Should Service Dogs Play Dog Sports?

Should service dogs also compete in dog sports? If so, in what sport?

It’s a question I get all the time — and the answer isn’t one-size-fits-all.

In this week’s video, I’m digging into what happens when you mix service work with agility, rally, obedience, or even hunt testing. Can it help your partnership? Hurt your training goals? How do you know if it’s the right fit?

We’ll talk about:

✅ The benefits of adding sports

⚠️ The risks and trade-offs

🧠 What sports complement service training — and which ones I’d think twice about

If you’ve ever wondered whether you should get involved in sports with your service dog (or even your SDiT), this is the video for you.