All winter, you’ve been thinking about spring activities for you and your dog. A chance for you to get outside in the warm weather, get more exercise, seek enrichment for your dog, and maybe make some new connections for yourself—even some new fun involvement for your whole family.
I asked friends online for their spring activity suggestions for dog guardians who might be new to dog sports and competitions.
I said, “What spring sports/activities do you plan for you and your dog?” I added, “Sports, like dock diving? Activities, like sniffaris? More walks, more running, more tricks, more grooming? Explain what your SPORTS involve—how are they trained, where do you practice, when do you compete? Explain what your ACTIVITIES involve–education, enrichment, health and longevity! What else?”
Here are some of their thoughts on the topic.
Annie Zeck (Washington) I have dachshunds who love Nosework, so we just did our club’s spring field trial in the fields of Pacific Rim (once a pheasant farm).
Dachshunds are braced in pairs and we flush bunnies; without the dog seeing the bunny track, we let the dogs loose in pairs to track the bunny. (This is an AKC sport and no bunnies are ever caught.) The dogs learn to work near another dog; there are separate classes for dogs and bitches and also a separate class for dogs that are field champions. I have never seen a dog fight in the field.
I usually have two or three dogs, so I have had five field champions so far. The dog earns points toward a championship by winning or placing in his/her class. You are in the field all day for two days.
This is really a test of the dog’s drive and it is hard to find a way to train for it. We used to have bunnies at home, but the coyotes wiped them out. So it is mostly a test of the dog’s breeding and drive. People like this best of all dachshund activities, too. Rain or shine, walking the fields all day. What’s not to like?
Alisha Ardiana (California) Hiking on the beach!
I can say that just because a dog is off-leash on a beach does not mean they are safe to be in public. My dog has been attacked twice at off-leash beaches. Both times we were minding our own business. Both times the owners tried to blame us. I’ve also seen people try to stop dogs from charging others by using a remote-controlled shock collar.
My policy is to avoid the public, keep moving, and go only at low tide, when we have the most amount of space. And if I have any doubts, I pick up our Papillon. I hope to never hear her scream again.
Photo by Alisha Ardiana
Isabel Alvarez Arata (Texas) Our spring walks have to be consistent because summer is so hot here (El Paso), therefore daily walks are non-negotiable until early June when we start reaching 90+ to 110 degrees every day.
Neil Resto (California) We started a new Rally class; and we are learning about Agility.
Summer Storm Kingery DVM (North Carolina) Barn Hunt.
https://www.akc.org/sports/title-recognition-program/barn-hunt/
http://www.barnhunt.com/index.html
https://doggiesport.com/barn-hunt-for-dogs/#google_vignette
Photo by Summer Storm Kingery DVM
Sheila Gomez (Washington) I want Ki to get trick dog titles; we go to river or lakes to fetch bumpers and just swim in summer. We love walks. We are training for his CD at Lilac City Dog Training Club. We go to stores, parks, and different places to train.
Jill Gibbs (Montana) Dock diving! Alastor’s (Flatcoat Retriever) favorite venue ever!
Whenever I find my dogs’ favorite venues, I try to do more of those than the other venues we have trained for. Alastor lives for dock diving. The main problem is that we have only an outdoor dock and pool here in Montana, so the season is shorter than Alastor would like.
We train three times a week and trial five times a year. With Alastor turning nine years old this year, “hydro” therapy keeps him fit and that will help as he gets older. The swimming helped Izzy (Flatcoat Retriever) when she was 13 years old. Gave her a lot more strength in her aged hips. You could see a huge difference in her during the season.
Photo by Jill Gibbs
Amy Fumetti (Washington) I love to take my boy kayaking on local lakes.
I started taking him pretty young—under a year—though I think it would be fine to start at any age. I keep him inside the cockpit with me (he’s only 55 pounds). He didn’t wear a life jacket the first time we went, but now wears one with a handle on the back. He has never jumped into the water, but this is a good idea just in case.
I started by carrying him into the cockpit and with pretty shallow water. We were also with a group just in case he got scared and tipped us, or jumped in the water. Thankfully he enjoys it and often just sleeps on my lap while I paddle. Now he gets himself in and out of the kayak. He’s just over two now and his confidence has grown.
Have you decided on a sport or activity to pursue this spring with your dog? I hope that some of our friends’ suggestions may have given you a start on a lifelong interest. Have fun!
