Bay Team Cool Canines archive
From BayTeam
Cool Club Canines are featured first on Bay Team Cool Canines, then archived here, so that members can get an introduction to other club members. Any Bay Teamer can submit bios (for themselves or others) and photos (preferably with handler and dog(s)) to the current cool canine czar or to the webmaster.
Ellen Finch with Jake, Remington, and Tika
Featured 2/27/02
(More info added Oct 2, 2006 to catch up with later CC article styles:) Ellen started agility in the spring of 1995 at Power Paws with her squirrelhund (all-American) Remington, who had energy and enthusiasm that needed outlet. Her most memorable moments in agility were earning ribbons at her first competition with Remington (the 1996 San Martin rainfest), earning her first MAD with Jake, and earning Remington's NATCH. Tika the "Aussie-probably" joined her agility family in early 2002.
Ellen joined The Bay Team in late 1995 but avoided attending meetings for a year because the rest of her life was plenty busy already. Since then, she has created the club web site and remains webmaster, has served as President for one term and member-at-large for another term (or 2), has chaired and secretaried various trials, etc. etc., and mostly finds it tons of fun.
[EF], [EF-p]
Craig Diskowski with Chilly
Featured 3/22/02
photo Since we're catching up on Cool Canines, here's Chilly and Craig winning the 22" veterans (jumping 16") USDAA Grand Prix of Dog Agility International Championships in Del Mar in Sept '01. This follows a summer in which they finished both their ADCh and their NATCh__just in time for Craig and wife Chrys to take a couple of months off for a new baby.
Sarah Johnson with Cruiser
Featured 5/4/02
photo This month's cool canine is Cruiser, a Border Collie, shown here with Sarah picking up a ribbon at the 2001 USDAA Grand Prix of Dog Agility International Championships in Del Mar in Sept '01. Sarah and Cruiser have worked hard to start showing up among the top competitors in the country. Cruiser came from working ranch parents and was a wedding gift for Sarah. They did sheep herding, frisbee, and obedience before discovering agility at Marin Canine games, where she was Iron Dog Champion 2 years in a row. Their first agility competition was in November of 1998. Cruiser will be 8 this year but, like many agility dogs, doesn't show the age, and just recently finished her ADCh.
Jim Basic with Mick, Swift, and Spy
Featured 7/28/02
photo This month's cool canines are Jim's 3 border collies. Jim started agility with Mick (shown here) in 1992. Mick, 11 and still competing, was the first dog ever to have earned both a NATCh and an ADCh, and the first dog ever to win national championships in both NADAC and USDAA. He has now earned his ADCh 13 times over, and is the only dog to make the USDAA Top Ten in all categories for five consecutive years. Swift had to undergo surgery on both hips as a young dog, but recovered to be a perennial USDAA national finalist and to earn his ADCh several times over. In addition, he and Jim have made USDAA's Top 10 list in all 4 categories for the last 2 years, making Jim the first handler to have 2 dogs in all categories in the same year. Spy is Jim's youngest dog. He celebrated his 18-month birthday in 2001, when he was first eligible to compete, by entering a USDAA regional qualifier and qualifying for the national championships. He won several events at the USDAA nationals weekend in 2001. Keep a watch for future successes!
Aileen Brodsky with Bobbi
Featured 6/19/03
Aileen was elected vice president at the first meeting of the Bay Team. She went on to be president and then raffle czar for a few years, and says "It has been rewarding to watch the Bay Team grow and offer more and more great agility events."
The biggest highlight in Aileen and Bobbi's competition career was when they earned their final gamblers leg at the Bay Team trial for their ADCH. Aileen says, "It was a three-ring show and, when I sent Bobbi for her gamble, you could almost hear a pin drop. When Bobbi made her gamble, the home crowd went wild and some of my friends carried me off the field. Someone said it was like we won the World Series."
Even after recent surgeries for Aileen and Bobbi, they smoked their runs and went 3 for 4 at a trial last weekend. Bobbi will be 12 this year. Keep on truckin'!
[TC]
Jackie Drucker and Babar
Featured 8/21/03
photo Our latest Cool Canine is Babar, a French Bulldog, handled by Jackie. This team has been competing since 1995 and their first show was a NADAC trial over Memorial Day weekend in Dixon. They went only with the urging of Becky Woodruff because, according to Jackie, "I was sure we weren't ready yet. It was quite the experience and lots of fun."
Jackie has been a member of The Bay Team since 1995 and has held the office of treasurer for the past four years.
Jackie is so pleased and often surprised at how well Babar has done. It's not every day that a dog has an agility event named after him, but Babar has been immortalized with a Bay Team event called Babar Pairs, which is a pairs class for dogs competing in the Performance Program in USDAA. Although French Bulldogs are not the most common dogs seen competing in agility, Jackie notes that "it's significant that he's led the way for any Frenchies doing agility and people know us countrywide for what we've done."
Well done Jackie and Babar!
[TC]
Jennifer Jones with Aquila and Jiff
Featured 10/6/03
photo Our latest Cool Canines are Shilo, Aquila, and Jiff, handled by Jennifer.
Jennifer became interested in agility in the late 1980s while living in Texas. Because there was no agility in her town, she drove two hours each way to Houston to take classes at Flash Paws with Jane Simmons-Moake in 1994. Her first trial was in August, 1994, the first AKC trial ever held in Houston. "I had only been training about 8 months, but qualified both days," Jennifer said. At that time she was training Shilo, a six-year-old Australian Cattle Dog, who was very obedient, but injuries and the high jump heights back then limited what Shilo was able to do. They continued to compete until Shilo was 10 and, upon retirement, enjoyed many years on the sidelines.
Jennifer currently competes with 10-year-old Aquila, also an Australian Cattle Dog who, in his younger days, was quite the challenge. Although he is slowing down, he is still super excited to run his runs. Jennifer's youngest dog is Jiff, a Border Collie whom she got sight unseen from a rescue group in Washington. Jiff is a joy to live with and is currently competing at the Masters/Elite levels.
Jennifer moved to the Bay area in 1995 and has held the Bay Team's Treasurer and President positions and is currently serving on the board.
Jennifer has enjoyed attending the different nationals and she most enjoys the culmination of training that comes out at a trial. Jennifer notes that the most significant thing about agility is the simple joy of being with your dog, saying, "If I am on the start line, see that that my dog is happy to be there, wants to run with me, and at the end, we both feel good about our accomplishments (whether we Q or not) then I have achieved my goals."
[TC]
Julie Craig with Webster and Highway
Featured Dec 2, 2003 Our latest Cool Canines are Webster, Rocket, and Highway and their handler Julie. photo
Julie got involved with agility with her first dog, a pug named Webster. They were doing obedience but needed something more interactive. Julie heard about agility, saw a demo, and gave it a try. Their first agility trial was a NADAC show in April 1995. Webster and Julie liked it and competed until he died in 1997. Julie also competed with a second pug, Rocket, who has retired from agility since it just wasn't his sport. After Webster died, Julie got Highway (AKA HG), a Border Collie, who is her current agility dog. Highway was named for how she was found as a puppy--alongside a highway near a truck stop. Highway was truly rescued!
Julie is a long-time Bay Team member, joining in 1995. She has been Vice President and Treasurer. She has also been the show secretary for many Bay Team USDAA shows.
Julie doesn't have one single moment that she remembers most in her time in agility, but remarks that "I like Jumpers runs with HG. That's usually when she and I are most in sync and, as a result, the runs are lots of fun. I liked competing with the Pugs because it was fun to let people know that all kinds of dogs could do agility. (Well, OK, I do clearly remember my last run with Rocket. He was walking slowly over the dog walk and the judge came over to cheer him on. He walked to the end, sat down on the contact and looked at the people outside the ring that had been cheering for him.)"
There is nothing like a Pug acknowledging his adoring public!
[TC]
Ron Etherton with Meg
Featured Jan 17, 2004
Ron got started in agility in 1994 with the help of his wife Anne who was starting Tyler, their Flat-Coated Retriever. He saw how much fun she was having and wanted to share. She politely suggested, "Get your own dog." Ron rescued a Border Collie named Meg, who, according to Ron, "was a noise-sensitive, movement-motivated, wild-eyed creature," who has now mellowed into what he calls his "affectionate daddy's girl." She is 10 years old and still going strong.
Ron joined the Bay Team in 1994 and served as President for two years, 1998-99, as well as serving on many show committees. He has also managed and awarded the club's annual California Cup trophy since its inception in 1998.
Ron's most memorable moment with Meg has been her consistency and longevity. Ron explains that, although "Meg is usually not the fastest dog in her class, she may be among the most consistent. If you have to add up six or eight runs, she'll normally be up with the leaders". A significant moment in their agility career came in 1997, when Meg was the Elite 20" winner at the NADAC Championships in Phoenix. In 2001 she finished second in the large dog Vet division (second to Tyler) at the NADAC Championships in Minnesota. She needs a couple of gambles for her 10th NATCH. She also has an ADCH and an ATCH.
Ron says that "Meg is truly honored to be a Cool Canine."
[TC]
Karey Krauter with Zephyr, Inyo, and Bump
Featured March 15, 2004 and Sept 10 '04
photo Our latest Cool Canines are Zephyr, Inyo, and Bump and their handler, Karey Krauter.
Karey started agility in Karen Ten Eyck and Jan Peterson's classes on an asphalt parking lot with all PVC equipment at Butchie's Pet Shop. Karey's first trial was in 1995 at Countywide's first (Bay Team assisted!) NADAC trial. That was the trial where she saw Bill Newcomb's Newfoundland, Raider, jump into Bill's arms at the finish line of a run (and flatten him). Karey has wished for that for herself ever since!
Karey joined the Bay Team in 1996 and attached herself to the secretary office in 1997. Karey is in her third stint as secretary, but also took a turn as VP along the line. "I guess I like to keep my finger in the pie, but maybe we should start talking about term limits if you want me outta there!" quips Karey. Karey has also secretaried and chaired trials every year since joining the Club and has created an evolving home-grown database along the way. Karey's expert secretary services and database have also been used by a number of other local USDAA clubs. Sprinkled among all the other jobs Karey has done, she also brought in seminar teachers for the club over the years and continues her quest for new places to hold Bay Team trials.
