Have a Dog? Discover Something New to Do Together.

Explore agility, Fast CAT, Scent Work, and Rally, plus how AKC Canine Partners helps mixed-breed dogs get involved.

TL;DR: Dog sports offer ways to have fun, learn new skills, and spend time with your dog. Start with an activity that suits their interests and a beginner class. Eligible purebred and mixed-breed dogs can participate in many AKC sports, and competing is optional.

You probably already know what your dog loves.

The one who can spend ten minutes investigating a patch of grass. The one who runs across the yard like there’s a finish line. The one who hears the treat bag open and immediately offers every trick they know.

Those little things you notice every day could be the starting point for something fun to do together.

Dog sports give those interests somewhere to go. Whether you already spend weekends at shows or have never taken a training class, there’s something new to explore.

What are dog sports?

Dog sports include activities such as finding hidden scents, navigating obstacles, following a course of training exercises, and chasing a lure down a straightaway.

You can take a class, practice for fun, or eventually enter an event. You don’t have to decide how far you want to go before you begin.

Start with what you and your dog enjoy.

Scent Work: Put that busy nose to work

If your walks involve stopping at every mailbox, Scent Work might catch your interest.

In AKC Scent Work, dogs learn to find a target odor and tell their handler where it is. The handler doesn’t know the hiding place, so you have to watch your dog and recognize what they’re telling you.

Your dog has information you don’t. Finding the answer together is part of the fun.

A beginner class can introduce the search games and help you learn to read your dog.

Explore Scent Work with ShowPoints.

Fast CAT: Find out how fast your dog can run

Ever watched your dog race across the yard and wondered how fast they’re going?

Fast CAT is a timed, 100-yard dash. Dogs run individually while chasing a lure, and their time is converted into a speed.

Contact the host club before entering and explain that you’re new. Ask how the event works, what you need to bring, and whether there are practice opportunities.

Learn more about Fast CAT with ShowPoints.

Rally: Turn everyday training into teamwork

If you enjoy practicing skills together, try Rally.

You and your dog follow a course of signs, each asking for an exercise such as a turn, a sit, or a change of pace. At the AKC Novice level, your dog stays on leash, and you can talk and offer encouragement as you go.

It gives familiar training exercises a purpose. Instead of practicing another sit in the kitchen, you’re learning how to put those skills together as a team.

Read AKC’s beginner guide to Rally to see what a first class or event involves.

Agility: Get moving and learn together

Agility combines movement, training, and communication as dogs navigate obstacles with direction from their handler.

The fast runs you see on television start with foundations. A beginner class gives you a place to learn gradually, ask questions, and find out whether you both enjoy it.

Mixed breeds compete at the highest levels, too. In 2024, Nimble, an All American Dog handled by Cynthia Hornor, won Westminster’s Masters Agility Championship. “All American Dog” is the designation used for mixed breeds.

Your first goal can be much smaller: finding a class you both look forward to.

Can your dog participate? Understanding AKC Canine Partners

There are several routes into AKC sports, depending on your dog’s registration and the activity.

For mixed breeds and dogs ineligible for full AKC registration, AKC Canine Partners provides an enrollment number that allows eligible dogs to enter sports including agility, Rally, obedience, Fast CAT, and Scent Work.

Dogs enrolled in Canine Partners must meet the program’s requirements, including being spayed or neutered before competing. Individual sports also have their own eligibility rules, including minimum ages.

Think of Canine Partners as your dog’s entry into AKC sports. If your dog is a mixed breed or isn’t eligible for full AKC registration, enrollment provides the number you’ll need to enter eligible events and have their results recognized. You can try a beginner class first, then enroll when you’re ready to compete. There’s no need to have a title or a big goal in mind.

If you’re unsure which registration or listing your dog needs, visit the AKC Canine Partners information page or ask a local training club for guidance.

Do you have to compete?

No. Taking a class and enjoying the practice can be enough.

But you might discover that having a goal makes it more fun. Eventually, you may want to enter an event and see how your training comes together.

That’s where titles come in. A title recognizes that you and your dog have completed a sport’s requirements. Think of it as a milestone that marks the work you’ve done together.

You don’t need to understand all the letters after a dog’s name on your first day. There will be time for that.

How to get started in dog sports

Pick one activity that sounds interesting and contact a local training club or instructor. Ask about beginner classes and whether you can observe before signing up. AKC’s club search is one place to begin.

Be honest about your dog’s experience. Perhaps they’re comfortable learning at home but find busy places overwhelming. Perhaps you’re the one who’s nervous. That’s useful information for an instructor and can help you find the right starting point.

Consider your dog’s age, fitness, and comfort, too. If you’re unsure whether an activity suits their health or physical needs, ask your veterinarian.

Give yourselves permission to be beginners. Your dog doesn’t have to arrive knowing what to do. Neither do you.

Find something you both look forward to

Maybe you’ll find a weekly class, a few new friends, and a reason to keep treats in your coat pocket.

Maybe you’ll enter your first event. Maybe you’ll discover a sport you want to spend years learning.

Or maybe you’ll simply come home thinking, “We should do that again.”

That’s a good result, too.

At ShowPoints, we’re building tools to help people find events, stay organized, and enjoy participating with their dogs.

Have a dog? You’ve already got your teammate. Now find something you’d like to try together.

ShowPoints is an independent app and is not affiliated with the American Kennel Club.