What are the different types of dog training? Dogs for sports or sporting dog breeds Types of training and sports for dogs

In the world of dog sports, anyone can become a champion. All that remains is to choose your favorite game.

Bikejoring. Traditional sled dog racing has taken on many forms today. Athletes compete with each other on snowy or unpaved terrain using sleds, skis, sleds or bicycles (bikejoring). A riding harness for dogs differs from others in its more complex structure, and the leash attachment point is located on the animal’s croup.

Agility for dogs it is very similar to show jumping. The essence of the competition is for the dog to pass a course with obstacles against the clock. All equipment (fences, tunnels, swings) are numbered in advance.

Canicross– a true team sport for dogs and their owners. The task of the participants is to run the course the fastest. The difficulty is that they are connected with a sling up to 5 m long. One end of the rope is attached to a person’s belt, which cannot be taken into hands, and the second is on the collar or harness of the dog, which always runs first.

Frisbee dog– one of the simplest and most accessible sports. A plate is thrown to the dog, it catches it in a jump and brings it to the owner. Anyone can participate in the competition, regardless of gender, age, breed or bite.

Coursing– dog racing, simulating hunting. They are carried out on a special track, which has many turns, or in a meadow. There are two types: a dog chasing live prey or a mechanical hare. Animals run in pairs and only wear muzzles.

Springpole– a sport primarily for dogs of fighting breeds. The participant’s task: after the permission command, catch the rope with your teeth and hang on it without touching the ground. The maximum time for the exercise is 5 minutes.

Waitpulling– strength competitions for dogs, in which animals need to pull a given weight as far as possible in one minute. Only dogs of certain breeds are allowed to participate.

From the very beginning, you need to understand what exactly you want from your dog. What do you have enough strength, time and energy for, since any professional training requires significant expenses in all these positions.

And if special training for various types of services is often within the power of experienced dog handlers or trainers, then sporting dogs can be easily trained even by a beginner. In addition, the choice of breeds for such training is much wider than for service. And the requirements for the dog will be more loyal.

The differences between sports and service training begin only after the dog has mastered the general training course (GTC) or the “Controlled City Dog” (UCD) course. These disciplines are required for most breeds, including hunting and decorative, except for the smallest ones. Any dog, especially one living in the city, must be obedient, know and follow basic commands. And then - choose.

Agility - overcoming obstacles against time.
Freestyle - dancing with a dog.
Canicross is running with a dog over rough terrain for a time and skijoring is the same thing, only on skis.
Flyball and frisbee - catching flying objects such as a plate or ball.
Weightpulling - moving weights - is an athletic sport.
Coursing - greyhounds racing in a field after a mechanical hare.

This is not a complete list, and, as you might guess, choosing a breed for such a variety of sports is not difficult. There may be restrictions only for short-faced breeds - bullmastiffs, bulldogs and pugs. For short-legged dogs - corgis, basset dogs, dachshunds. And for giant breeds - Great Danes, St. Bernards, Newfoundlands, Irish Wolfhounds.

This is due to the peculiarities of their structure and physiology. And even then, in recent years, many enthusiasts have been developing competition systems even for these groups of breeds.

For the professional level, the list of breeds is somewhat narrower. There is a certain “set” of breeds for participation in serious competitions, and first of all these are the border collie, the Australian kelpie and the Australian heeler - very fast, agile and easy to train dogs with maximum interest in work.

If you decide to engage in service sports with your dog, then one of the first places here is rightfully occupied by the German Shepherd, Belgian Malinois and Giant Schnauzer. And if in sports training such qualities as speed, endurance, and agility are valued, then the main difference between service training is the development of prey skills, when a dog, motivated by instinct, protects the owner and property. The prey for her is the “sleeve” of the trainer and the defendant himself.

There is a certain “set” of breeds for participation in serious competitions, and first of all these are the Border Collie, the Australian Kelpie and the Australian Heeler

In service training, the dog is subject to maximum obedience requirements and the need for impeccable contact with the owner. This is necessary to ensure that the dog remains fully controllable, since protection training is based on the development of natural instincts to attack the “victim”.

