Advanced dog training can take many forms. After you've completed basic obedience training with your dog, your options are nearly unlimited. Trying a canine sport such as Agility is fun for both dog and handler. If your dog is an American Kennel Club-registered purebred, you can earn titles to add to your dog's registered name. You could train your dog as a therapy dog or join a search and rescue team.
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Canine Sports
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Canine sports are a form of advanced dog training that involve competition with other dog/handler teams to perform certain exercises, usually at speed. The most popular canine sport is Agility. This sport is based on show- jumping competitions for horses and involves an obstacle course that dogs must complete while racing against the clock. The dog who correctly completes the course in the shortest time will be the winner.
If you're interested in Agility, try to attend an Agility match and observe the competition to see if it looks like a sport you and your dog would enjoy. This also gives you the opportunity to meet local Agility trainers and talk to their students. If you still think you want to try Agility with your dog, contact a trainer from the match and join an introductory class. It's best not to train at home until you've taken several classes. Agility is a difficult and precise sport. You will not be successful in competition without the help of a professional trainer. Working without professional advice could even result in an injury to your dog due to the intense exercise provided by agility runs. As you advance through the ranks, you can begin practicing outside class.
Another fun canine sport is Flyball. Flyball is a relay race in which teams of four dogs race over hurdles to fetch a tennis ball and return with it to the starting line, at which point the next dog begins its race. Dogs that love to fetch excel at Flyball. You could also consider lure coursing, Dock Dog competitions, tracking or Earthdog trials.
Earning AKC Titles
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If you'd like to start earning titles through the American Kennel Club to add to your dog's name, the easiest place to start is the Canine Good Citizen test. This test evaluates your dog's ability to behave politely in situations involving public contact. Your dog will need to walk on-leash without pulling or lagging behind, greet other dogs and strange humans calmly, walk through a crowd calmly and perform a down-stay while being held by a stranger with you out of sight, among other exercises. You can either join a Canine Good Citizen class designed to prepare dogs and handlers for the test or simply learn about the test and practice at home until you're ready.
Your dog can also earn AKC titles in Conformation shows or Obedience competitions. Both types of show are formal and traditional. You will be most successful if you work with a professional trainer whose own dogs and whose students' dogs hold the titles that you hope to achieve with your dog. Only purebred dogs registered with the American Kennel Club may compete in AKC Conformation shows and Obedience trials. Purebred dogs of AKC breeds that are not eligible for full registration can be registered through the organization's PAL/ILP program to compete in Obedience trials. Expect to practice in classes and at home for several months before you begin to compete.
Community Service
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Therapy dogs and search and rescue dogs perform a great service to their communities. The best therapy dogs are calm and friendly to all people, as well as unafraid of new sights, sounds, and smells. By contrast, search and rescue dogs should be energetic and highly scent-oriented, with a natural ability to find a scent in the air or on the ground.
If you're interested in training your dog to help its community as a therapy dog, the first step is a CGC certification, described above. Then you need to seek Therapy Dog certification from Therapy Dogs International. Once your dog is a certified therapy dog, you're ready to seek out people who need a little canine therapy. Hospitals, nursing homes and rehabilitation centers usually have patients who would appreciate a visit from a therapy dog.
To train your dog for search and rescue work, you'll need to locate your nearest National Association for Search and Rescue chapter. Each chapter is different. Most can either offer training help or refer you to training classes that will prepare your dog to become a search and rescue K9. You will need to commit to staying physically fit yourself and putting in volunteer hours when SAR services are needed.
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