Dancing With The Dogs!

[Tassie]

Yes - you could well be right about it just being handler cues - although the way some dogs move their bodies and especially feet seems to be a bit more than just that.

It would be an interesting challenge, to try to get the dog to do something without cues. As people move up the levels, the cues do become much less, of course, so they're almost invisible.

Dunno - just sometimes it feels like the dog is feeling the rhythm.

As a discipline, it's great in that it helps to develop a really good dog-handler bond (and can be readily trained and performed indoors - nice for winter - or summer for that matter ).

[MrsD]

Are randoms allowed to watch?

wizzle, spectators are always welcome at our trials so i don't see why it would be different in Vic, send Sue an email if you want to make sure. If you get there & need to know more about what's going on just ask someone, most people are more than happy to answer questions & explain what is happening.

Maybe that is the challenge of doggy dancing, making it appear as though the dog is dancing to music rather than following a series of commands.

Absolutely correct, the biggest challenge when you choreograph a routine is to choose music that suits your dog & that is a huge part of making it "look" like the dog is dancing whereas in fact you have orchestrated & manipulated it to look that way. There are the obvious ones like suiting the type of music to the breed (eg you wouldn't use a "pitter patter light as air" music for a St Bernard or use heavy lumbering type music for a Chihuahua) but the biggest skill is choosing music that matches the timing of the dog's stride. As a handler I always pick my music based on how closely it matches the rhythm that the dog & I create together, if it's not perfect you can always change the tempo of the song slightly but you have to get the basic rhythm correct to start with. Once you have it, you can cut parts out, put parts in, slow parts down, speed them up etc to suit what you are doing in the routine, but without it becoming obvious to the audience that the track has been altered.

IMO that is one of the biggest differences between a good routine & a great one.

[BC4ME]

Chook and I also have our DWDF.S (Dances with Dog Freestyle Starters) title and I am also a ANKC DWD judge.

It is an absolutely fantastic sport but very challenging. You not only have to get your dog working by either hand or verbal commands but do this in time to your music.

It is a sport where you can talk and encourage the dogs while performing. It is open to any breed of dog, and you don't have to do particular "tricks" to advance through the classes you just need to choreograph a good working routine that enhances the dogs movement in time with yourself.

There are 2 catagories to DWD Freestyle which is all your trickwork and HTM - Heelwork to Music. HTM you have 8 set positions around your body your dog needs to work in this is quite technical.

You do not need to be able to "dance" but you need to be able to move around into different ways to enhance the tricks you are teaching your dog.

This pic of Chook and myself was taken while performing at the Ekka last year.

It is a great way of having fun while training your dog. I have found that since taking up DWD my obedience work is smartening up quite nicely.

Not sure if this is allowed but the DWDQ have a competition at Brisbane Dog Obedience Club on Sat 17th July starting at 2pm for those in the Brisbane area who would loke to come along and have a look you are more than welcome.

[MrsD]

You do not need to be able to "dance" but you need to be able to move around into different ways to enhance the tricks you are teaching your dog.

Absolutely, I look like this dancing instead of like this & Jarrah & I still managed to qualify & get a title .

[Genabee]

Go Mrs D!!!

[RubyStar]

Great news story! Saw a few Agility Nationals clothing in that clip and recognised a few faces and dogs

[badboyz]

Just wanted to add this one as it's so funny: Charlie Chaplin routine