The game of smell. This sport is similar to Flyball in that it is a relay race between two teams of four dogs where each dog must run over four jumps to a box. Now, this is where it gets different; once at the box each dog must select the correct dumbbell, the one that matches the number on the nifty jacket she's wearing, from a set of four and bring it back to her handler. Once all four dumbbells have been retrieved the team is done.
Click here for a brief video about the sport.
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| Whistler, Oliver, and Ahab |
Our team accepts any size, any breed, either gender. We even have a three pawed dog on the team - Ahab, pictured above. However, dogs must be at least 12 months old before beginning any serious training for this sport. We play for fun and we do not want to see any dogs injured; dogs younger than 12 months old are still growing puppies and are not yet physically or mentally ready for this kind of training. For larger breeds you may want to wait until your dog is 18 months old. Have no fear that you'll be bored though, see below for a list of skills you can start teaching your dog immediately.
In order to begin teaching your dog this sport she must have learned these three prerequisite skills:
- Walk on a leash - your dog must walk on a leash with you to start learning to go over the jumps.
- Recall - your dog must come to you when called in a relatively distracting environment.
- Have a stranger hold her collar - part of teaching your dog this sport will mean that someone else, possibly a complete stranger, will have to hold onto your dog's collar.
If you are uncertain how to teach these skills to your dog please contact a qualified dog trainer for assistance.
None of this is written in stone, if your dog is struggling with any of these skills you can still begin training, it might even give you both some incentive to practice boring things like stays.
Skills your dog will learn, listed in no particular order:
None of this is written in stone, if your dog is struggling with any of these skills you can still begin training, it might even give you both some incentive to practice boring things like stays.
Skills your dog will learn, listed in no particular order:
- Stay - your dog will learn to hold a sit, stand, or down stay while you walk down to the box and place her dumbbell in it.
- Over - your dog will learn to come to you while jumping over four jumps.
- Go to the box - your dog will learn to go away from you and over the jumps to the box where her dumbbell is waiting.
- Retrieve - your dog will learn to pickup her dumbbell and bring it to you.
- Scent discrimination - your dog will learn to choose her dumbbell from among up to three others.
- Passing - your dog will learn to enter the race course while another dog is exiting the course and exit the course while another dog is entering.
- The other lane - your dog will learn to play the game with another team running next to her.
- Focus in unusual environments - your dog will learn to play the game no matter where she is. Including outdoors on grass.
Don't be intimidated by this list, everything will be broken down in to simple steps and tailored for you and your dog so that by the time you put it all together it seems easy. Then you can brag to your friends and family that your dog has the most highly trained nose of all of your dogs. ;-)
!! Classes !!
New dogs are welcome to join our regular practice. Practice time is intermittent due to the availability of a suitable facility but will always be on Friday after 7pm unless otherwise noted. The time and location will be posted on the main page as many days in advance as possible.
Please email k9.calgarylongshots at gmail dhat com if you are new and want to attend so we can be sure to have a set of dumbbells for your dog(s). A set of dumbbells must be purchased for every dog participating as each dog must have their own dumbbells.
Please email k9.calgarylongshots at gmail dhat com if you are new and want to attend so we can be sure to have a set of dumbbells for your dog(s). A set of dumbbells must be purchased for every dog participating as each dog must have their own dumbbells.
A note about children:
We encourage children to participate in the training of the family dog. However, children under 16 years old must have a parent or guardian present during all training classes and at all tournaments. We have no problems with children participating in training the dog, or being the primary trainer, if that is what the child wants to do but a parent or guardian must be present during all classes and tournaments. We expect children to understand that they are there to train their dog and that they MUST NOT play on any equipment in the room, there may be agility equipment or other things present and none of it is safe for children to play on nor is it intended to be a playground. Very young children must be supervised by a parent or guardian at all times and must never interfere with the dogs while they are training.
If you are interested in attending a class please contact us at k9.calgarylongshots at gmail daht com. Make the usual substitutions for an email address. Or just join us at our practice.
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