r/k9sports

may the fourth be with you!

we want to hear your brags, progress, training success stories, training failure stories, goals, whatever it may be. use this thread as a place to just talk about what you’ve done the past week or even what you’d like to improve on in the following.

feel free to link any pictures, videos, etc. to your comments.

Hi everyone!

I'm brand new to the dog sports world and a bit autistic so I have a hard time understanding rules for sports and stuff without having a very clear example of exactly how it's supposed to go lol. I have read over rulebook and watched some videos to help but I still have a few questions about, well, a lot of it. I have 3 dogs, each potentially doing different events, so I will split this into sections for each of them.

Sherlock (~1 y/o yorkie):

- Fast CAT - we were planning on trying Sherlock in a fun run for Fast CAT at a show last weekend, but we arrived too late and they were no longer accepting fun run entries or day of entries. We wanted to try a fun run because we are attending another show at the end of next month and he will be old enough by then to earn a title. Would it be better to do a fun run the first day we're there to introduce him to it, and then if he enjoys it, try for a title the next day? Should we find somewhere to do a fun run sooner?

- Dock - Sherlock has not taken dock classes yet but we're working on swimming and water confidence at home for now. The training facility does not have their dock open for the season. Would paying for a practice jump during the show be a good or bad idea? He will have to have a life jacket on, so I know he wouldn't be able to actually compete of course, but I would like to see how he handles it. Would it be better to just wait until after classes? I don't think we have any shows over the rest of the summer that are nearby so I'm trying to get all my stuff together for this one.

- Barn Hunt - we want to try an instinct test with Sherlock for barn hunt. He has not taken classes for this either, just want to see if he'd take any interest in it. I know barn hunt is rule heavy, so I printed out and reviewed the rulebook for it last night. My 2 major concerns are: he is potty trained but we occasionally have issues with him marking still (terriers 🙄) I would be mortified if he did this in the ring but I know they don't allow belly bands or antthing of the sort and I won't be able to keep him on a leash of course. Second is that he has very high prey drive which we love, but I'm terrified he's going to grab one of the tubes and manage to hurt the rat. He's tiny and so is his mouth, so I'm probably overthinking it, but I would love some feedback on that subject lol.

Sophie (9 y/o yorkie)

- Fast CAT - Sophie will not be fully competing but we want to try a fun run with her because of her prey drive as we feel she would enjoy it. However, she is rather fearful/reactive towards strangers, but only in close proximity. We are staying at a hotel, so if we do run her and Prince, we will pick her up, run, and then they will go back, so thats not a concern. I just want to make sure that her issues with strangers will not prevent her from running (obviously if she just doesn't want to that's fine. We just think she'd like it and are willing to try)

Prince (~7 y/o golden)

- Prince is dog reactive. We don't know why, he's a rescue. I know that muzzles are permitted for Fast CAT, so he will have one on (basket muzzle from muzzle movement). I'm mostly just trying to see of other people have experienced running with their dog-reactive pup and if it caused an issue. As long as he is not approached by another dog he is fine, and i know most people will have their dogs put away, I'm really just looking for some reassurance and maybe personal experiences with this sort of thing.

If anyone else has some other advice for a newbie, feel free to leave it in the comments! I appreciate all of it! Thanks everyone!

My sport dog is aging and I am having a really hard time with it. I have always had pitbulls who aged gracefully or died suddenly of cancer, but my shepherd is getting old and it is so hard to see. He LOVES sport and doesn't show age too much on the field, but his time is coming to an end in sport. To make it worse this is my first sport dog who I got at a very difficult time so we are so in tune and have done a lot together. I changed my whole life to cater to him and his training. This is probably our last summer of carefree outdoor adventures or training even close to how we have for the last 8 years. The main thing I am seeing aside from waning strength is weakness in the rear end sometimes and difficulty getting comfortable around the house. It seems to have happened fast just over the last year.

I am looking for practical tips to help a sport dog age gracefully and managing the emotional fallout for us both (mostly me) transitioning him into old age. We take it a lot easier than we used to, but it just breaks my heart sometimes seeing him or realizing a day was too much after the fact. I can't get another sport dog right now, but one is in the cards for the future I think.

