8 Extreme Sports for Dogs
By Erika Lessa, CBST, CDBT, CDBC, CPDT-KA,
Petmd.com
Are you looking for a challenge for you and your pup?
Extreme sports for dogs maybe it—provided you are both adrenaline junkies. Most dog sports are organized and have structured competitions, but they can also be just for fun.
What Are Extreme Sports for Dogs?
Extreme sports are performance-based activities that include competitions that result in points, placement, and championships. These activities can be physically and emotionally demanding, so your dog must be in good condition to participate.
Regardless of which dog sport you try, ensuring it’s a good fit for your dog will help them enjoy the training and strengthen your bond with your pup.
Who knows? Your dog might be a champion!
Which Extreme Dog Sport Is Right For Your Pup?
Understanding your dog’s individual preferences is key to selecting the right sport.
For example, surfing is probably not a good fit for a dog who hates the water. Your dog’s body language will tell you if they are uncomfortable with a situation. If your dog avoids the shoreline when a wave crashes, then churning water likely scares them.
If you try a new sport and your dog avoids the situation the next time, they probably didn’t enjoy the experience.
Before jumping into a new sport, ask your veterinarian to assess your dog to see if the sport suits their personality and abilities. Dogs with fearful personalities may not be able to join an extreme sport; however, a professional trainer may be able to help them build the confidence and conditioning needed.
8 Types of Extreme Dog Sports
1. Dock Diving
In dock diving, dogs compete to jump the farthest from the end of a dock into the water. There are two competition categories:
- Distance jump—Dogs jump in after a toy that is thrown into the water.
- Air retrieve— Dogs jump to grab a bumper suspended over the water.
If your dog loves to swim and fetch, they should quickly take to dock diving training. Stand or sit at the end of a dock, wiggle a toy to get your dog excited, and throw it so your dog jumps after it.
Dock diving is open to any dog, and the current top breeds include Labrador Retrievers, Whippets, Belgian Malinois, and several mixed breeds.
2. Dog Lure Coursing
Lure coursing allows sighthounds to do what comes naturally—hunt by sight—without risking harm. During the competition, hounds chase a white plastic bag that is moved through an open field with a series of pulleys.
Formally, competition is limited to purebred sighthounds, and each dog must be certified to compete. Not much training is required, because the sport appeals to the dogs’ natural hunting skills. For more information on getting started, visit the American Sighthound Field Association’s website.
3. Dog Agility
A true team dog sport, agility is popular around the world. During competitions, dogs guided by their handlers navigate their way through a sequence of obstacles. The dogs are grouped according to jump height, which correlates to their physical height.
Dog clubs and training facilities host competitions sponsored by regulating organizations. Most competition runs offer 15 to 20 standard obstacles. The United States Dog Agility Association events include fun titling and tournament classes.
Any dog can participate in agility, but some breeds truly excel. Shetland Sheepdogs, Border Collies, and Australian Shepherds commonly compete, while Golden Retrievers perform well in the larger jump classes.
Training your dog in agility is a complicated process. If you are considering participating at a competitive level, seek out an accomplished training professional.
4. Flyball
If you’re looking for extreme speed, flyball delivers. The race is run as a relay, with four dogs each running down a lane, jumping a series of hurdles, using their paw to free a spring-loaded ball, grabbing the ball, banking off a box, and speeding back to the start line.
Flyball is open to any breed or mixed breed, but the minimum age is 15 months. Participants tend to be smart, fast, and ball-obsessed. The sport is demanding, and dogs must be in prime condition and properly trained. To get started, visit the North American Flyball Association.
5. Disc Dog
Disc dog requires only a disc, a dog, and someone to throw the disc. The sport includes countless disc games, and some include agility. Organizations like UpDog and Skyhoundz sponsor competitions yearly, with points awarded for accuracy, speed, and creativity.
Any dog can participate in disc dog. Online resources are available for training; however, the specialized sport can be demanding, so you may want to hire an accomplished professional as a trainer.
6. Treibball
Also known as urban herding, treibball involves dogs moving large inflatable balls through a field and into a goal. The dog’s handler recalls the dog and points to the balls in the order they should be driven into the goal.
Treibball is open to all dogs, though herding breeds have an advantage. Because only one dog-handler team is on the course at a time, it’s a great outlet for reactive dogs or dogs who easily become overwhelmed. The sport can also build confidence, improve recall, and help with impulse control.
If you want to train your dog, the book Get the Ball Rolling: A Step by Step Guide to Training for Treibball may help. For more information, visit the website for the National Association of Treibball Enthusiasts.
7. Dog Skijoring
If your high-energy dog loves the snow, this streamlined sport might be perfect. Skijoring requires a person wearing a set of skis, one to three dogs, and a pulling harness.
Skijoring competitions involve a 5- to 20-kilometer race that is typically sponsored by clubs or groups that also hold sled pulling and mushing contests.
There are no breed restrictions, but participating dogs should weigh at least 35 pounds. Professional training assistance is the safest and most effective way to get started.
8. Dog Surfing
Originating in the San Francisco Bay area, the World Dog Surfing Championships started a phenomenon that has spread throughout the surfing world. Like human surfing competitions, each team has 10 minutes to grab as many waves as they can, and each ride is scored.
Scores are based on the ride’s length, whether the dog reaches the shore on their board, technique and riding position, style, the wave’s strength, and the rider’s confidence.
There are no participant restrictions, and dogs compete in size categories. Participants are required to wear life jackets or vests. For safety reasons, dogs are never tethered to the board. For more details and a fun read, check out A Dog’s Guide to Surfing.
Extreme Sports for Dogs FAQs
What is the most difficult dog sport?
Since each dog has a different skill set, preference, and drive, a sport that is difficult for one dog may come easily to another. Many sports require multiple disciplines.
However, agility may be the most involved dog sport.