Karey's most memorable moment in Agility so far has been achieving her first ADCH with her Belgian Shepherd, Zephyr. Karey recalls that "we started out so slow--oh those 30" jumps--and Zephyr had such a bitch-like attitude of 'what're you gonna do to make me do that,' but in the end she just racked up the legs like an assembly line and that last leg snuck up on us in a way that will always be more shocking than anything to come!".
[TC]
Webmaster's note: Zephyr went to the Great Dog Biscuit in the Sky last year, but Karey and Bump finished their ADCH just last week.
Mike Penketh and Magy
Featured April 5, 2004
Mike got Magy in December of 1999; she had just turned two. About that time, while channel surfing, Mike came across Animal Planet and his first introduction to dog agility. Mike thought to himself, "Maryann needs some exercise and she loves dogs...this might be a sport for her". Mike soon realized, however, that the agility journey to be undertaken would not be by Maryann, but by him!
Mike well remembers his first Agility lesson. He thought Magy's training as a service dog would provide a good background for agility, but he quickly realized how wrong he was--he watched as his lovely Magy turned into a "ditzy blonde teenager," zooming around the field, stealing anything she could get her mouth on, totally out of control. Thankfully, their instructor, Marna Obermiller, smiled and gave them another chance.
A couple of years passed after that lesson and then Magy earned two Qs in one weekend for her first CPE title. A year or so later, Mike and Magy went three for three in one weekend, earning their NADAC Open title. They also have AKC and USDAA titles.
Mike comments that, although they are new to the Bay Team, they think that the "Bay Team has been great, their organization and shows have proven to be superior. The members are a great bunch and their willingness to work together and help other members makes them stand out."
Mike and Magy are looking forward to a great summer!
[TC]
Sharon Freilich with Rip, Thyme, Whoopi, Shooter, and Jigs
Featured June 4, 2004
Sharon got her start in agility in 1991. While Sharon was taking competition obedience classes from Pat Cook with her first Border Terrier, Kelsey, Pat brought a tunnel to class one day and said that she was holding agility classes very near to Sharon's house. Sharon went, but she says, "I must say that I was not too impressed with this 'new dog sport'."
Sharon joined the Bay Team in 1993 or 1994. She has been the president for two years, member at large for two terms, and remembers "during one very tumultuous couple of weeks, I was the President, Secretary, and Treasurer...oh yes, those were the days!" Sharon has also been the equipment and trailer czar as long as she can remember. For a couple of years, Margot McKereghan, Kathryn Horn, Becky Woodruff, and Sharon taught classes for the Bay Team at a ranch in Castro Valley. Much of the money that they earned paid for the small trailer (the one we just sold to SMART) and a lot of the equipment that was in it. For all of her service to the Club, Sharon shared the Most Valuable Bay Teamer award for the year 2000.
Sharon's most memorable moment to date was the 2000 USDAA Nationals. Sharon and Rip won first place in Power and Speed, Snooker, Jumpers, and the Steeplechase---but her Border Collie Cadbury winning the 1996 NADAC Nationals with her Aussie, Ranger, coming in second was exciting as well.
[TC]
Leslie Bickel with Cate E and Ana
Featured Oct 19, 2004
Leslie got started in agility in the spring of 2000 with Davis Dog Training Club. The group would go to the practice site, which was someone's back yard, and they would let all the dogs play while they set up the course. Leslie saw Catahoula Leopard Dogs at a UKC event and thought what cool-looking dogs they were. Cate E, her first agility dog, joined their family on Labor Day Weekend 1999. Ana, a full sister from the next litter, was added to the family in October 2000.
Leslie joined the Bay Team in July of 2001 and manages the worker schedules and also mans the score tables for Bay Team trials.
When reflecting on her most significant or memorable moment in agility, Leslie thought that getting an ADCH with a Catahoula seemed like an unattainable goal. She felt that her dog was way too wild and she was much too green a handler. However, just this week (Oct. 17) at the USDAA trial in Madera, Leslie and Cate E earned the coveted ADCH title! Leslie and her Catahoulas are very excited about taking their first trip to the USDAA nationals this year in November.
We all wish them the best of luck...watch out Arizona, the Catahoulas are coming!
[TC]
Mike Scannell with Angel and Racket
Featured Jan 25, 2005
In 1994, Mike and his wife, Cheri, were walking along Stinson Beach in Marin County. Cheri noticed a small, active dog romping along the beach with its owner. The owner and dog stopped to talk to another man and the little dog proceeded to pee on the other man's leg. Mike says, "We knew that was the dog for us," and in 1995 they got Angel, a Jack Russell Terrier. Their first trial was a NADAC trial in 1998 in Petaluma.
Mike also has a young dog named Racket, but Angel is still his number one and she has more fun digging and hunting gophers than she ever did in competing in agility.
Mike has been crew chief for numerous trials and this month will be his first time as a trial chair for the trial in Santa Rosa. Mike says, "I have always had about as much fun working at the trials as I have had competing in them." Mike joined the Bay Team in 2000 or 2001. Ironically, when he first started, he thought the Bay Team was a team and thought you had to be invited. He almost joined a local agility club in Santa Rosa instead, but they eventually folded and then he joined the Bay Team.
Mike's most significant agility moment came when he first started to train a dog to compete in agility at the Marin Humane Society. Mike says, "I love the challenge of training dogs for this sport, and I love the community that I have become a part of. My goal in agility is to keep learning, having fun, and staying healthy enough to compete in this sport for a long time. I share all these great times with my beautiful wife Cheri and her agility dog Risk."
[TC]
Anne Etherton with Tyler and Will
Featured Apr 27, 2005 The latest Cool Canines—Tyler and Will and their handler Anne Etherton: photo
Anne started doing agility in 1993 when she started training Tyler, a Flat-Coated Retriever. Their first trial was the Bay Team's first NADAC trial in September 1994. "He was a great dog for a beginner...me", says Anne. Tyler went on to get an ADCh, quite a few NATChes, and an MX and MXJ (he died suddenly in 2003). In 1998, Anne got Will, a Papillon, and Anne says "He has been a fun little guy!" They have done USDAA, NADAC, AKC, and CPE and Will just earned his CATCh this month. Anne's latest addition is an 18-month-old Border Collie named Mimic, which she is enjoying very much so far.
Anne has filled quite a few different roles with the Bay Team. She has been Vice President for one year, handled awards for trials for several years, and has been chief ring steward a couple times.
Anne's most memorable moment was when she and Tyler were on the winning 4-dog team at the NADAC Championships in Massachusetts. She was teamed with Stacey Peardot and her BC, Jack; Monica Percival and her BC, Lazer; and Mary Ellen Barry and her BC, Zoe. Tyler held up his end by being the consistent one!
[TC]
Mary Van Wormer-Haveman with Skeeter
Featured Jul 10, 2005
photo The latest Cool Canine and handler—Skeeter and Mary Van Wormer-Haveman:
Mary's introduction to agility came by way of television. Mary remembers seeing agility on TV: "It was around the mid-'90s, it had to be the USDAA finals on Animal Planet, and I remember thinking wow...someday I am going to do that! The only problem was I didn't even have a dog! I was taking an obedience class with my Golden Retriever, Morey, in August of 1999 and one of the assistants in the class referred me to Pat Hall who had agility equipment. The first agility trial I entered (prematurely!) was the March 2000 USDAA CAT trial in Madera and that was with my Golden Retriever, Morey."
Mary joined the Bay Team sometime after she started competing. There was a handful of Bay Teamers who took Mary under their wings and helped show her the ropes. "They always made me feel welcome and reassured me when I felt stupid. They included Gwen Tatsuno, Karey Krauter, Mike and Cheri Scannell, and Cindy Glantz to name only a few," Mary said. From that point on, Mary knew that she wanted to be a part of the Bay Team. Although Mary has never held a club position, we know her as one of the perennial crew chiefs at Bay Team trials. She rallies her volunteers in the nicest way and it's impossible to turn her down when she flashes you that smile.
Mary's most significant agility moment happens at every trial, at the start of every run. "Every time I step to the line with my dogs, it is a significant moment. It's just a rush being there and then of course when everything goes as planned, well, that's just icing on the cake!" says Mary. One big highlight, however, was completing her ADCH last September with her Cattle Dog, Skeeter. Mary was in the hunt for four gamble legs and it had been over a year since she'd gotten one. She sought advice and training from Jim Basic, and then knocked down four consecutive qualifying gamble legs, with placements no less! The last gamble leg was really special because Gwen Tatsuno and Spike earned their ADCH on the same run.
Way to Go, Mary!
[TC]
Jerry Herzog with Jamie
Featured Sept 7, 2005
Jerry didn't know much about dog agility when he went looking for a dog at the Humane Society. He had just lost his other dog a few months earlier to cancer and wanted a nice-sized dog that would play fetch and could travel with them in their motor home. In January 2000, they saw Jamie at the shelter and she immediately passed Jerry's "get the ball test" and came home with them the same day. Once home, however, Jerry discovered that she was a very timid dog. "She was frightened by the sound of a dog whistle, squeaky toys, and a host of other things, but she loved those tennis balls," Jerry says. After reading Jane-Simmons Moake's first agility book, he had Jamie going through a plastic garbage can with the end cut out and climbing a home-built dogwalk and a full-size teeter within two months.
Jerry joined The Bay Team a few months later and competed in his first NADAC trial. Jamie got 20 course faults and 72 time faults, but by the next day, they were second place out of four dogs entered. Now that they were hooked on agility, they sought more formal lessons and found Chuck Loretta's practice sessions.
Jerry has been a crew chief several times at Bay Team trials, including the latest July CPE trial. He also helped with set up, tear down, and course building until a back injury prevented any more heavy lifting.
Jerry has had a number of very memorable moments in his agility career. The first was earning their USDAA MAD title in May 2003 and the second was at the last Bay Team NADAC trial in July 2004. As he was leaving for the day, Ellen Finch presented him with a big blue ribbon for first place in the California Cup for Jamie's height class. Jerry looks back and reflects that "Jamie has never broken a sit at the start line, almost never faulted the weave poles, rarely knocked down a pole AND rarely finished the course much under SCT. She is such a sweetheart and I'm very proud of her."
