One of my passions is my border collie, Seamus. He has been with me
fourteen years.  He has had a variety of jobs over the years as all
border collies must have to keep them out of trouble! His jobs have
varied from watch dog, alarm clock dog (yes, he used to wake me up
everyday to go to work!) and lately referee for the cats.  As  I
prepare  for the coming  of my next  border collie,  I have been
looking around to find things I can do with a younger dog.

There are many types of semi-organized and organized activities for working dogs. The most popular are disc dog (FRISBEE- FRISBEE  is a brand name and registered trademark of WHAM-O, Inc), agility course and the newest contender, flyball. If you would like to see what these activities are, check out Ultimate Dog Challenge on the Animal Planet channel. Atlanta has opportunities to participate in many of the activities seen on the Ultimate Dog Challenge.

Here is a list of activities and websites if you are interested in participating or watching a local event.

-
During the Atlanta Dogwood Festival each year, there is a canine
competition. The Festival this year is April 4, 5 and 6. Due to the drought, the competition will not be at Piedmont park. Check
the Atlanta Dogwood Festival website to see the latest information on where this
competition will be held. There is a demonstration on Friday, advanced
freestyle on Saturday, and Sunday is the actual competition for prizes
and money.

-
The Greater Atlanta Disc Dog Club has opportunities to learn
how to participate in disc dog competitions and holds a variety of
competitions throughout the year. On their website you can find out
about the various competitions and open events for beginners as well as
a Frisbee dog training guide.

- The Atlanta Kennel Club,  holds agility trials. Their next trial
will be on April 9 -13. If interested the deadline is March 19th.
-
There is a Flyball Locator Board, if you’re interested in
introducing your dog and you to flyball.

DeKalb County has two dog parks for dogs and their owners. One is
located at Mason Mill Park and the second is at Brook Run Park. Of
course we have books that can help train your dog on a variety of
things. Here is a small sample: The Kohler method of training
tracking dogs, Working Terriers: management and training, and Urban
Dog: the ultimate streets smart training guide. I hope this has given you some ideas for things to do with your dog.

1. Got the Gas Pump Blues?
2. The Helen Ruffin Reading Bowl
3. Mouth to Muzzle Resuscitation
4. Staycation Ideas
5. Step Into the Atlanta Time Machine