I'm very new to dog sports and signed up for our first trial ever. I have a question regarding ribbons. (I'm not expecting a ribbon, but I was just thinking of in the future if we were to continue.)

I personally do not really care about the ribbon. I would love to take a picture of the ribbon with my dog and use that to recognize our achievement, but I'm not interested in keeping the ribbon itself. Is it normal to take it for a picture and then return it so the club could reuse the ribbon? Or is that considered rude? Should I just accept it and then dispose of it later? I was just wondering what would be proper etiquette. Thanks!

I have 2 year old rescue who is extremely anxious. Like would spook at her own shadow. I've had her for about a year and for that year we've done a lot of work on her separation anxiety and fear/reactivity to strangers. She loves to run and jump in addition the vet recommended agility for her as a way to strengthen her back legs. She took two intro obedience classes at a different place, but I recently moved so I enrolled her into a foundation agility class at a different place.

She did really well for the first two classes but ever sense we started wobble boards every time we enter the new club she gets super anxious and has started being abit reactive in class. I've tried going to open ring time to work on just the wobble boards and other foundation stills but it seems like one foot forward two steps back for most foundations skills and we have made no progress with the wobble board. I got a wobble board at home so we could practice and we got to the point that she can do that at home, but the second we're in class again she freaks. She was also doing really well with the other foundation skills but now I feel like she is nervous to do anything. Looking for any advice, especially sense I feel like were falling behind the rest of the class.

I've been researching a dog breeder for a year now, and was planning on possibly getting a puppy from them in 3 years; however, I just discovered they are no longer planning on doing igp/Schutzhund anymore. They have working line german shepherds, and titled 2 dogs to IGP2 recently and their newest breeding female only to a BH. The other is titled to IGP1.

My question is how other than IGP do you prove a dog's work ability? Some of their dogs do SAR, but not the breeding dogs. Other sports I feel, would only be worthwhile at champion levels like MACH, OTCH, and RACH.

My desire is for a IGP prospect, so should I just move on from this breeder or if they title their dogs to high levels in things like obedience would that still be possible?

Trying register my miniature schnauzer for a fastcat event coming up and am not very creative. Would like some help coming up with a name.

No kennel name as far as im aware of (small breeder, first litter)

Litter name was Rose Quartz/Quartz. Call name Phoebe.

Hoping to incorporate her litter name if possible.

Edit - We've made our decisions about what breed/s we've shortlisted. Any experiences with them are still very welcome.

I know there are so many people asking for dog breed suggestions, but I have done SO much research on different breeds and am still on the fence about what breed I should plan on getting. I have even made spreadsheets to try and narrow it down to very little success. Please read the whole post before recommending any breeds as I already have a shortlist of breeds that might suit me and am mostly looking for more knowledgeable opinions from dog sport people. Apologies for formatting and any spelling or grammar issues as English is not my first language.

I'm also planning far ahead right now and will not be getting a dog until mid-2027 at the earliest. I'd need to find a good, ethical breeder, go through some screening processes, etc. before I even think about actually bringing a puppy home. My wants in a dog breed are also very negotiable as we're very flexible people. The only non-negotiable is the intended purpose of the dog.

What I'm looking for (essentially my perfect dog):

A large-ish (25kg minimum) to giant breed dog, preferably not a double coated breed with a lot of shedding, that is very intelligent, higher drive, and can be trained to a fairly high standard. Preferably not a breed with a ton of genetic health risks or a relatively short lifespan (average being not less than 10+ years). High energy comes with the territory and we are 100% prepared for that.

This dog will ideally be competing in rally obedience and be a personal protection dog (not to guard our home, but a dog specifically for personal protection). It will hopefully do casual PSA training 1-2x per week with the option to compete with the right dog, but I don't need a champion PSA dog, and the PSA scene in my country isn't super intense like in the US, for example. Our country just isn't very safe, and I want to combine my need for security with my passion for training dogs. I will be working with a trainer who competes in PSA herself, and I have a safety net of knowledgeable dog trainers who compete in both rally obedience, PSA, and IGP, so any future dogs will be in good hands. Any future dog we get has to be from a breed that isn't predisposed to people-aggression as the dog will be coming out into public frequently.

