Fun Things To Do
In todays Freep, the front page has a story about dog fighting. Within the story, and several pages toward the back of the section,there is a large amount of print and graphics devoted to the training of pit bulls. One of the drawings is of a dog pulling a sled piled high with sand bags. But just because your neighbor has one of these in his back yard, doesn’t make him a criminal. People have been inventing ways to compete with animals probably as soon as they domesticated them. Horses were raced, pigs were judged on their weight, and dogs were prized by how well they could hunt. And really nothing has changed, except for the multitude of competitions now available for your pet.
Dogs mush with sleds, jump off docks, catch frisbees, pull weights, chase fake (and sometimes real) fox, race, run obstacle courses, and perform in obedience trials. Competing with your dog is a great way to have fun, build a relationship with each other, and keep them physically active. It will introduce you to other like minded people and maybe increase your social circle as well.
Just remember to keep the training and competitions fun. As long as the animal enjoys what it is doing, and is physically able to perform, there is nothing that should stop you. But if the sport becomes detrimental to the pet or the pet is not suited for the sport, it is time to find something else to do.
My husband introduced our female boxer Kia, to the fun world of dog trials last year with the local dog trainer. The trainer was happy to see us and we were all excited about having a fun hobby to do with our most “energetic” dog. But we soon learned that all those scary ladders, poles, jumps and tubes were just too intimidating to a dog who had been severely abused when she was young. Although she could do the tasks asked of her, it was just too mentally taxing for her to participate. Knowing your pet and being flexible in your goals goes a long way in making a happy household. It seems Kia is better suited to accompanying one of us on a power walk or jog rather than jump hoops. You never know unless you try.