Irondog Allround Iron dog American Pit Bull Terriers are in straight descent the modern version of the Bulldogs of the eighteenth century and the result of hundreds of years of refining. In order to maintain the breed's unmatchable capacity in a modern society, where bloodsports are unacceptable, the Iron Dog competitions and it's various activities is an excellent challenge to participate in. It could be argued wether this could replace a real game test involving the traditional fighting of dogs. Perhaps not, but it does give you a fair idea of your dogs capabilities and will, plus provides you and your dog with an excellent legal sport. A lot of excellent pit dogs couldn't hold a candle to many of the Iron Dog aces out there when it comes to physical ability as their owners are to one track minded to realice that there is a lot more to Pit Bulls, dogsports and ownership than feeding, training, fighting this number one allround dog of the world. To find out what is happening near you or to learn the official rules and the whereabouts of competitions, use the net. What follows is a basic description of some local varieties I have come across; Weight pulling is the most popular activity and is usually divided in three classes; Heaviest load pulled in total Heaviest load pulled divided by body weight Publics favorite; most original or maybe most enthusiastic High jump - 1 1/2m run towards a hanging object of your choice. Your dog must then jump and grab on, sometimes just touching is accepted. Bad landings are common so make sure you have a soft surface or catch him. Speed - Catmill; most laps completed in the space of three minutes One try in either direction, using a favorite toy (not a cat). Longhang - Longest time keeping all feet in the air by hanging of a rope or hide. Usually divided in age groups. Don't get carried away with this one and watch their teeth. Tug o war - Dogs are attached to poles or trees, out of reach of one another, then a firehose, rope or hide is placed beetwen them for both to grab on to. One will eventually win by taking it from the other. This activity does not necessarily make the dogs hate each other, I often use this method when my house dogs play to avoid unnecessary nose biting and conflict. Once I remove the object of their desire, everyone's best pals again. 60 meter drag race - Use a bicycle fitted with a Springer (available in most pet stores). Any other suitable light carriage such as a go-cart would also do. Our housedog Loke is an absolute ace at this, screaming and tearing tracks into the grass or gravel surface. Basic obedience - Your dog has to obey five choice free commands without hesitation. A-framing - Most completed jumps/runs from side to side over a 4 foot high A-frame with 8 foot sides. Appearance - Your dogs general appearance and condition, not measurments and size. Iron Dog venues should not tolerate aggressive behavior or lack of control in dogs or owners. Any incident should immediately cause the perpetrator to pay a fine to the club and maybe expulsion from the venue depending on the situation. An aggressive dog should either be left at home or muzzled. A fearful dog should never be brought along. Dogs should have set places to be in between events and not allowed to roam free with or without the owner, as this is asking for trouble and unneccesary publicity. Dogs are often reved up seeing so many likeminded individuals, so please ask the owner before touching or allowing your kids near strange dogs. This applies to all breeds as not everybody takes socializing their pet seriously enough. If Iron Dog isn't your kind of thing or not done in your area, then try Agility, it's open to all kinds of dogs and common practise in most places.