Some background on me and my experience:

I started off in the horse industry, mostly schooling and bringing on young horses. I currently own 3 dogs. The eldest is a mini schnauzer, 5, who I trained to a remarkably high calibre straight out of high school. She's a super little dog, freakishly intelligent, and will do anything for a treat. She was a great dog to start off training because of how smart she is, and her sprinkle of schnauzer stubbornness definitely made me a better dog owner in general. The second is an APBT, 4, who was supposed to be a sport prospect but decided he'd much rather be a couch potato. He is always willing to please but is a bit slow on the information uptake. We joke that he's got rocks for brains, but it's mostly because his sisters make him look "dumb" in comparison. He's a bit more of a challenge to train, but I've managed to get him to a point where he's dog-friendly, people-friendly, and small animal friendly, with basic obedience in place.

Then we have the dog that's gotten me into high energy, "difficult" dogs... Our youngest dog is technically my partner's, but I have taken over most of her training since she was a puppy. She's a mutt with at least 25% border collie in her (we know the grandmother is a purebred BC). The rest is a mashup between shepherd, greyhound, and bull terrier. We got her as a rescue at 9 weeks old, and she had a plethora of genetic behavioural issues from day 1. Trainers and other dog people alike have said she'd have ended up on a euthanasia list if we hadn't been the ones she ended up with with how absolutely insane she is. She has torn through heavy-duty metal crates, tore through 2 different doors, and broken a window due to her heavy separation anxiety. She acts like the poorly-bred and poorly-managed malinois you often see on social media, with the caveat of also being afraid of her own shadow. Now, at almost 3 years old, she is finally a solid citizen with only mild behavioural issues. She is one of the smartest animals I've ever met and has drive like no other, but a very low frustration threshold. She'll be starting formal training for rally obedience in the upcoming weeks as well.

As for our lifestyle, we are fairly physically active and make sure our dogs get multiple fulfilling training sessions daily. There is almost always someone at home, and our BC mix comes to the office with me often, where she relaxes in her crate under my desk. It's a warehouse setting with some offices in the back and I work for family so it's fairly lenient. Any future puppy would ideally accompany me and the mix to the office 2 to 4 times per week for 4 to 5 hour stints.

Breeds I've already seriously considered:

Dutch Shepherd/Belgian Malinois: These are the breeds I've essentially already been planning for. The biggest con for me is the hair. I'm autistic and it's incredibly overstimulating, but it's something I'm willing to cope with for the right dog. I've already spoken to some really nice breeders here and they agree that a more medium-drive pup from one of their litters would suit us well.

German Shepherd: Again, the hair is a drawback. They are more prone to health and temperamental issues than I'd like. I'm also struggling to find the calibre of breeder for GSDs as I have with Mals and Dutchies in my country. Many of the breeders either don't sufficiently health test their breeding stock, or their dogs are described as "wimpy" when it comes to the PSA competitions. Overall, it's easier to find show lines here, and their quality is lacking for what I want.

Dobermann: Sport-bred Dobermans are really hard to find in my country, plus they have quite a lot of serious health issues. Again, most breeders don't sufficiently health test their dogs. If I do decide Dobies are 100% the breed for me, I would likely have to import, which would cost an arm and a leg and would set my plans back another year or 2. It is, however, something I'd consider.

Rottweiler: This is the only large mastiff-type breed I've considered, but finding ones with the right temperamental stability in my country is hard. They also have the drawback of all the hair, plus a shorter lifespan and health issues.

Giant Schnauzer: This is a breed I've only really seen do bitework through social media, but I absolutely adore them. If I could find a good breeder here that does sport-bred dogs, I think Giant Schnauzers would be my first option. The coat is perfect, they're usually not crazy intense, and some of them do really nicely in PSA as far as I've seen. If anyone recommends this breed, I'd probably reach out to more breeders to see if any have lines that are compatible with amateur PSA work, but this is another breed that I'd likely have to look at importing if I decide on it.

Any further recommendations would be great. Consider that we are in South Africa and ethical dog breeding isn't what it should be here. Some breeds are incredibly hard to find and others aren't available at all. Thanks to anyone in advance!

