The following post comes to us from guest blogger, Barbara, of the Agility Beagle Xsara blog. Xsara regularly competes in Agility trials in her home country, Slovenia, and sometimes abroad.

Getting a dog is easy for some people, but it wasn’t easy for me because my parents didn’t allow one. That’s why it took me 20 years to get my first dog — a beagle, not an easy breed to work with. I have been told many times that working with a dog like Xsara was simply not possible, and that I shouldn’t have high expectations. Luckily, I didn’t listen to any of them, and I really wanted to try working with her anyway.

I admit that training her wasn’t easy and it’s still hard work, but I am proud to say that at four years old she can do pretty much anything a border collie could do – she can run practically any agility course without faults, do hundreds of tricks and impress any obedience judge. We compete on practically every agility trial in our country and sometimes abroad, and she never lets me down; every mistake that happens on course is always my fault.

Xsara is the reason why I believe that any dog can do pretty much anything their handler wants, as long as they are willing to train and work for it. In addition, I strongly believe that work is good for dogs. After all, that is what they were bred for. And I am always amazed by how much dogs actually love to work with us, if the methods of training are dog friendly. Of course, some dogs need more motivation than others, but if the handler can make work interesting enough, there are practically no limitations.

There are so many canine disciplines to choose from, so anyone can find something that suits their personality and that the dog will enjoy. And anybody who has ever seen the enthusiastic look on a working dog’s face will tell you that the training will eventually pay off – big time!

Watch Xsara in action and read more about her at Agility Beagle Xsara.

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Exercise is a great way to have fun with your dog while keeping pet obesity under control. Those tired of playing the same old game of fetch, however, may be interested in checking out competitive dog sports as an exciting way to bond with your dog and keep his weight under control. There are courses all over the world that specialize in dog training for these events, and there are many sports that are open to all breeds, including the following:

Flyball: These races involve teams of four dogs competing in relay fashion to complete a 51-foot long course. The course consists of a series of jumps, which lead to an automatic tennis ball launcher that the dogs must trigger and then retrieve the ball. There are over 375 active flyball clubs registered in North America, so there is likely to be a local team that your dog can compete with.

Agility: A good way to promote both dog health and obedience, agility is a sport that involves completing a timed obstacle course. Dog agility courses are commonly made up of hurdles, ramps, tunnels, see-saws, and tire jumps.

Canine Freestyle: Does your dog have a flair for musical interpretation? If so, canine freestyle might be right for your dancing dogs. In this competition, training and teamwork are emphasized as dog and handler work together in a choreographed performance set to music.

Disc Dog: If your dog enjoys playing frisbee, disc dog is likely to be an enjoyable event for him. Events include distance catching, which is your basic game of toss and fetch, as well as freestyle catching, where dogs are rewarded for canine athleticism and showmanship.

Rally: In this sport, dogs and their handlers complete a 10-20 station course. Instructions are placed at each station explaining the skill that must be performed. Although similar to obedience courses, canine rally is a good choice for beginners, as it is not scored as strictly as traditional obedience competition.

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