Best Sport for a HIGH drive CC?

[fdchampion]

I've been thinking about getting Titan into some type of sport and I was just wondering which sport would be the best for a very high drive CC? He is very high energy and absolutely LOVES to chase his Kong ball and can jump very high. He would do anything to get this ball when I throw it. He's had basic obedience training and does very well most of the time on leash. Not sure if it matters but he is almost 2 1/2yrs old and his mother & father both have very high drives. I was thinking maybe agility or something along that line of work. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!! Just a few pics to show him playing with his Kong

 

[jpw0025]

Not that I know anything about canine sports, but agility sounds likely. Also, flyball or dock diving may be feasible choices as well.

 

[fdchampion]

Dock diving is definitley out of the question...he hates the water...sorry I should have mentioned that to begin with
I tried to get him to get in the pool with me a few times and the most i got in was both paws...that was with me holding his kong ball trying to get him to get in!!

 

[Hector]

Lure coursing or maybe weight pulling?

 

[fdchampion]

Lure coursing sounds good...he loves his flirt pole and anything else that tries to get away from him!! LOL Not sure how he would feel about weigh pulling but he's very strong and would probably be good at it. Thank you!

 

[fdchampion]

I did find a place in Mobile that does beginner agility...going to call tomorrow and check it out. Thanks!

Not that I know anything about canine sports, but agility sounds likely. Also, flyball or dock diving may be feasible choices as well.

 

[jpw0025]

No problem! I did it with my shepherd mix girl in Georgia when she was younger and we loved it, can't imagine any of my other current dogs doing it though xD

 

[fdchampion]

Called Animal Barn today and they have classes starting in September! Once a week for 7 weeks...it just happens to be on my off day! Excited already...hope Titan will enjoy it. Thanks!!

No problem! I did it with my shepherd mix girl in Georgia when she was younger and we loved it, can't imagine any of my other current dogs doing it though xD

 

[QY10]

I have been to some heavy weight pulls and A LOT of dogs don't pull properly, even with training. A lot of dogs end up seriously injured from heavy weight pulling and end up unable to compete in any sport.

Low resistance weight pulling is great to release a dogs pent up energy as well as to condition their body and develop their muscles so that they can successfully compete in a number of sports.

What about schutzhund or barn hunt?

 

[ruthcatrin]

Yah, if you're going to do weight pull (vs say carting) make sure you work with a trainer who knows what they're doing. Done right the dogs can pull insane weights safely. Done wrong the dog can be severely injured trying.

Ditto the suggestions of agility and lure coursing. You can buy your own lure coursing set ups too if you don't mind spending a bit. I have a link somewhere....

 

[fdchampion]

Ok well I definitely don't want to do something that has a high risk of injury...plus I doubt we have anyone close to where I live that is qualified in weight pull training. What is a barn hunt? Is that where they hide objects and the dog finds them? I've tried to play hide n seek with him using his Kong ball and he seemed to be searching with his eyes instead of his nose! Lol he might surprise me though!

I have been to some heavy weight pulls and A LOT of dogs don't pull properly, even with training. A lot of dogs end up seriously injured from heavy weight pulling and end up unable to compete in any sport.

Low resistance weight pulling is great to release a dogs pent up energy as well as to condition their body and develop their muscles so that they can successfully compete in a number of sports.

What about schutzhund or barn hunt?

 

[fdchampion]

I'm really hoping he can get a spot on the agility course that's coming up in September. I did see there is a club in Mobile that has Rally, Obedience, therapy, agility and lure coursing. Going to email them today and check it out. I don't have any registration papers on him but the breeder said he will give them to me. He also has some agility equipment that he doesn't use so I may see if he will sell it to me and train him myself after he goes through the basic classes.

Yah, if you're going to do weight pull (vs say carting) make sure you work with a trainer who knows what they're doing. Done right the dogs can pull insane weights safely. Done wrong the dog can be severely injured trying.

Ditto the suggestions of agility and lure coursing. You can buy your own lure coursing set ups too if you don't mind spending a bit. I have a link somewhere....

 

[QY10]

Yeah, in barn hunt they put rats in little enclosures (so no rats actually get harmed) and hide them in the barn (under hay and what not). It's a timed event where the dog seeks out where the rats are. It's mentally stimulating as well as a physical sport.

 

[ruthcatrin]

We've been going to a local club for Barn Hunt practice with Arty. The rats are put into really really heavy duty ventilated tubes to protect them from the dogs, and the BH rules are written to protect the rats in hopes of avoiding injury to them. Arty's having fun with it, though this past weekend he decided that the empty tube was THE BEST THING ever and refused to be redirected to the rat tube. Brainless little brat.....

In actual competition the tubes are hidden under hay or between bales and the dogs have to find the tube that contains the rat vs the empty tube and the tube that contains used rat litter within a certain time frame (2 minutes usually). For all levels except the Instinct test the dogs ALSO have to climb the bales at least once, and have to go through the bale tunnel at least once. For big dogs like a CC this means that they may have to crawl or at least crouch ALOT.

 

[ruthcatrin]

The BarnHunt site has (or had) this video up: [video=youtube;lNRrcaoyiAI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNRrcaoyiAI[/video]

 

[QY10]

We have a local barn hunt club near us, too. I have been meaning to go and check it out because it's something that I think Thalia would excel in. It seems to be really taking off in popularity. I had never heard of it up until just a few months ago and now I hear it being brought up quite frequently.

 

[ruthcatrin]

We won't be competing with Arty, because they refuse to allow me to register him as a Singer, and I refuse to register him as a mixed breed, and they have no process to appeal that decision. But I can do training and fun runs locally with him without registering, and he needs the out and about time.

 

[fdchampion]

Oh wow that sounds like fun...I think my baby girl would be great at that!! She's a squirrel chaser and she seems to use her nose a lot more than Titan when we take walks.

Yeah, in barn hunt they put rats in little enclosures (so no rats actually get harmed) and hide them in the barn (under hay and what not). It's a timed event where the dog seeks out where the rats are. It's mentally stimulating as well as a physical sport.

 

[fdchampion]

That's so funny...sounds like something Titan would do...screw the prize I want the box it came in! Lol

Corelina is only 88pds so it would be a little easier on her than it would Titan since he's 103pds.

We've been going to a local club for Barn Hunt practice with Arty. The rats are put into really really heavy duty ventilated tubes to protect them from the dogs, and the BH rules are written to protect the rats in hopes of avoiding injury to them. Arty's having fun with it, though this past weekend he decided that the empty tube was THE BEST THING ever and refused to be redirected to the rat tube. Brainless little brat.....

In actual competition the tubes are hidden under hay or between bales and the dogs have to find the tube that contains the rat vs the empty tube and the tube that contains used rat litter within a certain time frame (2 minutes usually). For all levels except the Instinct test the dogs ALSO have to climb the bales at least once, and have to go through the bale tunnel at least once. For big dogs like a CC this means that they may have to crawl or at least crouch ALOT.

 

[fdchampion]

This is the 1st I've heard of it too...I just hope I can find one somewhere in the area.

We have a local barn hunt club near us, too. I have been meaning to go and check it out because it's something that I think Thalia would excel in. It seems to be really taking off in popularity. I had never heard of it up until just a few months ago and now I hear it being brought up quite frequently.