But the first thing that is necessary in any type of training and sports, and simply when communicating between an owner and a dog, is mutual love and respect, on which further contact and all subsequent training are built.

Beautiful, healthy, athletic... dogs! Sport is beneficial for a person, and if you engage in active sports with your beloved dog, it is doubly beneficial. So, what sports can you do with your pet?

Canicross

The rules in this sport are extremely simple, because it itself is painfully reminiscent of the usual jogging with the dog in our free time, beloved by many of us. In canicross, a specific distance is determined that a dog and a person must overcome - as a pair, or rather, as a friendly team. Moreover, they run on equal terms: the owner should not get ahead of his dog, should not drag him along with him - this is strictly monitored by the judges who stand along the running line.

A man and a dog in canicross are connected by one rope, which is attached to the belt.

Agility

Agility translated from English means: speed, dexterity, agility. In fact, this is also a race. The races are fun and interesting, and they are so exciting that they very quickly managed to conquer almost all of Europe, as well as South America, the USA and Canada. This sport is becoming popular in Russia, even though it has only just appeared here. For dog lovers, this is both an opportunity to spend time actively, which is useful for yourself and for your pet, and a hobby that allows you to learn how to train. In agility, the dog has to overcome an obstacle course. The owner of the dog manages the process. Agility perfectly determines the dog’s abilities and dexterity, since the goal of the game is to teach the animal to cover a difficult distance. The game perfectly helps accustom the dog to life in society, educates and, of course, has a beneficial effect on the physical health of the animal.

A variety of dogs are allowed to participate in these sporting competitions, including even outbred ones. There are no limits to the size of a four-legged participant in the competition, because obstacles are set individually.

Sled racing

Only at the beginning of the last century did dog sled racing become part of a number of sports disciplines. Although this method of transportation - with the help of dogs harnessed to a cart - is very ancient (the oldest known sleds with a dog sled, found in Eastern Siberia, date back to 4 thousand years ago).

How did this type of racing come about? Well, of course, in the most natural way. People tend to compare the strength and speed of their vehicles. Gold miners in Alaska were no exception. And since they used exclusively dog sleds, this interesting type of competition arose.

That is why, as a rule, dogs of certain breeds participate in races: Alaskan and Siberian, Chukotka sled dogs, and also all kinds of crosses of dogs from the listed breeds.

Sled racing is a fairly common sport. It will probably even be included in the Olympic list.

This is a sport for the winter season. The dog and the athlete cover the required distance, and they are held together by a special towing rope. The competition is for speed. (By the way, in our country this type of competition has long been known as skier towing.)

Not every dog will want to participate in such competitions, but only those whose passion for running is in their blood. In addition, hard training and training will be required.

A summer version of this sport, used simultaneously and for the purpose of year-round preparation of sled dogs for winter competitions, is bikejoring or dry land. As the name suggests, a person moves on a bicycle, but otherwise everything is the same as in skijoring.

Flyball

Flyball is a kind of frisbee, only with a dog. An exciting outdoor game in which the dog's owner throws a flying saucer, and the dog needs to quickly catch it and return it to the owner. The distance over which the disc is thrown is about 5 meters. In this game, dogs who are not averse to frolicking can prove themselves to be real acrobats!

Dogs of all sizes take part here, and sometimes a small dog can easily win a serious competition. In competitions, the most unusual or, for example, the most spectacular jump can be encouraged.

Flyble allows you to feel the joy of movement, excitement, and simply have fun, and all this - together with your four-legged friend. By the way, this type of competition is acceptable even for disabled people, who can participate like everyone else.

Waitpulling

This sport is for heavyweights, because it is built on carrying heavy weights. In it, as in heavyweight sports among people, there are different weight categories. As a rule, dogs with increased endurance, strength and assertiveness participate in such competitions. And these are most often American Staffordshire terriers, pit bull terriers, American bulldogs and some hunting terriers.

Musical freestyle

This is the most beautiful of all types of canine sports, in addition, dogs of almost any breed can be involved in it. And over time it is gaining more and more popularity.

In freestyle, the dog is trained so that it can dance to the music along with the athlete. The dance of this unusual couple is demonstrated at competitions.

