Dog sports are competitive activities specifically designed for dogs. Dogs typically participate in sports with the help of owners, although some dog sports do not require human participation. A 2015 survey found that dog owners of all classes participate in dog sports, with owners from large cities (over 500,000 people), medium cities (between 100,000 and 500,000 people), small cities (less than 100,000 people), and rural areas each accounting for roughly the same percentage of dog sport competitors.

According to the survey, the most popular dog sports are obedience sports, and the majority of people that compete in dog sports compete in over twelve dog sporting events per year. Additionally, the majority of owners that compete in dog sports are primarily motivated by internal motivators (such as satisfaction or improving their relationships with their dogs) rather than external motivators (such as prizes).




COMBAT DOG SPORTS


Baiting
Baiting is a blood sport where an animal is worried or tormented against another animal, for the purpose of entertainment or gambling. This activity is illegal in most countries with varying levels of enforcement. During various periods of history and in different cultures around the world, various types of baiting, named for the species used, have been confirmed. These include badger-baiting, bear-baiting, bull-baiting, donkey-baiting, duck-baiting, hog-baiting, human-baiting, hyena-baiting, lion-baiting, monkey-baiting, rat-baiting, and wolf-baiting. Much of what is known about baiting comes from England in the Middle Ages, although it has not been legal there for some time. It is still practiced, however, in other parts of the world, including some cultures of Central Asia.





Dog Fighting
Dog fighting is a type of blood sport that turns game and fighting dogs against each other in a physical fight, often to the death, for the purposes of gambling or entertainment to the spectators. In rural areas, fights are often staged in barns or outdoor pits in urban areas, fights are often staged in garages, basements, warehouses, alleyways, abandoned buildings, neighborhood playgrounds, or in the streets.Dog fights usually last until one dog is declared a winner, which occurs when one dog fails to scratch, dies, or jumps out of the pit. Sometimes dog fights end without declaring a winner - for instance, the dog's owner may call the fight. Dog fighting generates revenue from stud fees, admission fees and gambling. Most countries have banned dog fighting, but it is still legal in some countries, such as Honduras, Japan, Albania and Russia.





Venatio
Venatio was a type of entertainment in Roman amphitheaters involving the hunting and killing of wild animals. Gladiators fought various animals, including dogs. Exotic wild beasts from the far reaches of the Roman Empire were brought to Rome and hunts were held in the morning prior to the afternoon main event of gladiatorial duels. The hunts were held in the Roman Forum, the Saepta, and in the Circus Maximus, though none of these venues offered protection to the crowd from the wild animals on display. Special precautions were taken to prevent the animals from escaping these venues, such as the erection of barriers and the digging of ditches. Very few animals survived these hunts though they did sometimes defeat the "bestiarius", or hunter of wild beast. Thousands of wild animals would be slaughtered in one day. During the Inaugural games of the Flavian Amphitheatre, about 9,000 animals were killed.

Not all the animals were ferocious, though most were. Animals that appeared in the venatio included lions, elephants, bears, tigers, deer, cows, wolverines, zebras, ostriches, vultures, weasels, polecats, minks, giraffes, eagles, wild goats, parrots, dogs, camels, monkeys, wolves, jackals, foxes, leopards, crocodiles, boars, hippos, and rabbits, cheetahs, rhinos, gazelles, snakes, horses, hyenas, and gorillas.





Hog-dog Rodeo
Hog-dogging developed from the training and hunting of specialized boar-hunting dogs. Recreational hunting is predominantly orchestrated on an ad-hoc basis while effective pest control operations are well thought out and planned. The hunts are often expensive, labour intensive, and ineffective. Hog-dog rodeo or hog-dogging, is a spectator event that simulates wild or feral boar hunting with dogs. It requires specially trained and bred "hog dogs" that are used to bay and sometimes catch a hog or boar. In most cases, bay dogs psychologically control the pig and no physical contact occurs.

In some cases, however, such as Uncle Earl's Hog Dog Trials, along with bay dog events, catch dog events have been included in the past. In these, specially bred and equipped dogs caught and held the hog by the ears before the animals were quickly separated by a person who hog-tied the pig. In a typical match, a hog is released into a pen followed by one or two bay dogs that attempt to control or subdue it by baying: barking and confronting the hog until it stops. The dogs most commonly used are Catahoula and Black Mouth Curs or specially bred mixes. Judges for these contests deduct points for improper behavior such as biting the hog or failing to bark, and award points for proper behaviors such as coming close to the front of the hog and maintaining steady eye contact with it.








A D V E R T I S E M E N T















HERDING DOG SPORTS


Sheepdog Trial
The first dog trials were held in Wānaka, New Zealand, in 1867. A sheepdog trial – also herding event, stock dog trial or simply dog trial — is a competition or test of the working abilities of dogs of herding breeds. At the same time, sheep herding began to develop as a competitive sport in the United Kingdom. It is a type of dog sport that emerged in the 1860s in New Zealand. By the 1870s regular trials were also being held in Australia and in the United Kingdom, and by the end of the twentieth century the sport had spread to many countries of the world. In competition, dogs demonstrate basic herding management skills assessed by the judge. These events are organised by international and national cynological and sports organisations and by associations of sheep- and cattle-breeders. Usually sheep are to be herded - other animals including ducks or cows may also be used.

Competitions are divided into several levels of difficulty and may use various scoring systems. Rules vary concerning eligible breeds, numbers of dogs and which breeds of sheep are to be used. Most often, the competition programme includes guiding the sheep through several obstacles, collecting them in and out of the pen, separating the sheep from the flock, etc. The judge is evaluating the accuracy of the dog's work under the guidance of a handler.





Dog Treibball
Treibball (German for drive ball), also known as urban herding, is a competitive dog sport which originated in Germany in 2005. In the sport, a dog must gather and drive large exercise balls into a goal by working with a human handler. Treibball originated in 2005 in Germany, and was invented by Dutch dog trainer Jan Nijboer. The sport was invented to keep herding dogs active in places where livestock herding is not possible, such as urban environments. He introduced the sport to his students, and it quickly spread across Europe. The first sanctioned Treibball competition was held in 2008. The sport eventually gained popularity in the United States after 2009 when a video featuring the sport titled Hund mit 8 Ballen went viral.

