You might be interested in this dog sport but you have many questions before you can decide to start with it. Will my buddy enjoy it? Do I have sufficient physical abilities? When should we start, isn’t it too soon or too late? This article and advice from Alena Smolíková, European Dogdancing Champion and the author of a book called 'From Dogs’ Tricks to Dogdancing', might help you.
“Fortunately, most people nowadays know it’s not enough to have a dog in the garden or tied to a kennel, dogs need to be occupied. They need to be occupied both physically and mentally. Dogdancing is a perfect sport for mental occupation of a dog. It learns to concentrate, be accurate, cooperate with a person and it learns how to learn. An activity done with a master also leads to developing a stronger relationship.” These are the words of Alena Smolíková who achieved great successes in dogdancing and has won many contest in this discipline. Among other things, she appeared in TV shows Talentmania and Czechoslovakia’s Got Talent.
Dogdancing is one of the newest cynological disciplines. However, it quickly spread around the world. In dogdancing, dogs do the moves their handlers want in the rhythm of music. However, it doesn’t mean you need to be a dancing talent, even though it might be an advantage. Alena Smolíková confirms that: “If a person has a talent for dancing, it’s definitely an advantage, but it’s not necessary. Dogdancing routines don’t need to have dance elements. Their topic is up to everyone’s skills and consideration. So, if I can’t dance I come up with a routine that doesn’t involve dancing.”
This sport is practically limitless. A dog can do any moves it can and that don’t pose a risk to its health. Your imagination and creativity play a more important role than your talent for movement. However, even those aren’t necessary. Alena says: “In my view, what I like the most about dog dancing is learning new tricks. I always try to come up with something original that no one has ever showed during the competition. I also like that you can train dogdancing almost anywhere. When it’s raining outside, we can train in our living room. We don’t have to go to any cynological training area, no special training equipment is needed.” Therefore, it’s not expensive.
Now, when we are sure no special talent or gift is needed for this sport, it’s the time for the big question: will my dog enjoy it? Alena thinks that “if a dog can be motivated in any way (with treats, toys), it can be assumed it will enjoy dogdancing. Then, it’s only up to the handler who will make training enjoyable for the dog.” Most dogs like learning, it disrupts their normal stereotype and they enjoy the time spent together with you.
The dog’s size doesn’t matter as well. Basically, choose moves that are doable for you as well as your dog. A Mastiff probably won’t jump at your back when it’s heavier than you and a Yorkshire can’t put its paws on your shoulders when standing. “There aren’t any compulsory elements in dogdancing, so it’s up to the handler what moves (s)he will teach the dog and how they will use them in a routine. Thanks to this, a routine can be adjusted to the possibilities and skills of your dog, so it’s really a sport for all breeds. Both a Newfoundland dog and a Chihuahua can compete successfully. You can start with a puppy as well as an older dog.” summarizes Alena.
If you decide to start with this discipline, it’s good to do it right to see some progress and to have a smooth beginning. “The most important thing is not to do any silly mistakes that would be difficult to get rid off later. I recommend reading some books, watching a video with instructions or finding an experienced trained who will give you advice” says Alena. You can also reach out to the Dog Dancing Club Czech Republic (for example) where you can definitely find help, a lot of useful advice and also a list of experienced trainers that can make your first steps easier.
So, what about you, will you try dogdancing with your dog companion?
Have you ever watched your cat and asked yourself what it might be thinking? It sometimes seems that these furry friends enjoy situations in which you don’t know if they love your or want to claw your eyes out. They only sit and watch you from a...
These special dogs were bred and raised specifically for hunting of puffins and guillemots (water birds). For this reason, they have several very specific and for their purpose very practical physical deviations. For example, they have extremely...
They say there aren’t many activities as relaxing as fishing. And it’s no longer true that fishing is only for men. When my friend told me she takes her dog for fishing, I was really surprised. And I immediately had to question her about how it...
If you like small dogs, it will be easy for you to fall in love with pomeranians. Not only they look like teddy bears with a nice face and look, they will also impress you with their nature. They belong to sociable dog breeds rightfully. Besides their...
Living with dogs is such a natural thing for us dog lovers that we sometimes treat them more like people. We love them, we nurture them but we may sometimes care a bit too much and unintentionally harm our furry friends. Such cases include wrong fur...
Miniature pinscher is also called min pin or German pinscher. There is a great personality with a big heart inside its little body. It is a big warrior,sports dog and a tourist. Perfect sports for this breed are for example dog dancing or agility where...
Some animals are simply talented for water sports. Already as a puppy, Ricochet grabbed people’s attention for her confidence she jumped into sea waves with. Later on, she became a dog hero helping disabled and a role model for many enthusiasts who...
While in the wildlife, their diet depends on natural instincts, rodents kept by humans and other small animals require a regular and balanced diet. What should rodent’s diet include and what should it avoid? What food is dangerous/safe for it? And what...
If you wish to do sports with your dog, you should at first think about if it’s right for you pet, no matter if you want to do it for leisure or top-level. And not only from the point of view of your pet’s nature but also of its physical predispositions.
Have you ever discussed whether a cat or a dog is more intelligent with your friends? Reportedly, scientists already know the answer. In this article, I mention a few facts and observations from a recently published research paper on this topic.
Cats can handle a new human in your family very badly. They are more sensitive to the changes than dogs. Are you interested in what you can do to enjoy this time and not to deal with the problems with your cat?
Are you considering getting a rodent as your new pet but you are afraid it won’t be doing good with your dog under one roof? Don’t be afraid, dogs and rodents can do great together. It is important to teach your dog from an early age that other animals...
