Which sport for which dog?

Playing sports is as important for you, Wouafer's, as it is for your dog. So you might as well practice a canine sport as a duo to share good times together! Canine sports are a perfect opportunity to share moments of complicity with your pet. 

Pleasure, effort, mental work, education, competition, complicity, social interactions, muscle reinforcement, weight loss... It doesn't matter what drives you to play sports with your dog as long as you share a good time together even if it's in effort and sweat! 

As with humans, dogs have their preference and like us, some are more gifted or suited for certain sports than others! It's not easy to do dog sledding with a Chihuahua, whatever... and not easy either to do agility with a Saint Bernard, whatever...

So here is a presentation of the most popular dog sports. Agility, canicross, doga, obérythmée, tracking, rescue, skijoring, caniskike…. This list will allow you to discover or choose the most suitable sport for your dog. That he likes to run, swim, bring back objects, dance, sniff tracks... You will inevitably find a canine sport adapted to your dog. If, on the other hand, your dog's favorite sport is the nap... I warn you right away: this list is not made for you 😉 You will have aches just by reading it! Before presenting canine sports to do in pairs or with others, let me tell you about dog food. This is the No. 1 basis for a healthy dog ​​full of vitality.

Before presenting canine sports to test with your dog, I wanted to give you a short paragraph on your dog's diet. For a dog in great shape, there are 3 essential things: his diet, his physical activity and his mental activity! And of course, your hugs!

The good health of your dog depends on a good diet. It's exactly the same as for us humans. All athletes will tell you, you have to eat well to perform well. Do you really believe that cyclists, tennis players, high-level footballers eat chips while drinking soda every day?! What does your dog eat? Kibble, wet food, barf, small casserole, table scraps, treats… Each dog has different needs. Depending on his age, his race, his physical condition, if he moves a lot or if he is more of a homebody… you have to adapt your dog's bowl. There are hundreds of different types of kibble. Do you know the hypoallergenic dog food with insect protein from Bellfor? You read correctly ! With insect proteins! These are cereal-free and gluten-free croquettes composed of insect protein (82%) with high digestibility which are therefore a source of protein with very low allergic potential. They have even developed a line of special products for sporting dogs. Bellfor is a German brand that you can order from their website. Many dog ​​owners have adopted their hypoallergenic kibbles for their doggies with digestion or skin problems.

I will end this little food parenthesis there and return to the sports to do with your dog. Please note that not all sports are suitable for all dogs. Depending on your dog's abilities, his physical condition... Some sports may be avoided. For example, if your dog is still in a period of growth, it is better to avoid making him practice certain sports that will put too much strain on his muscles and joints.

For heavy dogs, it is better to avoid high impact sports to avoid damaging their joints. As for brachycephalic dogs (with a very short muzzle such as boxer, bulldog, etc.), it is recommended to avoid sports that require intense or prolonged physical effort. And, as always, if you have the slightest doubt, it is best to consult your veterinarian who can advise you.

Does your dog love water? Is he comfortable like a fish in water? It does not resist any puddle, river, stream, lake, pond...? This list of canine water sports is for you! 

In any case, before testing a canine water sport with your dog, make sure that he is comfortable in the water and knows how to swim perfectly. If your dog was doing very well last summer, maybe this summer he gained a bit of weight or got a little older and doesn't feel so comfortable in the water anymore... TEST IT the because your dog can also drown! 

Surfing with your dog: this is a nice sport to discover with your dog. As the name suggests, it's about surfing with your dog. So he rides with you on the board to ride the waves. Be careful, before embarking your dog on your surfboard, you will already have to master this sport a little solo! No question of putting doggie on a board if from the first undulation on the water, you lose your balance. It's a safe bet that doggie doesn't like falling in the water very much... Once you've mastered the basics, you'll surely have magical moments with your dog! Surfing with your dog is very exhilarating!

Cani-paddle or go stand-up paddle with your dog: here again, you will have to go through a solo learning phase. But it's much easier than surfing and it is quite possible to paddle quietly bilou sitting on the board. Paddling with your dog is not for all dogs. Your dog must be able to stay seated on the paddle to avoid making you fall into the water every 30 seconds... A fish that jumps, a duck that lands nearby, another paddle that passes, a stick that floats … the temptations are numerous and if your dog jumps off the paddle at the slightest oscillation of the water, it will be complicated… You need a good bond between you so that doggie has confidence and lets himself be gently rocked by the lapping of the water. A feeling of tranquility guaranteed! I love it 🙂

Canoeing with your dog: a more “common” sport! Many canoe rental companies are happy to rent you a canoe for your whole family and your dog. You will have to choose a calm stretch of river for a safe descent. Many dogs love to canoe with their owners. It's often synonymous with good times: on board, playing on the shore, swimming with your master... Moreover, in the same genre, know that you can perfectly bring along doggie to ride a pedal boat too. Be careful with these canoe or pedalo outings, we prefer to do this type of outing on beautiful summer days when it's hot. It is ideal for cooling off. Beware of sunburn and hydrocutions: our doggies can also be victims.

