It is officially the time of year for Soccer fever as we navigate through the world cup the largest soccer event in the world and the largest and most watched sporting event in the world. For dog lovers, this begs the question is dog soccer a thing? If so, is dog soccer good for dogs and what is the best soccer ball for my dog that is puncture proof? We have the answers plus how to teach your dog soccer like the amazing pups below.
Is Dog Soccer a Thing?
Yes, dog soccer is most surely a thing, just ask the Soccer Collies, a professional team out of Boca Raton, Florida of dog soccer players that play soccer at live events. The Soccer Dogs are on a mission to connect the soccer world with the dog rescue world. As they say, soccer playing dogs have tremendous value to soccer lovers and their are huge demands and no supply of soccer-playing dogs, until now. A Soccer Dog Team is leading the way to help ball motivated rescue dogs to find a home in a soccer-loving family.
Like other dogs in our Amazing Dog series from Cadaver dogs to search and rescue dogs to dogs helping with environment protection, rescue dogs are the source of these dogs that add so much to our lives and, as in here, to our sporting lives.
These dogs on You Tube Prove that soccer and dogs are a thing!
Are Soccer Balls Good For Dogs?
Yes, soccer balls are great for dogs! Anytime you and your dog get exercise and enjoy something fun there are exceptional benefits. Brain games like learning a new sport or activity like soccer keeps dogs young and healthy and their owners too!
As we know from research related to senior dog care, longevity is one aspect of a dog’s life but quality of that life is also highly dependent on a brain that works well so that our companion can enjoy life to the fullest. This is of utmost importance as we discuss in our Ultimate Guide to Dog Dementia as we are learning that the onset and prevalence of dog dementia is extremely high.
Learning new sports and playing games like soccer keeps dogs young and active and are great for your dogs and you!
Pro tip: Use a soft soccer ball so as not to injure your dogs teeth.
How to Teach Your Dog to Play Soccer
The experts at Soccer Dogs, the professional soccer playing Collie team have laid out some steps to teach your dog how to play soccer, we have broken them down so that you and your dog will be playing soccer in now time.
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Start with a basketball because they have a hard time popping them although some can and will pop your basketball. Basketballs are hard on their teeth so graduate to a soft ball as soon as possible.
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Work with your dog in a hallway indoors because the ball goes forward and backward more than all over the place. Using an empty or near empty room to teach your dog soccer works great too.
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Stand in the doorway of your hallway or room and roll the ball to your soccer dog, the most important training objective is to get your dog to bring you back the soccer ball. Give your dog a lot of praise when they bring the soccer ball back to you, by pushing it.
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Once the soccer dog brings the ball to you at the top of the hallway or room. If the ball gets past you, your dog has scored a goal.
Pro tips from the Soccer Collies: If you continue to go to the soccer ball and kick it, your dog will think that’s what the game is and they will not learn to bring the ball to you.
Be patient and encourage your dog to bring you the soccer ball. If your dog is excited about playing with you (KEY – excitement) they will figure out how to move that ball around without picking it up in their mouth. Be patient, do not move around. The more your dog touches the ball the better their soccer skills will be.
Start with a basketball or harder ball to puncture then move gradually to a softer ball as your dog learns not to bite or chew the ball.
Best Soccer Ball for Dogs
If you are training your dog to play soccer you may need a different ball than you need once your dog is actually trained. Once your dog is trained they will no longer need as hard of a ball as they will use their body and nose to play with you rather than their teeth.
When the Soccer Collies find their dog at rescues they look for dogs that naturally want to push the ball from the beginning so that they learn faster. If you have one of those your training time will be far shorter.
Here is our favorite choice for soccer balls for dogs:
The Jolly Soccer Ball from Indestructible Pets is a durable option that dogs can push with their nose and paws and won’t be tempted to chew as there is no squeaker.
Other than this ball you can just use a regular soccer ball.
Conclusion
Enjoy world soccer fever with your dog and have fun teaching him soccer with some of these tips because yes, soccer is a dog thing!
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