Ever wonder what your dog would choose to do if they could pick their own hobby? 

Many of us want to do more with our dogs. Luckily, there are a wide variety of dog sports now available ranging from very casual to full-on lifestyle. Dog sports are fun, structured activities that give your dog mental and physical exercise while strengthening your bond. Think of them as organized games with rules, from simple scavenger hunts to obstacle courses. Given the variety of options it can be difficult to know where to start. I’ve tried over a dozen dog sports in order to find out what my dog and I like best. Here I summarize what I’ve learned to help you find your own dog sport journey.

But first: why do dog sports? Many people have fun training tricks at home with no need to participate in formal sports, but training to a third-party standard can motivate more focused training sessions with more robust results. For example it strengthens both your and your dog’s skills by working on distance, duration, and distraction to proof behaviors for competition. And it provides a roadmap of complex skills to train. I have a hard enough time picking what I want to make for dinner each night, let alone what I want to do during training time with my dog day after day. Having sport goals to work towards keeps the training fresh and the training plan more clear. 

In addition to focusing your training, another great reason to participate in dog sports is the sense of community. Seeing likeminded individuals every week in class or spending all day at trials with the same group of people is a wonderful way to make friends and build lasting connections. You can get together with local training friends on weekends, share training ideas and troubleshoot challenges in online communities, and volunteer at trials to further your connection. And I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that a lot of people love getting ribbons and certificates from competing and trialing!

We’re fortunate here in the northeast to have a vibrant and friendly dog sport community with many choices of where to train and what sports to choose. The trainers at Sit Pretty Dog Training are happy to help you get started with your sport training and connect you with other trainers in the region.  Some dog training facilities offer Try-It classes that feature a number of different sports. Typically these include rally obedience, nose work, agility, and trick training. You may also sometimes find workshops for dock diving, disc, or ratting. 

There are many organizations that hold dog sport competitions available in the north east. When I was starting out I had a difficult time understanding where to go for more information. The best source is usually with the organization themselves, to understand the rules of each game and find a list of upcoming events. Here is a list of some of these organizations, grouped by sport: 

• Multisport  – American Kennel Club (AKC), Dog Scouts of America (DSA), Gameness Relationship Control (GRC), Fenzi Dog Sport Academy (FDSA, online titles)
• Trick – AKC, Do More With Your Dog (DMWYD)
• Nose work – National Association of Canine Scent Work (NACSW), Performance Scent Dogs (PSD), United States Canine Scent Sports (USCSS)
• Dock diving – North American Diving Dogs (NADD), Ultimate Air Dogs (UAD), International Dog Sports (IDS)
• Agility – United States Dog Agility Association (USDAA), North American Dog Agility Council (NADAC), United United Kennel Club (UKC), American Kennel Club (AKC)
• Flyball – North American Flyball Association (NAFA), United Flyball League International (UFLI) 
• Herding – United States Border Collie Handlers Association (USBCHA), American Herding Breed Association (AHBA), AKC

You may have heard that only purebred dogs with papers may compete in AKC, but in fact, the Canine Partners program for mixed breed dogs or the Purebred Alternative Listing (PAL) for unpapered purebred dogs are registries that enable you to compete in many AKC sports. In addition, AKC coordinates with other organizations such as UpDog, NAFA, NADD and more so that your titles in those sports will show up on your dog’s name if you request it. But there are also plenty of organizations outside of AKC, too, so you can go with what is most convenient for where you live. Each organization cultivates its own vibe, so you also have options to find what fits you best. Ask around, try it out, and find what fits you and your dog!

Have more questions?

Q: Do dog sports require a big time commitment?

A: It can be as much or as little as you like. Some sports are more of a lifestyle, like flyball, but other sports are easy to do casually like dock diving and ratting. If you’re interested in a weekly class some good options are agility and nose work.

Q: Can I do dog sports if my dog is reactive or environmentally sensitive?

A: There are definitely options out there for the dogs with big feelings and/or big reactions. Nose work is a great activity for reactive dogs and can provide a bridge to help them cope with being around unfamiliar people. Dogs work one at a time so it’s great for dogs who struggle around other dogs. In addition, there are multiple online titling options that allow you to progress in your sport in the comfort of your own home or neighborhood, such as Fenzi TEAM titles, Do More With Your Dog, AKC tricks, NACSW skills challenges, and North American Canicross, to name just a few.

Q: OK, I still don’t know where to start. What sport do you recommend people start with?

A: Without hesitation my top recommendation is nose work. Any dog can do it and there are so many benefits to nose work: it’s fun and accessible, provides physical and mental stimulation, builds confidence, doesn’t require a lot of equipment, and is great for sensitive and reactive dogs.

Sit Pretty Dog Training regularly offers beginner nose work classes. Check out our website to sign up!