The aim of the sport is for the dog to get eight large exercise balls into a goal. The eight balls are initially set up in a triangle formation similar to billiards, and the dog's handler stays in one spot near the goal. Using only whistles, verbal commands, or hand signals, the handler must communicate with the dog to get it to push the balls into the goal. The balls must be put into the goal in a particular order, and there is a time limit. Treibball balls range from 45 to 75 centimeters in diameter, and are known as "rolling sheep". The playing field is between 30 and 50 meters long and between 15 and 25 meters wide. Treibball is loosely based on herding trials, and because of this, herding dogs have a natural advantage in learning the sport. Unlike livestock herding, however, any breed of dog is capable of learning and playing Treibball effectively.






OBEDIENCE DOG SPORTS


Dog Heelwork to Music
The sport is officially recognised by the Kennel Club. The sport has evolved since the early 1990s when obedience handler Mary Ray first demonstrated the sport at Crufts. Rugby Dog Club held the first show in 1996 and this show has continued to be the highlight of the sporting year. The UK Kennel Club in 2005 put together a working party to review the sport's rules and regulations. That working party brought together several high profile competitors, judges, and show managers to review the sport. This culminated in the revised rules coming into force on the 2007, which now includes the ability to work towards qualification after the dogs name.





Musical Canine Freestyle
Musical canine freestyle, also known as musical freestyle, freestyle dance, and canine freestyle, is a modern dog sport that is a mixture of obedience training, tricks, and dance that allows for creative interaction between dogs and their owners. The sport has developed into competition forms in several countries around the world. Musical freestyle started in many places almost simultaneously around 1989, with demonstrations of the talent of heeling to music being shown in Canada, England, the United States, and the Netherlands within three years of each other. The main unifying element among the groups was an interest in more creative obedience demonstrations and dog training, a love of music, and, in many cases, inspiration from an equine sport called musical kur, which was a more creative and dynamic form of dressage.

The first official musical freestyle group, Musical Canine Sports International, was founded in British Columbia, Canada, in 1991. There are two types of musical canine freestyle, freestyle heeling (also known as heelwork to music) and musical freestyle.

Musical freestyle demands that the dog perform a variety of tricks and other obedience talents. In musical freestyle, heel work can be combined with other moves such as leg weaving, sending the dog away, moving together at a distance, and more dramatic tricks such as jumping, spinning, bowing, rolling over. Dancing in place, and other innovative actions where the dog plays off the dance moves of the trainer are encouraged. A popular finishing trick for some routines is for the dog to jump into the trainer's arms, or over his or her back.

Dog Obedience Trial
An obedience trial is a dog sport in which a dog must perfectly execute a predefined set of tasks when directed to do so by his handler. The basic objective of obedience trials, however, is to recognize dogs that have been trained to behave in the home, in public places, and in the presence of other dogs, in a manner that will reflect credit on the sport of obedience at all times and under all conditions.





Dog Rally Obedience
Rally obedience (also known as Rally or Rally-O) is a dog sport based on obedience. It was originally devised by Charles L. "Bud" Kramer from the obedience practice of "doodling" — doing a variety of interesting warmup and freestyle exercises. The doodles were usually parts of obedience exercises that taught the skills and improved performance and accuracy. Unlike regular obedience, instead of waiting for the judge's orders, the competitors proceed around a course of designated stations with the dog in heel position. The course consists of 10 to 20 signs that instruct the team what to do. Unlike traditional obedience, handlers are allowed to encourage their dogs during the course.





Schutzhund
Schutzhund, currently known competitively as IGP and previously as IPO, is a dog sport that tests a dog's tracking, obedience, and protection skills, and evaluates if a dog has the appropriate traits and characteristics of a good working dog. It was developed in Germany in the early 1900s as a suitability test for German Shepherds, but soon became the model for training and evaluating all five of the German protection breeds, which included Boxer, Dobermann, Giant Schnauzer, and Rottweiler. Though any breed of dog can participate, today the sport is dominated by German Shepherds and the Belgian Shepherd breed. Dog owners and handlers participate in Schutzhund clubs as a group activity for training the dogs, and clubs sponsor trials to test the dogs and award titles. The best dogs can qualify to participate in national and international level championships.






PULLING DOG SPORTS


Dog Bikejoring
Bikejoring is dog mushing similar to skijoring, canicross, and dog scootering. A dog or team of dogs is attached with a towline to a bicycle. Bikejoring and canicross probably developed from skijoring and dogsled racing. Bikejoring is also sometimes used to train racing sled-dogs out of season. Beginning in the early 1990's, a hybrid of traditional bikejoring developed where riders use devices attached the side of their bikes (vs traditional front mounted attachments).





Canicross
Canicross is the sport of cross country running with dogs. Originating in Europe as off-season training for the mushing (sledding) community, it has become popular as a stand-alone sport all over Europe, especially in the UK, and the United States. Canicross can be run with one or two dogs, always attached to the runner. The runner wears a waist belt, the dog a specifically designed harness, and the two are joined by a bungee cord or elastic line that reduces shock to both human and dog when the dog pulls. Originally canicross dogs were of sledding or spitz types such as the husky or malamute but now all breeds have begun taking part including cross breeds, small terrier breeds to large breeds such as rottweilers and standard poodles. Some breeds are very well suited to not only running and pulling but running at steady pace over a long distance.





Dog Carting
Carting is a dog sport or activity in which a dog (usually a large breed) pulls a dogcart filled with supplies, such as farm goods, camping equipment, groceries or firewood, but sometimes pulling people. Carting as a sport is also known as dryland mushing and is practiced all around the world, often to keep winter sled dogs in competition form during the off-season. (Note that the term "dogcart" is primarily used to mean a particular type of light horse-drawn vehicle.).





Sulky Driving
A variety of carting is sulky driving, where a dog or dogs pulls a two-wheeled cart (sulky) with a person riding in the sulky. This sport offers both exercise and discipline opportunities for energetic breeds. Many working breeds are happier when given a job or task, and carting/sulky driving can be a rewarding hobby for both dog and owner. The sulky is designed to have little to no weight on the dog's back, given their sensitive spine. A widely used model is the dorsal hitch, which involves only one shaft from the sulky that has negative weight on the dog's harness. The dorsal hitch also allows easier going for the dog, with free range of movement as opposed to confining shafts on either side. This often simplifies initial training to the sulky, as the shafts do not interfere with the dog's movement. A young handler driving her Collie.

