# Dog Sports for Australian Shepherds: Best Options
The best dog sports for an Australian Shepherd are the ones that give the breed a job to solve. Agility, flyball, treibball and herding trials all reward the traits this breed was developed for: sustained drive, quick learning, and the stamina to work a long day. Obedience and rally are excellent for the same dog when you want precision and calm focus instead of speed. Dock diving and disc are high-energy options that suit some individuals, but they place more demand on a young or unsound body.
Australian Shepherds are not a single personality. A breed questionnaire study of 215 Australian Shepherds described the breed overall as highly trainable with low levels of aggression toward people, while also finding real differences between males and females in excitement, attachment, and social engagement [1]. That spread matters when you choose a sport. Two dogs from the same litter can need very different outlets.
This guide matches the herding-drive traits of the breed to specific sports, gives you a suitability table with space, cost, physical and mental demand, injury risk, and safe starting age, and walks you through first steps. It also covers the breed health issues that should shape your training plan before your dog ever takes a jump.
This article is educational and is not a substitute for veterinary diagnosis or treatment.
## At a Glance: Choosing a Sport for Your Australian Shepherd
Use this checklist before you enroll anywhere.
1. **Confirm your dog's age.** Growth plates in most dogs close somewhere between 12 and 18 months. Hold off on jump and contact work until your veterinarian confirms your dog's growth is complete.
2. **Get a baseline veterinary exam.** Ask specifically about hips, and ask whether MDR1 (ABCB1) testing is appropriate for your dog.
3. **Match the sport to the drive you actually see.** A dog that stares at moving objects and circles the yard is a herding or treibball candidate. A dog that retrieves obsessively is a disc or dock diving candidate.
4. **Start with foundation classes, not competition classes.** Manners, recall, impulse control and body awareness come first.
5. **Check the venue for footing, shade and water.** Double coats and heat do not mix well.
6. **Budget for the equipment, not just the class fee.** Most sports need a few hundred dollars of gear before you compete.
7. **Plan rest days.** High training frequency is a recognized injury risk factor in agility dogs [2].
8. **Recheck your dog's soundness every season.** Lameness that lingers is a veterinary problem, not a training problem.
## Why Australian Shepherds Need a Sport
The breed was developed to move and manage livestock. That history left a specific behavioral package: high drive, high biddability, and high stamina. A dog built for that work will find its own job if you do not provide one, and the job it invents is usually less convenient than the one you would have chosen.
The C-BARQ study of Australian Shepherds supports the trainability half of that picture. Owners rated the breed as highly trainable, and aggression toward people was low across the sample [1]. Trainability is an advantage in any sport. It also means an under-stimulated Australian Shepherd learns your household routines, your weak points, and how to create its own entertainment with remarkable speed.
Drive is the other half. Drive is the motor that makes a dog push through fatigue to complete a task. In a herding context, drive is useful. In a suburban backyard with no outlet, the same drive shows up as pacing, barking at the fence line, or herding children and bicycles. Sport gives that drive a defined target and a clear start and stop signal.
There is a welfare dimension too. A study of agility dogs found that competition context increased the number of arousal behaviors dogs performed compared with training runs, and that handlers noticed fewer of those behaviors than their dogs actually showed [3]. That finding cuts two ways. Sport can raise arousal in ways that help performance, and it can raise arousal in ways owners miss. Choosing a sport that fits your dog, and learning to read your dog's arousal honestly, is part of responsible participation.
## Matching Herding Traits to the Right Sport
Herding instinct is the foundation for many dog sports, so watching your Aussie work livestock helps match it to the right activity. Image: TanSinVic, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Think about which herding behavior your dog shows most, then pick the sport that rewards it.
### The dog that stares, stalks and circles
This is classic herding motor pattern. Treibball and herding trials are the closest fit. Treibball asks the dog to push large balls into a goal on verbal direction, which uses the stalking and driving behavior without livestock. Herding trials put the dog on stock under a judge, which is the original job.
### The dog that chases and cuts off movement
Flyball suits this dog. The sport is a relay race over hurdles to a ball release box, and the dog's job is to run a straight, fast line and return. The chase drive is the engine. Agility also fits, because the dog must read the handler's line and cut to the next obstacle.
### The dog that wants to work at a distance from you
Herding, treibball and agility all reward distance work. Obedience and rally reward close, precise work. If your dog checks in constantly and wants to be near you, obedience and rally may be more satisfying for both of you.
