Your puppy may be one of the many breeds that can become involved in sports that mimic the original jobs they had. For example, a herding breed like a German Shepherd, Border Collie, Shetland Sheepdog, or Corgi can do herding tests and trials. Terriers have earthdog events where their going-to-ground instincts are tested. Scenthounds do trail-hunting work, while sighthounds dash across fields after “prey” in lure coursing. The retrievers, pointers, setters, and spaniels can all test their birdiness in hunting tests and field trials.

For a Particular Breed

Breed- and Group-specific activities are sanctioned by the American Kennel Club and other purebred registry organizations and are conducted by clubs on local and national levels. Whether or not you want to get involved, there is no denying the amazement you'll feel when you see dogs doing what it is they were bred to do.

If you have a Lab, for example, you should find out where a hunting test or field trial for retrievers is being held near you. Even if it means going on an overnight trip, make a weekend out of it and plan to go. (Leave your dog behind when you go to the event, as only entered dogs are permitted on the grounds.) When you arrive, be respectful of what's going on around you, as the participants and their dogs will be very focused. Find out where the best place is to watch, and join others who are doing the same. When you see the Labs at the test or trial watching the fields or waters to see where a duck drops and then waiting to be sent by their handlers — and pursuing the game with such intense enthusiasm — you will understand why your Lab is the way he is about tennis balls, stuffed animals, or anything else he likes to retrieve. The other thing you'll see is how “alive” the dogs are when they're working.

If you want to better understand your purebred dog's heritage, then you will want to at least see, if not participate in, these activities. Learn more about them at the website of the American Kennel Club (www.akc.org).

For All Breeds

Yes, there are even more things you can do with your dog than have already been described! These include tracking, flyball, rally, Frisbee, dancing with your dog (canine freestyle), weight pulling, and Schutzhund. For all of these activities there are clubs or groups that participate regularly and with whom you can discover worlds of fun — and even competitions.

Canine freestyle — dancing with dogs — developed out of the natural instinct and desire for greater expression in the otherwise fairly stiff and routine world of obedience. How much more interesting and fun the routines might be if they were first set to music, and then improvised upon. Now freestyle has taken on a life of its own, with handlers and dogs wearing matching costumes, performing to all kinds of music, and incorporating all kinds of moves. You can find examples of freestyle routines on YouTube, or research the sport online through the World Canine Free-style Organization (www.worldcaninefreestyle.org), Canine Freestyle Federation (www.canine-freestyle.org), and Musical Dog Sport Association (www.musicaldogsport.org).