Dogs from 15 kg body weight and upwards are able to pull an adult and a sulky comfortably. The general rule is that the total load (sulky and driver) should not exceed three times the weight of the dog doing the pulling. If, for example, the sulky and driver totaled 150 kg, then the weight of the dog pulling would need to be at least 50 kg. Smaller dogs may be used as long as the cart is of a type which can handle multiple dog draft, and the combined weight of the dogs pulling is at least one third of the load being pulled.





Dog Scootering
Dog scootering uses one or more dogs to pull a human riding an unmotorized kick scooter. It is similar to mushing, which is done in the winter, but generally with fewer dogs and with a scooter instead of a dogsled. The dogs wear the same harnesses that sled dogs wear, and are hooked to the scooter with a gangline. The gangline usually incorporates a bungee cord to smooth out the shocks of speeding up and takeoff. Dog scooterers get together for fun runs, where a number of dog scooterers run their dogs and scooters on the same trails. Fun runs may be just a morning run, or can be a weekend-long activity with multiple runs scheduled. This is still a maturing activity, but there are a few formal dog races that include scooter events.





Dog Mushing
Mushing is a sport or transport method powered by dogs. It includes carting, pulka, dog scootering, sled dog racing, skijoring, freighting, and weight pulling. More specifically, it implies the use of one or more dogs to pull a sled, most commonly a specialized type of dog sled on snow, or a rig on dry land. The practice of using dogs to pull sleds dates back to at least 6000 BC. Remnants of sleds and harnesses has been found with canine remains in Siberia which carbon-dated to 7800–8000 years ago. Native American cultures also used dogs to pull loads.

In 1911, Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen used sled dogs in a race to become the first person to reach the South Pole. He succeeded, while his competitor Robert Falcon Scott, who had instead used Siberian ponies, died. By the time of the First World War, mushing had spread to European countries such as Norway, where dog sleds were used for nature tours, as ambulances in the woodlands and mountains, and to bring supplies to soldiers in the field. Mushing can be utilitarian, recreational, or competitive. Mushing as a sport is practiced worldwide, but primarily in North America, northern Europe and the Alps. Racing associations such as the International Federation of Sleddog Sports (IFSS) and the International Sled Dog Racing Association (ISDRA) are working toward organizing the sport and in gaining Olympic recognition for mushing.





Dog Skijoring
Skijoring (skijouring in British English) is a winter sport in which a person on skis is pulled by a horse, a dog (or dogs), another animal, or a motor vehicle. The name is derived from the Norwegian word skikjoring, meaning "ski driving". Although skijoring is said to have originated as a mode of winter travel, it is currently primarily a competitive sport.





Dog Weight Pulling
Weight pulling is a dog sport involving a dog pulling a cart or sled loaded with weight a short distance across dirt/gravel, grass, carpet, or snow. It is a modern adaptation of freighting, in which dogs were used as freight animals to move cargo. Canine weight pull has a long history dating to at least the Klondike Gold Rush, where it was used as means of entertainment while trialing sled dogs used for freighting gear and passengers through Arctic and sub-Arctic terrain in North America. Mail delivery was also conducted by dog sled in these remote settlements until the 1930s with the last postal dog sled team being retired in 1963. For both freighting and mail delivery, dogs were expected to meet minimum standards of strength and speed, ranging from 75–100 pounds (34–45 kg) per dog on the faster mail team to 200 lb (91 kg) per dog on the slow freighting team.

Weight pull matches start with either an empty cart or sled or at low weights. Carts may be placed on dirt, carpet or even rails. Dogs are sorted into classes by weight and then fitted with a specially constructed freighting harness designed to distribute the weight and minimize the chance of injury. At the start of a round, dogs are asked to pull the car or 16 feet within a set time frame. Dogs who successfully complete the round are eligible to go on to the next round. At the completion of each round, additional weight is added to the vehicle. The winner of each class is the dog who pulls the most weight. While historically associated with freighting and carting dog breeds, today's weight pull competitions are open to any dog regardless of breed, size or gender.






RACING DOG SPORTS


Dachshund Racing
Dachshund racing, or wiener dog racing, is a popular but controversial sporting event, primarily found in North America. Typical dachshund races are either 25 or 50 yards (23 or 46 m) in length, and are run on various surfaces. Many race tracks across America host these events as fundraising or publicity events, and routinely draw the venues' largest attendance numbers of the year. In the less formal events, most entrants are not career racers, nor bred for racing. Often, dogs will choose not to run the length of the course and instead visit with other dogs or the owner that released them. Otherwise, dogs will run swiftly to their owner at the finish line, coaxed by food or toys.

The de facto national championship of wiener dog racing is the Wienerschnitzel Wiener Nationals, held in San Diego, California, every December as part of the Holiday Bowl - however, many other events claim national championship status. Dachshund racing was first held in Australia in the 1970s. The early meets featured Whippet, Afghan Hound, and Dachshund racing, purely for fun. While some compare the sport to English and later American Greyhound racing, others see it as cruel and risky. The Dachshund Club of America opposes dachshund races, because the breed has a genetic predisposition to back injuries.





Greyhound Racing
Greyhound racing is an organized, competitive sport in which greyhounds are raced around a track. There are two forms of greyhound racing, track racing (normally around an oval track) and coursing - the latter is now banned in most countries. Track racing uses an artificial lure (usually a form of windsock) that travels ahead of the greyhounds on a rail until the greyhounds cross the finish line. As with horse racing, greyhound races often allow the public to bet on the outcome. Animal rights and animal welfare groups have been critical of the welfare of greyhounds in the commercial racing industry for many years which has contributed to the reforms of the industries in recent years.

A greyhound adoption movement spearheaded by kennel owners has arisen to assist retired racing dogs in finding homes as pets, with an estimated adoption rate of over 95% in the United States. In the UK, under the GBGB retirement scheme greyhounds are ensured an approved GRS homing centre after racing. In many countries, greyhound racing is purely amateur and solely for enjoyment. In other countries, particularly Australia, Ireland, the United Kingdom and the United States, greyhound racing is similar to horse racing in that it is part of the gambling industry. Modern greyhound racing has its origins in coursing.