[TC]
Arlene Watson with Scully and Sparkle
Featured March 28, 2006
When Scully and Arlene were in obedience class, they never envisioned that it would lead to a long-term interest in agility. A chance conversation with Billy Tinsley at class turned into a suggestion that they try agility "because it's fun for dogs." It was March of 1998. In one short session, as she observed one of Peggy Clark's classes, Arlene went from not even knowing what agility was to being completely hooked. Scully's first competition was the Bay Team NADAC trial in November of 1998 and they have gone on to achieve many agility titles in NADAC, USDAA, and CPE. Arlene remembers the April 2001 USDAA trial in Madera that marked the last time that little dogs would have to climb a 6' 3" A-Frame as USDAA lowered the requirement to 5' 6" (special thanks to Jim Basic!). Arlene's most memorable moment was the last Gamble Q that led to Scully's ADCH, an achievement for which she also gives many thanks to Jim.
Arlene joined the Bay Team in 2000. She has filled the roles of Clothing Czar since 2003, Member at Large for 2004-2005, and CPE awards czar since 2003. Arlene's energy is surpassed only by that of her latest family addition, Sparkle, a pioneer in a new agility breed that Arlene fondly refers to as the Pinchippet. At home, Scully helps to train her sister Sparkle by chasing her around the yard, and Sparkle has been known to occasionally humor Scully by playing "rabbit". Sparkle is a marvelous sight to see as she covers the ground at high velocity, hardly making a sound, and using her mighty 6 pounds in weight to tip the teeter in the right direction. Watch out for Arlene, Scully, and Sparkle at USDAA and CPE trials. (Angela adds:" I always love to watch Arlene because she clearly loves her dogs sooo much and is so sweet in the ring!")
[AS], [AS-p]
Debbie Stoner with Moose and Fox
Featured May 2, 2006
photo The latest Cool Canines are Papillons Moose and Fox and their handler Debbie:
Debbie Stoner first heard about the new dog sport of Agility twelve years ago when casting about for a new challenge for her UD Golden Retriever, Tristan. Armed with "how to" books and home-built equipment, Debbie hooked up with a few other intrepid souls in Sonoma County, and embarked on her great adventure. Upon attending her first agility demo, Debbie met Nancy Gyes, who promptly talked her into entering a Bay Team trial. That trial marked the beginning of her agility career. Debbie recalls that it rained all weekend and everyone was a muddy mess! The group was small, and so excited to support a newcomer. She was welcomed by all, and thrown immediately into the fray of running her dog and learning how to work at a trial. By the time she went home, she was totally hooked on the spirit of Agility.
That spirit has carried through in Debbie's cheerful support for newbies and her ever-present willingness to pitch in at every trial she attends. Debbie currently teaches Agility classes at her home in Sebastopol, and runs her two Papillons, Moose and Fox, mainly in CPE events. Moose, now 13 years old, has been doing Agility with Debbie since the very beginning. Moose earned his ADCH in 2002 and his MACH in 2003. He has performed well in both USDAA and AKC national events. Debbie recalls her fondest Agility moment as the day Moose earned his MACH. Moose had just pulled through a miraculous recovery from a dog attack that had left one of his feet with only two toes. He needed only 2 double Qs to complete the MACH, and he nailed them both in one weekend, on his first trial back.
Fox, at five, has earned his MX and MXJ and is just one gamblers leg shy of his MAD. These days, he enjoys competing in AKC and in CPE events, where the emphasis is on fun and games.
[KW], [KW-p]
Raymond and Mardee Jang with Tater and Ally
Featured June 19, 2006
Raymond and Mardee Jang are familiar faces at USDAA, CPE, NADAC, and Bay Team trials—the first to arrive on Friday to set up the rings for the next day's activities, and the last to leave after all the packing is done. During the trial, you'll find Raymond industriously building courses and transporting equipment. You'll see Mardee running the Bay Team trial Workers' Appreciation Gift Raffles, scribing, timing, and filling in wherever a volunteer is needed. So how did they, cattle dog Ally, and Ally's best friend—Pomeranian Tater—get started in agility?
In 2000, Ray and Mardee had just rescued their beautiful but then critically injured pomeranian, Tater. With the amount of time and attention that had been dedicated to Tater's recovery, Mardee wanted to find something special to do with Ally to build their bond and expend some of that cattle dog energy. Mardee and Ally joined Peggy Clark's agility class in Cupertino. Tater and Ray watched these lessons and their future unfold from the sidelines. As Tater recovered, he wanted a piece of the action and started to follow Ally over the agility equipment that had been accumulating (!) in the backyard. Mardee describes Ally as a wonderful, willing pupil who wants to please and is ready to learn anything...and Tater as the dog who can be taught anything with food and a large dose of patience.
Mardee and Ally's debut event was the Fall 2001 BayTeam USDAA trial where (surprise) Ray and Mardee jumped at their first opportunity to help with set up and tear down. They have been doing so ever since. They joined the Bay Team soon thereafter in May 2002.
Mardee's most memorable moment for Ally was the day when they "clicked" as a team. It happened one day when Mardee was having trouble remembering a tricky course, and decided to first dry run the course handling moves without Ally. The third time through this routine, she looked down to realize that Ally was actually running with her and doing the course perfectly.
Ray and Tater debuted at the August 2002 Bay Team USDAA trial. By 2004, Ray and Tater held the breed record for "Ultimate Weave Poles"...and treated everyone to a nail-biting performance at the PowerPaws Camp 2004 Clean Run Ultimate Weave Pole Challenge. The competition involved completing a set of 60 consecutive weave poles. Tater understood that his job was, in fact, to create Ultimate Audience Suspense. To that end, he changed pace halfway through the line of poles, causing a unified gasp from the crowd, and then stopped at the very last pole, looking to Raymond for the reassurance that he needed, before proceeded to complete the last pole perfectly! Indeed, Tater is quite the comedian. In a WAG/CPE Standards Round one time, Ray paused to find his bearings. Tater cleverly ducked into a tunnel out of view, nowhere to be found when Ray looked back. The audience roared with laughter as Tater seized the moment and repeatedly ducked in and out of tunnels behind Ray's back as Ray scanned back and forth across the arena.
Mardee and Ray love the supportive, fun spirit of agility and the great community that they themselves are a big part of. Today, Tater and Ally and their humans make the whole course look easy, while they are clearly having a lot of fun out there.
Read more about Ally the rescue dog and Tater the rescue dog. A very recent update: Ally and Mardee placed 4th over 6 games classes among all 16" dogs entered at the 2006 CPE Nationals; Tater and Raymond placed 3rd among all 8" dogs.
[AS], [AS-p]
Holly Newman with Jasmine and Zack
Featured Aug 30, 2006
"Agility? What's agility?" is the question that launched Holly into the world of dog sports. She had just started Marin Humane Society's (MHS) Family Dog class. When the teacher asked who was there to prepare for agility, and others raised their hands, Holly asked that fateful question. Then she and Jasmine attended the MHS Games, which included agility. Holly watched in awe as Sarah Johnson and Cruiser won the Iron Dog medal with the highest score. A friendship was born, and a new agility career began.
No stranger to sports (Holly is a high school football referee and a coach and former team member of the Scorchers, a women's tackle football team), she was drawn to agility's camaraderie and positive energy. And Jasmine, a lanky hüber hound mix rescued from MHS, has proven to be a good, solid agility competitor.
Holly and Jasmine have trained along the way with Garril Page, Rachel Sanders, and Sarah Johnson. They are now one gamble away from earning their USDAA ADCH, and Holly's excitement is building!
Holly later acquired Zack, a handsome red Border Collie, also from MHS. About one year old when he came to Holly, Zack brought a variety of training challenges. He earned his first blue ribbon at the 2005 USDAA Nationals, not in agility, but with the fastest time on the recreational lure course. With renewed confidence in his drive and focus, Holly has since entered Zack in a few USDAA Starter games.
Holly prefers USDAA's format and strategic games to other venues. The challenge of Snooker Super Qs, however, had Holly considering jumping ship. But fellow competitor Nancy Damarodas encouraged her with stories of Hawkeye's Super Qs. Holly went on to develop a successful formula for earning Super Qs with an average dog, demonstrated by the five she has earned with Jasmine. She is currently threatening to file a patent (but is probably willing to share).
In between, Holly served as the Bay Team's equipment manager and trailer hauler for a long while. All in all, it's been an interesting journey since the day when Holly asked what agility was. It's a question she is very glad she asked.
Read more about Jasmine the rescue dog and Zack the rescue dog.
[KW], [??-p]
Rob Michalski with Hobbes, Fate, Kita, and Rontu
Featured Sept 30, 2006
This is a dedication to a very special cool canine, ADCH Kita MX, MXJ, CDX, EAC, EGC, EJC and her handler and dearest friend, Rob Michalski.
Kita passed on to the Bridge in September, yet will never be forgotten as one of the last surviving dogs from the dawn of agility in the United States. Her spirit was high until the end, which should come as no surprise to those who remember her jumping 30 inches as a 21.5-inch dog, and recall the days when she became the first MAD Tervuren, and then the first ADCH Terv.
As a pup in 1991, Kita enrolled in obedience class with someone named Nancy Gyes. Also present in the class were some who would turn out to be among the future Who's Who of agility in the Bay Area: Sandy Rogers with Rasta, Jan DeShera with Lad, Renee Newcomb with newfie Raider, and, of course, Nancy with Scud. Under Nancy's tutelage, Rob and Kita became Dog World Award winners and Gaines competitors, but the best was yet to come.
In 1992, Nancy inherited some agility equipment and invited her students to try it out. Kita with Rob and Nancy with Scud debuted together in November of 1992 at a USDAA trial hosted by Haute Dawgs--a one-day trial with one ring, and one run each (but four judges with the familiar names of Ken Tatsch, Stuart Mah, Darlene Woz, and Lori Schulz). (Webmaster notes: Derede and Rob have a video of this trial. Well worth watching.)
Kita inspired Rob's love of agility, and led him to the top in USDAA agility, where he reached the final round in the USDAA Nationals multiple times, once with his Border Collie Hobbes and once with his wife Derede's Terv Soja . . . but most memorable is the moment in 2000 that Kita took second place in the veterans Grand Prix finals at the USDAA Nationals in Del Mar, California.
Rob has been a member of The Bay Team since its beginning in 1993. He was club secretary in the mid-'90s and equipment chief in the early 2000s. Rob was also Most Valuable Bay Teamer of the Year in 2001; read more. He has been trial secretary for two trials and you will often see him as a chief course builder at USDAA events. He continues to compete with Hobbes, occasionally with Soja, and with his younger BC, Fate. He has earned championships with his rescue Aussie Rontu (died 2005) and with Hobbes. And, in case you were wondering, his last name is pronounced [similar to] "mick HALL ski".