### The dog that needs a thinking problem
Rally and obedience are mental sports. So is treibball. These are good choices for a dog with high trainability but moderate physical soundness, or for an older dog who still wants to work.
### The dog that needs to run flat out
Flyball, dock diving and disc deliver raw speed. These are the highest-impact options and the ones to delay longest in a growing dog.
## Suitability Table: Eight Sports Compared
The table below compares the practical demands of each sport. Injury risk reflects the general physical demands of the sport and the breed's documented injury patterns, not a prediction for your individual dog.
| Sport | Space needed | Equipment cost | Physical demand | Mental demand | Injury risk | Age to start |
|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|
| Agility | Large fenced area or club field | Moderate to high (obstacles, jumps, contacts, weave poles) | High | High | Moderate to high, front limb most affected [2] | Foundation work early, jump and contact work after growth plates close (about 12 to 18 months) |
| Flyball | Long straight run, club box and hurdles | Moderate (club usually supplies box and hurdles) | High | Moderate | Moderate, high-impact turns and landings | Flat running early, full hurdles after growth plates close |
| Treibball | Medium fenced area, 30 to 50 feet of working room | Low (exercise balls and a goal) | Moderate | High | Low | Foundation work early, full pushing after growth plates close |
| Herding trials | Livestock, acreage, or a training facility | Low personal gear, high access cost | High | High | Moderate, depends on stock and terrain | Instinct testing early, formal work after growth plates close |
| Obedience | Small indoor or outdoor space | Low (collar, leash, dumbbell, scent articles) | Low to moderate | High | Low | Any age, including puppies |
| Rally | Small to medium space, cones and signs | Low | Low to moderate | High | Low | Any age, including puppies |
| Dock diving | Pool with dock, or a club facility | Low personal gear, facility fees | Moderate to high | Moderate | Low to moderate, depends on entry technique | Swimming early, full dock entries after growth plates close |
| Disc | Large open field | Low (frisbees) | High | Moderate | High, jumping and twisting | Ground work early, aerial work after growth plates close |
Cost figures are not given here because published sources do not establish standard prices. Treat the cost column as a relative ranking, and get local quotes from clubs before you commit.
## Growth Plates: The Timing Rule That Protects Your Dog
Growth plates are the soft areas of cartilage near the ends of the long bones where new bone is added as a puppy grows. They close, meaning they harden into solid bone, at different times in different bones, but the general window for most dogs is roughly 12 to 18 months.
This is the single most important scheduling fact in dog sports. Jumping, sharp turns, contact obstacles and repeated high-impact landings put stress on open growth plates. Damage there can affect the shape and soundness of the adult joint.
Practical rules that follow from this:
- **Before 12 months:** focus on foundation behaviors, recall, impulse control, body awareness, flat ground running, swimming, and socialization.
- **12 to 18 months:** continue foundation work and let your veterinarian assess growth completion. Many dogs are not finished yet at 12 months.
- **After growth plates close:** introduce jump height, contact obstacles, weave poles, full hurdle heights, and aerial disc work gradually.
Agility injury data adds a second timing lesson. In a study of 864 competition-level agility dogs, older age when starting course-like training was associated with higher injury odds, at roughly double the odds per year of delay [2]. That sounds like a contradiction, and it is not. The two findings describe different things. Growth plate protection is about not loading an immature skeleton. The injury association is about dogs who begin structured, course-like training late in life, often after years of no conditioning. The resolution is to build fitness and foundation skills early, then add jump and contact work once the skeleton is mature.
## Agility
Agility is the sport most people picture when they think about dog sports for an Australian Shepherd. The dog navigates a numbered course of jumps, tunnels, weave poles, a teeter, a dog walk and an A-frame, directed by the handler's voice, movement and position.
### Why it fits the breed
Agility rewards speed, responsiveness to handler cues, and the ability to work at a distance. Australian Shepherds bring all three. The sport also gives the dog a clear task with a clear finish, which channels drive into a defined outlet.
### What the injury data says
Agility carries real injury risk. In the Finnish survey of competition-level dogs, 14 percent had an agility-related injury during the study year, the front limb was injured in 61 percent of cases, and lameness was the presenting sign in 65 percent [2]. Risk factors included multiple previous agility injuries, high training frequency, a diagnosis of lumbosacral transitional vertebra, and older age at the start of course-like training. Protective factors included moderate competition frequency and good A-frame technique [2].
