5 dog sports to try in the spring
The buds are already there, the flowers cover the fields, the birds have returned… spring is gradually setting in. What happiness! My dog is as happy as me. We spent the winter looking for new places to explore for our future walks and expeditions. We will have fun ! Besides, I wanted to present you 5 canine sports to try with your dog to give you some good ideas.
A little healthy parenthesis before going to enjoy the beautiful days...
In order to enjoy spring as it should be: I took my dog to his favorite vet. If in the spring nature comes back to life, there are little friendly little beasts that also wake up…. THE ticks, fleas, biting lice, mosquitoes and sandfly reappear. I discovered a tick s**** in Musher's ear last week. The next day we were at the vet! In the spring, you must protect your dog with an anti-parasitic. There are many products: in spray, tablet, necklace or pipette as at Advantix. See with your veterinarian, he will prescribe the best protection for your dog. I close this veto parenthesis and let you discover the five trendy canine sports to test in the spring. Which are you going to try?
Canitrail
Cani… what? The canitrail is trail running with your dog. Trail is a running discipline that is practiced mainly in nature with the minimum portion of road. To do canitrail, you must have the same equipment as in canicross, that is to say a suitable harness to the morphology of your dog, an elastic lanyard, a harness ou a belt for you. It is a demanding canine sport that requires a good level of endurance and good health. If you've never tried this sport, start with a few short jogs to stretch your muscles and stretch your doggie before embarking on the canitrail. Did you know ? The trail season resumes with spring, there are more and more canitrails organized in regions of France with a little difference in altitude. Maybe there is one near you?
canipaddle
It's my favorite canine sport. Musher and I love water sports. As a good Labrador, she's a big fan of water so it's quite natural that we adopted the canipaddle. On the equipment side, you obviously need a stand-up paddle board that you can rent or buy. I opted for an inflatable board, so it fits easily in my car and I take it everywhere. My dog is equipped a life jacket all year. In winter and spring when the water is still cold, he also wears a neoprene vest so as not to catch cold. The canipaddle is a gentle and relaxing sport in the lake, but in the river or at sea, it can be a much more demanding sport for both handler and dog.
Did you know ? There are paddle races with canipaddle sections like the Tarn Water Race which passes through Millau. Last year, Stéphane descended 71 km with his dog Happy. You will soon find their interview in the Mag'.
Canicanoe
This is a perfect canine sport for spring because unlike paddleboarding, there is little risk of falling into the water. In river, lake or sea, the canoeing is an ideal sport to enjoy a breath of fresh air and nature with your dog. On the equipment side, here too, I advise you to wear the life jacket for your dog. Even if he's a great swimmer, falling into the water can startle him and make him panic. Life jacket is important for its safety. In addition, it will allow you to bring your dog back on board more easily. Did you know ? There are inflatable canoes! I just bought one, it's just awesome. It fits in a big backpack that weighs 17 kg; so it is easy to bring it everywhere. Our next challenge with Musher: go bivouac for a few days down the Lot gorges.
Canitrail, canicross, canipaddle, canicanoe… these are great sports to practice in the great outdoors. To avoid Lyme disease, leishmaniasis, ehrlichiosis, piroplasmosis… and all other “ose” diseases, consider treating your dog against ticks, fleas and mosquitoes. Prevention is better than cure. These are small creatures that often go unnoticed, but can cause very serious illnesses in your dog. Also remember to watch your dog carefully when he comes home: an inspection of the ears, the folds of the legs, etc. can allow you to detect the presence of ticks in particular. Also remember to adapt your dog's anti-flea or anti-tick treatment according to his activity, especially if he bathes a lot.
Caniroller
Canirolling is rollerblading with your dog. A sport for crazy!! Do you like rollerblading and do you master this sport perfectly? Does your dog love to run? Combine the two and set off to discover the world by caniroller. On the equipment side, as it is a canine traction sport, you will need the same equipment as for canicross: harness, stretch leash et belt ou a harness for you. Before starting, start by having your dog run alongside you on the rollers so that he gets used to it and teach him the basic commands such as left, right, stop, slow down... Once the rollers are at your feet, if your dog does not respond to your commands, you risk ending up in the background. THE cani-roller with a dog is practiced on the asphalt, pay attention to the paws of your dog, it heats up quickly. Did you know ? There are many walking groups on Facebook where owners meet to plan outings together with their dog and meet. You will inevitably find a caniroller fan to guide you in your learning.
Frisbee
This is a canine sport accessible to all. The hardware is simple: Frisbee, preferably soft plastic. There are many hard plastic frisbees out there, but I find them dangerous. If your dog is crazy about the Frisbee and grabs it before it lands on the ground, depending on the power of the throw, the impact with his teeth can be strong and do damage. So I prefer a soft plastic for my dog.
Musher is a frisbee fan, we have 2 different ones: one that floats for the river and the lake and another light up for night outings. To play with her, I choose a safe area where I'm sure I can untie her without danger. It's a 100% canine sport that won't require much effort from you, unless you jam the frisbee in a tree :p I know something about that...
Did you know ? There are frisbee competitions or disc dog. Two events are recognized in France: distance and freestyle. This last discipline is close to theoberhythmic, with the frisbee in addition. It is rather pretty and impressive to see. I hope I have made you want to take full advantage of spring. In a club, solo, in a race... all occasions are good to enjoy the sunny days with your dog.
Canipaddle, canitrail, caniroller, canivtt, canirando, canisieste…. caniteverything you want as long as it's about having a good time with your dog! And for a carefree spring, I repeat, remember to protect it from ticks and company. Have fun and share your photos with us. #takeondog !