Dog Sports for Reactive Dogs

Having a reactive dog means a lot of the traditional dog world and dog events are shut to you if your dog has trouble controlling themselves around other dogs. And reactive dogs are very often the dogs who need a job. High energy. Sharp. Busy brain.

These days with advances in technology and dog training, there are a lot more options for competing and titling with a reactive dog. Now you can send in a video of your dog performing and your dog can earn titles in a variety of different sports. This is also a great option for people who live far away from dog sport venues. 

Agility: The Virtual Agility League "provides a non-traditional, skills-based agility venue that allows people to submit dog agility performances for review by video. To give reactive or distracted dogs an equal chance to show off their agility skills, and recognition for the people who love and patiently work with them."

Disc Dog: If your dog is a frisbee pro, Pamela Johnson offers disc dog titles by video. She also offers canine freestyle routine and trick titles. 

Musical Freestyle: Dogs and humans show off a dance routine choreographed to music. "Rally Freestyle Elements offers video entries in Musical Freestyle for those that either live too far from live events or for those dogs not suited to the show environment."

Nosework: Nosework is traditionally recommended for reactive dogs, both as a way to build confidence and because the sport is set up to accommodate reactive dogs and their needs. This sport is also good for dogs with various disabilities. 

Parkour: In Dog Parkour, dogs use skills from human parkour and dog agility to overcome obstacles. "Dog Parkour helps with confidence and overcoming fears, and it is a low impact but challenging activity for any canine athlete."

Rally - FrEe:  This sports combines cues from Musical Freestyle and the competition format of Rally-Obedience. "It emphasizes the precise execution of fundamental freestyle and obedience skills while encouraging creative and novel behaviors on a Rally-Obedience style course." 

Trick Dog: Shake. Roll over. Sit pretty. Fetch! Do More With Your Dog! offers trick dog titles from novice to champion.

Photo by Grace W.

Dracula's Grave

Bait and Switch

Mr. N would like to file a complaint with the Bureau of Dog Affairs. He was explicitly promised a "walk" but instead was roped into taking Halloween photos. He thinks this is a bait and switch. 

Do you agree? 

Bookstore Display Model

Mr. N practices strength and balance training on top of a tiered bookshelf. He is used to heights but the texture of the bookshelf meant he had to sit with poise. Being a good display model also means having excellent sit/stay skills. Sometimes people mistake him for a stuffed animal.

Does he add to the display?

Immense Sacrifice

Mr. N hopes humankind appreciates the immense sacrifice he has made by getting TWO baths in one week.  Unfortunately, we were both exposed to MRSA during a therapy visit so the ER said to give him a bath as a precaution. 

Is Your Dog a Rule Follower or a Rebel?

Mr. N is a dog that likes being good. I swear he preens when another dog is being "bad" and he is 

"good." If one of his friends has to go back on leash and he is still off-leash, he prances about expressively and flouts his freedom. 

He very rarely loses his off-leash privileges but I had to leash him one time on the beach because he was obsessed with trying to play with this one dog on a flexi-leash. After he disregarded his second warning, he went on the leash. After a decent amount of distance away from the dog, I un-leashed him. He kept looking back at me and checking to see if it was OK to walk ahead. He does not enjoy being "bad." 

I think part of it is he likes law and order and the other part that he is a total mama's boy and wants to stay in my good graces. This isn't to say he is never naughty but he does try very hard to be good. 

When canine visitors enter our kitchen, he disapproves. He is not allowed in there unless expressly invited.  Even if other dogs are in the kitchen looking for crumbs or sniffing the treat bin, he never joins them. If I drop a treat by mistake, he'll wait to see if I really meant to give it to him. 

He also believes that good behavior should be rewarded and appropriately. Sometimes after reactivity training (which is probably the hardest for him), we'll pass by a dog and I'll dole out a treat for not reacting. And he'll look at me as if to say, that was really, really hard. That dog was talking smack about me and I didn't even say anything back! I think I deserve more treats. Most of the time, I'll agree with him and treat him to his satisfaction. 

Whereas our foster pup could care less about human approval or rules if it conflicted with what he wanted. He was always trying to sneak into the kitchen. And he stole food out of Mr. N's mouth. Literally. Mr. N was aghast at his behavior and would run and tattle. We used to call them Goofus and Gallant. 

Is your dog a rule follower or a rebel? 

Mr. N says he has done his part. Treat now please?

Too Sick for a Walk

The sick pup in his sick bed.

Mr. N was super listless this morning. Even the walk word wouldn't budge him out of bed and he always wants to go for a walk. He had been having a stomachache for a few days but I took this as a sign that we needed to go to the vet asap.

Luckily, we were able to get a same day appointment and they gave him fluids and anti-nausea medication. When we got home, he decided that he would eat from my hand and ate his first meal in two days.

After lots of napping and another small meal, he had a spurt of energy and ran around the living room chasing a toy for a half hour and demanded his chews. Little Dog is on the mend.

Dog Modeling for a Photo Shoot

Mr. N's shoot for City Dog Magazine

Portland Horse Project and Mr. N

If you look closely, you'll spot metal rings on the sidewalks of Portland. They date back to the early 1900's when people would tie up their horses and carts to the rings. Portland continues the tradition by adding rings when new sidewalks are built. Scott Wayne Indiana came up with the idea of adding toy horses to the rings as a public art project (Portland Horse Project) and it became popular with Portlanders. 

Mr. N says he is not a horse and he finds being tied to the ring  very insulting. 

Warm Winter (and Fall) Soup for Dogs

The rainy season in Portland means that Mr. N is a soggy shivering little dog no matter how many layers of water-proof clothing he wears. After he gets his paws (and sometimes belly) washed, he gets a quick towel dry and then a warm snack.

This post was sponsored by Chewy. They are not responsible for the contents of this article. All opinions expressed are our own. 

I don't believe in warming up raw food so he usually gets warmed up canned food. Right now, he's eating Weruva Steak Frites with Beef, Pumpkin & Sweet Potatos in Gravy from Chewy.com for his cold winter snack.

Weruva with added water

He laps it right up and leaves a clean bowl. He stops shivering. The extra calories are good for him too. He expends a lot of calories keeping warm during the rainy months.

Do you give your dogs special warm food during the cold season? 

Canine STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics)