How To Get Into Dog Sports
- Courtney Ducey
- Oct 5, 2025
- 11 min read
Updated: Feb 27
And Start Titling Your Dog
Before I got my first dog, Bagel, I distinctly remember telling my friends that I wouldn't get my dogs into dog sports. I'm not a competitive person, I'm not a very active person, and I've heard that the sport world can be very "cliquey" and I'm not interested in that. Yeah well, look at me now. I have been trying almost everything with Bagel. We've done barnhunt classes, dockdiving, rally, scentwork, and competing in FastCAT is his favorite. And I'll get into what all of those are in a bit, but clearly, I'm a liar. I love spending time with my dog and trying new things, and dog sports are a really fantastic way of doing that, and a really great way to spend my money. It's also an incrediby overwhelming space, where do you go? How do you get started? What are the rules (there are TOO MANY and a lot of them don't make sense).
Your first step - register your dog. You may think you'll never want to compete (me less than a year ago) but the bug will bite you and you'll want to be ahead the game. Head over to the AKC website and there are 4 options;
Purebred Listing - if your dog is from an AKC recognized breeder, your breeder should have already helped you with this. If you are unsure of your dog's AKC number feel free to contact your breeder!
Purebred Alternative Listing (PAL) - if you have a purebred dog but not from an AKC recognized breeder, you can register under this option. Your dog needs to be spayed or neutered and you will need to submit some photos of your dog.
Canine Partners - for mixed breed dogs that are spayed or neutered. This is what Bagel falls under!
Foundation Stock Service - This is typically reserved for purebreds who have not been recognized by the AKC yet, but are on their way to becoming recognized. Check in with your breeder if your breed qualifies for this vs. Purebred listing.
The process is fairly straightforward. My favorite part is coming up with your dog's registered name. This is the name that the AKC will recognize your dog as vs their call name, which is their name at home. So Bagel's registered name is Gabaghoul Gremlin, and his call name is Bagel. It can be fun and silly like that if you'd like. For Purebred Listings, you typically have to follow some rules based on the kennel your dog came from and the litter, but your breeer should have already gone over that with you prior to registration.
You will eventually get something in the mail from the AKC that looks similar to this (but in better condition, clearly mine has been through the wringer);
Keep track of this! You'll need your dog's AKC number to register them for trials and events. Maybe take better care of it than I did mine. You will also make sure that you add your dog to your AKC account if you haven't already so you can track titles and points. Make an account on akc.org, go under "My AKC" and add your dog under "Manage My Dog". If I remember correctly I had to manually add Bagel, but double check that your dog is listed under your account so you can see all of your dog's accomplishments!
The AKC website has an abundance of information. You'll find all of the rulebooks for every single sport, you can search for trials and events in your area, merch for your breed, and plenty more that I haven't even uncovered.
When you are ready to start going to trials and events, there are a lot of great Facebook pages to join and you can also use the AKC event search page to find local trials to attend! If you're nervous or unsure about what to expect, attend one without your dog first. If you're local to me, attend one with me and Bagel! We'd love to have you join us :)
(This blog will keep updating as I try new sports with Bagel, apologies in advance it appears disorganized at times)
FastCAT
FastCAT is one of many sports you can do with your dog, but I believe it to be the easiest entry sport. it requires almost no training and I think almost every dog can do it. I've been to 4 trials now (sometimes just to watch!) and I've had a blast at every single one. FastCAT is an 100 yard timed run where your dog is chasing after a lure, typically just some plastic bags, but sometimes I've seen them have fake squirrel hides on the line! Here is a video of one of Bagel's runs.
This sport technically requires some level of prey drive in your dog, but I've also seen people rely on their dog's recall to get them to run! Someone releases your dog at one end (thanks Jimmy!!), and another person has to catch them at the end. Not sure if your dog will run after the lure? A lot of these events will have fun runs where you only have to pay about $10-$15 (rather than the usual $23-$26) and you can find out if your dog has the need for speed like Bagel! I have seen a lot of dogs who are confused for their first run, but once they catch on, they get a feel for it and their next run they get it!
