I recently had the honor of being interviewed by Jae Thomas for an article about dog dancing published in the renowned Whole Dog Journal, and Jae’s questions really got me thinking about dancing with dogs and just how foreign a concept it is to most people (you can read Jae’s article here). Many people aren’t even aware that dog dancing is a real sport you can compete in, and when I mention this is a hobby of mine - especially to non-dog people - I’m frequently met with “I thought that was something they just made up for that one King of the Hill episode”.

Not only is dog dancing a sport (officially known as Canine Musical Freestyle), but in my opinion it’s the most underrated dog sport out there. Over the past ten years, I’ve competed and dabbled in more dog sports than I can usually recall - any time I try to rattle off a list, I always think of something I forgot later on, but my dog Ferris has been a real trooper as my first sport dog. From starting with rally to his current retirement sport of scentwork, to barn hunt, lure coursing, disc, agility, and so many things in between, we have tried our fair share of activities. Of course every sport has its own value, and there hasn’t been a single one that wasn’t worth exploring, but I can’t help wishing more people knew just how wonderful musical freestyle is.

*What about this picture doesn’t look awesome to you?*

First of all, dog dancing is just plain fun. Like any sport, it can have its stressful moments, but keeping a positive attitude and approaching competition as an opportunity to enjoy the moment with your dog really helps keep things in perspective. But be honest… who reading this doesn’t love showing off all of the cute tricks you’ve taught your dog? A freestyle routine is the perfect chance to showcase almost any skill your dog has learned - it’s called freestyle for a reason! Flexibility is a key feature, and while there are guidelines in competition, handlers still have far more creative freedom than in any other dog sport. Your dog likes to jump? Let them jump through a hoop, through your arms, over your leg, over a prop that fits the theme of your song, onto your back, up on your shoulder like a parrot, straight up in the air… be inventive and jump away! Spinning, circling, following, backing up, walking on hind legs, sitting pretty, retrieving, weaving, pushing a toy car, activating a giant robot, holding a rose in their mouth, yielding a pirate sword, rolling a barrel - this list is just a small sampling of the wide variety tricks I’ve seen dogs perform at shows, and the ability to include behaviors your dog truly enjoys into your routine is such a treat.

*Look how happy Rizzo is doing one of her favorites,*

*classic leg weaves*

Creative freedom isn’t limited to your tricks, either. There’s also music to consider, not only choosing a song, but editing it and deciding which parts to include, and how you’ll interpret and represent the lyrics or instrumental features. The soundtrack to any single freestyle show is always diverse, and you may hear anything from classical music with no vocals to metal, pop, country, electronica, Motown hits, or a song from your favorite Broadway musical. I’ve even seen performances to original compositions, adding a whole new level of creative expression to this adaptive art form!

*Me & Ferris looking 90s-tastic with friends Brittany & Orion for our Cha Cha Slide pairs performance*

My first entry with Ferris was performed to the very on-the-nose My Boi and Me from a little known Disney Channel Original Movie (shoutout to the real HSM fans), but we’ve also done line dance inspired routines to some of my favorite 90s country music, a Dirty Dancing tribute to I’ve Had the Time of My Life, our first pairs routine to Footloose, multiple group numbers with our dogs as our square dance partners, and of course Ferris had to perform to the iconic Oh Yeah by Yello from his namesake classic 80s film. The possibilities are literally endless and while we recycle a lot of tricks, it’s always fun coming up with creative and unique ways to incorporate the themes of a new routine for the next show, and we haven’t even touched on costumes and props.

*Props over the years: Above, Ferris in his bath tub from our Splish Splash routine.*
*Below, posing with Lightning McQueen car prior to his transformation into a wannabe 1961 Ferrari.*

There is so much more I could say about musical freestyle, and I’d be more than happy to write on this topic again in the future, but when I think about the heart of this sport, the two words that come to mind are connection and community. I first ventured into the world of freestyle when I met my friend Ashley through a Facebook dog group 9 years ago, and I actually thought freestyle sounded pretty nerdy at first, but Ashley was insistent that it was the best thing she’d ever done with her dog and that I needed to try it with Ferris. (To be fair, I still think it’s pretty nerdy, but I’ve come to the conclusion that nerdy does not equal bad.) Coincidentally there was a beginning freestyle class at my local training facility, and as it turned out the instructors were members of our area freestyle club! When the next competition came around, they encouraged me to enter, and Ashley and I met up for the first time in person at that show in March of 2016.

*Ferris and Ashley’s boy Aero at a freestyle show - October 2016*

As they say, time changes everything. Nine years later, that original club I joined when first dipping my toes into the world of freestyle is no longer around… and heartbreakingly, neither is Ashley. But even difficult changes have brought new connections, and I’ve continued to find new ways to learn and grow in my freestyle journey. There are so many experiences I never would’ve had and people I never would’ve crossed paths with had it not been for freestyle and Ashley’s enthusiasm to share her love of this sport. Over the years, I’ve been proud to bring new friends into the fold, sharing the adventure of dog dancing with them and branching into new areas with pair, group, and brace routines. I’ve had family and friends come to watch us, and I’ve taken part in non-competition performances solely to bring joy to others at public events and retirement centers. And I’ve had the simple yet incredible privilege of being moved by countless performances in between my own: laughing at a trick cleverly integrated into a routine, smiling at the sheer delight of a dog performing their favorite behavior, getting full body chills watching a judge and her beloved dog heel with impeccable precision, tearing up watching a student perform to the Golden Girl’s theme song with her senior dog at their one and only show, and crying watching Ashley’s dog dance beautifully with his wonderful new owner at the nationals event. I had always hoped that musical freestyle would bring more joy to my training and deepen my bond with my dogs, but I never imagined how it would connect me to the human experience of shared emotion and being a part of a community.

The ending of our ‘9 to 5’ group routine with friends. Ferris really thought he was supposed to retrieve the fake money we threw in the air at the end, and Orion was just excited that we were throwing things.

To anyone who is a part of the freestyle community, thank you for helping to keep the spirit of this joyous sport alive. I’d love to hear from you and I hope our paths may cross one day! And if you’ve never tried dancing with your dog, I hope you feel inspired. You could even go do it right now, just get some treats and put on some music, and have your dog do a few favorite tricks in your kitchen (as I so often do after a long day). Freestyle is art, and art is subjective, so you can’t possibly do it wrong. Enjoy a silly moment connecting with your dog, and go from there. You never know where it may lead you.

The most underrated dog sport: Dog dancing

Everyday wonderdog