Dock diving or dock jumping: it is a sport that is practiced in a club but nothing prevents you from training on vacation! This is a competition that consists of making your dog jump as far as possible in the water. A bit like the long jump at the Olympics but this is for dogs and in the water!

One last sport to do with your dog on hot summer days? I recommend the aquatic canirando. It is a hike that is practiced with your feet in the water! Musher and I are die-hard fans. Here, in the Hérault and surroundings, the rivers are very low in summer and there are plenty of very nice places to practice water hiking. A real joy. That said, watch out for falls on the slippery stones of the river :p

For each of these canine sports to do with your dog, you will find an article in the Mag' of EmmèneTonChien.com with advice, testimonials from practitioners, spots where to practice them, advice on equipment for your dog. Because whatever sport you choose to practice with your dog, you will have to equip yourself correctly, you like him!

Whatever water sport you choose to do with your dog, I recommend that you wear a life jacket for your dog! It is an essential security element.

PS: would you like to practice one of these water sports with your dog but he is afraid of water or he can't swim? I recommend reading the article Teaching your dog to swim. You will find plenty of good advice to perhaps give your dog the click.

Does your dog have energy to spare? He likes to run and loves to pull / tow? So this list of traction sports for dogs, and not only, will make him happy! 

Before talking to you about these sports, let me do a little topo of equipment! It's essential. Before doing canicross, towed canirando, caniVTT… You will already need to buy the right equipment for your dog. Your dog must have a traction harness adapted to his size, his morphology and the sport you are going to do. 

Canicross, canirando or canitrail: these are dog sports that look alike but are not practiced at the same pace or on the same grounds. The common principle? Run or walk with your dog as a “motor”. Your dog is pulling; finally that's in theory because if you have a dog like mine, it's rather you who will do traction for your dog: p Musher, despite his name, is not at all a fan of traction. Madame wants to walk/run at her own pace and above all to be able to sniff what she likes out of the way... There are more and more canicross or canitrail competitions throughout France and many clubs offer initiation or training sessions. coaching ! The opportunity to make good friends for you and for your doggie!

Do you like speed and thrills? You will find your happiness in the caniVTT, the caniroller, the skijoring or the caniskike! Again, the principle is traction. But be careful, your dog is not a draft horse! It doesn't do all the work. It's a team sport. It takes two! Whether cycling, skiing, rollerblading, skike: it is essential that your dog is in excellent physical condition because these sports require great endurance! Marion and Pichu are fans of cani skike and frankly, it's a canine sport that deserves to be known.

For racing enthusiasts, there is also a tailor-made sporting discipline: sight pursuit on a lure. Usually reserved for sighthounds, it's a sport made for lightning-fast dogs. This is not the case with my love potato! I think she would even be able to stay seated seeing the others go like arrows like “uh guys, you know that if you wait a little quietly, the lure will go back to its starting point huh… and you can do it. crash at that time. There is no point in running, you have to think!” I see her telling them that too much!

One last sport for dogs with fully charged batteries?! Agility! This is a complete sport that makes you think and makes you run. Your dog will have to chain several obstacles as quickly as possible.

Musher is a big water lover. She does honor to her breed of Labrador! But as a good Labrador, she also has an unparalleled flair when it comes to spotting something “edible” (well, if you like, huh!). So we tested two great sports for her that allow her to work on her flair and she loves it! 

For dogs that sniff anything that moves, tracking and digging are two great sports for exercise and brain training. Tracking consists of following a trail: someone goes to hide and the animal goes up his trail by smelling his scent on the way. Cavage consists of looking for truffles. I suspect that you don't all have a field of truffle oak near your home, but you can make your dog look for almost anything and everything as long as you teach him the smell to recognize. . Very very often, I hide a toy from Mush' and ask him to look for it. It's one of his favorite exercises. In summer, on the banks of the river, we play hide-and-seek games of this kind. I stash her toy under a rock, in the hollow of a tree, buried in the sand… She finds it every time!

And for dogs that like to think and move, there are two other sports to try out with your dog. Again, these are sports that you can practice alone on vacation or at home. No need to be in a club to start. By watching some videos on the Internet you will quickly find some cool tricks to offer your dog. The dog-dancing or obérythmée and the frisbee are perfect sports for dogs who like to be taught new things. You will have fun with your dog! It's up to you to create the holiday choreography to impress your friends!

I hope I have made you want to try a new sport with your dog. Playing sports with your dog is also an opportunity to have a good time with your pet. We all have the impression that time always flies too fast, these moments that you agree together are precious. I know something! Enjoy the Wouafer's!