The practical takeaways are straightforward. Do not stack training sessions. Do not compete every weekend. Train the A-frame technique properly rather than letting the dog scramble over it. And take a previous injury seriously, because prior injury was the strongest risk factor in the study.
### How to start
Find a club that separates foundation classes from obstacle classes. Foundation classes teach handling cues, targeting, and body awareness on flat ground. Ask the instructor how they manage jump height for young dogs. Expect to spend several months on foundation work before you run a full course.
## Flyball
Flyball is a relay race. Four dogs per team run over a line of hurdles, trigger a box that releases a ball, catch the ball, and run back over the hurdles. Teams race side by side.
### Why it fits the breed
Flyball is pure chase drive with a rule set. Australian Shepherds tend to be fast, ball-motivated, and highly responsive to the excitement of a team environment.
### What to watch
The sport involves repeated high-speed running, hard turns at the box, and hurdle landings. Those are the moments that load the body most. The box turn is a skill that should be taught progressively, not improvised at full speed.
### How to start
Look for a club that teaches a controlled box turn before adding speed. Start with flat recalls and tug or ball drive on flat ground. Introduce hurdles at low height only after your veterinarian confirms growth is complete.
## Treibball
Treibball is sometimes described as urban herding. The dog pushes large exercise balls across a field and into a goal, working at a distance on the handler's direction.
### Why it fits the breed
Treibball uses the herding motor pattern without livestock. The dog must stalk, drive, and respond to directional cues from a distance. It is one of the best matches for an Australian Shepherd who shows strong eye and stalking behavior but lives where stock access is impossible.
### What to watch
Impact is low compared with agility or flyball. The main demands are mental focus and the physical work of pushing a large ball. Introduce the ball as a stationary object first, then add distance and direction.
### How to start
You need a set of exercise balls sized to your dog and a goal. Teach a nose or shoulder push on a stationary ball, then add a single direction cue. Build distance slowly.
## Herding Trials
Herding trials are the original job. Dogs move sheep, ducks or cattle through a course under a judge, with scoring for control, pace and the dog's effect on the stock.
### Why it fits the breed
This is what the breed was developed to do. If your dog shows strong instinct, herding work is often the most satisfying outlet available.
### What to watch
Access is the main barrier. You need livestock, land, and an instructor who knows both stock and dogs. Instinct testing is usually the entry point, and it tells you whether your dog has enough natural interest to continue. Formal work should wait until growth plates close.
### How to start
Find a herding instructor who offers instinct tests. Watch a session before you book. Ask how they handle a dog that is too rough with stock, because that is a welfare issue for the animals as well as a training problem.
## Obedience
Obedience is precision work. Dogs perform heelwork, recalls, retrieves, scent discrimination and stays under close judging.
### Why it fits the breed
The C-BARQ data describe Australian Shepherds as highly trainable [1]. Obedience turns that trainability into a formal skill set. It is also one of the lowest-impact sports available, which makes it a strong choice for a dog with joint concerns or for an older dog.
### What to watch
Obedience demands duration and precision, which can be harder for a high-drive dog than raw speed. If your dog struggles to hold position, that is information about arousal, not about intelligence. Build duration gradually.
### How to start
Any age works, including puppy classes. The foundation is the same as household manners: name recognition, sit, down, stay, loose leash walking, and a reliable recall.
## Rally
Rally is obedience with movement. Handler and dog navigate a course of numbered signs, each describing a behavior, and the team works through them at a brisk pace.
### Why it fits the breed
Rally is more fluid than traditional obedience and rewards teamwork. It suits a dog who wants to work with the handler rather than at a distance. The physical demand is low, so it is a good option for dogs who need mental work more than conditioning.
### What to watch
Rally requires the dog to read the handler's body and follow a course. Practice on different surfaces and in new locations so the dog generalizes the skills.
### How to start
Many clubs offer rally foundation classes. You can begin as soon as your puppy has basic manners.
## Dock Diving
Dock diving asks the dog to run down a dock and jump into a pool, with scoring for distance or height.
### Why it fits the breed
Dock diving suits water-loving, toy-driven dogs. It is lower impact than land-based jumping if the entry is clean, and it gives a high-drive dog a big, satisfying outlet.
### What to watch
Entry technique matters. A dog that jumps flat or lands awkwardly loads the body differently than a dog with a clean arc. Swimming is a good low-impact conditioner for many dogs, and it can start early. Full dock entries should wait until growth plates close.
### How to start
Find a facility with a ramp or shallow entry so your dog can learn to swim first. Build toy drive on the dock before asking for a jump.
