All about musical dog freestyle (dog dancing)

Last updated on August 20, 2019

Are you looking for a new and creative way to bond with your beloved dog? Want to take your dog training to a whole new level? Or do you just love to dance and want to do this with your dog?

You may want to try freestyle dogs or dog dancing. It may turn out to be a new hobby for you and your beloved dog to enjoy.

musical dogs freestyle also called musical freestyle, freestyle dance,or just dog freestyle. Whatever you want to call it, it’s a great “tail waggin'” sport that showcases an owner’s wonderful relationship with their beloved dog through music and obedience training.

What is canine freestyle?

If I were to describe or define what dog freestyle is, it is an activity where a dog dances to music with its handler in dog shows. But Canine Freestyle is so much more than dancing with your dog.

Dancing alone is an art and when you combine dogs and dancing it is always a sight to behold. Canine freestyle is a way to show the relationship between the owner and his or her four-legged friend. Dance shows together great coordination and rhythm between them. It takes teamwork to deliver a great performance.

The best freestyle routines for dogs showcase a dog’s intelligence and the way he can pick up on subtle commands and follow choreographed movements through music. It is a representation of how well trained a dog is.

Canine freestyle is a way to show your dog athletics and endurance while performing on two legs and doing heel work.

Dog dancing also allows the owner to show artistry in choreography and combine basic obedience training with tricks and dancing.

Here’s a video of a dog enjoying dancing:

When and where did canine freestyle start?

Canine freestyle or dog dancing started simultaneously in Canada and Europe in the late 1980s. There are several people who claim to have invented canine freestyle, but there is no real documentation as to who started it.

The first canine freestyle group was called Musical Canine Sports International in 1991 in British Columbia, Canada. Other groups from around the world soon followed.

Different countries soon developed individual styles of dog dancing. American groups focused on costumes and tricks, while their British counterparts focused more on heel work.

The two types of dogs freestyle

You can choose from two types of freestyle for dogs: musical freestyle and freestyle heels (heel work to music). Musical freestyle tends to offer more variety in terms of choreography, while heeling freestyle involves the dog dancing on its heels.

Musical free style

Musical freestyle is a performance with a variety of tricks and obedience training. The routine can be dramatic, such as dancing close together or moving away from each other. Jumping, twisting and jumping on the owner’s arms can be seen in musical freestyle

Freestyle Healing (Healing to music)

A freestyle healing routine focuses on allowing the dog to perform various tricks while standing on its heels. The dog and handler are close to each other during the routine.

Can all dogs dance?

The ideal dogs for dancing are breeds that smart And his fast learners because dog dancing relies heavily on the dog’s ability to follow a trainer’s instructions and choreography and move to the beat of the music.

It’s also not surprising that attention-loving canines do well in this sport. poodles are particularly suited to dogs freestyle, with their love of performance and trainability. Small breeds like Dachshunds and medium breeds such as Golden Retrievers also often participate in canine freestyle competitions.

If you haven’t seen your beloved dog on the list, don’t worry as there are also some other breeds that can dance like Newfoundlanders, Great Danes, and English Mastiffs.

Even disabled dogs have learned to dance for fun, so yes, with the right training, almost all dogs can dance.

How can I teach my dog ​​to dance?

Before training a dog, the dog must healthy and athletic body, since dog dancing requires a lot of physical effort. Never start training when a puppy is under 14 months old to avoid injury or hinder the dog’s development. You want to make sure the dog’s bones and joints are fully developed.

You should also talk to your vet about whether your pet’s health and paw strength can keep up with the physically demanding nature of canine freestyle dancing.

Another requirement is that the dog must have: excelled in basic obedience training, because canine freestyle dancing uses a lot of basic obedience commands.

According to the World Canine Freestyle Organization, there are three steps to training your dog to become a superstar at freestyle dogs:

Choose the right music.

This may sound simple, but you should select something that you and your beloved dog would like to dance to. Maybe you can pick a song that makes your dog happy. Training will be repetitive, so it’s important that you and your four-legged friend enjoy your time training together. You can pick just one song for dog freestyle or pick a medley of songs.

Incorporate your dog’s tricks into the choreography.

You must compose dance moves from the tricks your dog can do and the music you have chosen. The best freestyle routines for dogs are basic obedience training and footwork.

Choose the right costume.

You should choose a costume that matches the overall theme of your performance. The purpose of the costume is to represent the representation, not to deviate from it.

What are the Different Freestyle Competitions for Dogs?

Here is a list of Canine Freestyle organizations that regulate dog dance competitions in different parts of the world.

United States:

Canada:

United Kingdom:

Each organization has its own rules, but all competitions are free of training aids or lines. Rhythm and artistry must be on point to score well in competitions.

Is canine freestyle for you and your dog?

Dancing and dogs are some of the best things in the world and to have something that combines the two would be just amazing. Whether you and your buddy want to compete or not, I think Canine Freestyle is a must try.