The North American Dog Sport Association promotes canine sports. Its members include directors, employees, show chairpersons, committees, agents, and officers. Dog owners can participate in NASDA competitions through their dog’s membership in the association. They agree to follow all rules and regulations and certify that their dog has not been infected or is not a safety risk.
There are competitions for dogs with different skill levels at the North American Sport Dog Association (NASDA). The trials are divided into multiple skill levels and dog breeds compete in a variety of events including puppy aptitude, trailing, locating, shed dog, urban finding, and lost article. There were 31 dogs competing in the August trial. The competition was extremely exciting and the dog owners had the opportunity to witness dogs of all ages and abilities working side by side.
Another type of competition is the North American Sport Dog Association’s working dog trials. These competitions use a dog’s natural scenting abilities to determine the best possible path to retrieve a prize. The class prepares the handler as well as the dog for competition. They will practice with scenting a rat hidden inside a secure box, find antlers in a shed, and perform various other tasks to earn points for NASDA titles.
The NASDA holds several scent games for dogs. Trailing and Locating is a test of agility and timing. The quarry box is placed on the ground, on a tree or on a fence and dogs must locate a live Rat. The complexity of the trail varies with the level of competition the dog has achieved. The dog might use its nose or catch scent in the air to track the scent. The handler loses points for directing the dog too much. Work at lower levels can be completed on or off a long line.