Activities For An Ariegeois
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Prepare for unexpected vet bills
Introduction
The Ariegeois is one well-rounded dog! Hailing from a beautiful region of France that was formerly known as the Midi-Pyrénées, this particular breed of dog was bred to be a top-notch hunting hound. While this canine definitely excels at hunting, tracking and coursing, those things aren't what make the Ariegeois stand out. Rather it's the Ariegeois' tendency to get along extremely well with humans and other dogs that makes this breed special. Without a doubt, the Ariegeois is one of the friendliest types of dogs that you could ever hope to meet. If you're interested in adopting one, be prepared to participate in a number of group and team activities.
Lure Coursing
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Sunny Day
Moderate
Hard
1 - 2 hrs
Items needed
Lure Coursing Collar
Pulleys
Coursing Box
Lure
Water
Activity description
Coursing is an incredibly old activity in which teams of dogs are set on hares that have been given a small head start. Basically, one could think of coursing as a competitive hunting game. Lure coursing is a nonviolent alternative to regular coursing that offers the same intensity that a traditional coursing match provides without needing to harm any animals in the process. This activity is actually fairly easy to set up once you've spent the requisite funds to get all of the equipment you'll need. The challenge lies in the heat of the moment, when your Ariegeois will be racing to catch their target. Alternatively to an at home course, you can join a lure coursing club where your Ariegeois can practice their socialization and coursing skills at the same time.
Step
1
Visualize
The way this whole thing is supposed to work is that your dog is going to chase after the lure while you operate a special mechanism (called a lure coursing box) from a distance. You'll also need to hold your dog back for a moment by holding on to a special piece of equipment called a coursing collar before letting them loose. It all sounds complicated but you'll find this to be a very intuitive activity once you and your dog are out in the field.
Step
2
Execute
Your dog will be doing most of the hard work during this activity, as they'll be the one trying to catch the elusive lure. You'll be the one controlling the speed at which the lure moves via the coursing box. Try to move the lure based on your dog's speed; if they're struggling to catch up then slow it down. Vice versa if your Ariegeois is particularly fast. The idea is to keep the lure just out of your dog's reach until you feel that they've worked out enough. If your pup is really enthused by the activity, up the challenge and join a club!
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Charity Work
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Any Day
Moderate
Normal
1 - 3 hrs
Items needed
Dog Leash
Dog Treats
Waste Bags
Water
Activity description
This is the sort of activity that will really allow an Ariegeois to put their greatest strength on display. Going out and performing a few acts in the name of charity is something that takes a lot of love and consideration for others. The Ariegeois has both of those in spades and will be more than happy to help out another animal or person in need. The work in question doesn't even need to be that complex either - you could simply complete a few walk-a-thons with your Ariegeois by your side. Conversely, you and your dog could earn the necessary certifications to visit places like children's hospitals or veteran's homes ( a task which will involve assessment and classes but is very worth the effort).
Step
1
Therapy work
This kind of charity work will require you to get in contact with an officially sanctioned therapy dog organization. It's actually very easy, only requiring a quick Google search and a phone call or email. Tell the powers that be that you're interested in volunteering your Ariegeois to work as a therapy dog and they'll let you know what you need to do next. Most organizations will assess your dog for suitability and tell you that you and your pet will need to complete a short course before you can earn their seal of approval.
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2
Walk-A-Thon tag along
This is a more straightforward way to do charity work with your dog. Figure out if there are going to be any walk-a-thons in your local area and sign up for one that you feel fits your schedule. Most of these events allow folks to bring their pets along by default, so long as they're kept on a leash and are escorted by their human family members. The best thing about these sorts of events is that you and your dog are free to travel at your own pace!
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Scent Gallery
Popular
0 Votes
Any Day
Cheap
Easy
10 min
Items needed
Scented Items
Food with strong aromas
Activity description
This activity is super easy to set up and doesn't really involve any sort of intense physical activity by any stretch of the imagination. All you really have to do is gather a number of scented items and fragrances then let your dog sniff them one at a time. Be aware of the scents you have chosen and check with your veterinarian if you are unsure. This activity is all about experimenting and learning what kinds of smells your dog personally loves. You're also encouraged to implement foods with strong smells into the equation - even more so if you've already found out that your dog is found of a particular type of protein such as baked chicken or grilled steak.
Step
1
Setting up the gallery
With your Ariegeois by your side, grab a hold of your scented items and just start letting your dog sniff them one at a time. Pay attention to how they react to certain scents; if they keep trying to sniff a particular fragrance even as you begin to move it away, that could be a sign that they're fond of it. If the opposite happens, you may have found a scent that your Ariegeois isn't too crazy about.
Step
2
Everything's better with bacon
Any sort of dog-friendly food that emits a strong scent can be used here... but bacon does make everything it's added to that much better. It doesn't even have to just be pork bacon - turkey and chicken bacon will work just fine as well! If you're not a fan of bacon, or don't eat it for personal or religious reasons, then just stick with any kind of meat that you know your dog is fond of - regardless of this step's quirky name.
Step
3
Add fun
Besides seeing what scents your Ariegeois adores, you can add mental stimulation to the mix by adding a game or two to the scent session. Put some of the scent on a towel, hide it in another room and teach your pet how to track it. Another suggestion is to make a scent trail with a treat reward at the finish line.
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More Fun Ideas...
Hide and Sniff
As the name implies, this game is a scent based version of hide and seek. What you'll want to do here is wear an item of clothing with some sort of strong scent that your dog has come to associate with yourself, then hide out of sight. Wait for your dog to sniff you out, then start over with a different kind of scent.
Heeling Practice
Heeling is a big part of most conformation shows. If you may want to try showing one day, it wouldn't be a bad idea to specifically set some time aside to practice. It's not a particularly complex activity, so you and your Ariegeois can practice just about anywhere during just about any time of day that would work for the both of you.
Conclusion
O how do we love the Ariegeois? Let us count the ways: these dogs are super smart, very beautiful, even-tempered, incredibly athletic and, above everything else, extremely loving and friendly. If you're a person who prefers to keep to themselves and isn't big on others interacting with your dog then you may not want to adopt an Ariegeois into your family as these guys are natural born social butterflies! Without any hesitation, an Ariegeois will try to befriend any man or beast that comes their way. Simply put, the Ariegeois can make a perfect family pet for the right type of family.