Activities For Smooth Scottish Fox Terriers
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Prepare for unexpected vet bills
Introduction
This hybrid dog breed is notorious for being spunky, energetic, and full of fun. The Smooth Scottish Fox Terrier is absolutely one of those types of pups that need a lot of activity to stay sane. They are of medium size, usually reaching about 20 to 22 pounds when fully grown with a body build that makes them a natural born athlete. They are also very intelligent and like to keep their senses sharp by doing things that make them think.
Competition Obedience
Most Popular
1 Vote
Sunny Day
Cheap
Normal
2 - 3 hrs
Items needed
collar
leash
treats
Activity description
Competition obedience is a good choice for those dogs that not only listen well but love to please their human counterparts. The Smooth Scottish Fox Terrier is a breed that enjoys both of these and will also be sure to make you proud on the field with their ability to follow instructions and perform flawlessly. This type of trial is made up of a group of different tasks that are predefined by the competition officials. Some of these activities may include heel, recall, figure eight, retrieve, and jumps. Others will include scent discrimination, stand for exam, sit, and lay down. If your dog is not good at following directions, this may not be a good sport for you but if they are, you could win a title in any one of several classes.
Step
1
Learn what you can
This is a true sport that has official competitions where your dog can become a champion, or you can just enjoy the fun of teaching your dog how to perform by just saying one word or raising your hand. If you are lucky enough to have a dog that is naturally a good listener, this should be easy. In fact, it might be harder to train yourself than it is to train your dog. It is best to learn as much as you can about the sport before trying to train your pooch.
Step
2
Train for it
Training your dog for competition is the kind of activity that you basically turn into a lifestyle if you are serious about it. Training will include starting out with the basics such as come, heel, sit, and down and then moving on to obedience activities like performing a figure eight and jumping while retrieving. Your dog will need to learn to do these exercises by vocal command and signal.
Step
3
Compete when ready
Once your pooch gets good enough, you can start entering competitions but with your Smooth Scottish Fox Terrier being a mixed breed, they may not have an official American Kennel Club competition, so you will have to look elsewhere. No matter, there are plenty of other clubs and groups that will love to let your canine show off.
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Agility Training
Popular
1 Vote
Sunny Day
Moderate
Hard
3 - 4 hrs
Items needed
Collar
Leash
Treats
Activity description
Agility Training is similar to obedience competition except there is more athleticism in the sport. Rather than just listening or watching for commands like with obedience trials, your dog will be performing a group of agility obstacles such as the tire jump, tunnels, dogwalks, wing jumps, teeter-totters, A-frame ramps, weave poles, and crossovers. The main point of the course is for your dog to perform all of the agility exercises as quickly as possible without making any errors. Of course, nobody is perfect, including your dog, so you have to hope for the fastest run with the least number of faults. Once again, the AKC does not allow mixed breeds in these competitions but there are other groups that will welcome your Smooth Scottish Fox Terrier with open paws.
Step
1
Get ready!
Watching some agility competitions, both amateur and professional can help you get an idea of what your dog would be doing. If your dog is athletic and can listen to your commands well, you should excel at this sport. Learn as much as you can about your part of the sport before you try teaching your pooch so you do not confuse them with commands that do not make sense.
Step
2
Get set!
Practice makes perfect (or almost perfect) so you could try making your own agility course in your backyard to play on daily. Be careful, though. Do not let your dog play on the equipment alone because accidents can happen. Always supervise your pooch when working on the agility course to prevent injury.
Step
3
Go!
If you think your dog is ready, try joining an amateur competition to see how it goes. If your dog seems to like it and does a good job, keep on entering and practicing until you feel ready to perform in a real competition. Whether your pooch wins or comes in last, you will both enjoy the excitement and exercise.
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Earthdog Trials
Least Popular
1 Vote
Sunny Day
Cheap
Easy
1 - 2 hrs
Items needed
Collar
leash
prey
Activity description
Earthdog trials are fun for Terriers that like to scent and hunt. The Fox Terrier is bred for fox hunting, which involves finding foxes in their foxholes and either flushing them out or barking until their owner gets there. Earthdog trials recreate fox hunting in a safe manner where the prey (or quarry) or your dog will not get hurt. The prey is usually a rat that is protected in a cage to keep your dog from harming them while allowing them to smell and see them. The tunnels are premade and safely structured to prevent any kind of injury from rambunctious pawing or digging. Your Smooth Scottish Fox Terrier is perfectly suited for this type of sport will provide them with the exercise they need to keep them healthy.
Step
1
Educate yourself
Find out if your dog has what it takes to get into earthdog trials by watching them in the wild. Are they naturals when it comes to scenting and chasing? Does your furry friend like to dig? See if you can get your dog to follow a scent into a tunnel and go from there. If your pooch likes it and is good at it, keep it up until you are ready to do some real competitions.
Step
2
Show your stuff
Competing with a mixed breed dog like a Smooth Scottish Fox Terrier in any sport takes a bit of searching because many of the competitions require full blooded breeds. However, there are plenty of informal competitions and those that are designed for mixed breeds like your own. Try the local Smooth Scottish Fox Terrier clubs for more information.
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More Fun Ideas...
Tracking Trials
If your Smooth Scottish Fox Terrier is good at scenting, you may want to try entering a tracking trial. This type of sport is great for both you and your dog as it gets you both out walking or even running in the fresh air. Just laying out a scent trail for your pooch to follow gives them the opportunity to show off their scenting and tracking skills.
Lure Coursing
Lure coursing is similar to tracking, but your dog is tracking by both sight and scent. In this interesting sport, your dog is trained to go after a moving target (fake prey) attached to a mechanized line through grass and brush. When they get their prey, make sure they are properly praised so they will want to continue to chase.
Conclusion
It is important for all dogs and their humans to get out and exercise at least once a day so getting into one of these sports can give you both the inclination to get out more. Whether it is to perform at an agility competition or just to go for a walk, your pooch will appreciate the time you spend together and so will you.