The first recorded attempt at racing greyhounds on a straight track was made beside the Welsh Harp reservoir, Hendon, England, in 1876, but this experiment did not develop. The industry emerged in its recognizable modern form, featuring circular or oval tracks, with the invention of the mechanical, or artificial, hare in 1912 by an American, Owen Patrick Smith. Commercial greyhound racing is characterized by several criteria (varying depending on country) and can include legalized gambling, the existence of a regulatory structure, the physical presence of racetracks, whether the host state or subdivision shares in any gambling proceeds, fees charged by host locations, the use of professional racing kennels, the number of dogs participating in races, the existence of an official racing code, and membership in a greyhound racing federation or trade association





Shepherd's Shemozzle
Shepherd's Shemozzle (also called Shemozzle Race or simply Shemozzle) is a New Zealand obstacle course activity involving dogs. Shepherd's Shemozzle is the trademark race of the Hunterville Huntaway Festival, Rangitikei's signature event. In 2023, 625 people competed, and between 3,000 and 5,000 people attended the event. The race involves shepherds and their Huntaway dogs competing through multiple challenges. Each year the obstacles are a secret until the festival begins, but challenges in the past have included swinging on ropes, climbing through tunnels, sliding down mudslides, racing through streets, climbing the "gutbuster hill", and eating disgusting foods. The winner of the event receives NZD$1,000 in cash among other prizes. Less physically demanding versions of the event exist for children, teenagers, and families. The event has piqued interest in foreign audiences, having been featured on Japanese television as well as the American reality television series The Amazing Race.





Terrier Racing
Terrier is a type of dog originally bred to hunt vermin. A terrier is a dog of any one of many breeds or landraces of the terrier type, which are typically small, wiry, game, and fearless. There are five different groups of terrier, with each group having different shapes and sizes. Most terrier breeds were refined from the older purpose-bred dogs. The gameness of the early hunting terriers was exploited by using them in sporting contests. Initially, terriers competed in events such as clearing a pit of rats. The dog that was the fastest in killing all the rats won. In the eighteenth century some terriers were crossed with hounds to improve their hunting, and some with fighting dog breeds to "intensify tenacity and increase courage". Some of the crosses with fighting dogs, bull and terrier crosses, were used in the blood sport of dog-fighting. Modern pet breeds such as the Miniature Bull Terrier are listed by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) under Bull type terriers. Today, most terriers are kept as companion dogs and family pets. They are generally loyal and affectionate to their owners.





Sled Dog Racing
Sled dog racing (sometimes termed dog sled racing) is a winter dog sport most popular in the Arctic regions of the United States, Canada, Russia, Greenland and some European countries. It involves the timed competition of teams of sled dogs that pull a sled with the dog driver or musher standing on the runners. The team completing the marked course in the least time is judged the winner. Sled dogs, known also as sleighman dogs, sledge dogs, or sleddogs, are a highly trained dog type that are used to pull a dog sled, a wheel-less vehicle on runners, over snow or ice, by means of harnesses and lines.

The first recorded sled race in North America took place in 1908 in Alaska, the All Alaska Sweepstakes. It ran 400 miles through some of Alaska's most arduous areas from Nome to Candle and back. The International Sled Dog Racing Association lists the winners of the first and the third races: "The 1st winning driver year was John Hegness, with a time of 119 hours, 15 minutes, and 12 seconds. By 1910, entries had increased considerably, as had the speed of the teams.

Sled dog races include "sprint" races over relatively short distances of 4 to 100 miles, mid-distance races from 100 to 300 miles, or long-distance races of 300 to over 1,000 miles (Iditarod). Sprint races frequently are two or three-day events with heats run on successive days with the same dogs over the same course. Mid-distance races are continuous events of 100 to 300 miles. (These categories are informal and may overlap to a certain extent.) Long-distance races may be continuous or stage races, in which participants run a different course each day, usually from a central staging location. Races are categorized not only by distance, but by the maximum number of dogs allowed in each team. The most usual categories are four-dog, six-dog, eight-dog, ten-dog, and unlimited (also called open), although other team size categories can be found.






TRACKING & HUNTING DOG SPORTS


Beagling
Beagling is mainly the hunting of hares and rabbits by beagles using their strong sense of smell. A beagle pack (10 or more hounds) is usually followed on foot, but in a few cases mounted. Beagling is often enjoyed by "retired" fox hunters who have either sustained too many injuries or lost the agility to ride horseback, or who enjoy the outdoors and the camaraderie of the hunt. It is also traditionally a way for young men and women to learn how to handle hounds on a smaller scale before they go on to hunt with foxhounds. In the UK and Ireland, the traditional quarry of beagle packs has been the hare. In the UK, the brown hare was hunted, whereas in Ireland the Irish hare is hunted.

Hunts are managed very similarly to foxhound packs - generally governed by one or more Masters, who typically take much of the financial responsibility for the overall management of the hunt. A hunt will traditionally have a Huntsman, a full-time employee of the hunt, who is responsible (in conjunction with assistants, known as "whippers-in") for directing and controlling the hounds during the course of the day. The attire for traditional beagling on foot normally consists of a green coat and stockings, white breeches and a cap (similar in style to those worn when riding a horse), or a green flat cap. Many packs have a coloured collar to distinguish themselves from other packs. As with foxhounds a handful of packs have a different coloured uniform, either red or blue coats being worn, while in a few hunts the huntsman's coat may be a different colour from those worn by the whippers in. Beagles generally have a higher pitched "cry" when hunting a line than foxhounds do. Modern beagling is done both for hunt as well as sport. Organized clubs under the American Kennel Club track points in events called field trials. Dogs run as packs, often in groups of 5–8.





Hunt with Basset Hounds
In the United Kingdom, there are also a handful of basset hound packs, which formerly hunted hare. Despite being less thorough and "checking" less frequently, bassets work more slowly than beagles, but are admired by many for their strong and deep voice, and for their considerable stamina. They are more independent and headstrong hounds - it has been said that they hunt "less as a pack, and more as a collection of like-minded individuals". Most packs have opted to breed the 'English Basset', which is considerably longer in the leg and lighter boned than the traditional variety. This gives them greater speed and endurance when hunting, but many also have a slightly higher pitch when speaking on a line (scent). The UK governing body for basset hound packs is the Masters of Basset Hounds Association (MBHA), separate from the Association of Masters of Harriers and Beagles.





