Chase down a new breed of canine pastimes

Forget the dog park.

Sure, tramping through the woods and playing fetch have their appeal, but for many Fidos, so do herding sheep, tearing up the dance floor -- even striking a yoga pose. Fortunately, the greater Seattle area has become a breeding ground for offbeat classes and activities that adventurous human-canine duos can sniff out together.

To give wet noses a taste of what life on the farm might have been like, take a trip to Ewe-topia, the Roy, Wash., pooch playground where four-legged visitors learn to round up sheep or ducks. Though lessons last just 10 minutes, most dogs get in touch with their inner border collie and start circling the livestock right away, says Linda Leeman, who's owned the facility with her husband for 16 years. Lessons are first come, first served, so pack a lunch and a Chuckit! (there's a four-acre off-leash area on site), and plan to stay at least a couple hours. Lessons are $11 on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays; $8 on Sundays. See the Web site for hours, plus weather and clothing tips.

If your pup's more showboater than herder, canine freestyle -- aka dog dancing -- at Positive Dog Training in Woodinville might be just the class for the two of you. Rest assured, this isn't about outfitting your terrier in a tutu, says instructor Corrine Lawson. It's about teaching your pup to string together a series of spins, figure eights and other tricks in time to music, all while following your lead -- and, presumably, that cookie in your hand. In other words, it's a new twist on an old practice -- canine obedience -- only goofier and far more fun. Classes are $50 for a three-week series; dancers must have previously taken a beginning obedience class at any dog-training center. For more information, visit the school's site.

Athletic canine-human partners who want to up the ante can try their paws at agility classes at Seattle Agility Center in Maple Valley, where dogs take on obstacle courses loaded with planks, tunnels and jumps. Be prepared for it to take several weeks to get up to speed on the course equipment, and for your pooch to weave through the obstacles in sync with you, says Doug Ricks, the center's co-owner. If your mutt's a bit creakier and not much for tight turns and high jumps, try your hand at the center's Rally Obedience (or RallyO) classes, which remove the hardcore athleticism and obstacles of the agility courses. Classes are $105 for a seven-week session. Prior obedience training is recommended; only nonaggressive dogs are welcome. See the center's site for details.

For big marshmallows who love to cozy up to their person for a good belly rub or back stretch, Seattle yoga instructor and massage therapist Brenda Bryan offers dog yoga classes at the Downtown Dog Lounge on Capitol Hill and at the Seattle Humane Society in Bellevue. Human yogis step through the basic poses, massaging their dogs' jaws, haunches and bellies every step of the way. Wanderers and fidgeters remain on leash throughout the 60-minute class, though Bryan says 95 percent of the dogs quickly "mellow out" and don't need the leash. By the end of the hour, even the most animated dogis often wind up snoring peacefully on the floor. All experience levels are welcome. Cost is $60 for a four-week series, $20 for drop-ins. For additional details, see Bryan's site.

Besides giving your pooch something to do other than lounging on the couch, say these instructors, all the classes mentioned here give Fifi that much-needed bonding time with you. And who knows? You might discover that your pup is the next four-legged Fred Astaire, Bruce Jenner or Swami Vivekananda.