What is parkour? It’s the activity or sport of moving rapidly through an area, typically in an urban environment, negotiating obstacles by running, jumping, and climbing.
Dogs can do parkour, too!
Parkour is a physical discipline in which individuals move through their environment and conquer obstacles in their path. It includes climbing, balancing, jumping, running, vaulting, creativity and working past fear. So what is dog parkour? Dog parkour, sometimes known as urban agility, is an activity based on the same principles. It is a challenging, but fun, physical activity in which the dogs learn to interact with their environment. Just like in the human version, in dog parkour we work on ways to conquer obstacles, such as climbing, balancing, and jumping.
—International Dog Parkour Association
Look online to see videos of dogs doing parkour and you will find that it’s not only great exercise for canines, it’s also a heck of a lot of fun. You don’t need to compete to enjoy dog parkour . . . although, if you’re interested, it is a formal dog sport, with titles.
For the average dog owner, though, competition is not the goal. Instead, informal parkour as you walk your dog in your neighborhood can have many benefits beyond garnering ribbons and awards.
First and foremost, parkour—introduced slowly and positively, and practiced safely—can enrich your dog’s time outside, curbing boredom and boredom-induced inappropriate behavior while strengthening your dog physically and mentally. In fact, keeping up with the dog might increase your own physical and mental prowess!
Starting simply and building your dog’s confidence and conditioning is the ticket. Positive reinforcement is the method, with fast and frequent success the goal.
Never think that you can force your dog to enjoy an activity—that’s just not possible. Instead, introduce each small increment over time, patiently waiting until your dog is ready to take the next step. Should he balk, don’t punish him. In fact, don’t even get that disappointed look on your face . . . he didn’t refuse in order to spite you! Back up a few steps to a behavior with which the dog is totally confident and assured, and work at that level for a while longer. Your dog should never experience punishment or fear during this process.
Here are some safety rules from the International Dog Parkour Association:
- Must be wearing harness with leash (if using) clipped to back. Harness width straps must be appropriate for the size of dog (minimum 1-inch straps for all but the smallest dogs). If there is a leash, it has to be on a harness and handled in a safe manner at all times. If the dog is off leash, it has to both be in a safe area and performing a behavior that doesn’t require spotting due to being at low height or a simple maneuver with low risk.The harness may be removed for obstacles that are done at ground level (under, through, etc).
- Should be able to catch or lower dog to safety if needed.
- If on leash, the leash should be 4-6 feet in length; no flexi leashes. Long lines are highly discouraged as they easily get caught and harshly stop a dog in the midst of a movement. This has the potential to be quite dangerous both physically and mentally for dogs. Long lines may be used for sends occurring in busy areas, but must be appropriately and carefully managed to avoid dangers to people and dogs.
- Shoulder height rule is ALWAYS in effect. No dog should jump down to hard surfaces (concrete, rock, asphalt, etc.) from anything higher than their shoulder height for any reason. If jumping down to soft surfaces (dirt, rubber, etc,) this may be increased to twice shoulder height, or no more than 42 inches. When in doubt, opt for safety! Dogs may be carried or lowered down if this can be done safely and comfortably. If they can’t be carried, an alternate route down must be found.
- No prong collars, choke collars, shock collars, slip leads, or head halters.
- Playgrounds may be used if playground rules permit, but remember they are the kids’ playgrounds first. If a kid approaches, move your training elsewhere. If a kid is already on the playground, move your training elsewhere. At no time should a dog be doing parkour on a playground with kids present. This is for the safety of both the kids and the dogs and to show respect for the environments that give us the ability to train this sport. Respect for the environment must be demonstrated at all times.
Here are the Association’s suggestions for training:
- Training with your dog for the sport of Dog Parkour should be FUN and SAFE for both of you.
- Now that you are armed with safety knowledge, it’s time to head outside armed with some high-value treats! Good places to start looking for things to play on are parks, downtown areas, and college campuses. We try to avoid playgrounds, as those were built for human children to enjoy. You can use them if they are empty, but otherwise, steer clear. We’d like to be able to train Dog Parkour for many years to come, so we want to be very respectful while training.
- Take care to ensure that you ask your dog only what he is physically and mentally capable of doing. Let him go at his own pace, and always give him the option of not doing something. Some dogs might jump right up on that funny-looking bench, while for other dogs, just approaching the scary bench is a worthwhile achievement. Let the dog make the choice to perform the behavior, and then reward. We prefer to use shaping techniques (rewarding for each successive step that is closer to the final goal), but will occasionally and carefully use luring to help a dog perform a specific behavior.
- Your dog should always have the option of saying he isn’t comfortable performing something; dogs should not be picked up and placed on obstacles. Also, if a dog looks at a tricky obstacle and eventually decides not to do it, reinforce the thought process that went into the effort. We like it when the dogs make a careful evaluation of their ability to safely perform an obstacle.
- Also, take care to ensure that your dog is strong enough to safely perform the tasks we are asking him to do. Start with a visit to your veterinarian to ensure he is physically healthy and at a good weight. Carrying around extra weight will cause additional stress and impact on his joints, so be sure to develop a healthy weight-loss plan that involves diet and exercise prior to doing obstacles that require a great deal of strength or have impact (jumps, tic tacs, narrow balances, or things done at height).
- Just because your dog is at a great weight and healthy doesn’t mean he is strong enough to be an expert parkour dog. (Just as you might be healthy, but couldn’t run a marathon without training.)
- While you are out exploring, find ways to incorporate fitness exercises into your dog’s training. There are many resources for this on the internet, but great places to start are with small versions of many parkour skills practiced in a slow and controlled way with several repetitions.
- If you’ve been training in Dog Parkour for a while and your dog has some impressive skills, it is important to remember to warm him up properly with a few repetitions of smaller, slower, simpler behaviors prior to working on more complicated skills.
Dog parkour will open your eyes to all the natural obstacles in your dog’s environment. Train and play safely—and don’t be disappointed if your dog is hesitant at first. It’s your job to show him that those big rocks, fallen logs, picnic tables, and benches are non-threatening. In fact, those natural obstacles can be really fun to climb or jump on! He’ll gain confidence and strength.
Don’t forget to take some photos!
