What does your family think of "dog sports"?

[crazedACD]

Parents, extended family, significant other, kids.... what do they think of it? Will they come and watch/support you?

I don't think anyone in my family really gets it . I know they know I do classes and stuff, and go to random activities, but they only have a passing interest. My grandparents will ask some questions about it. I know my mom.. "supports" me with it, but I think she thinks it is a waste of time.

I had a "graduation" day with Skye for my beginners agility class last year and asked my mom and sister if they wanted to come and watch. They weren't really keen on it and didn't offer to come when I was heading out to go to it. They've never shown any interest in coming out to anything like that. Maybe if it was Westminster or a national competition...maybe. They might be interested in watching us do Dock Dogs if I'm ever able.

 

[ruffiangirl]

My family thinks I'm crazy. My dad would have got it, but the rest just think it's a waste of money and time. My husband will drive me to most anywhere to go to a trial, because he just likes to drive lol. But he will never attend a trial, ever, and I have asked, just stay for the dogs first run, but no.

 

[BostonBanker]

My parents dealt with one kid who was a competitive long-distance swimmer and one kid who was going to horse shows pretty much every weekend. Dog sports are just another thing.

They love hearing stories of the dogs, and watching videos. They do occasionally show up to watch at one of our more local trials, although it is always hard since you can never really say what time you are running (they loved it when I switched from hunters to dressage - 'you will be in the ring at 12:37 exactly'). They learned long ago the rules of spectating at one of my events (namely: When I leave the ring, don't crowd. I will come to you when I'm ready to chat.), but I think they feel like they are interrupting or something when they come. Perfect level of involvement for me, honestly. Supportive, happy, mostly stay out of the way

 

[xpaeanx]

I come from a very sports driven family. If you're active and training to compete against other people, all is right in the world.

Some of my family finds it funny that I choose a sport involving dogs, but most of my family members are into horses so competing with animals is normal.

The SO races cars and is also very competitive... So he's the same if you're active and competing everything is as it should be. He also gives me total support in whatever I want to do... Unless it's something like develop a drug habit. HaHa. I guess I'm lucky in that aspect.

 

[Beanie]

My dad came to watch Auggie compete one time... Auggie's second time doing agility, we called him to tell him when it was getting close and he showed up to watch. That was the only time. Even when the trials are local he doesn't come out to watch.
Of course I have run four half-marathons and not a single time has he come down to watch me finish, so if he won't even watch me finish running 13.1 miles (or even say something like "hey good job"), I don't expect him to care about the dogs doing agility.

My sister came to watch Auggie his last weekend of running. She was busy Sunday but she came out on Saturday and sat with us for a good while watching other dogs and stuff. She likes dogs, and she thinks agility is cool, but I don't know if she'll ever be a competitor. I think she's kind of okay just watching me do it haha. I asked her about going a couple hours away to a trial with the puppies, just for a day, and she happened to be busy, but she wanted to go.

I don't think any of the rest of my family would and that's kind of okay because they would probably be obnoxious about it. It's better that way.

 

[JacksonsMom]

My dad tries. He's a dog lover and loves Jackson and thinks it's cool that I do lots of training tricks and such with him, but he came to a Barn Hunt trial with me last year and felt out of place, LOL. He's like 'they're speaking in dog language!' He didn't understand NQ, and Q, and he would giggle like a little girl when they talked about 'bitches in heat'.

My mom just totally doesn't get it. She tries to listen to me, but I've tried to show her agility on TV and dock diving, etc, she's never real interested. She did drive with me and my sister to the pet expo in VA and she's just soo out of place LOL. She didn't know what to wear (she's overall a fancy person, owns a salon, etc) and didn't want to be too dressed up. Ha.

My stepdad who is into horseracing and owns lots of horses, you would think he would understand the most, but he just doesn't seem to care all that much about the 'dog world'. But sometimes convos come up about horseracing world and I can relate with stories of the 'dog world'.

 

[Laurelin]

They have pretty much flat out said they think it's a waste of money. None of my family has ever come to a competition or watched a video even when I told them I video'd it. No one seems interested.