## Disc
Disc is a throwing and catching sport. Dogs chase and catch flying discs, often with aerial leaps and twisting catches.
### Why it fits the breed
Disc rewards chase drive, jumping ability and handler timing. Australian Shepherds are often excellent at it.
### What to watch
Disc carries the highest injury risk on this list because of the aerial jumping and twisting. The sport also demands a skilled thrower, since a bad throw creates a bad catch. Ground rolling and short tosses are the safe entry point. Aerial work should wait until growth plates close, and even then should be built gradually.
### How to start
Begin with rolling the disc along the ground and rewarding the chase and retrieve. Add short, low tosses. Keep sessions short and stop before your dog is fatigued.
## Health Screening Before You Choose a Sport
Sport selection should account for the breed's known health issues. These are the ones that change training plans.
### MDR1 (ABCB1) mutation
The ABCB1 gene encodes P-glycoprotein, a cellular pump that moves certain drugs out of the brain and other tissues. A functional mutation, ABCB1-1Δ, produces a less effective pump, and dogs with the mutation can have severe adverse reactions to common veterinary drugs that are substrates of that pump [4].
Australian Shepherds are among the most frequently affected breeds. In an Australian study of 4,842 dogs across 27 breeds, the mutation was detected in nine breeds, and the most commonly affected were collies, Australian Shepherds, white Swiss Shepherds and Shetland Sheepdogs [4]. A separate study of herding breeds in Thailand found Australian Shepherds carrying the mutation with a mutant allelic frequency of 12.82 percent and a heterozygous genotype prevalence of 25.64 percent [5].
The practical implication is simple and worth acting on. Ask your veterinarian about ABCB1 testing before your dog needs any medication that is a known substrate of the pump. If your dog is affected, that information should follow the dog to every clinic and every sport venue, because it changes which drugs are safe.
### Hip dysplasia
Hip dysplasia is a developmental condition of the hip joint and a recognized concern in the breed. It matters for sport because jumping, sharp turns and repeated landings load the hip. Ask your veterinarian about hip evaluation before you commit to a high-impact sport, and discuss what screening the breeder performed on your dog's parents.
### Epilepsy
Epilepsy is a recognized breed concern. A dog with a seizure history needs a veterinary plan before starting a sport, because fatigue, heat and stress can be relevant to seizure thresholds in some dogs. Discuss timing, medication and activity limits with your veterinarian rather than deciding on your own.
### Eye conditions
Collie Eye Anomaly (CEA) is associated with a 7.8 kb deletion in intron 4 of the NHEJ1 gene, and the deletion has been described in sheep-herding breeds related to the collie lineage, including Australian Shepherds [6]. In one Italian study, healthy carriers made up 29.6 percent of Australian Shepherds tested, and the CEA allelic frequency in the breed was 0.087 [6]. A separate molecular study that included 29 Australian Shepherds identified the NHEJ1 mutation in the tested group, with both homozygous affected and heterozygous carrier dogs present [7].
Vision matters for sports that depend on reading a handler's line or catching a moving object. If your dog has a CEA diagnosis or carrier status, tell your instructor and your veterinarian, and choose sports that do not depend on long-distance visual tracking.
### Musculotendinous injury
A retrospective MRI study described a chronic pelvic limb lameness localized to the lateral head of the gastrocnemius muscle in herding dogs without a trauma history. Eight of the nine dogs were Border Collies and one was an Australian Shepherd [8]. The abnormal signal most likely represented a myotendinous strain, and all dogs except the one with the most extensive lesion had an excellent outcome [8]. This is a reminder that herding-type dogs can develop soft tissue injuries from their movement patterns, and that chronic lameness deserves imaging rather than rest.
## Heat, Coat and Conditioning
Australian Shepherds carry a double coat. That coat is excellent insulation in cold weather and a liability in heat. Dogs cool themselves mainly by panting and by radiating heat through the paws and other thinly haired areas. A heavy coat reduces how efficiently heat moves off the body.
Practical heat management for training:
- Train in the early morning or after sunset in warm months.
- Provide shade and water at every session, and offer water before your dog looks thirsty.
- Watch for heavy, uncontrolled panting, wide eyes, a flat or panicked expression, and a dog who slows without being asked. Stop the session.
- Learn the signs of heatstroke and treat them as an emergency. Collapse, confusion, vomiting or diarrhea after heat exposure needs immediate veterinary care.
- Keep a conditioning base year round. A dog who trains only on weekends is not conditioned for weekend work.