Our hearts go out to Rob and Kita -- You are both class acts. We'll miss you, Kita.
[AS], [??-p]
Linda Knowles with Mercy
Featured Oct 29, 2006
Eight-year-old Mercy (ADCH C-ATCH MACH Snowflower Mercy By Moonlight) is Linda's second Belgian Tervuren. Last fall, Mercy completed her USDAA Agility Dog Champion title on a long-awaited Snooker Super-Q leg, with their first perfect score of 51. This run also finished her Snooker Champion and Snooker Champion Bronze titles.
Two weeks later, they finished Mercy's AKC Master Agility Champion title, with placements in both classes. Needing just 4 pts to finish, Mercy came up with her fastest-ever run in Standard (19 pts).
Then, just 3 months after that, they finished her CPE Agility Trial Champion title, with a 1st place in Standard. In fact, she qualified in all 8 runs that weekend, making it a very nice weekend indeed. Finishing three championships in 4 months, each with a career-best run, made the titles especially sweet.
Things didn't always go this smoothly. After completing her Novice through Excellent Standard titles in 2000, followed by a couple of ExB legs, Linda and Mercy then went for two whole years without a leg in Standard. Linda attributes this to a lack of regular training. She finally started classes with Rachel Sanders, who helped Linda retrain Mercy's contacts for a more consistent performance. While it took almosthttp://www.bayteam.org/wiki/index.php?title=Bay_Team_Cool_Canines_archive&action=edit§ion=16 5 years to finish the MACH, they are now well on their way to a MACH2.
Linda started in agility in 1991 with her first Terv, Breeze. She got Breeze knowing she wanted to do everything with her - conformation, obedience, tracking, and the new sport, agility. That year, she went to a Haute Dawgs trial in San Jose just to watch, said, "Hey, Breeze could do that!", went home and got her (day-of entries were allowed), and proceeded to earn 16 points in Gamblers.
Breeze earned her Starters title in December 1993, and attended the August 1994 USDAA Nationals in Houston, making it to the semifinal round. This show was in conjunction with the very first AKC agility trial, where Breeze placed 2nd in Open. Their biggest agility moment came during the 1996 USDAA Nationals in Ventura, CA, where Breeze made it to the final round, placing 4th in the 30-inch class.
Linda has been a member of the Bay Team since almost the beginning, and she is often seen volunteering at trials. Says Linda, "What keeps me coming back to agility are those rare runs (but getting a little more frequent) where you feel like you and your dog are perfectly in tune with each other and running totally in sync. It's a wonderful feeling! That, and the many friendships I've made over the years with fellow agility competitors - they're the best!"
[KW], [KW-p]
Gail Mahood and her dogs
Featured Feb 9, 2007
Our hearts go out to Gail and family, as we learned this week of the passing of Maddy at age 14. She was Gail's sweet, fluffy corgi girl. Maddy and Gail earned AKC Excellent, USDAA P3, and NADAC Elite titles during the years they competed, evoking smiles when Maddy ran, displaying the rear view of her sashaying pantaloons.
Gail, always easy to spot in cold weather (head-to-floor red down coat), currently runs her two dogs, Flint and Pic. Flint, a Pembroke Welsh Corgi, will surely go down in history as one of the most winning mini dogs in agility. Now eleven, and still competing, Flint has earned his MACH 4, ADCH Gold, and Lifetime Achievement Gold awards. Flint was the first mini dog in USDAA to be awarded the Gambler Platinum. Flint's real claim to fame, however, remains his ownership of the GAMBLERS STREAK of 19 consecutive Master Gambler Qs! Not bad, for a dog Gail claims would not send past a shadow at noon when she first began building his gambling skills.
Gail attributes Flint's success to his steady temperament, his conformation (too light boned and long legged by AKC standards), and his many long hikes in the backcountry. A geologist by trade, Gail spends much of her time tramping through rough, rocky territory with her dogs. Flint learned, from an early age, how to navigate difficult terrain, which helped him to develop superb scope and jumping skills.
Gail is also running her youngest dog Pic, a Pyrenean Shepherd, whom she jokes is probably the only dog to have completed a Gamblers Master title before earning a single Starters Standard leg! A more high-drive and sensitive dog than her solid, tough-minded Flint, Pic is constantly challenging Gail to adjust her handling skills. It is this challenge, along with the diversity and supportive camaraderie of fellow competitors, that keeps Gail in the agility game. Asked about her favorite agility moment, Gail responded that it was all those rare moments where everything was in sync: she was handling well, her dog was running well, and nothing else mattered.
[KW], [EF-p]
Emma Thomason and Neo
Featured May 21, 2007
Neo and Emma trained with Connie Tuft during the ensuing summer, and they now train with Laurie Plummer and are loving it! Emma trains diligently to get the exact performance that she is looking for and finds it extremely rewarding to see the fruits of that hard work at trials--great teeter or weave performance, for example.
She and Neo debuted at the March 2005 Bay Team trial, getting 4 Qs out of 5 runs that day. Judge Ray Wheeler was so impressed that he came over and high fived Emma after her very first run.
Emma and Neo have already worked their way up to AKC Excellent A , CPE Level 4 and Level 5, and USDAA P1 and P2. Her most memorable agility moment was when she Qualified in a very difficult Snooker course at the CPE Nationals in 2006. The course was a myriad of side-by-side tunnels that just begged for an off course. An off-course was exactly what the majority of us got! Emma and Neo showed poise and control on course, were one of the fastest teams to run, and came in fourth place at Level 2. Emma and Neo also recently placed second in the May 2007 "Bay Team Starters Cup". We look forward to watching this team go from strength to strength in the coming years.
[AS]
Ann Kitchen with Shock and Indy
Featured July 17, 2007
Ann Kitchen and her two rescue dogs, Indy (5-year-old Australian Cattle Dog) and Shock (1.5-year-old Catahoula Leopard Dog in-training), are The Bay Team’s latest Cool Canines.
Ask Ann how she and Indy got started in agility and you will hear a remarkable story about patience and rehabilitation. Indy, who runs with an exuberance that is barely containable, has earned both his ADCh and C-ATCH. But when Ann (a vet tech. at UC Davis) took him on as a foster/rescue project, he was a 5-week-old pup with such severe neurological damage that he could not even lift his head, much less stand or walk.
Using a form of “rough love”, Ann focused all food and attention on rewarding each small step forward in Indy’s motor development. By the age of 18 weeks, he was finally able to walk. Progress continued slowly until, upon the suggestion of a friend, Ann started agility to complete Indy’s rehabilitation. One thing led to another. Agility as rehab became agility training and then agility competition. Indy, infamous for his occasional puppy antics in the ring, continues to make up for time lost during his early puppyhood. Ann, quite sure now that Indy was somehow meant to be hers, has become a familiar face at trials, almost always found working the score table or the ring – making sure things are running smoothly.
Ann enjoys volunteering her time at trials. She claims it is up close and personal, and the best way to learn the game. She loves watching the progress of agility teams as they begin to gel and form a cohesive unit. Ann readily acknowledges that the camaraderie and the wonderful friends she has met through agility are a big part of her love for the sport.
[KW] [KW-p]
- Read about Australian Cattle Dogs and Catahoula Leopard Dogs on Wikipedia.
Katrina Parkinson and Maddie
Featured February 21, 2008
Katrina Parkinson and her Maddie are The Bay Team’s latest Cool Canine duo.
When Katrina Parkinson drove six hours to the Sutter Buttes Canine Rescue, she thought she was heading to evaluate and bring home a Sheltie. But when she got to Yuba City, she found herself staring into a pair of striking, marbled, non-Sheltie eyes. Indeed, Maddie went home with her, and has since propelled Katrina into a full-time agility life. Maddie, a 4-year-old of enigmatic heritage, has earned her CATCh, and is 2 Snooker Super Qs and 1 Steeplechase away from her ADCh title. This past February weekend, Maddie and Katrina came away from the WAG NADAC trial winning High in Trial – Proficient, qualifying in 11 out of 12 runs. Katrina has enjoyed the process of learning--not only how to expertly run Maddie, but how to run the shows as well. Not able to sit around, Katrina has volunteered to chair several trials at the newer venues and tow the equipment trailer back and forth to trial sites. Most of all, Katrina enjoys all the teamwork, both dogs and people, that agility offers. [KW] [KW-p]
Terry LeClair and Heath
Featured April 27, 2008
Meet our current Cool Canine team: Terry LeClair and his notoriously winning Border Collie, Heath.
In October 2002, Terry got a call from a close friend whose mother’s two farm dogs in Pennsylvania had just had a litter of 6 Border Collies. At the time, Terry had two shelties, Shasta and Mocha, and was not wanting a third dog, but he agreed to consider a pup. The ensuing emails described one of the pups as “unusually focused,” would endlessly chase a toy, and was very people friendly. His picture at 6 weeks was the final selling point and he flew via Delta cargo to join Terry.
Heath was named after Ben & Jerry’s Heath Bar Crunch ice cream mainly because of the jumble of colors, a blue eye and a brown eye, a brown paw and a white paw. Since getting Heath, Terry has firmly switched to the dark side. Terry added Beadle (his high-energy 3-year-old that made Heath the “slow dog”) to his pack and joined Border Collie rescue as a foster home. Terry has fostered to forever homes several Border Collies and one very cute Border Lab mix.
Heath is currently ranked in the top 10 in AKC for Border Collies (#4 for 2007) as well as in the top 10 in USDAA for gamblers. Along the way he has continued to give Terry “how hard can this be” moments (which Beadle has continued to correct) such as getting his first 7 gambles in masters and placing 2nd with his DAM team of Luka and Maja at the first trip to USDAA nationals in 2006 and winning at 26” against all the big dogs the first time Terry ran him in an ISC Jumpers course. He enjoys riding in Terry's convertible, zipped up in his soft crate.
“Above all”, Terry says: “he remains the best possible friend that anyone could ever have, with some quirks of course.”