UPDATE if anyone was wondering what we've settled on:

I've found the only breeder that still breeds traditional working Giant Schnauzers in South Africa and am in contact with her regarding possibly getting a puppy from her. All of her dogs are imports from Poland or offspring of the Polish-bred stock. Unfortunately, she is moving back to her home country next year and will have her last litter hitting the ground in SA in the beginning of 2027, which is earlier than what's ideal for our timeline. In the case that this doesn't work out, we will not be getting a Giant Schnauzer at all. The other breeders in SA don't have what we're looking for and importing isn't an option until the state of the world settles down. We might still consider them in the very distant future, though, as we plan to be involved with dog sports for many more years.

In the case that a Giant Schnauzer doesn't work out, which is 50/50 at the moment, we will be going with our original plan of acquiring a Belgian Malinois or Dutch Shepherd. I'll get over the shedding, even if it's not my favourite thing. We are, however, leaning towards a Dutchie but have had some people say they're a bit less handler-oriented. Does anyone else agree on this?

Anyhow, we are already in contact with a Dutch Shepherd breeder who has some really nice dogs competing in many different sports in SA. One of the trainers we've been consulting also breeds lovely Malinois with nice, stable temperaments, plus they've all competed very successfully in different sports. Both breeders have proven personal protection lines and will help match us with the right puppy when the time comes.

My van just got totaled, so I’m looking for a new car. Open to another van or SUV, but curious what can fit 2 XL Rufflands? Any input appreciated!

Hi! I’m working on getting my dog more confident in heel position and maintaining consistent eye contact for the whole round (I do rally) and I’m at a bit of a stand still with it. Obviously I don’t expect him to never drop his head, I can understand it would get tiering, but at the moment he’s dropping his head for 5-10 seconds or more quite often, Which really affects his ability to do turns and stop when I do. I been trying to practice just having him in heel position, stationary, and rewarding him for making eye contact, but once get takes the reward his head drops and I have to wait about 10 seconds before it comes up again. Iv repeated this countless times but he doesn’t put his head up any faster. I’m unsure what to do next. Do I need to almost drip feed him? He gets very distracted by little noises or things in the distance, but no amounts of rewards or marking gets his attention back to me any faster. I swear Iv probably marked and rewarded him thousands of times when he looks back it me, but it doesn’t seam to make him look back any faster. Iv tried saying his name or other words when his head drops, but even though that does give me his focus, it still hasn’t helped the problem. Help 🤷🏻‍♀️

Hey, fam.

My Malinois comes in hot on recall. We've used equestrian jump poles, our regulation high jump with all but the last panel removed, a target on the ground, etc. No matter what I do, she travels at least a couple of body lengths unless I run at her to create a bit of spatial pressure. We have been training the exercise for more than a year. She invariably goes a couple of body lengths before she drops.

I'm not wanting to slow her recall, as we'll need it for other sport applications. But I also don't want to spend the next year NQ'ing in Open B . . .

Any help would be appreciated. Good luck to y'all as competition season heats up.

Starting rally training with my 1.5yo ACD. We have done CGCA and ATT, and are in novice agility classes (no where close to competing).

I feel like she would be great at Rally, but there are no classes near me… so we will train at home! There is a Novice trial in 6 weeks, and I thought - why not give it a shot.

What do you wish you knew as a beginner? And do you have any tips for getting started?

I’ve been thinking about this a bit with my own training lately and was curious how others approach it.

It seems like some people really like to track things over time (notes, logs, patterns, etc.), while others are more focused on what they’re seeing in each session and adjust as they go.

I’ve kind of done a mix of both, but not super consistently, so I’m not sure which approach actually works better in the long run.

Lately I’ve been trying to be a bit more intentional with it, and I even started playing around with something called DogBase just to see if having everything in one place would help me stay consistent. Still figuring out if it actually makes a difference or if it’s just another layer on top of training.

For those of you training or competing:

do you keep any kind of structured way of tracking performance, or is it more based on how each session goes?

and have you found one approach more useful over time, or does it depend on the dog/sport?

Would be really interesting to hear different perspectives on this.

How do you best practice for rally? Once you know the signs do you set up mini courses, review each sign individually, or just practice intermittently?