Conditioning is not the same as training. Training teaches skills. Conditioning builds the strength, balance and endurance that let the dog perform those skills safely. Body awareness work, flat ground trotting, swimming and controlled hill work are all low-impact ways to build a base.
## Common Mistakes Owners Make
**Starting jumps too early.** The most common error. Growth plates are still open before roughly 12 to 18 months, and jump and contact work should wait until your veterinarian confirms growth is complete.
**Training too often.** High training frequency was a risk factor for agility injury in competition dogs [2]. More sessions is not better. Recovery is part of training.
**Ignoring a previous injury.** Multiple previous agility-related injuries were the strongest risk factor for a new injury in the Finnish study [2]. A dog with a history needs a veterinary plan, not a return to the same schedule.
**Choosing the sport you like instead of the sport your dog needs.** A dog with strong eye and stalking behavior may be miserable in a sport that demands constant speed. A dog with relentless retrieve drive may be bored by precision work.
**Skipping the foundation class.** Foundation work teaches the dog how to learn in a sport context. It is not a delay. It is the fastest route to a sound, confident competitor.
**Missing arousal signals.** Handlers in the agility study observed fewer arousal behaviors than their dogs actually performed [3]. Video your training sessions and review them. You will see things you missed in real time.
**Using punishment-heavy training for a soft, biddable breed.** Australian Shepherds are highly trainable and low in aggression toward people [1]. Reward-based training methods produce reliable recall and chasing behavior in dogs, and owners using reward-based methods for recall or chasing problems were more likely to report success than owners using electronic collars [9]. For a biddable herding breed, reward-based training is the efficient choice.
**Treating behavior problems as training problems.** A case report described a 9-month-old spayed female Australian Shepherd with escalating aggression toward familiar and unfamiliar people, including bite incidents. Risk factors included early removal from the dam at 6 weeks, minimal early socialization, chronic illness during early development, and aggressive traits in both parents. Behavioral diagnoses included generalized anxiety, impulse-control aggression, fear-related aggression, possessive aggression and socialization deficits [10]. This is not a dog who needs a sport. This is a dog who needs a veterinary behavior plan. If your dog shows aggression, resource guarding or severe anxiety, get a professional evaluation before adding sport.
## Starter Steps for Your First Sport
1. **Book a veterinary exam.** Ask about hips, MDR1 status, and whether your dog is sound for the sport you have in mind.
2. **Pick one primary sport.** Cross-training is fine later. Start with one so you can learn the culture and the safety rules.
3. **Find a club with a foundation program.** Ask how they handle young dogs and what their jump-height policy is.
4. **Watch a class before you join.** Look at footing, shade, water access, and how instructors handle a dog who is struggling.
5. **Set a weekly schedule with rest days built in.** Moderate frequency beats high frequency.
6. **Track your dog's soundness.** Note any stiffness, reluctance on stairs, or change in gait, and report it to your veterinarian.
7. **Learn the venue's emergency plan.** Know where the nearest emergency clinic is and how to get there.
8. **Reassess every six months.** Dogs change. So do sports.
## Welfare and Safety Points
Sport should improve your dog's life, not just fill a calendar. A few principles keep it that way.
**The dog gets a vote.** If your dog avoids the equipment, shuts down, or shows stress signals at the venue, that is information. Address it rather than pushing through.
**Arousal is not the same as enjoyment.** The agility study found more arousal behaviors in competition than in training, and handlers under-recognized them [3]. High arousal can look like enthusiasm. Learn your dog's specific stress signals.
**Injury history changes the plan.** Prior injury was the strongest risk factor for a new agility injury [2]. A dog with a history needs a veterinary clearance and a modified schedule.
**Heat is a real hazard for this breed.** Double coats reduce heat loss. Plan sessions around the weather, not around your calendar.
**Behavior problems come before sport.** Aggression, severe anxiety and resource guarding need a veterinary behavior plan, not a training class [10].
**Stock welfare matters in herding.** Herding involves live animals. Choose an instructor who protects the stock as carefully as the dog.
## Limitations and When to Contact a Veterinarian
This article gives general guidance for a breed. Your dog is an individual with a specific body, a specific history and a specific temperament. A veterinarian who has examined your dog is the only person who can tell you whether a given sport is safe for that dog.
Contact a veterinarian before starting or continuing a sport if any of the following apply:
- Your dog is younger than 12 months and you are being asked to do jump or contact work.
- Your dog limps, bunny hops, or is stiff after rest, even if it resolves.