Anna, 10 years, 7 months ago

A professional approach to any type of training requires serious effort and a lot of time from the dog and the trainer. Training for various types of services should be carried out by competent specialists who know the issue at the proper level. Beforehand, the trainer himself must undergo specialized training and practice in order to competently engage in specialized dog training.

Different breeds of human four-legged friends are amenable to training to varying degrees. For one type of activity, some breeds are more suitable, for another, accordingly, others. Sporting dogs, as a rule, can be trained without any particular difficulties; even beginners in this matter can master their training.

The list of breeds suitable for sports activities is quite wide. There are much more of them than those that are suitable for, the requirements for their preparation are softer.

Sports training

A characteristic feature of the sports type of training, which distinguishes it from the service variety, is the fact that the dog must first have mastered a general course of obedience at the proper level. An alternative would be to take a course called Controlled City Dog.

For the majority of breeds, from hunting dogs to purely decorative ones, it is necessary to study general disciplines. The only exceptions are the smallest ones. Every dog living next to a person must master a basic set of commands and obey the owner. This requirement is especially relevant for those who live in urban areas, where it is difficult to distinguish between their own and someone else’s space.

Agility— high-speed overcoming of obstacles, allowing you to show agility and dexterity.
Freestyle- dancing with a dog, combining obedience exercises with performing tricks to musical accompaniment.
Canicross- high-speed running with a dog pulling a person along rough terrain and skijoring - the same discipline using skis.
Flyball— catching balls or plates flying out of a special device at speed.
Weight pulling- an athletic sports discipline involving moving heavy objects.
Course— a sports race in the field behind a mechanical hare at speed.

Sports disciplines for dogs have a wide variety, making it easy to choose a breed for a particular type of dog sport. Currently, the only restrictions that may arise are:

for those breeds that have a short muzzle, such as pugs, bullmastiffs or bulldogs;
for short-legged dogs such as dachshunds, corgis or basset hounds;
for the largest breeds, such as Great Danes, wolfhounds, Newfoundlands, St. Bernards.

There are developments of a new competition system for dogs that have a specific physiological structure, taking into account their characteristics and allowing them to perform at the amateur level.

Professional competitions are not held for all dog breeds; there is a certain list of those allowed to participate in serious level competitions. Generally recognized members best suited for events are the Border Collie, Australian Kelpie and Heeler. They are capable of high speed, endowed with extreme agility and coordination of movements and are highly trainable. Another advantage is their constant readiness to train and enjoyment of work.

Types of training

Among representatives of service sports, the leading positions are rightfully occupied by shepherd dogs and giant schnauzers. In sports education, it is required to demonstrate such abilities as the development of high speed, good endurance, and sufficient agility. In service training, developed prey skills are valued, i.e. following instincts, motivating the animal to protect the owner and his things.

In training of this type, as well as for the dog, special requirements are imposed regarding compliance and obedience. A high degree of contact between the dog and its owner is required. This is necessary to maintain complete control of the dog, since protection training is built based on the development of the instincts to attack the “victim” inherent in nature.

For successful performances, dog athletes must have a cheerful disposition, be oriented towards interaction with the owner, be willing to perform tricks and exercises, and have good learning ability.

Whatever type of training is chosen, first of all it should be based on the love of the dog and the owner. It is mutual sympathy and respect that make it possible to establish strong contact and receive satisfaction from the learning process.

Sports dogs include those breeds that are most active, restless, and have a lively character. The number of breeds suitable for sports training is quite large, these include retrievers, pointers, setters and spaniels. They were mainly bred to assist in hunting game, to find it, scare it, and to bring prey to the owner.

All representatives of these breeds are prone to activity and mobility. If a person is not keen on hunting, this should not become an obstacle to making a friend of the hunting breed. Representatives of this group of dogs love children very much, play with them with pleasure, and patiently endure all children's pranks. In terms of their size, they are suitable for sports activities, as their height varies from medium to small.

