Tag Archives: Canine Fitness Tool

Spawting Dogs

Disc Dog

Most people have heard of dog agility, and probably a lot of people have had a go at it, but what if you haven’t got the space for all that equipment? How about trying some alternative dog sports that get you outside with your dog(s) and that you can do together. Or if you are both competitive types, take part with other sporty dog lovers.

What is CaniCross?

Cannicross

CaniCross

CaniCross is the sport of cross country running with dogs. The dog is attached to the runner’s waist with a bungee lead. It is powered, and whenever the runner’s feet are off the ground, the dog pulls the runner forward. The dog and the human form a team with the human as the driver, directing the dog from behind with voice commands. CaniCross is not only a great way to get human and canine fit but also works the dog’s mind as well as its body.

What skills does your dog need?

To successfully participate in CaniCross, your dog needs basic obedience skills. Start by teaching good lead manners during your walks. Once you and your dog are walking nicely together, start picking up the pace from a jog to a run. In addition, it’s helpful to teach your dog movement cues such as “speed up” or “slow down.”

What types of dogs can participate?

As long as your dog is fit, healthy, of the right age and able to run, you can both take part in CaniCross. Always consult your vet if unsure.

Equipment needed

The equipment needed for the dog is a comfortable fitting harness, which is suitable for running. A bungee line/lead and a waist/hip belt for the runner.

For more information:

trailrunners | CaniCross & CaniSports community

What is Treibball?

Treibball

Treibball

Treibball can be best described as urban herding. It is a competitive dog sport that requires teamwork between dogs and their handlers. Together, they must drive large exercise balls into the goal in a set amount of time. Handlers can only use whistles, hand signals, and verbal commands to provide direction to their dogs and play their part in the game.

What skills does your dog need?

The distance skills and verbal cues are similar to those used in agility, but with Treibball, there aren’t the same physical demands on the handler, and so people of any age and athletic ability can play. Basic skills needed are sit and down, touch an object with the nose, turn left and right and work reliably off lead.

What types of dogs can participate?

Most popular with herding breeds, but any dog can take part whatever breed or size.

Equipment needed

You will need fitness balls of varying sizes and colours, a kid-sized soccer goal, long line if your dog is unreliable off lead.

For more information:

Here’s a great video to get you started:

What is Disc Dog?

Disc Dog

Disc Dog

Disc dog takes a casual game of fetch with your dog to a different level. Dogs take part in the sport worldwide, and there are local clubs that organise meet-ups, training sessions and small competitions. In disc dog competitions, dogs and their human flying disc throwers compete in events such as distance catching and somewhat choreographed freestyle catching.

What skills does your dog need?

It will help if your dog already likes to play fetch, but it’s not a requirement. The most important thing is a good bond between human and dog. The sport celebrates this bond by allowing them to work together.

What types of dogs can participate?

Dogs of all shapes and sizes. Check with a vet first if your dog has any fitness or lameness issues.

Equipment needed

Flying discs.

For more information:

UK Disc Dogs Association

Other canine sporting activities

If none of these suit you or your canine, there are lots of other doggy sporting activities that may take your fancy and an excellent look book to get you both in the right frame of mind.

Pathway to Positivity

Tracking/nosework

Scentwork UK

Try Tracking Tracking Lines

Flyball

British Flyball Association

Heelwork to music

Heelwork to Music in the UK

Dog Puller

There isn’t currently a UK Dog Puller Federation, so you could start your own!

Dog Puller Fitness Tool

Dog Puller Exercise Toy

The Puller Dog Fitness Tool

The Puller Dog Fitness Tool

 

Puller Canine Fitness Tool

The Puller. Best toy ever for dogs who love to chase and tug!

We have to rank the Puller Dog Toy as our favourite dog toy of all time. It epitomises our philosophy of Training, Exercise, Play. Every one of our dogs loves it.

It looks simple and it really is, but the fun they get from it is truly amazing.

But the Puller is not just a toy in the conventional sense, it is an innovative fitness tool for dogs developed by a professional cynologist (one who studies dogs). But our dogs are not interested in the science, all they understand is that it’s fun to chase, and also great fun to tug.

The Puller makes a great tuggy toy

Go on then, pull!

So what is the Puller Dog Fitness Tool? It’s a set of two purple rings and they come in five sizes to suit just about every dog. Although the Maxi’s come as singles. The idea behind them being that they enable you and your dog to engage in active daily training with a positive motivation and also the ability to better understand and develop your dog in a psychological way. Really? Not sure about the last bit but they certainly give your dog a thorough workout.

The Puller comes in packs of two

Daisy always likes to carry a spare…

The unique concept of Puller Training is based on working with two circles and comprises of three simple exercises – running, jumping and pulling, which can be combined, modified and customised to achieve the best results for your dog.

The Puller, great for all types of dogs

Even in her wheelchair, Daisy still enjoys her Puller

It is also, apparently, a new Dog Sport, although it doesn’t yet appear to have reached the UK, with the Puller World Championships being held in Hungary this year. It comes in two disciplines – Puller Running and Puller Jumping. Races take place on a rated racing surface, each discipline lasts 90 seconds and has relatively simple rules. Contestants earn points for correct execution of the exercises. Both disciplines are evaluated separately.

Sport Dog Puller is primarily fun for dogs and owners. It is about physical condition, coordination and mental readiness of the dog, team coordination between dog and handler, but mainly it’s about the joy of working together!

The Puller also floats and is great in water

The Puller is equally at home in the water as it is on dry land.

Of course, it floats and is an ideal retrieval toy in the water, especially to motivate our girl, Daisy to do a few extra laps.

Thanks to the convenient range of sizes we were able to get our dogs started as pups with the Mini Puller. And Toby was smitten from his first encounter. He is Puller mad!

Well, we’re not sure about all the science behind it, or the Dog Sport angle but one thing we do know for sure, is that dogs love ’em. We can testify to that. If a simple throw and tug toy is what you’re looking for you can’t go wrong with the Puller.

And lastly, our girl Tilly has her own unique take on the Puller! How does your dog hold theirs?

The Puller a unique toy for your unique dog

Tilly has a very unconventional way of carrying her Puller!