3 Exciting Dog Activities You Can Do Today

Dogs, like people, can be either couch potatoes or athletes. Although many of them enjoy nothing more than sitting next to their owners and watching television, others are addicted to fun. These canine firebrands may enjoy the following activities to help them burn their energy.

Disc Dog
This sport far removed from the casual game of Frisbee™ in the park. The sport of Disc Dog was born when an owner and his dog raced onto the field at Dodger Stadium and regaled the people in the stands for 8 disc-filled minutes before being arrested. Since its avant garde introduction to the public, this sport has evolved into a competitive event taking place all over the United States, in the Netherlands, and in Europe.

Disc Dog competitions are well-known for their dazzling freestyle and choreographed routines shown on television. Spectacular leaps into the air, multiple disc catches, and other athletic feats are all part of the game. Dogs of any kind can compete in these events, purebred or not, although some breeds dominate the events. All that is needed to start a budding disc dog champion is a flat and open space and a “flying disk” of some kind. Dogs that are not natural retrievers benefit from starting slowly, taking low and gentle tosses while standing only a few feet from their owner. As the dog catches on, the speed, height, and distance of the throws can increase and tricks and stunts can be introduced. Hundreds of training clubs exist all over the world, helping people get started in this exciting sport.

Dock Diving
If dogs could compete in the Olympics, dock diving dogs would be long jump competition stars. Dock diving competitors leap from a concrete pad into a tank of water, sometimes soaring dozens of feet before landing with a huge splash. Dock diving events and exhibitions are popping up all over--even as titling events with an American dog registry and on late night television.

Any dog can compete in dock diving events as long as it is physically able. Although not popular competitors, even very small dogs can compete to catch their share of the “big air.” Some sporting breeds and mixes dominate the competition, but people who own other breeds should not be discouraged from trying this sport.

Training for this event starts on dry land, using a favorite toy to encourage the dog to leap into the air. Before the leap off the dock is introduced, the dog is encouraged to leap and to splash in shallow water. After becoming accustomed to the splashes, real training then begins. Although some people do train their dogs to competition level by themselves, club membership provides a social forum for owners and their dogs, as well as offering a way for owners to compare their dogs’ progress with that of other dogs.

Flyball
A flyball competition is a raucous, high-energy, high-speed event. Yet each member of every four-dog relay team seems undeniably focused as it launches itself over hurdles on its path to the prize at the end of its lane: a tennis ball launched from a device activated by the dog, a ball that must be carried back to the handlers over the hurdles that the dog navigated to acquire it.

Flyball took hold in Southern California during the late 1960s. Any dog of any breed or mix can compete in flyball events, provided they can hold up to the physical demands. Small dogs are highly prized for flyball teams: because all dogs on a team must navigate the same hurdles in a race, they are set to the appropriate jump height for the smallest dog on the team. Despite the high energy aspect of flyball trials, most dogs get along well together and fights are rare at any given event.

Flyball can be difficult to train at home, due to the space requirements and due to the need of a ball launcher. The best way to train is with members of an existing flyball team who already have official equipment. With the ever-increasing popularity of flyball all over North America, the number of teams is also increasing, making them more common.

By: Ron Ayalon

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