Agility You already know your dog can weave through your legs and out a half-open front door. The Greater St. Louis Agility Club adds a tunnel, tires, a double row of posts, high jumps… stlouisagility.org.
Canine Freestyle Forget the stars—dance with your dog. Plenty of local obedience trainers now offer classes. canine-freestyle.org.
Disc Doggin’ St. Louis Disc Dogs start with a circle of plastic and a good throw, and they end in routines more agile than break dancers on the streets of New York. stlouisdiscdogs.com.
Flyball The drag racing of the dog world, flyball was invented in California in the ’70s. So it’s laid-back, open to any breed or mix, wildly competitive, and more than a little addictive. k9racers.com.
Going to Ground “Down and dirty since 1997,” Missouri Earthdogs Club encourages terriers to tunnel for treats or prizes instead of the traditional vermin. moearthdogs.org.
Herding With the St. Louis Herding Club, your dog can learn to herd sheep, cattle, even ducks. Just never, ever cats. slhc.org.
Lure Coursing At the hunt master’s “Tallyho!” the hounds are off, tearing across a field after their mechanical prey. Any gazehound can join the St. Louis Area Sight Hounds. slashcoursing.org.
Rally A new American Kennel Club sport, rally is the scavenger hunt of obedience training: You and your dog go through 20 stations and receive instructions at each. The mood’s lighter than it is at a classic obedience trial, but rally requires even more canine-human communication. Check it out with the Greater St. Louis Training Club. gsltc.org.
Schutzhund A dog sport developed as a test for German shepherds but open to any breed, Schutzhund uses tracking, obedience, and protection trials to show off canine intelligence, courage, and character. stlouisschutzhund.com.
Sledding and Weight-Pulling There’s no husky bias here: “With the proper training, almost any dog can learn to pull a cart or sled,” the Gateway Sled Dog Club insists. Think groceries, bags of mulch, the kids… gatewaysleddogclub.com.
Swimming Check your community’s public pool; a dozen or so hold “dog swim” pool parties at the end of the season.
Tracking A dog’s sense of smell is measured in parts per trillion. Don’t waste that talent. Call the Gateway Tracking Club. thegatewaytrackingclub.com.
