If you’re a big dog owner, keeping your canine companion healthy and happy can be challenging. But with the proper diet, exercise regimen, and mental stimulation, you can keep your pal healthy and happy for years to come.
Another thing you can engage yourself to keep your dog healthy is to involve them into sport. Yet what are the best sports for giant dog breeds? Here’s are some of them:
1. Canicross
Canicross is one of the best sports for big dog breeds. It’s an off-leash sport that involves running with your dog while they pull you along using a special harness. You can find special harnesses from shops like Neewa Dogs. If you’re interested in trying out canicross with your furry pal, here are some tips to help you get started:
- Find a good harness. The most important part of canicross is finding the right harness. This is where many people start having problems. You’ll want one that fits well and is comfortable for you and your dog.
- Practice makes perfect. Like any new activity, it takes some practice before you’ll be ready for competition or just for fun after work or on weekends. Make sure to practice somewhere safe so that no one will get hurt if something goes wrong.
- Start slow. Don’t expect to be running full speed right away. Start slowly so that both you and your dog have time to adjust to this new activity together without getting hurt or discouraged by too much pressure too soon.
The sport has been around for years, but it’s recently become more popular across the country. Prior to starting to train for canicross, it can’t be stressed that enough that you make sure to check a harness from sites like neewadogs.com.
2. Weight Pulling
Weight pulling is a sport that tests the strength and stamina of working dogs. It involves having a dog pull a weight on a sled or cart. This can be done in two ways: static weight and dynamic weight. In static weight, the dog pulls against a stationary object, like a sled or wagon, while dynamic weight lets the dog pull an object being towed.
Weight pulling has been around for centuries with records showing it was used as early as 600 B.C. by the Greeks to breed stronger animals to haul heavy loads.
In the late 19th century, John Ott and Charles Blanchard started using weights in competition. They’d place weights on sleds that dogs would pull and run after them to catch up with them before completing their task.
There are many training and competitions for dogs where they compete against each other to see who can pull more weight or go further than their opponents. One of these competitions is called ‘carting,’ which involves having your dog pull carts through obstacles such as cones, barrels, or jumps placed along their path for maximum fun.
3. Lure Coursing
Lure coursing is a sport that involves the racing of greyhounds, whippets and other sighthound breeds. It’s also known as lure racing or the sport of coursing.
The sport originated in Ireland in the 1920s when greyhound owners used to race their dogs on private estates and public roads. This was before they were banned from racing on public roads due to safety concerns.
Today, lure coursing takes place in open fields or fenced areas with start lines and finish lines marked out on the ground by flags. Dogs race against each other while chasing after a mechanical rabbit lure that moves around at speeds up to 50mph.
4. Dog Agility
If you have a big dog, agility can be a great way to keep them active and engaged. Agility training is also an excellent way to bond with your dog, build confidence and teach them some valuable skills.
Dog agility is a sport where dogs navigate an obstacle course at top speed while their handler directs them through tunnels, over jumps, and around barrels. Dogs that excel at agility tend to be intelligent and energetic, so it’s no surprise that many big breeds are very good at this sport.
Many people assume that big dogs aren’t suited for agility because they’re too strong for the equipment used in competitions. But the equipment used in competitions is designed with weight limits in mind so even large breeds can compete safely.
5. Skijoring
Skijoring is a winter sport where human pulls their dog on skis behind them. The sport has been around since at least the late 1800s and was originally used by Scandinavian farmers to get around in icy conditions without using horses or other farm animals.
In recent years, skijoring has become popular with people who want to explore the great outdoors with their dogs yet want to ensure they’re included at home when they go out adventuring.
Skijoring allows dogs of all sizes and breeds to be included in outdoor adventures without needing to carry them or leave them behind in the car while you hike or ski down the mountain.
Final Thoughts
Some dogs are just born to play. They have the energy and drive that makes them perfect for sports, but they also have the size and build that make them well-suited to competition. If you’ve got a big dog who loves to run and jump, these sports are right up their alley.
