dogsports.be
A dog runs out hundreds of metres, lifts a small group of sheep and brings them calmly through gates and into a pen, guided only by whistles. Here's how sheepdog trials work, which dogs can do it and where to start herding in Belgium.
Who runs agility in Belgium? A clear guide to VOE, DSAB, KKUSH and NVBK: how each organisation works, which international events they lead to, and how to choose the right path for you and your dog.
Entering your first agility competition? From registration and measuring to the course walk, your run and the prize-giving, here's how a competition day works and how to make it a good one.
Border Collies dominate the podium, but agility welcomes every breed and mix. Which breeds excel in each height category, what really makes a good agility dog, and what to consider if your dog isn't a 'typical' one.
Two-on two-off or a running contact? The pros and cons of each method for the A-frame, dogwalk and seesaw, and how to choose the right one for your dog.
Competitive obedience is about precision and teamwork: heelwork, recalls, retrieves, send-aways and scent discrimination, scored by a judge. How FCI obedience works, how to start, and the Belgian obedience programmes.
Hoopers is a flowing, jump-free course sport where the dog runs through hoops, round barrels and through tunnels while the handler directs from a small box. Rules, first exercises and where to try it in Belgium.
Agility, flyball, hoopers, obedience, rally, canicross, nosework, ring sports, dog dancing and disc dog compared: what each involves, which dogs and handlers they suit, and where to start in Belgium.
Where to find agility clubs in Belgium, from the VOE club list and DSAB to KKUSH, NVBK and Sport Vlaanderen's database, plus what to ask before you join so you choose the right club for you and your dog.
Work certificate, IB number, TAP, social test, classes and promotion: a step-by-step guide to entering your first agility competition in Belgium with VOE, DSAB or KKUSH.
Nosework turns your dog's greatest talent, its nose, into a sport: finding a hidden target odour in boxes, rooms, outdoor areas and vehicles. How it works, how to start at home, and what's available in Belgium.
Flyball is a relay race for teams of four dogs: over four hurdles, trigger a ball from a box, and back again. Here's how it works, which dogs suit it, how to start training and where to play flyball in Belgium.
Agility
Front cross, rear cross, blind cross, ketschker, German turn, serpentine, threadle: a clear guide to the most important agility handling moves and when to use each one.
Canicross
Canicross is cross-country running with your dog attached to you by a bungee line. What you need, how races work, how to train safely, and how to race with the Belgian Canicross Federation.
Agility
Pet passport, rabies vaccination timing, tapeworm treatment for Great Britain and Finland, competition documents for VOE, DSAB and KKUSH handlers, and practical tips for taking your agility dog to events abroad.
Agility
2o2o, SCT, ketschker, threadle, tunnel suck? From A-frame to weave poles, all the agility jargon explained in one place, with the Dutch and French terms you'll hear in Belgium.
Dog Dancing
Dog dancing combines trick training, heelwork and choreography, set to music. The two FCI disciplines, Heelwork to Music and Freestyle, how routines are judged, first moves to teach, and where to dance with your dog in Belgium.
Disc Dog
Disc dog turns throwing a frisbee into a sport, from timed toss-and-fetch rounds to choreographed freestyle routines. Formats, safety, first steps, the right discs, and how to find disc dog in Belgium.
Agility
Agility is a fast, fun sport in which a handler guides a dog around a course of jumps, tunnels, weave poles and contact obstacles, with no lead and no treats. Here's how it works, who it suits and how to begin.
Agility
Agility dogs are athletes. A good warm-up, a conditioning routine, the right surfaces and an eye for subtle signs of pain keep your dog running happily for years.
Agility
Your puppy is too young to jump, but not too young to learn. These safe, fun foundation exercises build the drive, body awareness and focus that make a great agility dog.
Agility
Channels, 2x2s, guide wires or luring? An honest comparison of the main methods for teaching agility weave poles, with tips for fast entries and independent weaving.
Ring Sports
Belgian Ring, Mondioring and IGP test working dogs in obedience, jumps, tracking and protection work. What each sport involves, how they differ, who they suit and how they're organised in Belgium.
Rally Obedience
Rally obedience is a course of numbered signs, each asking for an exercise such as a turn, a halt and sit, or a spiral. You can talk to your dog the whole way round. How it works, how to start and what's available in Belgium.