[submitted by Terry, with edits by KW and ELF]
Kevin Normoyle with Jill and Spring
Featured August 19, 2008
A sense of humor and easy-going affection is always in evidence between Kevin Normoyle and his nine-year-old Border Collie, Jill. Known for her speed and flash around the course, Jill has not always had it so easy. She was pregnant and in fairly rough shape when she was rescued and carefully nursed back to health by Jim Basic and Nancy Gyes about eight years ago. She found her ultimate home with Kevin, then a student of Power Paws, who adopted and began training Jill in agility classes. Her agility career has continued to evolve, with one high note at the 2007 USDAA Nationals, when Kevin and Jill placed third in the Steeplechase semifinals, earning a spot in the finals.
Kevin owns and trains three dogs. He started his Border Collie, Nellie, with Power Paws in 1998, after observing just one class: “I saw four dogs lying next to each other in a down and thought 'I want that!' I still remember the sight of Riot blasting out of an open chute that evening.” Jill, arising out of his relationship with Jim and Nancy, was next, and has been a long-time student at Power Paws.
Kevin’s latest challenge is a young BC named Springtime, rescued from a New York Border Collie rescue organization. Kevin trains both Spring and Jill almost exclusively at his home, alternating exercises from one dog to another in daily sessions. Mentioning the ever-changing, fresh challenges that agility presents, Kevin has enjoyed the mental rush of planning and training a new dog. Spring’s debut on the agility circuit will be at the August SMART trial. Kevin is keenly looking forward to how his training will play out on the field.
Check out Spring's winter training regimen.
[Article submitted by KW, photo courtesy of John Nunes]
Diane Szczepanski with Zuni and Viva
Featured Sept 17, 2008
Editor Angela met with Standard Poodles 5-year-old Zuni and 4-year-ld Viva--who co-own Bayteam CPE Awards Czar, Diane Szczepanski (pronounced "Cheh-pan-ski")--to find out how they got to be such cool canines.
How did you get started in agility?
Zuni: I was 8 months old and Mom Diane thought that I was a bit wild. I was always getting into trouble--eating what I shouldn't and pulling clean, wet towels out of laundry baskets to instigate a game of chase...er, some would call it toy drive. Mom and I started to train in agility.
Viva: I was not wild like Zuni--I exhibited my "wild side" in other ways. I dug lots of holes and caught rats and gophers. But, when I saw Zuni doing agility, I wanted to do it, too! We go to the same agility school. Our teachers are Debbie Stoner & "Uncle Jeff" Lyons. We have also worked with Lauri Plummer, Luanne Cox, and Suzanne Deghi.
What do you love about agility?
Zuni: Going on outings to "big contests" and getting lots of meat treats and staying in hotels where I can watch TV from the bed!
Viva: Learning new tricks and sprouting wings--Zuni and I jump SO HIGH that Mom swears that we have wings and are flying. She even made T-shirts about us to prove it.
Are there any things about agility that you would do differently?
Zuni & Viva: People in the POODLE agility world say that the Border Collies are beating the Poodles in agility "contests" and that we must therefore run faster. Our take: If anyone on 2 or 4 legs wants to run really fast on a hot dog day afternoon, the choices are Run in the sun or sleep in the shade. We prefer the latter but you will none-the-less see us put valiant efforts into our runs.
What are your most memorable agility moments?
Zuni: Well, we love every moment, especially posing on the table or ... anywhere. Jumping off the A-Frame is one of my finer talents.
Viva: But Mom would say that our best moments were this year when we got our C-ATCHs. I got mine in May 2008 and Zuni got his right after that at the Bay Team trial in July 2008. How cool is that?
[Article submitted by AS, photo courtesy of Diane S]
Moe Strenfel with Kyna, Kindle, Jammer and Scorch
Featured Dec 19, 2008
Meet our current Cool Canines: Moe Strenfel and her agility dogs, Kyna, Kindle, Jammer, and Scorch.
When Moe Strenfel enters the ring with any of her cool canines, Border Collies Kyna, Kindle, and Jammer, get ready for a display of lightning speed and incredible coordination and synchronized communication between dog and handler.
Moe’s agility career started at Power Paws Agility in 1999 with Boxer Goose, then continued with mini Aussie ADCH Ms Jitters who earned Top Ten positions in the USDAA 16-inch class from 2003 to 2005. Then came Whippet ADCH MACH Scorch – also a USDAA Top Ten dog and the top AKC agility Whippet in 2006 and 2007. Along the way, each of these dogs shaped Moe’s training techniques. For example, Scorch taught Mom the importance of getting it right the first time (not the 6th) and in keeping the rate of reinforcement high!
Mom Moe loves to share the knowledge that she has accumulated with her students -- she now teaches at Power Paws Agility, Power Paws Camp, Clean Run Instructor Camp, holds seminars and workshops, writes for Clean Run magazine, does video performance consulting, and is currently building her own business, Momentum Dog Sports.
The key to Kyna, Kindle, and Jammer’s speed and accuracy is a combination of good foundation training and a consistent handling system. Mom Moe combines her understanding of how individual dogs learn, with operant conditioning techniques learned over a decade ago from Karen Pryor and Bob and Marian Bailey. The dog learns to volunteer behaviors in incremental yet precise steps during their foundation training, be it hitting the weave entry correctly the first time or driving fast to the very end of the contact zone. To that, Moe has added consistent handling cues – an agility handling system popularized by England’s Greg Derrett. The result is very exact behavior in response to specific handler cues.
Check out some videos of Moe, Ky, Kindle, Jammer, and Scorch’s most memorable moments here, including a video of Scorch competing in the finals at the 2007 AKC Invitationals, where he placed 18th out of 85 dogs in the 24-inch class.
Moe and her cool canines have a brand new DVD entitled Agility Foundation: The Road to a Perfect Partnership available from Clean Run, that walks (er ....runs) you through Moe's wonderful foundation training approach.
[Article submitted by AS, photo courtesy of Marcy Mantell Photography]
Mary Schultz with Ariel
Featured Oct 15, 2009
Ariel is a black and white Aussie of great beauty and speed, named after either a magical fairy from Shakespeare's Tempest or a singing Disney mermaid, who always understands what Mary wants. Always. Really. Mary's training secrets include a special orange ball (which has even been rescued from a portapotty, it is so revered), and just telling Ariel what a good girl she is a lot. Because it's true.
I was with Mary at one of her first trials. I explained how Snookers worked to her, and told her most people just start out at their first trial by trying to find a flowing, basic course that totaled up to 37 points. Mary looked at me, nodded, then proceeded to go out there and nail an opening that hit all 3 (7)'s.
To read the fascinating, full interview from this Westside Santa Cruz resident about her training secrets, including her amazing, weave pole method (secret hint-it involves beer!) and softly whispered contact training, click on over to Team Small Dog's full interview.
[LH]/[LH-p]
Maura Warnecke with Rookie
Featured Oct 24, 2009
This month’s cool canine is Maura and her tiny rescue mutt Rookie. Rookie is around 3 years old, 11 pounds, and Maura’s first agility dog.
Rookie started training 6 months after Maura rescued him from Furry Friend’s Rescue in Fremont. Maura and Rookie have been in training since August 2008 with Narae Kim at ARF in Walnut Creek.
Maura’s favorite thing about agility is spending time with her dog and showing people that small dogs aren’t always purse-dwellers. In fact, Rookie not only loves agility, but also enjoys hiking, running, and herding cows and geese. Rookie’s favorite thing about agility is releasing his pent-up energy by running around the course like crazy and getting extra tasty treats!
Maura and Rookie entered their first CPE match in September 2009 at Haute Dawgs Agility in Elk Grove and qualified and received first place in all 4 of their classes! It was Maura’s most memorable agility moment to date and she can’t wait for Bay Team’s November CPE match in Santa Rosa. Maura and Rookie are new to the Bay Team this year and she is one of the new Cool Canine Reporters. Maura enjoys volunteering at trials to learn as much as she can about agility and to meet all the cool Bay Teamers.
After this article was finished, Maura got another small dog named Juno. She is a 1-year-old 18 lb. black Chihuahua terrier mix. Maura and Juno can’t wait to hit the agility field for their first practice soon!
[MW]
Vicke Casey with Cooper, Tabu, and Brandi
Featured Nov 2, 2009
Who was that flash of brightly colored nails and coordinating outfit? If you answered “Vicke Casey” you would be right!
Vicke’s energy is endless and contagious. You will find her volunteering as Crew Chief at almost any CPE trial in the Bay area. Her enthusiasm has spilled over to her husband Bill, who is often nearby as Chief Course Builder. Their partnership has been going strong for an incredible 39 years! Vicke is a Californian native—born and raised in South San Francisco.
Receiving the Jed Tuft Memorial Award at the Bay Team March 2008 CPE Trial was one of the most emotional agility moments in Vicke’s life because of what the award stands for and why she was chosen. In three short years, Vicke has gone from her first encounter with agility lessons--as a way to build (then 3-year-old) Cooper’s confidence--to a self-proclaimed “trial junkie” with multiple advanced titles on many dogs in many venues. No doubt you’ve admired Vicke’s fluid, consistent handling style, which began with lessons from Ann Kajava.
Vicke tells a funny story of how her agility addiction has changed her life--and Bill’s. After she started going to trials and training, they found that they needed to close their doggie day care business on Mondays so that they could attend the trials. Then they decided to also close on Fridays so they could travel to trials that were farther away. Then they put a 100 x 100 agility field in their home in San Martin. Then they bought a second home in Elk Grove so they could be close to the trials in the Sacramento area!
While Vicke’s dogs have an impressive list of titles, she is most proud of an accomplishment that doesn’t come with a ribbon: Overcoming Cooper’s fearfulness. The lesson Vicke says she has learned from her dogs and agility: “Don’t take life too seriously; just be who you are; enjoy every day as if it were your last.”
Vicke, you and your dogs are a positive force and inspiration for everyone!
(CT-ACH, C-ATCH Cooper PD-I EAC; Tabu PD-II AX AXJ XF CL4 OAC OJC TG-O; Brandi OAP OJC CL4 EJC EAC TG-E; Leo (8/2/02 - 9/8/07) PD-I CL3; Pepper 12/01/03 - 9/2/07 CL1)
[KB], [KB-p]
Kathy Van Der Maaten and Buddie and Millie
Featured Nov 9, 2009
This week's Cool Canines are Kathy Van Der Maaten with Buddie and Millie.
One of Kathy's cool canines left us last week. Dear Buddie, her 11-year-old border collie, passed away in early November with a fast-spreading, aggressive cancer, leaving Kathy and Millie--her possibly border collie/corgi/papillon but also possibly sheltie/dachshund/chihuahua/terrier/spaniel/skunk--a little shell shocked and a lot sad.