Bagel's first two runs he parkoured off the huntmaster (the worker who is in the release pen who will tell you when you can release your dog) and then decided he wanted to run after the lure - LOL!. Now he goes to every event SCREECHING like a lunatic because he needs to run.
All tracks are different so your dog may be faster at one trial, and slower at the next. And every qualified run your dog accumulates points. After 150 your dog will get their first title - BCAT! Bagel just got his which was SO exciting. Not only that, but he finally ran under 8 seconds, which I wasn't sure he was capable of (I never should have doubted him) and he ran 7.94 and 7.85 (he did 2 runs). That is what landed him his beautiful rosette. For the next title, DCAT, he will need 500 points, so we'll keep running!
Coursing Ability Test and Lure Coursing
If your dog loves FastCAT, they may also love CAT. CAT is a 600 yard long course and your dog must complete it in 2 minutes (if you dog is under a certain height or brachycephalic they will run the 300 yard course). As long a they complete the course they earn a qualifying run, 3 qualifying runs under at least 2 judges will earn your dog their CA title!
There are other organizations who run similar courses like ASFA who does lure coursing - their events are run very different and their courses are longer (700+ yards). If you ever get the chance to go to one of these trials I would highly recommend it. Sighthounds run in groups of three (non-sighthounds run solo) and it is really quite amazing to watch. Plus your dogs get to run in lure coursing jackets and they're just cute. I'm still learning all of the rules and regulations and how to title, but I'm excited to explore this organization more this year!
Bagel really enjoys the longer course, he screams while he's running, and it's another sport with some really great people who will help integrate you into the sport if you're willing to ask!
Rally Obedience
Obedience based sports are an entirely different breed. It wasn't something I was originally interested in, my dog clearly thrives when he is running at full speed and acting like a maniac and this requires precise movement and handling skills, but I had something to prove. I'm not the best at describing what rally is, so I'll let the AKC do it for me. In order to do this sport, your dog needs a ton of engagement, you need to be able to have fine tuned handling skills, and the ability to brush a lot off of your shoulders. There's a reputation that obedience based sports are filled with a bunch of old cranky ladies and oh boy, did I experience that first hand. Unfortunately, when you start doing dog sports, rude and obnoxious people who think they're better than you and are unwilling to welcome newbies into "their" territory are apart of the package. I find it absolutely unecessary and a stain on the sport. You'll find your people and do your best to enjoy the time you spend with your dog.
Rally courses are scored out of 100. To earn a qualifying run you need to score at least 70 points - sounds easy right? Maybe! I lost 10 points on one run because one of the signs was a "stop and down" and Bagel paused and sat before he laid down. Sometimes the points docked are small, sometimes you lose 10 at a time. Some judges are lenient, some are really strict. Luckily for Bagel and I we earned the 3 necessary qualifying runs at our first trial and we got our Rally Novice title! That will probably be the last of it for our obedience career, but never say never I suppose. I am incredibly proud of the both of us, we worked really hard, I proved that my dog can use his brain for good, and I proved a lot to myself about treating your dog with respect and kindness.
Sport Classes
Many of the other sports require some level of training, so that is where I would recommend getting into classes with your dog. Bagel and I have tried a few so far, although not to where we can compete just yet! Dock diving is a sport I have always been interested in. I love being in the water, I love watching my dogs in the water, so it was naturally one of the sports I gravitated towards. There aren't many docks in the Lancaster area, but I took Bagel over to Barkby Plungers in York for a few private lessons. We haven't been able to get him off of the dock yet, but I am hopeful that next season we will! We did get him confident in swimming in deeper waters which I am thrilled about. I need to be more consistent in my training with this and I had a bit of a crazy summer so that is defintely my problem, but I had a great time with Dori at her dock.
I took (was bullied into) Rally classes in October 2025 in the hopes of titling Bagel in Rally Obedience (we did title in February 2026!!!). Rally is a dog sport where you and your dog work together in the ring to navigate a bunch of obedience signs in the hopes of qualifying, and potentially titling. Obviously both Bagel and I much prefer the fast sports, but I do appreciate the team building aspect of Rally and getting him to slow down a bit and being able to refine my skills as a handler. My friend Cory with Delaware K9 started offering an Intro to Rally class (after I bullied her back) and we've been having a great time! Our friends Allison & Jace and Sabrina & Rou (you may have seen them at our pack walks!!) are also attending so hopefully we can all attend trials together.