- Your dog has a known or suspected MDR1 (ABCB1) mutation and needs any new medication.
- Your dog has a seizure history.
- Your dog has a hip dysplasia diagnosis or a questionable hip evaluation.
- Your dog has a CEA diagnosis or carrier status and the sport depends on visual tracking.
- Your dog shows aggression, resource guarding, or severe anxiety.
- Your dog has collapsed, become disoriented, or vomited after heat exposure. This is an emergency.
- Your dog had a previous sport injury and you want to return to training.
## Frequently Asked Questions
### What is the best sport for an Australian Shepherd?
Herding trials and treibball are the closest match to the breed's original job, while agility and flyball suit dogs with high chase and retrieve drive. The best choice depends on which herding behaviors your individual dog shows most.
### At what age can an Australian Shepherd start agility?
Foundation and flat ground work can start in puppyhood, but jump and contact work should wait until growth plates close, generally between 12 and 18 months. Ask your veterinarian to confirm your dog's growth is complete.
### Do Australian Shepherds need a job?
Yes. The breed was developed for sustained work and shows high trainability and drive. Without an outlet, that drive tends to appear as barking, pacing, or herding household members.
### Is flyball safe for Australian Shepherds?
Flyball is safe when the box turn is taught progressively and hurdles are introduced after growth plates close. The repeated high-speed turns and landings are the highest-load moments.
### Is treibball good for a dog with no livestock access?
Yes. Treibball uses the stalking and driving motor pattern on large balls, so it gives a herding-driven dog a job without needing sheep or acreage.
### What is the MDR1 mutation in Australian Shepherds?
MDR1, also called ABCB1, is a gene that encodes a drug transport pump. A mutation in this gene makes the pump less effective, and affected dogs can have severe reactions to certain common veterinary drugs. Australian Shepherds are among the most frequently affected breeds.
### Can an Australian Shepherd train in hot weather?
Heat is a genuine risk for this double-coated breed. Train in the cooler parts of the day, provide shade and water, and stop the session at the first sign of heavy uncontrolled panting or slowing down.
### Should I use an electronic collar to train my Australian Shepherd for sport?
Reward-based training is the better fit for this biddable breed. Owners using reward-based methods for recall and chasing problems were more likely to report success than owners using electronic collars.
## Related Articles
- [Australian Shepherd Lifespan Diet and Preventive Care Guide](/knowledge/veterinary-medicine/life-stage-care/australian-shepherd-lifespan-diet-and-preventive-care-guide)
- [Australian Shepherd Health Guide: Genetic Risks, Joint Care & Lifespan](/knowledge/veterinary-medicine/breed-specific-health/australian-shepherd-health-guide-genetic-risks-joint-care-lifespan)
- [Australian Shepherd Care, Health, Temperament, Training, Size and Lifespan](/knowledge/veterinary-medicine/preventive-care/australian-shepherd-care-health-temperament)
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- [Australian Shepherd Health Problems: MDR1 Gene and Ivermectin Drug Sensitivity](/knowledge/veterinary-medicine/breed-specific-health/australian-shepherd-health-problems-mdr1-gene-and-ivermectin-drug-sensitivity)
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- [Golden Shepherd: Breed Traits, Care, and Health](/knowledge/veterinary-medicine/breed-specific-health/golden-shepherd-breed-traits-care-and-health)
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## Sources
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2. [Part II of Finnish Agility Dog Survey: Agility-Related Injuries and Risk Factors for Injury in Competition-Level Agility Dogs.](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35158551/)
3. [Influence of the Competition Context on Arousal in Agility Dogs.](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31899959/)
4. [Breed is associated with the ABCB1-1Δ mutation in Australian dogs.](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31743433/)
5. [Prevalence of the MDR1 gene mutation in herding dog breeds and Thai Ridgebacks in Thailand](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35017851/)
6. [Genotypic and allelic frequency of a mutation in the NHEJ1 gene associated with collie eye anomaly in dogs in Italy](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35127102/)
7. [Analysis of Selected Eye Disorders in a Group of Predisposed Breeds of Dogs: Molecular Diagnostics of Collie Eye Anomaly and Progressive Retinal Atrophy](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40428296/)
8. [MRI features of gastrocnemius musculotendinopathy in herding dogs.](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20806868/)
9. [The use of electronic collars for training domestic dogs: estimated prevalence, reasons and risk factors for use, and owner perceived success as compared to other training methods.](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22748195/)
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