Dogs in the Leisure Experience. Neil Carr

Dogs in the Leisure Experience

as dryland mushing) Three- or four-wheeled carts raced with sled dogs where there is a lack of snow (Hood, 1996; Sled Dog Association of Scotland, 2007b). Scootering One or more dogs pull a two-wheeled scooter with a musher on it (Sled Dog Association of Scotland, 2007b). Bikejoring One or more dogs pull the musher on a bike (Sled Dog Association of Scotland, 2007b). Carting (drafting/driving) Often undertaken as a non-competitive leisure activity but also undertaken as a sport (Mehus-Roes, 2009) Canicross Cross-country running while hitched to a single dog (Sled Dog Association of Scotland, 2007b; Steele, 2007). Field trials/gun dog trials Events that focus on the demonstration of the required traits for specific types of dogs depending on what role they have been traditionally bred to fulfil Sheepdog trials/herding The former is focused on the herding of sheep while the latter can include other animals such as cattle and ducks (Mehus-Roes, 2009) Schutzhund A form of dog trial to test protection dog traits (Mehus-Roes, 2009). It is basically the same as ring sport (Gillespie et al., 2002) Police dog trials A spectator event Water rescue ‘Dogs are tested on their ability to save multiple victims, take a boat line from one boat to another, tow a drifting boat to shore, and rescue an unconscious victim from under a capsized boat’ (Mehus-Roes, 2009: 27) Tracking Focuses on the following of a predetermined scent trail (Mehus-Roes, 2009). It is the basis of search and rescue dogs’ work (American Kennel Club, 2012b) Dog agility Dogs must run through an obstacle course as quickly and with as few faults as possible (Mehus-Roes, 2009) Flyball Involves a team of four dogs and handlers, with the dogs running a fixed length, catching a ball that they cause to pop out of a box and returning with it to their handler (Mehus-Roes, 2009) Obedience Is defined as: ‘A natural extension of basic dog training’ but one that goes well beyond the level of obedience training associated with the average pet dog (Mehus-Roes, 2009: 24) Rally ‘Dogs follow a course with a number of stations; at each one is an instruction to perform a specific [obedience] command’ (Mehus-Roes, 2009: 25) Canine freestyle/dog dancing/ heelwork to music ‘Dogs and their handlers perform choreographed routines in time to music, sometimes with props and costumes’ (Mehus-Roes, 2009: 19). There are an estimated 90 clubs in the UK offering dog dancing activities (Copping, 2012) Disc dog Involves the throwing of a disc by the handler and catching of it by a dog. The sport incorporates two events: distance and accuracy, and freestyle, with the former being self-explanatory and the latter involving choreographed movements set to music (Mehus-Roes, 2009) Dock jumping Focused on measuring the distance a dog can jump into water (Mehus-Roes, 2009) Dog show Discussed in detail later in this chapter

While a case could be made for a detailed analysis of all the sports listed in Table 3.1 such an undertaking is beyond the limits of this book (it would represent at least one book in its own right and probably more). Rather, this chapter will be selective in the dog sports it discusses, seeking to use them as exemplars of how dogs are used in sport and viewed by their human owners and the spectators of the sports.

The nature of the sports in which dogs take part, just like any other sport, are subject to change over time in response to changing circumstances that lie outside of the control of these sports. Changes in the economic climate, societal views about the rights and welfare of animals, land ownership rules and regulations, and the development of new leisure experiences have arguably all played a role in changing the nature of sport dogs over time. Illustrations of this will be provided in the following sections, demonstrating how and why blood sports and dog shows have risen and fallen in popularity and changed both the sports and the dogs in the process.

Dog Shows

If asked to define ‘dog shows’ the first image likely to come into one’s mind is that of Crufts, where purebred dogs are paraded around a judge and the ‘best in show’ is selected. However, dog shows encompass a far wider array of events that all have as their basis a desire to highlight particular characteristics of different breeds of dog, and in doing so encourage the development of these traits to raise the standard of desired behaviour and physique among specific breeds. The first dog show appears to have taken place in 1775 and was focused on presenting the quality of hounds (Wagstaff, 1995). As such, this show was created to highlight the values of a working dog rather than purely as a place for a demonstration of the prowess of dog breeders in a sporting or leisure context. The distinction between working dog shows and dog shows as we know them today as places primarily for the showing of the physical characteristics rather than the abilities of dogs is one that has evolved over time. The initial shows, as with the one noted by Wagstaff were, it seems, mainly focused on the working dog and within this context particularly the sporting dog ( Jackson, 1990), which in the early days of the shows can be more accurately read as hunting dogs. Consequently, there is some disagreement about when the first dog show was held. Indeed, Pearce (1874) and Halsall (1982) suggested that the first dog show did not occur until 1859 and that it took place in Newcastle, UK. Even then we had to wait over 30 years more before the arrival of the iconic dog show, Crufts. It was in 1891 that Charles Cruft held the first Crufts, though it was not until the following year that the first show under Kennel Club rules and regulations was held (Wagstaff, 1995). While the Kennel Club may well be synonymous

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