Buddie was totally a cool customer, known for his dry sense of humor, occasionally overexuberant A-frames, and paranoia of flies. He was 11 years old when he passed away, and had retired from trialing in April of 2009, acing one of those super hard gambles that hardly anyone else got as one of his final runs. Buddie had kind of a low-key vibe, until he got in that ring. Then watch out. Retirement gave him more time to nap and chase sticks at the beach, giving Kathy time to really get going with Millie.
Millie is moving quickly up the ranks of the 16" dogs in USDAA. You've probably seen her, she looks like, well, a "lowered" border collie, and has her own pink HelloKitty lunchbox filled with top-secret ingredients. She may be one of the shortest 16" dogs of the group, but shemoved speedily up to Masters after starting trialing, and has a bright future ahead of her.
Besides doing agility, Buddie and Millie were also part-time second grade teachers. Part time because they were allowed to take naps during class, which Kathy, a full time teacher, sure doesn't have time to do. Second graders! Lots and lots of them. Every day. When news got around the Marina elementary school where Kathy teaches about Buddy's passing, the students organized their own Moment of Silence during recess. I am pretty sure even Michael Jackson didn't get that kind of recognition.
There are a lot of 2nd graders out there who are going to go on to be awesome dog owners because of Kathy, Buddie, and Millie. I think that is very, very cool.
[LH], [LH-p]
Vici Whisner and her dogs
Featured Nov 16, 2009
In this week's Cool Canine article, meet Vici with Maddie, Rocky, Tazz, and Fin.
What is the strangest injury you ever had? If you ask Vici Whisner, she will tell you about the time she broke her leg roller-skating in the kitchen! Vici soon realized that kitchen-roller-skating was too dangerous; instead, she took up the safer sport of agility.
Vici’s most memorable agility experience occurred in April 2009 when she and Fin had their first Grand Prix run—and qualified. Vici says, “we didn’t come in first, second, third, or even fourth. But we were clean and it felt amazing!”
The training accomplishment Vici is most proud of is being able to walk around an agility trial with Tazz at her side—no leaping, no lunging. Vici’s success with Tazz is a testament to her tenacity and belief that “consistency towards goals works.”
Vici became interested in agility in the mid '90s when she took a class with her first shelties. She got more serious about 5 years ago when she started puppy Tazz together with Laura Pryse and Brazen. It didn’t take long for agility to become an obsession. To support her agility addiction, Vici is an Instructional Designer. Lucky dogs—Vici works from home and takes lots of breaks to run around the back yard with the pups.
Vici is a California native, raised in San Francisco. San Francisco felt too crowded and loud for her—thus, finding property in Morgan Hill was “a dream come true.” The Whisner household includes four shelties— Maddie and Rocky (who you might not know), Tazz and Fin. Vici tells the story of how the four dogs came into her life. “I was really down after losing my Chester to cancer and a gal I knew had me up to her place to look at a new dog she had just gotten in. When I entered her dog room, there was a litter of pups … Maddie and Rocky came home with us a few days later. That was over 10 years ago. Five years later, Tazz joined us and, after I realized that Tazz really didn’t want to do agility, Fin followed just 2 years ago.” In addition to agility, Vici’s dogs enjoy hiking, picnicking, herding, scent-work, and obedience.
“Expect the unexpected … ” is one of the most important lessons Vici has learned from her experiences with dogs and agility. She recalls getting Tazz as an agility dog and subsequently learning that he is anything but an agility dog! She spent most of the first couple years working on his aggression rather than playing agility.
It’s easy to see that Vici has already achieved her goal of being known as a good friend and a happy person who loves her family. You can’t help but notice Vici’s warm and thoughtful personality when you chat with her. “I have a great husband (21 years), family, and amazing best friend; all are talented people who are sources of inspiration and support when needed. I also have been very fortunate to have strong women in my life to provide examples of how to be tough when faced with adversity.”
What does Vici dream about for the future? “I see Fin and me running courses clean and fast.”
Vici, there is no doubt that your dream will be reality.
Reporter’s footnote: When I asked Vici how she felt about her upcoming trip to Nationals, she replied-- “I’m super nervous, but know I’ll have a good time!” The results of Cynosport’s Wednesday European Standard class have been posted and 16” Fin has placed 13th! This passionate handler is realizing her dream with her fabulous young dog.
[KB]
Sue Rush, Maddie, and Piper
Featured Nov 26, 2009
Or: Why Sue Rush and dogs Maddie and Piper Deserve to be Cool Canines
Perhaps you've seen Sue Rush and her somewhat matchy matchy aussies Maddie and Piper. LIkely, you had no question whatsover whether they should be called Cool Canines or not. Because it doesn't get much cooler than them. Sue's almost always wearing a sporty, homeade do-rag with coordinating socks. Do-rag? You know, like Snoop Dogg used to wear but now he doesn't and Sue does. That says a lot.
Sue and her dogs live in Pacific Grove, in a house that has no yard for agility practicing. It does, however, have an oven and Sue frequently bakes cookies to bring to dog agility trials. You might think, how sweet. A modest woman who sews and bakes. Don't be fooled. This hardcore competitor also has been known to drag weave poles out into the forest to scare the pants off of unsuspecting forest hikers and whose trademark socks sport a leering jolly roger.
Sue and her dogs run at blazing fast speeds, and her dogs make unique sounds while running. They have an eclectic handling style called "Sue's Way of Handling" that uses a lot of rear crossing and extremely efficient running that is a thing of beauty to behold. They are regulars in the Steeplechase Second round, and you may sometimes wonder, which Sue Rush dog is that screaming around out there? Maddie, the elder dog of the duo, has Silver a ADCh and LAA, and Piper has a Bronze ADCh and LAA. And get this. Maddie has sort of silvery fur, and Piper sort of bronzey. So this is a good system to tell them apart, until they go gold and platinum.
To find out way better ways to tell them apart, and lots lots more about Sue and her dogs, click on over to Team Small Dog to read the full interview.
[LH][LH-p]
Le-Ann Elgie with Fynn, Dakota, Robson, and Dash
Featured Dec 3, 2009
This week’s cool canines are Le-Ann Elgie and her pack--Fynn, Dakota, Robson, and Dash. Le-Ann was bitten by the agility bug about four years ago while looking for a competitive sport with the perfect combination of fun, teamwork, and excitement. These days she eats, sleeps, and breathes agility: “Agility is our fun! It definitely consumes all of our time!” Le-Ann feels she owes all her team's success to Sharon Freilich at Freilance Dog Sports (Martinez), where she trains.
Le-Ann joined The Bay Team in 2006 and is currently chair of the Fun Match Committee. Her favorite things about the sport are the teamwork, challenge, and it’s just plain fun! She believes her dogs just do it for the love of toys and teamwork.
Fynn is a two-and-a-half-year-old, high-octane BC (is there any other kind?!) who earned his first title (NAC) by 23 months and is now competing in USDAA.
The five-year-old Robson (a.k.a. the little “jester”) was rescued from a puppy mill in Canada. He pleases crowds with his distinctive Boston attitude at multiple venues (including earning NADAC titles) and will be starting in USDAA soon.
The playful, goofy, and protective Dash is a mix that was found dumped in a field in Visalia with his littermates. He is currently retraining some of his equipment challenges at four years old.
Dakota was rescued from Northern California Border Collie Rescue. She is 3 years and 2 months old and every day has counted for this high drive, personable, and “smiley” BC. Le-Ann’s most memorable agility memory is Dakota’s first Q in USDAA after overcoming her terrible medical odds. Be sure to check out Dakota's remarkable and amazing story here . Dakota is now thriving and competing in USDAA.
Le-Ann’s goal for 2010 is the Cynosports World Championships and with her focus, dedication, motivation, and pure passion for agility, she should have no problem getting there!
[MW]
Lauri Plummer and her dogs
Featured Dec 16, 2009
When you ask those who know her, “What uniquely characterizes Lauri Plummer?”, a common theme emerges: As a trainer, Lauri excels at reading the handler and dog, addressing exactly what is needed to improve their working relationship, and getting the message across effectively and positively. Lauri believes strongly that there are no absolutes in training. Laurie Leach recalls, “It used to drive Lauri crazy when I asked her to write about agility because she didn't want to say anything black and white about a method, knowing that the next dog might need something very different!”
Her training philosophy begins with an acknowledgment of how much she learns from the people and animals she trains. “In addition to learning from my teachers, I learn daily from the variety of people and dogs who train here. Each one adds important information. My dogs and horses get a great deal of credit for teaching me, even though I've sometimes done an awful lot of grumbling and pouting along the way.”
Dogs have been Lauri’s passion since her college days when she adopted her first dog-- Dillon, a Lab cross--from the SPCA. After college, she taught in the California school system, but her passion continued to be with animals--horses and dogs. Horses eventually took the back seat as her attention turned to activities with dogs in 1989. Lauri trained her Belgian Tervuren Hunter and her Border Collie Kipp for obedience competitions and tracking. She says, “I was fortunate in that both were very, very easy partners to work with, and I took lessons with Pat Cook, who is a gifted trainer.”
In 1996 Border Collie Kipp and Lauri took their first agility class with Sharon Freilich. She was hooked. Soon after, Lauri began a second weekly class with Nancy and Jim. Lauri says, “I am especially grateful for all I've learned--past and present--from those three.”
How did she go from teaching grade school to teaching agility? She says, "I have Sharon Freilich to thank for that. Sharon offered to let me teach classes at her place when I very much needed a job and was at a particularly low point in my life. Somehow, my teaching background and years of training my own dogs managed to meld and it wasn't too long before it felt natural to be teaching agility.”
Lauri tells a funny story about the importance of faith and hope in her early days starting the LeapDog business:
- “A couple years after I starting teaching at Sharon’s place, LeapDog Ranch became possible due to an unexpected profit on the sale of my home in the East Bay. My goal was to create a place where people and dogs would love to train although I wasn't at all sure there would be enough people interested in taking classes with me to make it a full time job. About the time I was feeling thoroughly discouraged, I got my very first call for lessons from a woman named Hope. Richard and I made jokes about that. A week later I got my second call, from a woman named Faith. We found that to be...interesting...to say the least! Things picked up steadily from that point on.”