Description of sporting dog breeds

The most popular breeds that are suitable for sports training and have excellent results are the following ten representatives:

Labrador Retriever

The Labrador Retriever is one of the most popular of all family dogs. Representatives of this breed are intelligent, loyal and reliable friends. These four-legged animals treat children with special care and tenderness and act as nannies for babies.

This large representative of retrievers is able to adapt to the conditions of urban existence, but cannot be called an apartment breed. The Labrador requires the ability to be active and mobile, this must be taken into account when deciding to get this magnificent dog.

The Labrador Retriever's peaceful, good-natured and patient disposition and ability to constantly learn are often used as a guide dog. Often a dog becomes so accustomed to the role of the “eyes” of his blind charge that with its help a new world opens up for a person.

Golden retriever

Longhaired Golden Retriever

This retriever is particularly beautiful and, moreover, is an excellent tracker and guide. Representatives of the breed enjoy competing in various sports areas.

The Golden Retriever is extremely beloved and has an excellent reputation for its unsurpassed qualities. This dog is a loyal and reliable companion, has a lively mind, cheerfulness and very good trainability. Retrievers can become devoted friends of the family; they show a friendly attitude towards all family members, including children and even small pets. Children are very fond of golden retrievers, coming up with a variety of fun and new ways to use the active nature of their favorite dog.

Irish Setter

The Irish Setter is distinguished by its extreme intelligence and intelligence, as well as its diligence and willingness to serve its owner. This dog receives true pleasure when it manages to please its owner and receive his approval.

Representatives of the Irish Setter are particularly kind and charming. They are practically not characterized by aggression, both towards people and towards other dogs. The setter loves everyone, he is ready to show special patience and restraint towards children, forgiving them all their pranks.

Irish Setters have a certain independence, they are curious and easily distracted, but these characteristics are more than compensated for by intelligence and diligence. Dogs are excellent hunters and need regular exercise.

Cocker Spaniel

This handsome dog is distinguished by thick and shiny coat of a beautiful color. Unlike the English Cocker Spaniel, the American Cocker Spaniel is smaller in size. This dog enthusiastically takes part in the hunt, being a very useful accomplice. In addition, he can become a wonderful companion and brighten up the days of a lonely person.

The dog communicates with pleasure with other four-legged representatives and willingly takes part in exhibitions and sports competitions. Cocker spaniels are friendly towards strangers and especially children. They are happy to play with them regardless of age. Dogs are able to adapt to urban conditions, live in an apartment and be content with daily walks.

German Shorthaired Pointer

The German shorthaired pointer is a fairly large dog in size. He is distinguished by such worthy qualities as devotion to his owner, great intelligence, and constant readiness to learn. It is popular among breeders, however, it should be borne in mind that this breed requires constant attention, exercise and mental training.

Although this dog can be called a family dog, you should not rely entirely on its care for small children, since the dog has a certain character. You can safely perform with the German Shorthaired Pointer at exhibitions and sporting competitions of various types. It is suitable for active sports and hunting, does not adapt very well to city apartments, and feels much more at ease in freer living conditions.

English Springer Spaniel

English Springer Spaniel English Springer Spaniel English Springer Spaniel

The Springer Spaniel can be called a descendant of the British Hunting Spaniels. This is the largest representative among all spaniels. This hunting dog loves movement, is very active and smart.

The Springer Spaniel can be considered a family dog and is generally a big favorite with children. These dogs are happy to get involved in games at any time of the day and do not know fatigue. The owner should take into account that these dogs are often prone to dominance and should begin raising and training them as early as possible in order to get a faithful, reliable and controllable dog.

The Breton Espanol is medium in size and extremely active. This dog is distinguished by intelligence, excellent trainability and devotion to its owner. The dog is capable of becoming an effective hunter, a favorite of those around him, a reliable watchman and a sports champion.

Dogs do not require complex and constant care, have an easy-going disposition and adore children. To be healthy, he requires constant physical activity. An excellent solution that allows a dog to express itself is the need to protect the territory.

Hungarian Vizsla

This dog has a short coat and a large or medium size. This breed is distinguished by a strong, muscular torso and good posture.

