Crossdogging is the perfect dog sport for dogs and people who are all-rounders. The dog sport is comparable to circuit training in gyms. Through the combination of different dog sports, crossdogging leads to a versatile utilization of dog and dog owners.
What is cross dogging?
In cross-dogging, the dog-human team first has to fulfill a few tasks. When the first round is completed, two teams join together. Each team can familiarize themselves with the task within 15 minutes. Then the exercise begins together. First, the first part of the team completes the exercise. The second team counts how often the task is performed. The human-dog team then changes with the partner team. The change is always made after two minutes. If the partner teams have completed a station, the points achieved must be noted. Then the task of the next station is tackled. The crossdogging ends when both partner teams have satisfactorily completed all five tasks.
What is cross dogging?
Crossdogging is a dog sport that combines different elements from other dog sports. This is circuit training for dogs.
How does cross dogging work?
Crossdogging combines different dog sports without requiring excessive training from the dog and the dog owner. The individual exercises come from the areas of agility, lunging, retrieval, trailing, obedience, trick dog, and frisbee. The dog is used to full capacity in a wide variety of areas and can discover hidden talents.
At the beginning of the month, the dog trainer sets various priorities. The individual focal points are changed every month and should be surprising for the human-dog teams. Possible focal points are, for example, sitting with the dog owner, carrying an object, crossing a seesaw or walking through a tunnel. The only important thing is that the trainer always provides enough variety.
The three focal points are integrated into the monthly training and are also part of the individual stations. In the case of cross-dogging, there is a requirement that at least three of the five stations set up must have a clearly recognizable focal point.
Before the start of the training, the dog-human teams receive precise instructions on which focal points to pay attention to. In addition, each team has to do its homework outside of the dog school or the dog sports field.
How does the trainer structure the circuit training for the dog-human teams?
Before the crossdogging starts, the trainer explains the different stations. After that, each dog-human team has fifteen minutes to try out the individual tasks. Here it is particularly important not to overwhelm the dog, since he should then master the tasks together with a second team.
The trainer staffs each station with two dog-human teams. A team carries out the assigned tasks. The handler of the second team records the result on a scorecard. The second dog sits on the short leash right next to the handler. When the agreed time has expired, the teams switch tasks. When both teams have completed the exercises of the first station, they move clockwise to the next station. Once the teams have completed the tasks at all five stations, the crossdogging is over. The trainer receives the point cards from the dog handlers. The group winner of the dog school or the dog sports club can now be determined.
In Europe, there is a unified ranking for cross-dogging. The tasks are the same across the country. The results of the scorecards are entered into an online registration by the trainer. The German winner in crossdogging can thus be chosen for this month. There is no obligation for the individual teams to take part in the Germany-wide ranking.
Why is crossdogging useful for the dog?
Crossdogging is a dog sport in which the dog is challenged and utilized in a variety of ways through various exercises. Dogs and humans as well as different teams support each other. Cohesion is encouraged. Skill and good interaction lead the best team to success.
1. Working under pressure
The lack of time is an external stress factor not only for humans but also for dogs. During the exercises, decisions must be made quickly. The dog owner must concentrate on his dog and give a quick signal when another dog crosses the path.
2. Learn to react unprepared
Unexpected and surprising situations arise again and again during crossdogging. It can also happen that the dog does not yet know the command for a task. An example of this is asking the dog to lie down under an object. He knows the word place, but doesn’t know that he should lie down in a certain place. This is where the dog owner’s imagination is called for in order to let the dog carry out the command correctly by trying it out.
3. Training of concentration
During crossdogging, both the dog and the dog owner must constantly concentrate. In order for a task to be performed well, the dog must pay attention to its owner and obey commands immediately.
4. Impulse control training
It is not always the dog’s turn to actively carry out exercises. During the waiting period, the four-legged friend must sit quietly next to its owner and may not run after the tempting balls or play with other dogs. Waiting is also a task. Waiting increases the dog’s impulse control.
Why is crossdogging useful for the dog?
Crossdogging challenges the dog mentally and physically. There is good utilization without having to do excessive and strenuous training.
5. Increase in physical fitness
By running during the exercises, the dog trains its muscles and joints. Physical fitness increases. Exercise strengthens the immune system.
6. Encourage problem-solving behavior
In the tasks set for the exercises, the dog not only has to carry out the commands of its owner, but also has to develop its own solutions. The mental abilities of the dog are thereby strengthened.
In cross-dogging, the dog learns to cooperate with other dogs. Dealing with other conspecifics and the use of dog language promote the social behavior of the dog.
8. Tolerance of variety
Dogs are creatures of habit. They love fixed rules and everyday life should also take place within a precisely defined framework. Surprises are not always welcome. With crossdogging, the dog learns to deal with surprising situations. The four-legged friend then reacts more safely to new situations in everyday life.
9. Balance training
Crossdogging requires the dog to perform many different exercises. This can include walking over a seesaw or crossing a wobbly bridge. The dog’s sense of balance is trained by the different soil conditions and the movable equipment. This point is very important, especially for senior dogs. Dogs not only lose hearing as they get older. The sense of balance is also affected by the aging process. Dogs that train their balance regularly move safely over different surfaces, even in old age.
10. Accustomed to observation
Actually, the dog always carries out the commands correctly. If he is under surveillance and feels stressed as a result, even the simplest commands are quickly forgotten. With crossdogging, the dog gets used to being watched by other people and dogs during the exercises.
