Obedience:
Obedience trials showcase dogs that have been trained and conditioned to behave well at home, in public places, and in the presence of other dogs. AKC Obedience trials allow exhibitors and their dogs to enjoy companionship and competition as they proudly earn AKC titles. Brussels Griffons benefit from the rules and structure of obedience training and competition and enjoy the relationship that grows with their owner as a result.
Rallly:
AKC Rally® is a companion sport to AKC Obedience. It too requires teamwork between dog and handler along with performance skills similar to obedience. Rally provides an excellent introduction to AKC events for new dogs and handlers, and can provide a challenging opportunity for competitors in other events to strengthen their skills. All dogs are eligible to compete in Rally. Rally courses are different every time and many Griffons enjoy the challenge of a something new each time they’re in the ring.
Agility:
Even if you don’t recognize it by name, you have probably seen an agility competition. Designed to demonstrate a dog’s willingness to work with his handler in a variety of situations, agility is an athletic event that requires conditioning, concentration, training, and teamwork. Dogs and handlers must negotiate an obstacle course while racing against the clock. Agility is a great form of exercise for both dog and handler, and a fun way to bond. And you don’t have to compete to enjoy agility. Taking an agility class offers many other benefits. But many people start the sport just for fun, only to get bitten by the agility bug and become lifelong competitors! They may be among the smaller participants, but Brussels Griffons love the challenge and speed of agility.
Tracking:
Dogs have a very keen sense of smell—100,000 times stronger than humans! That’s why dogs are often used to find lost people and animals, drugs, avalanche and disaster victims, and even to detect cancer and oncoming seizures. AKC Tracking is a canine sport that demonstrates a dog’s natural ability to recognize and follow a scent, and is the foundation of canine search and rescue work. In tracking the dog is completely in charge, because only he knows how to use his nose to find and follow the track. For many, the greatest pleasure of tracking are the hours spent outside, training and interacting with their dogs. Believe it or not, even with their flat little faces, Griffons have great noses!
Title Recognition Program:
There are many more canine sports that aren’t necessarily under the umbrella of AKC, but have organizations of their own that provide competition avenues. AKC does recognize some of these. Barn Hunt, Dock Diving, Flyball, SAR, Therapy, CGC, breed specific parent club and working dog titles are recognized by AKC. Not every sport is for every dog, but there are Brussels Griffons participating in many of these sports, as well!