Dog sports you may not know about!

Your dog just loves to run and play, so you take them to the park where they can get all sporty! But did you know that there are sports just for dogs? Here are 3 examples :

Agility

Agility is a sport in which the dog must evolve on an obstacle course under the guidance of their master. Founded in 1977 by John Varley, this activity was created to distract the public from the largest dog show world, Crufts. This activity is open to all dogs, regardless of their pedigree or race. The goal is to develop their intelligence and flexibility. It is a sport that allows a very educational harmony between the master and their dog: indeed, it is very important to have basic education and basic obedience.
Agility can be learnt while having fun. This is very gradual and supervised by experienced instructors and graduates, to avoid mistakes and learn to correct them. In competition, speed and accuracy are very important. This is primarily a sport of skill.
There are lots of kinds of obstacles: bridges, fences, swings, hurdles, long jump, walls, tables, slaloms, tunnels... A lot of preparation is required to overcome this!

Canicross

The principle is simple: running with your dog. You can practice this sport alone with your dog, or in competition.
To practice canicross, you just need to be healthy and love running and/or cross country. But you must also have great master qualities to drive your duo through the obstacles. This sport is open to all owners and all dogs. The dog doesn't have to be a pedigree or a particular race. They just need to be at least one year old and their bones must be strong enough. Some breeds are more efficient, as Braques or Shepherds and Nordic dogs for example. Canicross should be enjoyable for the owner as for the dog. Never race against your animal. You must motivate them so it will remain above all a pleasure. You can find a training program suited for you and your dog and health advice, supply or service that will be crucial here.

Digging

Digging is the art of looking for truffles! You know, these delicious and rare mushrooms! The first competitions held for truffle dogs were in 1970 in Dordogne (France). Very quickly, the Lot and Corrèze took over, adding a settlement. But it was not until 1982 that the Committee of the Centrale Canine Society  counterpart Official Rules! Attention, only dogs entered in the book of French origins can see their results certified! There is no breed certified for digging, but some seem more successful than others: German Shepherd, Labrador, Poodle or Rottweiler for example.

What is a good truffle dog?
It is a calm animal, obedient and sociable. They should not be distracted by the external environment, other animals or even humans. They must also be enduring: a search can take up to 6 hours on the frozen ground. The key for them will be the presence of their master, who should never be separated from them, together, they form an inseparable team!

What is a contest like?
The purpose of the test is to find 6 truffles in a square of 25m square the fastest. Tricks are sometimes placed in the area for more realism (a shrub for example). The timer starts when the dog places a paw in the square, and stops when it has found all the truffles, or after 10 minutes (maximum time allowed). The dog is not allowed to eat the truffle or to go through another "truffle". It shall inform of the location of the truffle is with their paw, and then their master recovers it, by hand or with a tool (only one allowed). They must then give it to the judge: you can run to make the final, every second counts!