 

[Beanie]

Forgot to answer for my mom hahaha. With Auggie, she's gone with me a lot, not always, but a lot. Now that Georgie is competing, she's gone with me every time. I'm sure there will be times I will take Georgie and she won't go with us, but that hasn't happened yet. She almost didn't go to one trial because her back was messed up, but she came anyway to see how she would feel. When I booked Louisville I assumed she wouldn't go and she almost didn't, but she did (and then when we were there told me "I didn't want to come!" ughhhh.) She has done work with Georgie, she is the one who taught her how to weave with the 2x2s, which is a pretty big accomplishment for somebody who doesn't really train dogs IMO. She's been a very good sport about the whole thing. She also cried when she watched Auggie's retirement video. I don't think she fully "gets" the whole agility thing but I think she does enjoy it... sort of? LOL. It's a thing we get to do together so I think she likes that too.

 

[Red.Apricot]

My dad participates (and Zoey just got her first utility leg today! GO ZOEY!) and my mom goes to see him a lot.

My dad's the only one that goes to see me--and I prefer it that way. My mom's seen me once, and I didn't enjoy that at all. I've had friends come, and my boyfriend would go, except that he works weekends so he's never available.

 

[teacuptiger]

Waste of time, basically. But anything I do/want to do is a waste if time or whatever to them, lol. Never had anything but resistance with the rest of my family, even when I started feeding Roxie good food. Mostly because "she's not purebred or a show dog, why would you want to do that with her and waste money and time on her?".

But, to be fair, they run all over heck to do things with my sisters- band, dances, softball, cross country, basketball, track, and here I am wanting to do everything with my dog cuz I'm a nutter. They just don't understand that there is more in the world than just one certain path, but that's okay.

 

[Toller_08]

Not sure. Nobody really understands what the sporte I train in even are, but think it's neat that I do stuff with the dogs. My mom takes me to dog shows and sometimes classes and is supportive of it, but I don't think she finds it exciting or anything lol. I think she would come watch an Agility trial happily though if I ever get the courage to enter. No way would she ever watch a Flyball tournament simply due to the noise, but when I have the box at home to practice she asks me to practice with her around sometimes so she can watch. So I think she does enjoy it somewhat.

My dad has expressed interest in coming to an event one day. Be it a trial, a conformation show, whatever. But he hasn't come to anything yet. He thinks it's pretty cool that I am able to teach a dog to do all kinds of different things though.

My brother has zero interest. He just tolerates even living with dogs. No way could I drag him along to anything ever haha. I think he probably thinks it's weird how into dogs I am lol. Not sure.

My grandma has no idea what it is I even do, but likes to pretend she does haha. She has come to a couple of shows before and adores dogs so finds it interesting.

I think my other grandparents don't really have a clue either but again, think how many things my dogs know is neat, albeit a little nuts. They don't live here but I think they would like to watch us a bit if they were ever here during a show that I entered.

None of my aunts or uncles really even know anything about anything that I do with my dogs, because I don't really talk about it around them or see them often enough.

So yeah, all in all my family thinks it's interesting but they aren't super into it and excited about it. They are happy I have a good hobby. They certainly are not unsupportive.

 

[Fran101]

As with most things I do, my family is supportive and clueless lol

They sometimes say the "wrong thing", but it's not out of malice, just out of sheer misunderstanding. ALA: "It's only a dog game...why are they so upset?" , "Do they pay money for this?", "I wouldn't want that dog in my house.."

but usually supportive, if I ask they will come lol and take pictures and cheer even if they have NO idea what's going on.

They think it's cute and nice that I have something I like to do... the whole dog thing. Like any other hobby.

 

[Sekah]

My husband is supportive to a certain point. He's happy to see me happy as long as I can keep a decent chunk of time and money for us to do things together. He can't keep track of whether I'm doing agility or flyball, a trial or a class or a demo.

I don't ask him to come out with me because I know he's not particularly interested and when I have him out with me I'm too preoccupied with whether he's okay to really enjoy myself.

My in-laws are quite supportive and will come out to events every once in a while.

 

[Oko]

I was actually listing dog sports to my Mom the other day because she wanted to know, and telling her how agility worked. I already play human sports very competitively, so it doesn't really phase anyone that I'm interested in dog sports. I think anyone in my family would happily come watch if I asked them to.
They all kinda adore Feist.

 

[sassafras]

My husband isn't personally interested in them, but he knows it makes me happy (and keeps the dogs tired out) and he's super supportive. He helps me SO much at skijor races and rally trials, I'd get stuff done by myself but I'd be a sad panda without him there.

