Competing in one of the numerous dog sports is a great way to bond even more with your dog. There is also the excitement of competing and possibly winning. Any dog sport is a fun way to keep a dog mentally and physically stimulated as long as there is a balance between practicing, competing, and relaxing. And, it makes us move as well! When done properly, it’s a win-win situation!

What Are Dog Sports?

To put it simply, dog sports are competitive activities. All of them are made for dogs to compete, with or without help from their owners. Depending on the sport, some need constant input or the presence of an owner on the field, while other sports need only a dog’s focus and determination. Dog sports have been around for thousands of years. Unfortunately, long ago, the first sports had dogs fighting each other or other animals. Thankfully, these are forbidden, and there are laws that punish those who try to bring these “sports” back. 

These activities were cold “combat sports” and they included:

• Dog fighting (dogs fighting dogs)
• Baiting (dogs fight other animals)
• Hog dog rodeo (dogs chase hogs)
• Venatio  (gladiators would fight various animals including dogs)

Dog combat sports were cruel and resulted in tormenting not only dogs but other animals too

Racing Sports

Dog racing sports developed in the early 20th century. The first track opened in 1919 at Emeryville, California. The original version of dog racing was coursing where dogs hunted game using sight and not their sense of smell. These dogs are called sighthounds and they are still used in racing sports all over the world. The most popular dog racing uses Greyhounds. Depending on what dog breed is used in racing, there can be:

• Greyhound racing
• Terrier racing
• Dachshund racing

Apart from the different breeds, there is also Sled dog racing which usually needs dog breeds such as Alaskan Malamute or Huskies. And, there is the so-called Shemozzle or Shepherd’s Shemozzle where dogs and people race through an obstacle course together. 

The first tracks opened in 1919 in Emeryville, California

Although it is not specified as racing, flyball is another dog sport where dogs race over hurdles to retrieve a ball. Dogs are divided into two teams. There are no breed limitations, meaning any dog breed can race.

Tracking And Hunting Sports

Certainly, one of the oldest dog activities, tracking and hunting are still major dog sports. These sports include:

• Coursing (sighthounds hunting)
• Beagling (Beagles hunting)
• Drag hunting (people ride horses and follow dogs who look for prey)
• Coon hunting (raccoon hunting)
• Fox hunting (fox hunting)
• Field trial (field hunting competitions)
• Hound trailing (hounds race following artificial scent)
• Earthdog trial (short-legged dogs hunt small burrow-dwelling animals)
• Trail hunting (hounds track artificially placed animal scent)
• Tracking trial (various breeds track the scent of different targets)
• Nosework (dogs search for a target)

Tracking became a separate sport in 1947 in the USA

In the States, tracking was a part of the Utility class and the first tracking was held in 1936. However, in 1947 it was separated and held as a stand-alone competition,  always in fields and open spaces. Although these were the first official tracking competitions, people had used dogs to track criminals and game during hunting for thousands of years. 

People used dogs to track criminals and game during hunting for thousands of years

Herding Sports

Herding dogs have been used to guide (herd) cattle for thousands of years, just like hunting dogs hunted big or small game. Even today, people owning large flocks of sheep swear a well-trained herding dog is worth more than all the machines or vehicles used in the process. They are tireless, obey every command, are quick to learn, and love you with their whole hearts. Today, there are two herding sports you can do with your shepherd dog:

• Treibball (urban herding)
• Sheepdog trial 

During Treibball (German for drive ball) dogs must drive or gather large herding balls into a goal, all the while listening to commands from an owner. The sheepdog trial includes herding dogs showing off their herding skills. 

There are two herding sports – urban herding and sheepdog trial

Pulling Sports

If you are an active person and have an active dog breed, some of the pulling sports can be an ideal solution for you and your dog to have fun and exercise. The pulling sports are not just sled-pulling, but others:

• Skijoring (dogs pull people on skis)
• Bikejoring (dogs pull people on bicycles)
• Canicross (running with dogs – cross-country running)
• Dog scootering (dogs pulling people on scooters)
• Mushing (dogs pulling people on sleds)
• Carting (dogs pulling people in a cart)
• Weight Pulling  (dogs pull weights or heavy objects)

The last sport is often a topic of debate. Some people see weight pulling as cruel or inhumane. Others claim that if you do it correctly, there are no injuries and that dogs love it. 