Lauri’s journey has included many lessons from her dogs and horses. “In particular, Moss, Lark, and my horse Annie brought particularly noteworthy challenges to the table. As much as I love each of them, I didn't always appreciate and welcome the lessons I was being required to learn. I guess I was a bit spoiled by the 'easy' animals I had previously. I've finally arrived at a place where I can say I'm learning to appreciate the challenges as much as those things that come easily. Moss, Lark, and Annie pat themselves on the back for that. And the variety of personal experiences with my own animals makes it possible for me to relate to the needs of a wider range of handlers and dogs who come here for classes. I enjoy that.”
The LeapDog Ranch household consists of Lauri, Richard, five Border Collies--Moss (When I'm good, I'm very, very good, and when I'm bad I'm…), Lark (Personality plus, and ears to match), Filly (little mighty one), Jade (the party girl), Wit (ankle-biter!), and two horses, Annie and Stony.
Lauri’s love of animals and agility has spilled over to Richard and these days it’s not uncommon to see long-legged Richard flying past at lightning speed on an agility course with Filly!
[KB, KB-p]
Ashley Deacon with Luka and Dash
Featured Dec 26, 2009
Maybe you've heard of Ashley Deacon and his beautiful dog, Luka. Total dog agility ROCKSTARS! Although, Ashley doesn't even have his own rockstar bus with giant flat screen TVs everywhere. He has a Rav-4. Full of kid toys and dog stuff. Which is nice and all, but really, seems like he should have a giant rockstar bus. Dog agility RVs don't count. By day, Ashley works as a scientist at Stanford. You probably see his wife, Jessica, and his super cute little boy, Liam, sometimes at trials. And then of course, there's Dash. Because one Pyrenees Shepherd wasn't enough, Ashley added on to the family with completely adorable and somewhat incorrigible Dash.
Why the whole rockstar thing?
ADCH-Gold and LAA-Gold, NAC MACH2 Luka Laundry List of Glamour:
- Luka has been in 12 US National Finals (AKC/USDAA) and she has won 9 of them.
- USDAA Steeplechase in 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009. She's never been beaten in the Steeplechase Finals.
- USDAA Grand Prix Finals in 2007, 2009.
- Second in 2008.
- Second in DAM Team, with Heath and Maja in 2006.
- In AKC, First Pyr Shepherd to earn a MACH
- Won AKC Invitationals 2006, 2009
- Won her divison of the AKC Nationals 2007
- Won AKC World Team Tryouts for the last 3 years in both selection categories.
- World Team 2008-Finland, 2009-Austria. (In 2007-Norway, dogs with a docked tail were not allowed to compete because of laws in Norway.)
- 2009 FCI World Championships in Austria Luka helped the medium (midi) team take Silver medal (with Karen Holik/Sizzle and Jennifer Crank/Blaster). She was the high combined medium team dog in the competition.
So, yeah, like, wow. And Luka was the first dog Ashley ever trained for agility. Super wow. Read the full Ashley Cool Canine story on Team Small Dog.
[LH, LH-p]
Laurie Leach with Boo, Scout, and Poppy
Featured Jan 10, 2010
The introductory remarks in Laurie Leach’s first book offer great insight into her character: “Agility is immensely important to me. I compete two to four weekends a month … I experience a wide range of powerful emotions from playing this game—joy, despair, and excitement. After racing sled dogs for years and training in competitive obedience, I am convinced that agility is the most fun you can have with your dog.”
Laurie first became aware of agility about 15 years ago when she saw dogs “thundering ecstatically across an A-Frame and sailing along lines of jumps” at her local dog training club. She knew immediately that she wanted to play this game with her dog. Within a year, Laurie was standing on the start line at her first agility trial.
Laurie’s first inspiration was Debbie Stoner. “Debbie was a pioneer in competing and teaching agility. I fell completely in love with the sport while working with her.” Laurie has also been greatly influenced by Lauri Plummer, with whom she has trained for many years.
Laurie fell so in love with agility that she left a 25-year career to focus on dogs. She retired from her position as Director of Instructional Services of a school district (“a rash move”) and began publishing a dog-humor website and an agility eMagazine. Canine Companions for Independence (CCI) hired Laurie to teach their puppy classes. After several years, she began teaching agility and writing about the sport. She has since written three books about dogs (one in print, one due out in February 2010, and the final one the year after). She says, "It was a big leap for me to write the books since I am certainly not a world-class handler. But I do have a good understanding of what less-experienced teams need to know. When someone comes up to me and says that the book helped them, I am pleased as punch.”
Laurie’s agility career progressed quickly. One of the most exciting moments was Scout’s Performance National Standard (PNS) (Performance Grand Prix) win at the USDAA Nationals in 2006. She says, "It was totally unexpected. I thought the announcer had forgotten to call our name. There were a lot of Bay Teamers there and it was so exciting to hear them cheer. I still watch that video when I need a pick-me-up." Scout and Boo were both finalists in PNS again last year [2008]. Before these successes, Laurie notes, “ . . . I had qualified for the finals my first year there [2005] and not known it. It was only when I got home and looked at the results that I saw my name with ‘ABSENT’ next to it."
Laurie's shelties consistently appear in USDAA’s Regional Top Ten rankings for 12" Performance Dogs. For Lifetime Achievement, Scout is ranked #8 in Standard and #13 in Jumpers. At age four, Boo is ranked #9 in Jumpers.
Laurie is the quintessential champion for the less-experienced agility enthusiast. She is known for her unpretentious demeanor and her ability to inspire, build foundation skills, and build self-confidence in new agility handlers and their dogs. It is not unusual to see Laurie teamed up with one of her students to run Pairs Relay or PVP (Performance Versatility Pairs--equivalent of DAM Team) at a local trial.
Although she admits it is hard work, Laurie regularly starts classes for teams brand new to agility. She says, “I think of it as something I can give back to the sport. I try to communicate my love and passion for this sport so that they get hooked, too.” She is a patient teacher who always celebrates her students for “doing something right.”
One of the most valuable lessons she has learned is that “there is always another run. I used to be so upset after a bad run or bad day. By watching my heroes, I noticed they were much more philosophical (at least publicly). I have worked to file mistakes for future training and move on.”
For Laurie, it has been a rich journey. As someone who loves striving, she says she still has more dreams lined up. She is toying with the idea of writing a mystery filled with dogs and agility; she contemplates trips across country with agility trials along the way; she is inching toward a title in the new sport of K9 Nose Work. She is working toward perfecting the “dance” with her young BC, Poppy. After that, there are sure to be more plans and adventures. (More about Laurie's dogs)
[KB] [Laurie and dogs: Tasha Thomson; Laurie and Boo: Maureen Lyons]
Laura Hartwick with Gustavo, Otterpop & Ruby
Featured Jan 23, 2010
This week’s cool canine, and by cool I mean loud, creative, and compact, is Team Small Dog (T.S.D, a.k.a. Laura Hartwick, Ruby, Otterpop, and Gustavo).
If you’ve ever met T.S.D., or read their blog, you’ll soon find out how passionate this team is, not just about agility, but about everything they do together (and they do EVERYTHING together)! You may see them walking the beaches in Santa Cruz, causing trouble while hiking up in the hills, visiting nursing homes, and even accompanying Laura to work each day.
T.S.D. practices whenever and wherever they can fit in (thank God they are small!). Mostly home-schooled in Laura’s driveway, they also attend Rob Michalski’s class at Dirt Night in Watsonville, where Laura also teaches beginning agility.
Laura and Ruby started agility with the hope of teaching Ruby how to be an obedient dog instead of the feral, wild terrier mix she was. She went from attacking every moving object and climbing the refrigerator looking for food to being an extremely sweet and serious good citizen of our planet. At 9, Ruby is now in semiretirement because of health issues, but she still attends agility on her good days. Sister Mary Ruby, which some call her because she always tries to do the right thing, holds both a MAD and a PIII title.
Evil…I mean Otterpop, came from the side of the road in Watsonville. She only likes 8 people she’s met in her 6 years, and Laura is thankful that she is one of those 8. Otterpop is only a couple Qs from earning her ADCh, and has been for a while thanks to Laura’s weird phobia that prevents her from Qing in Gamblers and SuperQing. Agility doctor Jim Basic has diagnosed Laura with Herman Munster disease and is hoping she can cure herself so that Otterpop may someday earn that ADCh.
Otterpop’s complete opposite is Gustavo, who is the friendliest dog in the world! To say Gustavo loves running is an understatement. Gustavo is teaching Laura to be a stronger dog trainer and is currently running in Starters Standard to Masters Jumpers. He is around 3 years old and according to Leslie Bickel’s Genetic Science Lab, he is an Untested Breed (apparently he has no DNA!).
When you see Laura with her dogs, it is obvious how much she loves them. She has great goals for each small team member; she’d like Otterpop to finish her ADCh before her crummy leg forces her to retire, she’d love to run Gustavo beautifully, and she wishes for Ruby to never be in pain and to stay happy as her vision dims.
Agility fits this team perfectly! They love EVERYTHING about agility, everything but the footwear that is. Laura’s only complaint about the sport, she’d like cuter footwear! If you haven’t become obsessed with the Team Small Dog stories on their blog yet, check them out at teamsmalldog.com. Their daily adventures will keep you laughing and coming back for more!
MW [LH]
Susan and Kraig Paulsen and their many dogs
Featured Feb 6, 2010
I bet a lot of dog agility people have dreams of having a beautiful 5-acre agility spread in the country. Lush grass agility fields and a view of the foothills and the wide open spaces. Walk out your back door first thing in the morning, and work on those contacts over a cup of coffee. Perhaps have a few adorable farm animals trotting about. Life is good. Restful. Quiet.
Bay Team's 2009 Caninitarians of the Year, Susan and Kraig Paulsen, had that vision, and their agility spread, Workin' Paws, has become an important resource to the agility community in the Bay Area. Susan, a high school science teacher, and Kraig, a Bay Area software engineer, moved from Fremont down to the outskirts of Hollister--an area known for stock dogs, tri-tip, and beer--with a vision and a pack of Aussies and Border Collies. The first grass seeds of those beautiful agility fields of Workin' Paws were planted.
The Paulsens' dogs include the Aussies: 15-year-old Konner, 13-year-old Kolbe, and 8-year-old Surely, and the Border Collies: Kipper, age 5, and Kaz, age 6. Collectively, they hold oodles of USDAA and ASCA titles.
