Dog sports are competitive activities specifically designed for
dog
The dog (''Canis familiaris'' or ''Canis lupus familiaris'') is a domesticated descendant of the gray wolf. Also called the domestic dog, it was selectively bred from a population of wolves during the Late Pleistocene by hunter-gatherers. ...
s. Dogs typically participate in sports with the help of owners, although some dog sports do not require human participation. A 2015 survey found that dog owners of all classes participate in dog sports, with owners from large cities (over 500,000 people), medium cities (between 100,000 and 500,000 people), small cities (less than 100,000 people), and rural areas each accounting for roughly the same percentage of dog sport competitors.
According to the survey, the most popular dog sports are
obedience sports
Obedience, in human behavior, is a form of "social influence in which a person yields to explicit instructions or orders from an authority figure". Obedience is generally distinguished from compliance (psychology), compliance, which some authors ...
, and the majority of people that compete in dog sports compete in over twelve dog sporting events per year. Additionally, the majority of owners that compete in dog sports are primarily motivated by internal motivators (such as satisfaction or improving their relationships with their dogs) rather than external motivators (such as prizes).
Combat sports
Herding sports
Obedience sports
Pulling sports
Racing sports
Tracking and hunting sports
Water sports
Other sports
See also
*
List of sports
The following is a list of sports and games, divided by category.
According to the ''World Sports Encyclopaedia'' (2003), there are 8,000 known indigenous sports and sporting games. Acrobatic arts
* Breakdancing
* Color guard (flag spinning)
* ...
- for sports involving humans
*
List of equestrian sports
Equestrian sports are sports that use horses as a main part of the sport. This usually takes the form of the rider being on the horse's back, or the horses pulling some sort of horse-drawn vehicle
A horse-drawn vehicle is a piece of equipment ...
- for sports involving horses
References
Further reading
* Sundance, K. (2010). ''101 Ways to Do More With Your Dog: Make Your Dog a Superdog with Sports, Games, Exercises, Tricks, Mental Challenges, Crafts, and Bonding.'' Beverly, MA: Quarry Books.
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Dog
The dog (''Canis familiaris'' or ''Canis lupus familiaris'') is a domesticated descendant of the gray wolf. Also called the domestic dog, it was selectively bred from a population of wolves during the Late Pleistocene by hunter-gatherers. ...