Hunt with Harriers
Harriers are normally followed on horseback as the hounds, being larger than beagles, could push a hare faster and straighter, enabling a mounted following to pursue the hounds as in foxhunting. Most packs of hare hunting harriers in the last 30 years have been based in East Anglia, where hares have always been far more plentiful than foxes, and in the Pennines of Yorkshire and Lancashire. At the start of the 20th century there were many more packs of harriers in the UK than beagles. The proportions are now reversed, largely because many packs of harriers have changed to hunting foxes over the last 80 years or so. In the south west of England some packs still hunt with West Country Harriers, although they hunted foxes rather than hares before the ban, while many current packs of foxhounds started off as hare hunting harrier packs.

Some packs in the first part of the 20th century used a heavier, more old-fashioned type of hound to hunt hares, and were followed on foot. This continued to some extent until the Second World War, while the last pack of foot harriers, the Windermere, which hunted in the Lake District, disbanded in the early 1990s. Some foot harrier packs disbanded, but many changed over to beagles as suitable harrier bloodlines died out. In 2022 there are currently only 13 Harrier Packs (8 Stud Book, 5 West Country) meaning that there are now under 750 Harriers left in the UK and only 300 West Country Harriers left in the World.





Coon Hunting
Coon hunting is the practice of hunting raccoons, most often for their meat and fur. It is almost always done with specially bred dogs called coonhounds, of which there are six breeds, and is most commonly associated with rural life in the Southern United States. Coon hunting is also popular in the rural Midwest. Most coon hunts take place at night, with the dogs being turned loose, trailing and putting the raccoon up a tree without human assistance. Once the raccoon is in the tree, with the dog at the base, it is referred to as "treed", with "treeing" being the active verb form. In addition to meat or fur hunts, there are also competition hunts to demonstrate the speed and skill of the dog. In these the raccoons are not killed, but are treed and released. Some of the largest competition hunts are the Grand American, Autumn Oaks, and Leafy Oaks.

Coon hunting has been recorded in such books as Where the Red Fern Grows and popularized in stories and songs recorded by Jerry Clower, Jimmy Martin and others. In Alabama, there is a cemetery specifically for the burial of coon dogs. Coonhound puppies typically start their hunting training at less than six months of age. The dog's owner or trainer will begin by teaching it to follow the scent of a raccoon's pelt or commercial scent stick dragged across the ground. A Treeing Walker Coonhound puppy. After the young dog has mastered this, it is taken hunting, either by itself or with other dogs.





Coursing
Coursing by humans is the pursuit of game or other animals by dogs—chiefly greyhounds and other sighthounds—catching their prey by speed, running by sight, but not by scent. Coursing was a common hunting technique, practised by the nobility, the landed and wealthy, as well as by commoners with sighthounds and lurchers. In its oldest recorded form in the Western world, as described by Arrian—it was a sport practised by all levels of society, and it remained the case until Carolingian period forest law appropriated hunting grounds, or commons, for the king, the nobility, and other landowners. It then became a formalised competition, specifically on hare in Britain, practised under rules, the Laws of the Leash.

Animals coursed in hunting and sport include hares, foxes, deer of all sorts, antelope, gazelle, jackals, wolves. Jackrabbits and coyotes are the most common animals coursed in the United States. Competitive coursing in Ireland, the UK (until prohibition in 2004), Portugal and Spain has two dogs running against each other. In the United States, generally speaking, three dogs are run together. The Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Act and the Hunting Act 2004 (in England and Wales) made it illegal to hunt any type of mammal with dogs with the exception of rabbits and rats. Dogs are still permitted to chase (flush) game into the path of a waiting gun, as long as no more than two dogs are used. In Australia, dogs may be used to hunt feral animals such as foxes, deer, goats, rabbits, and pigs.





Drag Hunting
Drag hunting or draghunting is a form of equestrian sport, where mounted riders hunt the trail of an artificially laid scent with hounds. Drag hunting is an equestrian sport where a field of mounted riders chase a pack of hounds who follow or "hunt" a trail of an artificial non-animal based scent. The primary difference between fox hunting and drag hunting is the hounds are trained to chase a prepared scent trail laid by a person dragging a material soaked in aniseed or another strong-smelling substance and not an animal-based scent mimicking a fox hunt, as in trail hunting.

A drag hunt course is set in a similar manner to a cross country course, following a predetermined route over jumps and obstacles. Because it is predetermined, the route can be tailored to suit the riding abilities of the field. The scent, or line, is usually laid 10 to 30 minutes prior to beginning of the drag hunt and there are usually three to four lines, of approximately 2 mi (3.2 km) each, laid for a day of drag hunting. The drag hunting season usually starts in mid-October and continues through autumn and winter, finishing in the spring. Drag hunting first became popular in the 19th century when Oxford and Cambridge universities both established packs of drag hounds.





Earthdog Trial
An earthdog test or earthdog trial tests the working ability and instinct of the small, often short-legged terriers or Dachshunds. These dogs were bred to hunt vermin and other quarry which lived in underground dens. Earthdog den tests involve human-made tunnels that the dogs must navigate, while scenting a rat, "the quarry". The dog must follow the scent to the quarry and then "work" the quarry. Depending on the sanctioning organization, "working" means barking, scratching, staring, pawing, digging; any active behavior. The quarry is protected at all times by wooden bars across the end of the tunnel. The hunting encounter is controlled, and neither the dog nor the quarry (usually two rats) are endangered by the activity.

AKC earthdog tests are intended as noncompetitive venues in which the handlers may gauge their dog's natural hunting aptitude when presented with an underground hunting situation. According to the AKC General Regulations for Earthdog Tests, the noncompetitive program begins with a basic introduction to den work and quarry, progressing through gradual steps to the point where the dog can demonstrate that it is willing to perform the required tasks, including seeking its quarry and working it underground. Dogs that are registered with the AKC and are six months of age or older may participate in AKC Earthdog tests. They do not need to be intact, and purebred dogs that have been assigned "Indefinite Listing Privilege" (ILP) numbers, may also participate.





