Agility Canine Good Citizen Flyball Go to Ground Obedience
Rally Obedience Therapy Dogs Tracking
Fox Terriers are smart, high-energy dogs that require room to exercise and play. They are generally friendly, curious, on the go and most always into things. You may have heard the saying "a tired dog, is a happy dog", well in Fox Terriers that's the truth! Listed below are some activities your fox terrier might enjoy.
 | Agility-Think of Agility as running an obstacle course over time -- something like "Doggy Olympics". Patterned after the equestrian steeplechase, Agility involves obstacles such as jumps and hurdles, tunnels, weave poles, "A" Frames, dog walks, teeter-totters, and pause tables. Many of you may have watched agility on the Animal Planet. Even if you don't desire to compete, agility is good exercise and bonding for the both the dog & handler! There are currently 3 popular types of agility. American Kennel Club agility, United Kennel Club agility and North American Dog Agility Council (NADAC) agility. |
| Canine Good Citizen Program-Many dog owners choose CGC training as the first step in training their dogs. The CGC Program lays the foundation for other activities such as obedience, agility, tracking, and performance events. As you work with your dog to teach the CGC skills, you'll discover the many benefits and joys of training your dog. Training will enhance the bond between you and your dog. Dogs who have a solid obedience education are a joy to live with-they respond well to household routines, have good manners in the presence of people and other dogs, and they fully enjoy the company of the owner who took the time to provide training, intellectual stimulation, and a high quality life. |
| Flyball-is a relay race with 4 dogs on a team. The course consists of a starting line, 4 hurdles spaced 10 feet apart and a box. The first hurdle is 6 feet from the start line and the box is 15 feet from the last hurdle for a 51 foot overall length. The dogs jump the hurdles and steps on a spring loaded box that shoots out a tennis ball. The dog catches the tennis ball and then runs back over the 4 hurdles. When the dog crosses the starting line the next dog goes. The first team to have all 4 dogs run without errors wins the heat. |
| Go
to Ground (aka Earthdog)-To test the
terriers' hunting ability, AKC devised a program using an artificial den and
three levels of competition, each more difficult than the last. Each test
requires the dog to travel a set distance in a shallow trench dug into the
ground and protected by a wooden liner (to prevent dirt collapsing on the
dog) and then covered over with loose dirt. The liners are usually about
9"x9" square. The dog navigates through the tunnel until he reaches a barrier of horizontal steel rods behind which is a pair of caged rats. The rats reside in a safe, well-constructed cage and never come into actual contact with the dogs -- no danger of nipped paws or noses! At the barrier, the dog is required to "work" the rats for a set period of time, which depends on the level of competition. "Work" means the dog must bark, or dig at the cage, or growl, or whine -- with fox terriers, it's often all of the above. |
| Obedience-is always a positive task for any fox terrier to work on! Good, fun training can help strengthen the bond between you and your dog. Generally all positive reinforcement techniques will work with Fox Terriers. Terriers tend to get bored very easy so you don't want to work your dog on the same thing over and over as you would with most breeds. Hint ~ if you are considering an obedience class be sure to talk to the instructor first. Ask if they have ever worked with a Fox Terrier and if they like the terrier temperament. If they tell you that they think terriers "can't be trained" or they don't have any experience with them, then don't go to that class. If they are willing to work with you and your Fox Terrier, and like the "free spirit" of the Fox Terrier, then give it a try. One method of training that often works well with Fox Terriers is called "clicker training". Check out this website: www.dontshootthedog.com for more information on clicker training. Click here to find a listing of certified National Association of Dog Obedience Instructor in your area. |
| Rally Obedience-is a new dog sport that is sweeping the nation. It was created to promote a positive relationship between the dog and its owner. Animation and enthusiasm throughout the performance is encouraged. Emphasis is on fun and excitement for the dog and handler, and the spectator, by providing a more “natural” approach to the performance. It's sort of a combination between agility and obedience & you can even talk to your dog while in the ring! |
| Therapy Dog work-The mission of any therapy dog and handler is to provide comfort and companionship by sharing the dog with the patients in hospitals, nursing homes and other institutions. This is done in a way that increases emotional well being, promotes healing, and improves the quality of life for the people being visited and the staff that cares for these people. Therapy dogs bring sparkle to a sterile day, provide a lively subject for conversation, and rekindle old memories of previously owned pets. |
|
Tracking-AKC
tracking events are the competition form of canine search and rescue. |