My immediate family seems to think it's sort of neat but isn't really that interested and certainly no one has shown any interest in attending/spectating at events. I've invited them to a couple of things and no bites.

My in-laws are more interested, but they aren't local. I think if they were, they would attend things as their schedules allowed. The last time my MIL was in town she asked if she could come to the park and watch me scooter with the dogs, so that was kind of cool.

 

[Shai]

Hubby is hugely supportive though he rarely goes himself. But he knows how much it means to me and how much I enjoy it and is fantastic about it.

He actually took an agility class with Webby back in the day and just did not care for it at all, haha. He'd rather go pursue his own hobbies, which I also fully support.

The rest of the family (both sides) are nice about it and take a "smile and act interested" stance, haha. They don't get it but they get that I really love it so will sometimes ask about it or call when they see agility on TV, etc. Which is also how I feel about their hobbies...I don't have any personal interest in pursuing them but I am happy they have found things they are passionate about and will ask about it and be happy for them though I am sure I am missing or misunderstanding aspects of it.

 

[Paviche]

I'm really lucky in that my family is at least supportive, if not interested. They know how obsessed I am with dogs and are all for it. My dad is supportive, my brother is interested and my mom is enthusiastic. They would all come out to see us compete: my dad would come if I asked him, Tyler would come see Rowan if I asked and would want to watch Riff even if I didn't ask, and my mom will be there every time whether I want her or not (I do, though!) She very much wants me & the boys to spend time doing stuff we love and will always be there to cheer us on.

My boyfriend gives me tons of flack for being a mega dog nerd but has also told me he supports me doing stuff with the dogs. He'd come to trials with us if I asked, but I also know it's not really his thing and I don't need us to share every hobby.

My extended family are all dog lovers too, so they think agility and whatnot is cool albeit totally foreign to them.

 

[FransterDoo]

Oh they all come if we are within like 30 minutes. It is pretty cute. My grandparents will even come. They just like to watch the dogs. The great thing is that other competitors will chat with them and whatnot.

My mom can even remember a couple of my friends. So I'll get a voicemail that "ashely is on tv!!!" When incredible dog challenge is on.

I'm very appreciative that while they may not understand the details, they are very supportive.

**typing this while at a trial with my wife so I guess that is a given.**

 

[Tortilla]

My family is supportive, granted, I don't compete in anything yet. I think everyone thinks it's cool and would come out and watch, they love watching my training progress with Paris and my extended family always asks about her. No one even seemed to think it was weird that I went all the way to Las Vegas to get her, everyone just sort of rolled with it. My brother has come with me to a couple of agility trials to watch Paris' relatives. He'll watch for about half an hour and then ask when we can leave. So small doses, I guess.

My family all LOVES Paris though so I think they'd want to come out and watch her and/or her relatives just out of sheer interest, too.

 

[Torch]

As with most things I do, my family is supportive and clueless lol

They sometimes say the "wrong thing", but it's not out of malice, just out of sheer misunderstanding. ALA: "It's only a dog game...why are they so upset?" , "Do they pay money for this?", "I wouldn't want that dog in my house.."

but usually supportive, if I ask they will come lol and take pictures and cheer even if they have NO idea what's going on.

They think it's cute and nice that I have something I like to do... the whole dog thing. Like any other hobby.

My parents to a tee!!!! Hahahaha :rofl1:

I came out of a conformation ring one time with Rhys and my dad was shouting over the hubbub, "Did he win? Did Poppy's boy win?!!"

My parents did go to a barn hunt trial once with Rhys and myself as well as their terrier mix, Maggie. I handled her for them and they had a genuinely good time. We really enjoyed our dog day.

My husband is super supportive but shies away from the show scene because he know he's clueless. He asks me a lot of questions in private but prefers to not look like a noob. I think once Rhys gets into more physical type competitions, like weightpull and dock diving, he will enjoy cheering him on. For dog shows I mostly travel and stay with my friends, and he lets me enjoy my girls' weekend out. There are some husbands in the group but since he's not terribly dog savvy he feels like a third wheel. He's a big time competitive person and still plays a lot of sports, though, so I feel like he 'gets' it and respects my hobbies.