Dog Barn Hunt
Barn Hunt is based on the traditional roles of many breeds in ridding farms, barns, crop storage areas, and homes of destructive vermin. Barn Hunt tests the nose, speed, agility, and surefootedness of dogs that have a history of above-ground vermin hunting. Barn Hunt is the fastest growing dog sport in the US. The popularity of the sport has exploded because the dogs and the people have so much fun. Barn Hunt really was invented as a sport because of one dog. Robin Nuttall had been part of the dog world for over 20 years when she got her first Min Pin, a very nice dog named Zipper. Because her first breed, Doberman Pinschers, had a strong history and culture of testing working ability as an important part of breeding decisions, Robin was very curious about what the Min Pin was bred for.

Research revealed that Min Pins were bred to hunt mice and rats, probably mostly in the home. But Min Pins were not at that time accepted into AKC Earthdog competitions, which are restricted by breed. Robin started working on trying to get them accepted and ran into some road blocks and frustration. And she started practicing with Zipper, who immediately showed he had a very strong instinct for the work his breed was created to do. The popularity of the sport has exploded because the dogs and the people have so much fun. We welcome everyone, from seasoned dog sport competitors to people who have never even been to a dog show before. Our titles are recognized by the American Kennel Club, United Kennel Club, and Canadian Kennel Club.





Field Trial
A field trial is a competitive event for gun dogs. Field trials are conducted for pointing dogs and setters, retrievers and spaniels, with each assessing the different types various working traits. In the United States, field trials are also conducted for basset hounds, beagles, and dachshunds. Pointer and setter trials are trials for both pointing dogs and setters. During pointer and setter trials the dogs are run in a brace (pair of dogs run together) with two judges observing, the dogs are worked into the wind on live gamebirds, they are required to quarter their assigned beat, finding and pointing any game in the beat. Once on the point the dog must remain staunch until the judge indicates then move in and flush the bird, once the bird is flushed a shot is fired and dog must drop to the ground. Dogs are judged for their ability to find game, their style and staunchness on point, their backing of the other dog, their quartering ability and their pace, eliminating faults include flushing the game early, chasing the game, running out of control or giving tongue (barking).





Fox Hunting
Fox hunting is an activity involving the tracking, chase and, if caught, the killing of a fox, normally a red fox, by trained foxhounds or other scent hounds. A group of unarmed followers, led by a "master of foxhounds" (or "master of hounds"), follow the hounds on foot or on horseback. Fox hunting with hounds, as a formalised activity, originated in England in the sixteenth century, in a form very similar to that practised until February 2005, when a law banning the activity in England and Wales came into force.

A ban on hunting in Scotland had been passed in 2002, but it continues to be within the law in Northern Ireland and several other jurisdictions, including Australia, Canada, France, Ireland and the United States. The sport is controversial, particularly in the United Kingdom. Proponents of fox hunting view it as an important part of rural culture and useful for reasons of conservation and pest control, while opponents argue it is cruel and unnecessary. The use of scenthounds to track prey dates back to Assyrian, Babylonian, and ancient Egyptian times, and was known as venery. Many Greek- and Roman-influenced countries have long traditions of hunting with hounds.





Dog Hare Coursing
Hare coursing is the pursuit of hares with greyhounds and other sighthounds, which chase the hare by sight, not by scent. In some countries, it is a legal, competitive activity in which dogs are tested on their ability to run, overtake and turn a hare, rather than a form of hunting aiming at the capture of game. It has a number of variations in its rules around the world. Coursing can also be a form of hunting or pest control. It is a long-established hunting technique, practiced historically in England, especially with greyhounds or sighthound breeds, or with lurchers which are crossbred sighthounds. The sport grew in popularity in Europe during the 19th century but has since experienced a decline due in part to the introduction of greyhound racing with betting, and laws passed that have banned the practice. In recent decades, controversy has developed around hare coursing, with some viewing it as a cruel bloodsport. Hare coursing is illegal in the United Kingdom. In other countries, including Spain, Ireland and the Western United States, it is a regulated and judged, competitive sport.





Hound Trailing
Hound trailing originated in the 18th century as a means of various hunt masters testing their fox hounds against each other in match races. Hound trailing, or hound racing, is a dog sport that uses specially bred hounds to race along an artificially laid scent trail over a cross country course. Hound trailing is a race between hounds along an artificially laid scent trail. The sport is a combination of drag hunting, dog racing and steeplechasing, with the hounds taking the place of horses.

The hounds follow a man-laid scent, the scent trail being usually laid by dragging a piece of fabric, slightly soaked with a combination of aniseed and paraffin oil, along the course. Unlike in other forms of hunting, humans do not follow the hounds, instead the hounds conduct the course unassisted and spectators can observe parts of the race from vantage points through binoculars. The season is between April and October and the hound that wins the most races in a season is crowned the season's champion. Hound trailing is effectively confined to the British Isles, it is particularly popular in Cumbria, the Scottish Borders, parts of Yorkshire and parts of Ireland. Trail hounds have evolved into a distinct breed or type of hound specifically bred for performance alone, they are sleek, hard muscled hounds with almost whippet like bodies





Lure Coursing
Lure coursing is a sport for dogs that involves chasing a mechanically operated lure. Competition is typically limited to dogs of purebred sighthound breeds. The AKC has a pass/fail trial for all breeds called the Coursing Ability Test (CAT) and a timed 100 yard dash called Fast CAT where the dog's speed is converted to points. In lure coursing, dogs chase an artificial lure across a field, following a pattern that is meant to simulate live coursing. A typical lure course in the United States is between 600 and 1,000 yards (550 and 910 m) long. In Europe, as well as the rest of the world, the course length can be over 1000 meters, and often incorporates some obstacles or jumps.

The course must have a minimum number of turns in order to simulate prey (the jack-rabbit or hare) changing direction in a chase. The fields can be fenced or not. If a dog is lure focused they will typically follow the lure from start to finish and not run off course. Dogs with some considerable lure experience, termed "lure-wise", may try to anticipate or "cheat" by attempting to cut off the lure instead of trying to capture the lure using follow, speed and agility. Sighthounds generally have no need to be trained or enticed to chase the lure since the desire to chase is instinctual.

Some breeds do, however, require lure play at a very early age to encourage them to follow an artificial object with enthusiasm. Dogs must be at least one year old to compete - the hard fast turns are tough on a dog's developing joints, and intense and frequent competitive lure coursing before the age of 12 months may cause joint problems later in life. Dogs at an earlier age do require a moderate but essential introduction to the artificial chase to: stimulate their normal mental and physical development, to prepare and improve their capacity to perform physically with enthusiasm without hurting themselves - as is the case with the mutual, voluntary athletic play of littermates.





