports aren’t just for purebred dogs!
The purpose of Canadian Kennel Club (CKC) Obedience is to showcase the connection between handler and canine. It involves the performance of a series of tasks that emphasize the connectedness between a handler and their dog, incorporating some traditional aspects of what dogs were bred for including jumping, retrieving, heeling, and scent work.
In recent years, the development and popularity of Rally Obedience has increased and has brought more people to the world of dog sports. Rally focuses on a series of stations that involve a pre-determined activity or task that each handler-dog team must accomplish. Those tasks might involve a sit-stay-walk around or a 360 degree turn before moving onto the next station. Both the CKC and CARO offer Rally Obedience trials and titles for both registered and mixed breed dogs.
Agility is a fast-paced dog sport that asks dogs to showcase their athletic abilities, maneuvering through a series of obstacles like jumps, tunnels, teeter-totters, and weave poles. Agility has traditionally been dominated by border collies (as it should!) but in recent years, the sport has celebrated some new kids on the block (just search “Lobo husky agility” and you’ll see!).
There are a number of other dog sports like dock diving and flyball among others. All of these share common threads: it is the bond between human and dog that is the prize. The benefits in dog sports are innumerable. Training in whatever sport you choose strengthens your bond with your pet. It allows your pet to flex their muscles, both physically and mentally and allows them to thrive doing what they were meant to do. It gives our dogs confidence. It makes you a better person and a better companion for your dog. You learn how to communicate with each other, you learn to understand what motivates your dog, you learn to be patient and flexible. It makes you understand behavior (both canine and human) to help you grow as an individual. And the titles and ribbons are fun, but they aren’t what matters in the end. And there are so many ways that things can be modified for differently-abled individuals, from choosing the sport (including the CKC’s Trick Dog titles) to course modifications during Rally and Agility. And if you choose to travel for trials, then you get to see some new towns that maybe you would never have, like the quaint little Georgina, ON where Indy and I got our first title.
Whichever you may decide, participation in dog sports with your furry companion has countless benefits to both you and your dog. And in the end, isn’t spending that valuable time together what’s really important?
