By Heidi Dahms Foster
Today, those who enjoy activities with their dog have an ever-increasing number of options to choose from. Many of those are available locally or within a reasonable drive from the Quad Cities area.
Dog activities have several beneficial side effects: training and competing translates to quality time spent with your dog, which improves your bond; and participation in dog activities keeps your and your dog active, thus healthier.
You can find fulfilling activities that fit both you and your dog’s activity level, physical abilities and aptitudes. Most organized dog sport events welcome both purebred and mixed breed competitors, and many can be adapted to physical disabilities. Whatever activity you choose, you can enjoy being out, getting exercise, meeting new people, and enhancing your relationship with your pet.
Most activities in the Quad City area are facilitated by clubs, whether generic or single breed registries. Some may require a tracking number to compete, which can be obtained for a small one-time fee. Some of the clubs offer training and practices. It’s a great time to try something new, so check out some of these opportunities available in our area.
Dock Diving: This sport is becoming more popular throughout the U.S. In 2023, dog trainers K9 Synergy brought dock diving to the Quad Cities area, an exciting addition to local dog sports.
In dock diving, your dog waits on a 40-foot dock. You throw his toy, and on command he runs, leaps off the dock and into a specialized pool, and retrieves his toy. The goal is to have the longest jump, and like most dog sports, there are beginner through advanced classes. As your dog advances, there are other classes such as air retrieve, where your dog must jump and retrieve or remove a bumper above the dock. For more information about this relatively new sport, search dock diving on AKC.org or visit NorthAmericaDivingDogs.com.
K9 Synergy has confirmed a 2024 season. “We are planning to open the pool in April,” said Lead Trainer Chris Stauffer. “We will offer guided splashes for people interested in dock diving, dogs that don’t know how to swim, and for confidence building! We also offer unguided splashes for people that have used the pool before, and are familiar with the rules and safety procedures. The pool is 35’ long by 16’ wide, and 52” deep with a 20-foot dock sitting two feet above the surface of the water. This year we have an upgraded aluminum, 3-foot wide ramp!”
For information on K9 Synergy’s 2024 dock diving season, visit K9SynergyDogTraining.com or message them on Facebook at K9SynergyPrescott.
Agility: Agility is essentially a timed obstacle course for you and your dog, that becomes more complicated as levels advance. While you may have seen some spectacular runs on television during national competitions and said, “I can’t do that!” agility is obtainable for all levels. While it certainly is a physical sport for both handler and dog, handlers can adjust. Handlers have even learned to direct their dogs from a scooter, or with minimal movement. This requires training the dog to take direction from a distance, and many do it phenomenally well. Adjustments in time and obstacles are also made for more senior dogs and handlers. Whether your challenge is to simply make it through a course within the time limit, or to compete at the highest levels, it’s all great fun, and a great run is a thing of beauty.
Obedience: Long a staple of trainers who want to enjoy a little competition, obedience is still a great test of your handler/dog relationship. Obedience is a stepping stone to so many other sports, because control of your dog is crucial not only for success and safety in daily life, but even more so in activities where your dog will be off leash, and often in unfamiliar areas. Obedience titles can be earned at the levels from the beginning Companion Dog to the upper levels of Utility, where a dog must perform scent work and directed work away from the handler. Both the American Kennel Club and the Australian Shepherd Club of America offer classes from Beginner Novice to advanced levels. Mixed breed dogs are welcome in these events with a tracking number.
Rally Obedience: This wildly popular sport is a wonderful challenge for dogs and owners. In traditional obedience trials, the dog/handler team completes a standard course at the judge’s direction, with the only interaction between dog and handler the initial command at the beginning of each exercise. In Rally Obedience, each trial is made up of a timed course of signs. The team is given a signal to begin, and the handler/dog completes the course on their own. In all but the most advanced levels, the handler may talk to the dog and use hand signals to help things along. The courses offer fun interaction with your dog and a great sense of accomplishment at mastering the varying courses and the dog/handler relationship needed to complete the Rally levels.