Dog Nosework
Dogs hunt for specific odors. Unlike working with professional detection dogs, all odors used in sport nosework are legal to carry and own. Each governing body sets their own standard for which odors are the target odors and which levels they are paired with. At the lower levels, a single odor would be used. At higher levels, two or three of the odors might mixed to create a unique combination odor. The odor is often dripped on a cotton swab, which is then hidden in a search area. The odor-dripped swab is called the 'hide'. Common odors include (but are not limited to): Anise, Birch, Clove, Myrrh, Pine, Thyme, Vetiver oil, and Wintergreen.

An element is a specific type of search area used in nosework. Interior building search takes place on the inside of any building. Searches can be a single one room or multiple rooms. There is often an option for the search to be done on or off-leash. Exterior area search takes place outside, often it contains grass, dirt, cement and/or gravel. These searches can be especially difficult for the dogs as there are a number of new smells (trash, food, animals, etc.), the dogs work in all weather conditions, and the dogs may be tempted to mark or eliminate. Vehicle searches are usually three or more vehicles. The 'hide' is always on the outside of the vehicle. The types of vehicle used varies from compact cars to horse trailers to semi-trucks.

In container searches, the types of containers used varies depending on the level. Beginning levels use plain white cardboard boxes. More advanced levels use luggage, plastic bins, etc. Containers may be arranged in a pattern or randomly on the floor, or they may be placed up on chairs in a higher level. Buried searches are a subset of container searches meant to simulate to work that professional cadaver dogs do. The hide is placed in a container and then covered in sand or water. Handler discrimination is another category that also uses containers. Instead of a cotton swab hide, an article of clothing (usually a glove or a sock) that belongs to the dog's handler is placed in a container. The dog must then determine which box contains the correct article. This simulates the work that professional tracking dogs do when searching for people.





Tracking Trial
A Tracking trial is an event to encourage dogs to make use of their strongest facility, the ability to follow a scent trail. The competition emulates the finding of a lost person or article in a situation where the performance of the dog can be fairly assessed. Because of this, the tracks laid are straightforward, not the wanderings that may characterize a lost person, nor do they include deliberate attempts by the tracklayer to deceive the dog. Although different organizations specify somewhat different rules, the basics of a tracking trial remain the same. The objective is for the dog to find the deliberately "lost" tracklayer and any articles they may have dropped along the track.

Generally, tracks are laid, marked, and mapped on the day previous to the tracking trial by the trial judge or steward. Tracks are chosen so that the judge or steward can easily determine where the track is located, and where articles are to be placed, even after the marks, ribbons, or flags have been removed. The length of the track, the number of corners, the number of articles left on the track depends on the level of difficulty of the track and the rules of the organization under which the trial is being run. In general, a dog must work continually as if genuinely looking for a lost person without assistance from the handler, and find the required number of lost articles and the tracklayer at the end of the track, for the dog to be awarded a pass. This pass can also be graded on the quality of the work. After the required passes have been awarded, the dog may apply for a tracking title according to the rules of the organization the trials have been run under.





Dog Trail Hunting
Trail hunting is a legal, although controversial, alternative to hunting animals with hounds in Great Britain. A trail of animal urine (most commonly fox) is laid in advance of the "hunt", and then tracked by the hound pack and a group of followers - on foot, horseback, or both. By 2005, most forms of hunting animals with hounds had been made illegal across Great Britain, although many remain within the law in Northern Ireland. To preserve their traditional practices, most registered hunts switched to trail hunting as a legal alternative. Trail hunting, while superficially similar to the established sport of drag hunting, was an entirely new invention in 2005 and one which hunts claim is designed to replicate the practice of hunting as closely as possible, but without the deliberate involvement of live prey.

Trail hunting should not be confused with drag hunting; where hounds follow an artificial scent, usually aniseed, laid along a set route which is already known to the huntsmen. In trail hunting, a scent trail is laid using the 'prey' animal's urine (foxes, hares, or other animals) and deliberately laid in areas where those animals naturally occur; ostensibly to recreate the experience of chasing a real animal. The trail does not follow a pre-determined course and those controlling the hounds do not know the route in advance






WATER DOG SPORTS


Dock Jumping
Dock jumping, also known as dock diving, is a dog sport in which dogs compete in jumping for distance or height from a dock into a body of water. There are dock jumping events in the United States and other countries such as United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, and Austria. Dock jumping first appeared in 1997 at the Incredible Dog Challenge, an event sponsored and produced by pet food manufacturer Purina. There are now a number of organizations that run dock jumping competitions in different countries. In the United States, DockDogs was established in 2000 - its first event was at the ESPN 2000 Great Outdoor Games competition.

The dock is usually 36 to 40 ft (11 to 12 m) long by 8 ft (2.4 m) wide and 2 ft (0.6 m) above the water surface, but may differ depending on the sanctioning organization. Any body of water or pool that is at least 4 ft (1.2 m) deep can be used. The dock is covered in artificial turf, carpet, or a rubber mat for better traction and safety for the competitors. The handler may use any amount of the dock and they may start their dog from any point on the dock when competing.

The jump distance is measured, by most organizations, from the lateral midpoint of the end of the dock to the point at which the base of the dog's tail (where the tail meets the body) breaks the water's surface. DockDogs Big Air Discipline measures the distance to the point that the base of the dog's tail breaks the surface of the water. Purina's Incredible Diving Dog event measures the distance to the point that the dog's nose is at when its body enters the water. The jump distance is measured electronically using digital video freeze frame technology or, in some cases, is measured manually by judges.





Dog Surfing
Dog surfing is a type of surfing maneuver involving dogs that are trained to surf on surfboards, bodyboards, skimboards, windsurf boards or to bodysurf. Historically, surfing dogs have been documented as occurring as early as the 1920s in the United States. Competitions and exhibitions that feature surfing dogs have occurred in various coastal areas of the United States. Dog surfing involves dogs that are trained to surf on surfboards or bodyboards, either alone or with a human on the board. Some dogs have been trained to ride a skimboard on the shore (after the board is initially skimmed by a human) and to windsurf with a human, and bodysurfing dogs have also been documented in surfing media. Dog surfing has been documented as occurring in the 1920s in California and Hawaii. In the 1930s, a short film titled On the Waves at Waikiki depicts Phillip K. Auna and Night Hawk, his terrier, surfing together on a wooden surfboard in Hawaii.