The Hungarian Vizsla is an active and agile hunting dog with a loving character. She is charming and sensitive, subtly sensitive to the mood swings of her owner. This dog requires regular exercise and constant human interaction. She needs careful training, this will allow her to gain confidence and get rid of excessive fussiness and anxiety. It is difficult for her to adapt to the conditions of city life.

Weimar pointer

Weimar Pointer Weimar Pointer Weimar Pointer

This breed belongs to large hunters. She is characterized by energy. The Weimar Pointer is in urgent need of sporting activity. The best owner for her will be a person who loves physical activity as much as she does.

The pointer needs the firm hand of an experienced owner. From time to time it is necessary to restrain the dog and control its activity. The sooner you start raising her, the easier it will be for her to contact a person in the future. The Weimar Cop shows indifference towards children and is distrustful of strangers. This dog prefers communication with its owner. Training plays an important role, since an untrained individual turns into a wayward, disobedient creature that enters into battle with other dogs for the right to dominate.

This breed is considered very strong and prone to dominance among dogs. The Chesapeake Bay Retriever enjoys physical activity and enjoys hunting and sports. At the same time, the dog is able to become a family dog, be flexible and love children.

Like all retrievers, these dogs are extremely intelligent and prone to distrust of strangers. Thanks to these qualities, they make excellent guards and defenders. The Chesapeake Bay Retriever enjoys physical activity, has a penchant for moving at high speeds, and enjoys swimming.

Joint sports with a dog is not only a manifestation of physical activity, the implementation of a healthy lifestyle, but also a great opportunity to establish strong contact with your four-legged friend, improve his physical fitness, as well as your training. Once you try to work in a team to achieve your goal, you will no longer want to return to ordinary boring walks. Many people and their pets are deeply involved in training, and they do not regret it at all, sharing a common passion for sports, participating in sports competitions for four-legged animals.

If your dog spends the whole day on the mat waiting for its owner and is content with only short walks, you should know that its life is boring and uninteresting.

After an hour of a leisurely walk in the park, the pet is still full of energy and really doesn’t want to return home. Especially for mutual pleasure and common benefit, cynological sports were invented, the types of which are aimed at developing important qualities in the dog and wasting excess energy. This will bring joy not only to you, but also to your pet!

Classification of dog sports

All types of dog sports can be divided into two areas:

The dog works independently, with little or no human participation (hunting competitions, greyhound races, coursing, shepherd service, some protective standards, etc.).
The dog works in close cooperation with the person (agility, frisbee, freestyle, obedience, etc.).

The types of the first direction were formed a long time ago - along with the appearance of the corresponding work. In these sports, success is achieved by the innate qualities of the dog and long training. Today we will talk about the sports of the second direction. All of them appeared quite recently, in the second half of the 20th century. Their advantage is that any healthy dog can become an athlete.

Agility - for speed lovers

Agility (from the English agility - dexterity) - this sport for dogs originated in the UK in 1978 at the largest exhibition Crufts. Initially, it was a demonstration performance with obstacles from equestrian sports. The essence of agility is to pass an obstacle course as quickly as possible without making mistakes.

Dog agility sport

Of course, the dog must do this; the owner (handler, handler) only points the dog to the projectiles. First, the handler must learn the route without the dog. Thus, the four-legged athlete does not know the order of the obstacles and relies only on the instructions of the owner.

What you need for agility

The dog is in good physical shape. A well-fed, spoiled pet will first have to be put on a diet.
You yourself need to be in shape to keep up with the dog. Try it alone first or prepare your body.
Good memory and attentiveness to remember the order of passing the shells.
An area with special agility equipment. This is perhaps the biggest drawback of this sport - it will not be possible to practice without obstacles.
For training, take food for the animal (preferably the dog is hungry and wants to earn food), toys, water.

Agility equipment

Agility is a wonderful active holiday with a dog. One of the types of canine sports where both the dog and the owner are active. Its disadvantage is the mandatory presence of special projectiles, which means you will have to waste time on the way to the site.

Agility is suitable for all breeds

First, the animal needs to develop good contact with the handler. The dog is your partner. He should be interested in working with you.

