The Dancing Dog Golden Retriever is a unique breed known for its love of movement and agility. They were originally bred for their intelligence and friendly nature.
Their friendly nature makes them a great companion for families with children. With proper training, they can become an excellent addition to any household.
Golden Retrievers are highly social dogs that thrive on interaction and attention from their owners. They love to please and are quick to learn.
Their intelligence and loyalty make them a popular choice as therapy dogs and service dogs.
Dancing Dog Golden Retriever Origins
Joan Tennille, the president and co-founder of the Canine Freestyle Federation, played a crucial role in defining canine freestyle as a competitive sport rather than just entertainment.
In 1993, four dog trainers approached Tennille to help them create the first canine freestyle demo, showcasing their dogs' advanced obedience training set to music.
The demo they showed her was of a woman in high heels and stockings doing ballet with a Golden Retriever, but it was more about entertainment than about the dog's abilities.
Tennille had to think about movement and flow, considering that four-footed dogs move very differently from two-footed people.
A Border Collie is going to be more agile and light on their feet than a Bloodhound, which made it even more challenging to create a demo that would give the dog equal stage presence.
Dancing Dog Golden Retriever Competitions
Golden Retrievers are naturals when it comes to dancing, and it's not just because of their charming personalities. They're one of the top breeds competing in canine freestyle, alongside Border Collies.
Freestyle competitions require dogs to focus on their partner for at least 90 seconds, and up to three minutes at the most advanced levels. This means building a strong bond with your dog is essential.
Golden Retrievers like Rookie, a champion freestyle dog, have mastered complex backward and circling movements around their human partner. They've even created iconic dance moves like the "Rookie Moonwalk" and the "Rookie Boogie".
In freestyle competitions, dogs must pay attention to their owner constantly to get cues, either verbal or physical. This requires a strong bond and positive training using motivational methods.
Rookie and his owner Carolyn Scott made it big in the freestyle world, performing on TV shows like "Regis and Kathie Lee" and "Good Morning America". Their dance routine to "You're the One That I Want" from "Grease" racked up nearly 7 million hits on YouTube.
Dancing Dog Golden Retriever Videos
Golden retrievers can be quite the dancers, as seen in a viral TikTok video of a dog named Ted, who nailed the dance move to Beyoncé's song "Cuff It" with all the attitude.
Ted's owner, Sandi M, shared the video with a caption that read "HOW DID I MISS THIS??", and it's clear why it went viral - the dog's smooth dance moves left TikTokers in stitches.
The viral video of the dog got people talking about how dogs have rhythm, with one commenter saying "How he got more rhythm than some of y'all doing this dance."
Dogs can indeed have rhythm, as seen in the dance moves of a golden retriever named Rookie, who was a canine freestyle champion with his owner Carolyn Scott.
Rookie and Scott's pioneering dance moves, like the "Rookie Moonwalk" and the "Rookie Boogie", required the dog to complete complex backward and circling movements around his human partner.
Their dance moves were so impressive that they even made it big on YouTube, with their feisty rendition of "You're the One That I Want" from "Grease" racking up nearly 7 million hits.
Rookie and Scott's bond was a testament to the tight connection that can form between a dog and their human partner through freestyle dancing.
Sources
- World Canine Freestyle Organization (worldcaninefreestyle.org)
- heelwork to music (thekennelclub.org.uk)
- #goldenretriever (tiktok.com)
- #goldenretrieverlife (tiktok.com)
- Dog-Dancing Champions Perfected Canine Moonwalk and ... (go.com)
- Canine Freestyle Federationopens in a new tab (canine-freestyle.org)
- Musical Dog Sport Associationopens in a new tab (musicaldogsport.org)
- World Canine Freestyle Organizationopens in a new tab (worldcaninefreestyle.org)
- Merengue-dancing dog makes the perfect ballroom partner (dailymail.co.uk)
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