OTHER DOG SPORTS


Dog Agility
Dog agility is a dog sport in which a handler directs a dog through an obstacle course in a race for both time and accuracy. Dogs run off leash with no food or toys as incentives, and the handler can touch neither dog nor obstacles. The handler's controls are limited to voice, movement, and various body signals, requiring exceptional training of the animal and coordination of the handler. An agility course consists of a set of standard obstacles laid out by a judge in a design of their own choosing in an area of a specified size. The surface may be of grass, dirt, rubber, or special matting. Depending on the type of competition, the obstacles may be marked with numbers indicating the order in which they must be completed.

Courses are complicated enough that a dog could not complete them correctly without human direction. In competition, the handler must assess the course, decide on handling strategies, and direct the dog through the course, with precision and speed equally important. Many strategies exist to compensate for the inherent difference in human and dog speeds and the strengths and weaknesses of the various dogs and handlers.





Dog Show
A dog show is an animal show, an event where dogs are exhibited. A conformation show, also referred to as a breed show, is a kind of dog show in which a judge, familiar with a specific dog breed, evaluates individual purebred dogs for how well the dogs conform to the established breed type for their breed, as described in a breed's individual breed standard. Dog shows can be in the means of evaluating dogs for breeding purposes. A conformation championship from a recognised national kennel club is generally considered as an indication of merit. Many breeders consider championships a prerequisite for breeding. Some critics argue that the shows can encourage selective breeding of traits and lower genetic diversity. The first modern conformation dog show was held in Newcastle Town Hall in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, in June 1859





Dog Skateboarding
There are several skateboarding dogs whose exploits have been featured on television, websites, and other media. Skateboarding dog stories are commonly used at the end of news bulletins as human interest stories. Bulldogs are especially good at this activity as they have a low centre of gravity and wide body. Dogs can be trained to ride skateboards by familiarizing them with a skateboard in stages and rewarding the dog as it becomes more comfortable and accomplished.





Disc Dog
Disc dog (commonly called Frisbee dog) is a dog sport. In disc dog competitions, dogs and their human flying disc throwers compete in events such as distance catching and somewhat choreographed freestyle catching. The sport celebrates the bond between handler and dog, by allowing them to work together. The term "disc" is preferred because "Frisbee" is a trademark (held by Wham-O) for a brand of flying disc. The sport got its start in the early 1970s, paralleling the rise in popularity of Frisbee sport.

The definitive moment came on August 5, 1974, when Alex Stein, a 19-year-old college student from Ohio, and his dog, Ashley Whippet, jumped the fence at a nationally broadcast baseball game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Cincinnati Reds. Teams of one person and one dog compete in the standard distance "toss and fetch" event. Points are awarded to the team for catches at varying distances. Competitions also often feature the dynamic freestyle event, which consists of short routines choreographed to music with multiple discs in play. The less common long-distance events have various formats, but generally the longest catch wins. Divisions in disc dog events are usually based on the skill and experience of the handler. Men and women generally compete in the same divisions for all disciplines, although the long distance category is sometimes divided by gender.





Flyball
Flyball is a dog sport in which teams of dogs race against each other from the start to the finish line, over a line of hurdles, to a box that releases a tennis ball to be caught when the dog presses the spring-loaded pad, then back to their handlers while carrying the ball. Flyball is run in teams of four dogs, as a relay. The course consists of four hurdles placed 10 feet (3.0 m) apart from each other, with the starting line six feet (1.8 m) from the first hurdle, and the flyball box 15 feet (4.6 m) after the last one, making for a 51-foot (16 m) length. The hurdle height is determined by the ulna's length or the smallest dog's shoulder height on the team (depending on the association). Flyball started as a dog sport in the late 1960s and early 1970s in Southern California. Some dog trainers combined scent hurdle racing with the dogs bringing back a tennis ball to the finish line. Then a tennis ball-launching apparatus was added, and the first flyball box was born.





Puppy Bowl
The Puppy Bowl is an annual television program on Animal Planet that mimics an American football game similar to the Super Bowl, using puppies. Shown each year on Super Bowl Sunday, the show consists of footage of a batch of puppies at play inside a model stadium, with commentary on their actions. The first Puppy Bowl was shown on February 6, 2005, opposite to Super Bowl XXXIX. The puppies featured in the Puppy Bowl are from shelters. The program is designed to raise awareness about adopting pets from shelters and rescuing abandoned animals.





Hiking with Dogs
Hiking provides stimulation and exercise for your dog. Just like humans, dogs need exercise for cardiovascular health, and sometimes weight control. If your dog is like mine and spends most of his time inside, getting on the trails also provides your dog with mental stimulation. Just like people, dogs need to build strength over time or risk soreness or even injury. Start with a shorter, easier hike. Gauge your pet's behavior, and increase the workout over time. Also, be sure your dog has the proper vaccinations to be out in the wild.





Conformation
Conformation is a competitive event open to purebred dogs, designed to evaluate a dog's external appearance and structure as it compares to a breed standard. The breed standards describe the ideal qualities measurable through movement, appearance, and temperament of each breed. A conformation class will prepare you and your dog for your first experience – and for your best chances at winning. Classes are often conveniently held on weeknights and focus on how to handle your dog in the show ring. Contact a local AKC Club to ask about training opportunities.





Mondioring
Mondioring is a difficult sport in which the handler's talent, the dog's training, the dog's intelligence, and the dog's natural qualities are all demonstrated and tested. The goal is to find the best among the best protection dogs in the world.







Dog Parkour
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. Dog Parkour is a non competitive event, but it is a titling event.Dog parkour combines elements of human parkour and dog agility to create an accessible activity for dogs and humans alike. Dogs get introduced to the world of jumping, climbing, balancing over, crawling under, and going around different obstacles in their everyday world. Dog parkour combines elements of human parkour and dog agility to create an accessible activity for dogs and humans alike.





Parachuting with Dogs
Taking your dog skydiving is generally not recommended for several reasons: Safety Concerns: Skydiving involves risks that can be dangerous for both humans and animals. Dogs may not handle the pressure changes, freefall, or landing well, which could lead to injury or distress. The only possible scenario where a dog should conceivably be skydiving is if it is a police/army dog that is part of a special terrorist force.