First Name: Last Name: Address: Address: City: State/Zip: AKALARAZCACOCTDCDEFLGAHIIAIDILINKSKYLAMAMDMEMIMNMOMSMTNCNDNENHNJNMNVNYOHOKORPARISCSDTNTXUTVAVTWAWIWVWYN/A Email:

Participants in musical freestyle (a.k.a. “dancing with dogs”) say the sport is great for training, exercise, bonding, and just plain fun.

By Mardi Richmond

Dance fever is sweeping through the canine community. Dogs are spinning and twirling to country western, rock ’n roll, movie theme songs, and more. What’s driving these dogs (and their handlers!) to move to the beat? It’s none other than the tail wagging sport of canine musical freestyle.

Laurel Rabschutz of Willington, Connecticut, and her five-year-old Newfoundland, Rollo. All three of Rabschutz’s Newfs hold freestyle titles and frequently perform for dog-related fundraising and public service events. Here they perform to “Drunken Sailor” during the “Celebrating the Sea Dog” exhibit at the Mystic (CT) Seaport.

Musical freestyle is a choreographed routine performed by handlers and their dogs. A relatively new addition to the dog sport world, freestyle came onto the scene less than 20 years ago. According to a few sources, freestyle seemed to pop up simultaneously in several countries, the way dog sports often do. …

Subscriber Login
Purchase Selection
Subscribe to Whole-Dog-Journal.com