Barn Hunt: Barn Hunt is another dog sport that is becoming ever more popular. In Barn Hunt, dogs of all breeds hunt rats (protected in strong, aerated PVC tubes) in a maze of straw bales. The dog must find the hidden rats, indicate the find, and the handler must “call” the find. The real challenge is that every dog indicates a find differently and handlers must learn to read that individual dog. In each level, the dog must also complete a tunnel and a “climb” on one or more bales. Like most dog sports, there are a number of levels, with added rats and course challenges. Barn hunt rats are most often pampered pets of the sport enthusiasts and rules for their care, handling and protection are strict. While Barn Hunt is not currently available in the Quad City area, there is a working club in Casa Grande. Visit them at CasaGrandeBarnHunt.com or BarnHunt.com.
Two relatively new dog sports include Scent Work and Trick Dog, both American Kennel Club events that are open to mixed breed dogs with a tracking number as well.
AKC asserts that dogs have a sense of smell that’s between 10,000 and 100,000 times more acute than humans. In Scent Work, neither the dog nor the handler knows where the “target,” the odor, is hidden. The handler must trust the dog to find the scent and indicate the find. This is a lesson in reading your dog, because the handler has to indicate to the judge when the dog has found the scent. Some dogs have clear indications when they’ve found their scent, but others can be really subtle in their communication, and it’s up to the handler to know the signs.
Most dogs know a few tricks, but if you want to take it a step further, AKC offers five levels of trick titles that you can earn with your talented pooch. Teaching tricks is a great way to build a relationship with your dog and boost his confidence at the same time. To earn a Novice title, the dog must perform 10 skills from the Novice list. If a dog has a Canine Good Citizen (CGC) certificate or title on record at AKC, it can do 5 Novice tricks (CGC + 5) to earn the Novice title. Dogs must perform additional tricks under an approved evaluator for each of the next titles – Intermediate, Advanced, Trick Dog Performer, and Trick Dog Elite, which also requires props and a “story.”
The sports listed here are a sampling, because more sports are becoming available all the time. While the Quad Cities have an abundance of top performing dogs, both purebred and mixed breed, most clubs want to know you’re serious about the sport you choose. The best way to find a sport and an introduction into more advanced clubs and competition is to participate in basic classes.
Following are some of the local places to take classes or find more information about dog sports and competition:
Chino Valley Canine Training Club
Chino Valley Canine Training Club offers Basic and Rally Obedience, along with Canine Good Citizen and Trick Dog classes and certifications. Occasional trials and other activities. The club works to educate people about good health and positive training practices. Meetings are third Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Chino Valley Senior Center next to Memory Park. For more information visit their website at CVCTC.net/
Farbenholt Dog Training
Farbenholt in Dewey basic through advanced obedience, both for home and competition. Canine Good Citizen training, testing and certification. Hikes and other fun dog activities. Experienced 4H leader. For more information visit AZGermanShepherds.com and click on the “Training Programs” tab.
K9 Synergy Dog Training
Along with the new dock diving program, K9 Synergy offers a day school program, coaching, private lessons, group classes and board and train. Visit their website at K9SynergyDogTraining or message them on Facebook at K9SynergyPrescott.
Painted Seven Ranch (PSR)
PSR offers a variety of classes including Basic and Rally Obedience, Basic Agility, and specialty classes for puppies and adults. Conformation, Obedience, Rally and Stock Dog Trials take place several times a year. For more information email psrmegan@aol.com or text to 928-533-5611.
Prescott Arizona Kennel Club
The Prescott Arizona Kennel Club has been conducting all breed championship conformation shows in the tri city area since 1987, and numerous years of obedience and agility. PAKC offers several All Breed shows, Rally and Obedience (mixed breeds can compete in obedience trials) along with single breed specialties, in the past few years at Findlay Toyota Center in Prescott Valley. The shows usually host numerous activities to introduce people to dog events, so it’s a good place to learn about local activities and meet dog people. The club also offers conformation classes for those who have purebred dogs and would like to learn how to show. For more information on 2024 events, visit PrescottArizonaKennelClub.com/
Prescott Valley Dog Squad
Prescott Valley Dog Squad offers all kinds of dog training including competition obedience, rally, Canine Good Citizen and trick dog titles, along with training and board and train services. Visit PrescottValleyDogSquad.com.
Turns ‘N’ Wraps
Turns ‘N’ Wraps in Chino Valley offers agility training from novice through advanced. Full competition grass agility field with competition quality equipment. Turns ‘N Wraps hosts eight North American Dog Agility Council (NADAC) trials a year. For information email turnsnwraps@gmail.com or visit the website at TurnsNWraps.net.
