BUILDING A BOND LIKE NO OTHER…
The World of Dog Sports offers many opportunities to have fun and deepen your bond with your dog. Training is great exercise, and incredibly rewarding for you both, as you learn together. Watching your Partner grow in confidence and show pride and genuine happiness with their accomplishments… is a feeling like no other. Whether performing in your backyard, local park, training arena or in a sanctioned dog show event… you might find the hobby of your dreams… I did!!!
HOW TO GET STARTED – FIND YOUR HAPPY PLACE HERE!
There are many organizations that offer sanctioned sport events. Rules and Regulations are similar, but vary in eligibility, difficulty and tone. The list below is tailored to the Retriever Breeds, but depending on the sport that interests you, you might want to check out these popular options:
Obedience
RALLY
DOCK DIVING
- NADD – North American Diving Dogs [Recognized by AKC]
- UAD – Ultimate Air Dogs
AGILITY
- AKC – American Kennel Club
- ASCA – Australian Shepherd Club of America
- NADAC – North American Dog Agility Council
- UKC – United Kennel Club
- UKI – UK Agility International
- USDAA – United States Dog Agility Association
HUNT
- AKC Retriever Tests – American Kennel Club
- AKC Retriever Breed Field – American Kennel Club
- UKC – United Kennel Club
OUR JOURNEY
We began taking beginner companion classes at a school that offered many levels above the basics. I had a young Rescue Golden that needed both mental and physical exercise, and the school offered classes at night and was close to home. [Read more about our start!].
Once we began to succeed, his little personality blossomed with pride… and Team Reufus was hooked! We moved into competition path training. We trained and set our goals in AKC Sports for a number of reasons. First, AKC offers the option to register pure breeds through their ‘Purebred Alternative Listing’ (PAL) registry. Second, AKC Events are readily available in every discipline in Texas/Louisiana/Oklahoma. And third, once you decide on an organization to register your dog’s titles, it’s motivating to chase that next dream!
THE ROLE OF THE AMERICAN KENNEL CLUB
The American Kennel Club is a non-profit organization dedicated to:
- Canine Health, Safety and Well-being.
- Public Education in Support of Responsible Dog Ownership.
- Advocacy of Dog Owners’ Rights.
- Upholding the Integrity of the World’s Largest and Oldest Not-for-Profit Purebred Registry of over 200 Breeds.
- Promoting the Sport of Purebred Dogs and Breeding for Type and Function.
- Maintaining Rules, Regulations and Policies related to Dog Shows and Trial Events.
- Hosting or Sanctioning Events. Recording and Certifying Results and and Title Registry.
AKC EVENTS
DON’T BE SHY!
Participating in dog sports isn’t always about winning ribbons. For many exhibitors, it’s the personal reward of spending quality time with your dog, along with the kindred friendships made in the process.
For those with a competitive spirit, add the thrill of meeting and exceeding goals and challenges… because you are consistently training to better and beat your own score! Give it a try…. Who will You be???!