Typical tasks and exercises in cross-dogging
The exercises and tasks in crossdogging come from all areas of dog sports. They may consist of touch commands, retrieval drills, basic commands, running through a tunnel or slalom poles, crossing a seesaw, catching and retrieving a ball at Fly Ball, or other drills. The trainer who sets up the circuit training for the dogs decides which tasks are part of crossdogging. Every new training session also includes a new surprise. Neither the dog nor the dog owner can get bored.
Helpful training tips
Circuit training in crossdogging can be built up with different levels of difficulty. If the dog is still a beginner, the exercises should be easy to complete so that a sense of achievement quickly occurs. With increasing experience, the exercises become more and more difficult to put together and the dog is more challenged with each circuit training.
When assessing the exercises, the dog should not be overwhelmed by its owner. He then has to complete the exercises again with a second dog-human team. If he has already exhausted himself beforehand, he can no longer perform at full capacity.
In the beginning, the dog must be constantly accompanied by the dog owner during all exercises. If the four-legged friend already knows the exercises and has also learned from the other dogs, he can also do some of them alone. Because the dogs can observe each other during circuit training, beginners learn quickly from the experienced dogs.
Of course, the right reward should not be missing when cross-dogging. It can consist of a treat, words of praise or caresses. When using a clicker for the reward, a multi-tone clicker should be used since multiple dogs are doing the exercises at the same time.
Which dogs are suitable for crossdogging?
Curious and active dogs are well suited for cross-dogging. Dog sport is particularly suitable for dogs that love variety and like to do exercises together with their owner.
Which dogs are suitable for crossdogging?
Any dog ​​that enjoys exercise and is always willing to learn something new is suitable for cross-dogging. The dog should enjoy working with people and other dogs. Curiosity is a good prerequisite for the dog sport of crossdogging, since curious dogs enjoy surprising situations more.
Which dogs are particularly suitable?
Herding dogs such as Border Collies or Australian Shepherds are particularly good for cross-dogging, as these dogs like to be kept busy. They focus on having fun solving a task. But dogs that like to fetch are also well suited for cross-dogging. This includes, for example, the Labrador Retriever. Since crossdogging is a dog sport for all-rounders, circuit training is not only suitable for individual dog breeds, but for all dogs.
When can you start crossdogging?
Crossdogging is a dog sport for all ages and dog breeds. The exercises must be adapted to the age of the group of dogs. A simple, short circuit training can also be carried out with puppies. However, the exercises must not overload the young dog physically or mentally. Running over different types of ground or learning the basic commands in a playful way is well suited, for example. Circuit training duration is much shorter in puppies than in adult dogs. Here the playful component and the practice of social behavior are more in the foreground.
Does the dog need to know certain basic commands?
It is easier to practice crossdogging with a dog that has already mastered the most important basic commands. Here the individual stations can be designed more diverse than with puppies. For normal cross-dogging, the dog should know and master the commands sit, down, stand, and stay.
What do I have to fulfill as a dog owner?
Crossdogging is suitable for all dog owners who like to react flexibly to different situations. The dog owner should believe in the abilities of his dog in this dog sport and simply have fun with the exercises.
Do I have to be physically fit?
Since some exercises should be carried out together with the dog, physical fitness is definitely an advantage. The exercises can be individually adapted not only to the dogs, but also to the dog owners. Crossdogging can also be practiced by dog ​​owners with disabilities.
What should the bond with the dog be like?
In cross-dogging, the dog and dog owner work closely together. A good basis of trust should therefore already be in place. Humans and dogs should respect each other’s idiosyncrasies and know and observe the team partner’s language. The joint exercises in cross-dogging further strengthen the bond between dog and dog owner.
Where do you start with crossdogging?
Crossdogging can be practiced in a dog school or at a dog sports field. The level of difficulty of the exercises is individually adapted to the individual participants. The trainer puts the teams together according to the knowledge already acquired. Dogs learn by watching other dogs.
Tips to get you started: How the dog learns crossdogging
At the beginning, the dog owner accompanies his dog in all exercises. Even small successes should be rewarded. The dog needs enough time to get to know the individual exercises. With increasing experience, the dog becomes more independent and can complete some of the exercises on its own.
Where can I practice crossdogging?
Crossdogging can be practiced in dog schools or on dog sports fields. What is needed is a trainer and a group of like-minded dog owners and dogs. Crossdogging is not an individual sport, but always a community sport in a team.
Advanced cross-dogging
As you gain experience, crossdogging exercises become more difficult. Tournaments and competitions are organized so that a comparison with other dogs is possible.
Competitions and tournaments
In Europe, there is a nationwide ranking for crossdogging. The exercises are sent to the dog schools and dog sports clubs. All results can be entered online. In addition to the local winner, a national winner in cross-dogging is also determined.
Requirements for the perfect start: course and terrain
So that the exercises can be completed well, the terrain and the course must be adapted to the dogs.
What obstacles/devices are needed?
Slalom poles, tunnels, see-saws and wobbly bridges are set up as obstacles in cross-dogging. In addition, devices for throwing the balls, balls, skittles and dumbbells can be used.
Which terrain is best?
The area for cross-dogging should be flat and clearly visible. The flat floor prevents injuries to the dogs during the exercises.
Is my dog suitable for cross-dogging?
If the dog is curious and always wants to be kept mentally and physically busy, it is well suited for cross-dogging. Especially dogs that like to work and learn are well suited for this dog sport
