Activities For Bavarian Mountain Scent Hounds

Canicross is a cross-country running sport that originated as an exercise technique to help prepare dogs for mushing or sledding or to maintain their fitness during the summer months when there is no snow for sledding. Fortunately, it is not restricted to sledding or mushing dogs; any canine that that is in good enough health to run can participate. The popularity of this sport is increasing dramatically both as a casual activity and as a competitive sport as it allows both the human and canine participant to get a better workout as well as improving the communication skills and the overall bond between them. The Bavarian Mountain Scent Hound was bred specifically for stamina and endurance, traits that make them well-suited to this particular activity. 

Geocaching is billed as the world’s largest treasure hunt, a planetwide scavenger hunt that engages people all over the world using GPS and satellite technology. Participants in this activity search for containers that come in several shapes and sizes using tracking information found on their cell phones. These containers generally contain a way to note that you have found the item, and may even have a small souvenir inside. Geocache souvenirs can range from simple paper cutouts and plastic toys to special trackable coins and novelty items that can be purchased on the official Geocaching website, some of which people are allowed to keep, and others that are meant to travel from cache to cache. More and more participants are taking their dogs along with them on these excursions and with the Bavarian Mountain Hound’s love of the outdoors and excellent sense of smell, they typically make excellent geocaching companions. 

Bavarian Mountain Hounds are known for their scenting ability, in particular, their ability to track cold trails, and they have an exceptionally strong work ethic, both traits that can be very helpful in a search and rescue dog. Search and rescue dogs often work in many different environments, and will need to be calm and able to work in all sorts of circumstances. In order to work as an active search and rescue team, both you and your dog will require training and certification that will test both of your intelligence, determination, and physical fitness. This is not an activity to be undertaken lightly, preparation and training typically take six months to two years, but it is one that can save lives and provide a great deal of personal satisfaction for both partners.