What is Dog Parkour or Urban Agility?

Have you heard of parkour?

Not many people have, but it’s a growing movement!

Parkour is a military-training inspired series of exercises that involve all sorts of fast-paced jumps, balances, climbs, runs, and more… all in a public space without any equipment.

So, it’s no wonder that it’s become integrated in the dog world. Dog parkour is the same obstacle-course style of workout that requires athleticism and agility. In fact, according to the International Dog Parkour Association, it is “urban agility.”

Dogs follow the same types of challenges as the people do. According to the association, “It is a challenging, but fun, physical activity in which the dogs learn to interact with their environment. Just like in the human version, in dog parkour we work on ways to conquer obstacles, such as climbing, balancing, and jumping.”

If you’re interested in giving it a whirl, the sport is open to all kinds of dogs: any age, breed, and size can participate. However, it requires strength and stamina, so make sure your vet gives you the thumbs up to get started.

Training groups are scattered around the country, or you can always work to establish your own. The bottom line with dog parkour is that you don’t need anything special to do it, just a park or urban space to turn into your dog’s parkour playground! Check out some creative obstacle suggestions. (The window ledge?! Amazing!)

Or, for some serious dog parkour inspo, check out this Epic Parkour Dog video starring Jumpy and Alex.