I think that's my favorite part about dog sports - the community. I've known Cory, Allison, and Sabrina for awhile, all in different aspects and arenas, but now we can all come together to compete with each other and our dogs and make new friends together. It is really easy to go to an event or a trial and make new friends. Occassionally you'll be somewhere and someone will be awful, but that is honestly not often.
Virtual Titles
Still want to title your dog but sports aren't your thing? Or is your dog reactive and you're not ready for the sport world yet? Have no fear, virtual titles exist! You can check out the list of virtual titles here, but I would suggest starting out simple!
The test for this includes things like;
Petting and grooming your dog
Sit on command
Down on command
Come when called
Playing outside
and more
You can check out the full list here. If your dog can't do these things right away, that's okay! Start training today. When you're ready, take videos of each skill and send to your evaluator and wait for your certification in the mail!
Trick Dog Novice
There are a few different pieces to this. If your dog already has their Canine Good Citizen, they only have to do 5 tricks (Bagel is not a Canine Good Citizen he is a menace). If they do not have their CGC, they have to do 10, the list can be found here. These are all fairly easy if your dog has a solid marker AND in the novice level you can use a food lure! So you'll just need to record your vidoes and send to an evalutor. For this one you'll get your certification and if you pay extra... a rosette!!
FIT Dog Bronze
This one is a bit more time intensive, but if you and your dog walk and/or hike a lot is worth it. There are a few ways to get this and you can find out here. Bagel got his by having his BCAT and by doing independent hikes (75 minutes/week for 8 weeks). So as you can imagine, tracking that is a bit of a pain. This one doesn't require an evaluator, but it did take quite some time to get approved. A certificate will be mailed to you, as well as a medal if you pay extra!!
When you're ready to submit your titles, you can do so here.
This is one of my favorite titles to recommend for people to attempt because almost everyone can do it (as long as they can afford it) and it's very fun. I have been itching to get Bagel into scent work (training your dog to sniff out certain oils and find them in hidden locations, and more) but until then, this is readily available! The virtual scent work titles use your dog's favorite treats and toys and can be done in your home and outside. The beginner title is done inside, while your dog is out of sight, you hide a treat or toy and then release them to go find the treat. If they are able to find the item within 1.5 minutes, you've passed! You have to submit two entries to obtain your beginner title and proceed onto the Intermediate level (if you'd like). You can watch one of Bagel's entries here.. As you can see, Bagel has been trained with a "go find it" command he knows means to go search for food. I taught that simply by throwing a bunch of food on the ground in front of him and saying "go find it" at the same time and gradually expanding my parameters.
Now you will all need to call Bagel by his full name,
Gabaghoul Gremlin RN BCAT TKN VHMA VSWB FITB :)
Put the Dog Before the Sport
What do the titles mean? The titles mean that I work with my dog really hard, and I have a really good relationship with him and we have fun. To Bagel? They mean nothing. He doesn't care about the rosettes, the ribbons, the medals, the letters at the end of his name because he doesn't know what any of that means.
I see way too many people caring about qualifying and titling and putting so much weight on this, and part of me, a very small part, understands that. We are all working very hard with our dogs, and it can be disappointing when things don't go our way. But if my dog is having a good time, I do not care. I know, or am at least fairly certain, that when I take Bagel for his first Rally trial, he will probably act a fool. Probably because he will be so excited about all of the people and the judge. And if he decides to Scooby Doo run to go say Hi to the judge instead of doing what he's supposed to, at least he is having a great time, and we will try again! I'm not going to become suicidal because my dog didn't perform well, I'm not going to base my entire worth off of the fact that my dog NQ'd once or twice or three times. I'm also not going to force my dog to do a sport simply because I want to do to the sport. Do it because the dog wants to, because the dog has enthusiasm for it, do it because you enjoy spending time with your dog and you want to have fun together.
Go forth and have fun with your dog!!! Try not to take it too seriously, because your dog surely isn't.
Loved reading this and love seeing you at events! Congrats Bagel on your BCAT!