People often see weight pulling as an inhumane dog sport

Obedience Sports

In obedience sports dogs show off their skills to execute every command without a mistake. The obedience sport is more than basic obedience that we all teach (or try to teach) our dogs, such as the heel. These sports include:

• Schutzhund (tracking, obedience, and protection skills of a dog)
• Obedience trial (a dog has to do a set of predefined commands)
• Rally Obedience (a dog has to do commands without judges orders)
• Heelwork to music (dogs perform music routines with their owners)
• Musical canine (freestyle) – a freestyle dance routine

Obedience sports show how well the dogs behave in public places, at home, and around other dogs

Generally speaking, obedience sports have the goal of showing dogs that are well-behaved and obedient in various life situations. By obeying the commands given by their owners, dogs “prove” they are well-trained and can behave in public places, at home, and around other dogs.

Water Sports

For water lovers and splashing enthusiasts, water sports offer fun not only for dogs but for their owners too. There are two water sports:

• Dock jumping
• Dog surfing

Dog surfing is controversial, with people comparing it to the cruelty of circus acts just to give people a bit of a laugh

In dog jumping, dogs compete to jump further into the water, and the surfing is self-explanatory – dogs surf with or without people. However, just like weight pulling, people think dog surfing is cruel. They say it resembles unnatural circus tricks animals repeat for people’s applause. As for my personal opinion, some dogs seem to love it, but resting on a board on the surface of the water and teaching a dog how to surf are two different forms of fun. We should leave wave surfing for the people.

Agility

This sport is separate, but it could be included in racing sports. Agility is a sport in which dogs go through various obstacles (or over the obstacles) guided by their handler/owner. The goal is to go through all the obstacles without mistakes and in the shortest time possible. It’s one of the most popular dog sports, especially for those with a Border Collie or other very active and agile dog breeds. While it is a sport for these breeds, some giant breeds do it too. Here’s a video of a Mastiff doing agility. An amazing giant, indeed!

Agility is for fast and agile dog breeds, but big dogs steal the show from time to time

Dog Shows

It is called a dog sport because, technically, the dogs are competing. But it has nothing to do with their speed or other physical activities. In dog shows, purebred dogs are judged based on their conformity to breed standards. There are awards such as best in the group (e.g. best in the hound group). Even though these shows aim to keep the various dog breeds alive, there is a lot of controversy following these events. Most include the cruel breeding programs of some breeders or kennel clubs where they want a dog that looks like a certain breed without any thoughts about an animal’s health and wellbeing. 

Apart from regular dog shows, there is also Junior Showmanship. During this dog sport, the youngest dog owners (children) show their dogs and their dog-handling skills. 

Junior showmanship is a dog show in which children show off their dogs and their handling skills

One of the most popular dog shows in the world is The World Dog Show sanctioned by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (International Canine Federation) and it has been held every year since 1971.

Disc dog

Disc dog is a fun sport for dogs and their owners. In it, the dogs compete in catching frisbees. This sport is perfect for all high-energy active dogs, big and small. Of course, any dog can compete, no matter their activity level, breed, or size.

Disc Dog became popular with the rise of frisbee, in the early 1970s

Puppy Bowl

And the last on our list is the cutest of them all – the Puppy Bowl. It is a “sport” where puppies play with toys in a miniature stadium that is supposed to be an American Football stadium. This is actually televised and it has been an annual program since 2005. This is a part of the Animal Planet program, and it is shown on Super Bowl Sunday. 

Puppies in the Puppy Bowl are “penalized” when they relieve themselves on the floor and time-outs occur when a water bowl needs to be refilled

Final Thoughts

Dog sports are a great way to keep your dog entertained, physically fit, and mentally stimulated. It is well-known that bored dogs soon turn their boredom into misbehavior if left with nothing to do for a long time every day. This is not just with high-energy dogs, such as Australian Shepherds, but with other low-energy dogs. This happens because being low energy doesn’t mean they don’t need any mental or physical stimulation. All dogs benefit from playtime or sports. It also helps us – we stay or become fit, and healthier, and we bond even more with our dogs. All you need to do is choose the sport that suits you and your dog.  

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Cover Photo by Andrea Lightfoot