Frisbee - a sport for lovers of heights

Frisbee (also frisbee, disc dog) is a game with a flying saucer (called disc in sports) - a popular beach activity for children and adults. In parallel with the “human” frisbee, the canine version also emerged. It all started during halftime at a baseball game in 1974, when Alex Stein burst into the stadium with his whippet, Ashley. They showed tricks with the disc live.

Frisbee (Frisbee)

Frisbee has 3 formats:

Accuracy throws – 60 seconds are given to perform. It looks like this: a dog goes around a person, runs forward, at the same time a disc is thrown, the dog catches it and catches it. The disc can be thrown in two styles: edge-on on the ground (this is a roll, for beginner dogs and puppies) or in the air;
frisbee freestyle - a free program to music, various tricks are performed with discs;
distance throws.

What do you need for a Frisbee?

A dog who loves to play with toys. This can be taught in training, but it is definitely easier with play dogs.
A clearing with good coverage for training.
Special discs for dogs. Never play with human flying saucers - you can injure your dog and seriously damage his teeth!

Frisbee requires only a large open field and discs, that is, going to the site is not necessary. However, you will have to learn how to throw the plate correctly. Compared to agility and frisbee, Frisbee is less active for humans, but allows the dog to quickly waste energy. Half an hour of Frisbee training - and the dog is “ready”, and you can practice it on a regular walk.

Dogs love frisbees

The downside of frisbees is that not all dogs like to play with objects. If your pet stubbornly ignores the plate, you will have to “pull” it with food. Feed from the disk, feed for any interaction with the disk. Perhaps over time he will get involved in the game and love the disc. Another option is also possible - the dog will simply work for the treat, bringing you a plate. Such dogs also participate in competitions, but it does not bring them pleasure. It’s up to you to decide whether to continue studying or leave this business.

If your pet loves playing with objects and happily grabs the disk, then now all that’s left is to teach him how to catch and fetch. Usually they start with rolls, that is, throws with an edge on the ground. Some dogs bring the disc themselves. If this is not your case, then you need to teach how to fetch. To do this, use a treat. A smart dog will quickly understand the rules of the game.

Obidience – for lovers of precision

Obedience (from the English obedience - obedience) is one of the standards of obedience. This sport for dogs was invented even earlier than agility and Frisbee - in 1995 the first World Obedience Championship was held. Initially it was the standard for herding dogs.

It would seem that there is something sporty about it? Common commands: sit, lie down, stand, next to me, fetch. But everything is not as simple as it seems. Obedience has very high requirements for performing exercises. The dog must perform them quickly, accurately, and joyfully. Each exercise has a number of features to perform. All these subtleties make obedience incredibly interesting.

What is needed for obedience

A dog that is motivated to work. The big plus of obedience is that there are no breed restrictions. A large and heavy dog is clearly not suitable for high-speed agility and frisbee, but precise commands from obedience are just the thing.
Equipment: dumbbells for retrieving (tray), cones (for expulsion), sticks for sampling (using the dog’s sense of smell, they select the “master’s” stick). However, most elements of obedience can be practiced without equipment (in frisbee and agility, equipment is required at all stages).
Clearing for classes. Almost any will do.
Pet rewards: food and toys.

In obedience 3rd class. Each has its own set of exercises. The simplest is 1st grade, “one”. It includes exercises such as:

“sit” in a group of dogs;
“nearby” (each competition has its own pattern of walking nearby);
stopping from movement;
calling;
landing/laying out of motion;
expulsion to the square;
dumbbell lifting;
complex at a distance (“sit” - “lie down”);
jump over a barrier;
exile to the cone.

Obedience - difficult but interesting

Obedience is an interesting and challenging type of cynological sport. However, it is not as dynamic as agility. Speeches can last ten minutes or more. In agility, a performance takes a minute or less. Obidience is primarily suitable for those who like to “think”, love mathematical precision and a clear, strict order of exercises.

Whatever sport you and your pet prefer, as a reward for your efforts you will receive an obedient, well-mannered dog that provides an outlet for energy during training. In addition, you will improve your relationship with her, improve your health, coordination, physical fitness and see a beautiful figure in the mirror.

If you are far from sports, then try to master freestyle - you can even dance with your pets!