Over the years, they've learned a few things about life in the country. For instance, if you want the sheep moved somewhere, Surely is the most dependable but the border collies do the job with style points. Weeds don't ever stop and the grass grows faster than the tractor gets fixed. Putting together an entire PVC irrigation system using the wrong PVC glue, don't even ask.
But, the friendships made there, the training that happens, the fun matches, seminars, and practices, not to mention just hanging out with pals on a sunny day, make it all worth it.
Read the full Paulsen interview over here at Team Small Dog.
[LH, photos by Kraig/Susan]
Paulette Czech with Draco, Charlie, and Freckles
Featured Feb 24, 2010
Interviewing Paulette Czech is a lively and deeply moving experience. Don’t be fooled by the flurry of energy and activity around her—Paulette is deeply introspective. When I asked what accomplishments she is most proud of, she told the story of how her BC Charlie came into her life to teach her about acceptance. In her words, Charlie is “very different.” The lessons Paulette learned from Charlie—being nonjudgmental and learning to accept everyone and every being as they are. Paulette has a great saying, “… it’s a magnetic universe--you want to be aware of what you put out because you will get it back.”
Paulette found agility eight years ago when searching for an activity to keep her dog Freckles from “going nuts” being home alone. She got her foundation training with instructors Lauri Plummer--who emphasized “play with your dog!”--and Sharon Freilich, who emphasized “run with intent” and “do what’s best for your dog.” Nevertheless, not too long ago, Paulette was so discouraged that she thought about quitting agility. Then she attended a Distance Seminar taught by Susan Rappillus and her world changed! Distance training gave Paulette, Draco, and Charlie confidence and made them successful.
Some of Paulette’s most memorable agility moments include taking two-year-old Draco to the CPE Nationals, where he qualified in four runs, and Draco winning the very first Bay Team Steeplechase “Starter’s Cup” three years ago.
Not all of Paulette’s memorable moments are about Qs and winning. Paulette tells a touching story of how intensely the agility community rallies to support each other in times of need. A few weeks ago at a trial, Draco tore his pad badly. In Paulette’s words, “this dog would run on a bloody stump, and he was screaming so I knew he was hurt.” So many people came to help her—Ziji, Marcia, Katrina, Ann Kitchen, and so many others. They muzzled Draco, cut his pad, cleaned his wound, cushioned, bandaged, and wrapped him up. Paulette says that when they finished the first aid and let Draco up, he “headed for the start line!” I found Paulette’s tale of panic very humorous since it is usually she who is administering first aid for wounded agility handlers.
We talked about the lessons that dogs and agility have taught Paulette. Her thoughts resonate with many people “learning the ability to see beyond the need for a Q and enjoy the moment. If my dogs are having fun—and they are—we just won!”
Paulette loves channeling energy, helping beings see the positive in every situation, helping them heal themselves, showing them an alternative way to think. Her life will be fulfilled knowing she “made a difference.”
Paulette and her pack (Charlie, Freckles "never take a kid to look at a dog", and Draco (from the movie Dragonheart)) live happily in agricultural Oakley right off Bethel Island in the Delta and can be seen most weekends as Ring Chief (and four-legged assistants) at nearby CPE, NADAC, and USDAA trials.
[KB]
Narae Kim with Zulu, Bianca and Fergie
Featured Mar 10, 2010
This week’s coolest canines are Narae Kim and her pack: Zulu, Bianca and Fergie.
Narae rescued Zulu 6 years ago knowing she wanted to do agile training with him. She signed him up for both agility and dog dance at ARF in Walnut Creek. Soon after, they had to quit dance class because Zulu had a hard time “waiting” his turn and kept barking all night just begging to get out on that dance floor! Narae saw that barking was generously accepted in agility and it seemed to satisfy Zulu’s needs, so agility it was! And what happened next we all can relate to; Narae soon became so addicted to the sport that she changed her profession and now teaches agility at both ARF and Freilance Dog Sports (where she also trains with Sharon Freilich). This pack’s favorite part about agility is hanging out with friends at shows and the adrenaline rush (except for Bianca).
Bianca is Narae’s BC=CB (border collie=crazy bitch). She brings the word crazy to a whole new level, but all is forgiven since she’s so super gorgeous! Somehow through that craziness, she’s earned MAD, JCh and RM titles. Narae claims she will dance with excitement if Bianca can get through a USDAA Standard course without going over time one of these days.
Fergie, aka Chihuakimo Fergalicious Garcia, is absolutely darling, very clever and a bit of a slut. She’s known to be quite manic at trials, which Narae say’s “has got to go!” She’s the most agile dog Narae has ever trained and she can’t wait to possibly show at USDAA again soon. She’s earned her AD title.
The cutest Eskorgi in the universe, Zulu the gansta pimp, takes after Narae’s love of writing by managing his own Facebook page (which is all the rage)! He’s also had time on the side to earn MAD, RM, and CGC titles. Narae told Zulu that if he finishes his Gamble Champion and gets some Super Qs, then she promises no more A-frame for him!
Some people who meet Narae might think she lives vicariously through her dogs when they hear her hilarious stories about her dogs' personal lives. She enjoys writing short stories about them, such as Zulu’s Sexual Adventures, based on real events with the added touch of her sick imagination. Protagonists are not only her dogs, but her clients' dogs too (always using their real names). So beware-- if she overhears you telling your dog’s latest humping story, it’ll become valuable data in her collection!
Narae is the type of woman that when asked by a man some years back, “it’s me or the dogs?” she didn’t have to think twice and you can imagine how quickly that relationship ended! With very little talent in other sports, dog agility has changed Narae’s inactive lifestyle upside-down… and we’re glad it has!
[MW] [P:David Spellmeyer]
Jeri Bernard with Diamond, Hammer, Booker, and Taffe
Featured April 8, 2010
This week’s cool canine is Jeri Bernard and her pack of terriers--Diamond, Hammer, Booker, and Taffe.
Jeri began agility lessons shortly after she read about the sport in Dog Fancy Magazine. She met Candy Gaiser at an event featured in the magazine, and, shortly after, she enrolled her Italian Greyhound in Candy’s class. She continued classes in 1998 at Power Paws with Nancy Gyes and Jim Basic and from there her agility career really took off.
If you haven’t noticed, Jeri LOVES Bedlington Terriers. I’m sure she’d be happy to tell you her long list of why they make such great companions and apparently awesome agility dogs. Her first agility Bedlington, Powder, started her career at 6 months old and was the first Bedlington to earn AX, AXJ, MX, and MXJ titles and was the top Bedlington in AKC for 3 years (competing at the AKC Nationals in 2001). Kind of makes you want to practice a little more often, huh? Unfortunately, this star’s course was cut WAY too short and she left Jeri the day before her 4th birthday due to osteosarcoma of the spine. Jeri will never forget the overflow of support she received from the Bay Team members after Powder’s untimely passing and she sends a huge “Thank You” to all those members.
One of Jeri’s favorite agility ventures was in 1999 when she was fortunate enough to watch the World Team compete in Dortmund, Germany. She describes it as the Super Bowl of Dog Agility and highly recommends attending the event if you ever get the chance. After returning from Germany, Jeri entered her second USDAA trial, signing Powder up for Steeplechase, where she felt like a fish out of water. She was so nervous she couldn’t even think straight when she realized she was walking the course with some of the same people she’d just seen compete in Germany! After her and Powder’s run, she asked someone (who just happened to be one of the judges) why the judge kept blowing the darn whistle and she was informed that meant she was supposed to leave the course! Although they were a rookie team, they still ended up winning a trophy for Steeplechase High Scoring Non-Master Dog… of course!
These days, Jeri feels her pack is very well rounded, and I think you’ll agree. Together they partake in rally, obedience, earthdog, and lure coursing on top of their thriving agility career. She has earned a healthy list of titles in agility and in other dog sports but she does it all for the love of just hanging out with her dogs. I must say I envy Jeri for finding the time to do all these great sports with not one, but all four dogs! With all Jeri and her dog’s hard work and sporting diversity, you never know where you might run into them winning a blue ribbon! May the course be with you!
[MW] [P:Matt Sachs]
Lynne Leeper and her dogs
Featured April 22, 2010
The 110% Dog: A flash of sable sheltie flies by. The team is clean, accurate, efficient, and totally connected. It’s like watching a choreographed dance. If you are at a CPE or AKC event, you are likely watching Lynne Leeper and her amazing sheltie, Cory. Walking around the show grounds, you might come upon Lynne deep in thought while she is debugging electric or plumbing problems on her rig. Beneath her reserved nature is an intelligent, studious, and thoughtful fellow competitor who is deeply connected to her dog.
Lynne got hooked on agility several years ago when she and her mom were trying to find something to do with her Border Terrier, Mac. Lynne reminisces about Mac: “He's really a person in a dog's body. The little guy was so smart as a puppy that it was hard to find new challenges for him. We did Earthdog for a while (he did get his Master Earthdog Title) but he saw that as a game with a cookie reward at the end of it instead of really being an instinct test. Then, one day my mom saw Peggy Clark's class at the Cupertino Rec Center and we signed up for that. I originally had no intention of competing, but Peggy encouraged me to try since Mac was getting the hang of it. We signed up for the first local trial and only ran Standard. The second day, Mac qualified and came in second. I was hooked.”
After a few years, when Mac was working on his first MACH, health issues started taking the fun out of it for him. Lynne decided that she wanted to get another dog—a Sheltie. Lynne says, “I wasn’t looking for a ‘Super Dog.’ I just wanted another member of the family that wanted to have fun with me. I ended up with Cory. To me he's been a Gift from the Gods so to speak—that once-in-a-lifetime dog who gives you 110% of himself even though you're not asking him to do more than have fun. Cory will always choose agility over anything else.”
The “new kid” gave Mac some competition (for attention), which gave Mac a reason to try a little harder. Mac made it to MACH2 before he retired.
Lynne credits Cory with teaching her to be more patient with people as well as dogs. She says, “It's made a positive impact in my work environment. It’s also made me appreciate other handlers that are working with troubled dogs or breeds (like my Border Terrier) that take more care and patience to succeed.”
Lynne puts her dogs’ health first. Cory had just finished his C-ATCH when injuries started to plague him to the point she thought they would have to stop doing agility. At that time Cory was one double-Q short of his first MACH. With months of rest and rehab, he was able to come back and finish. At that point, Lynne figured that anything they did after that was frosting on the cake. Since then, Cory has finished his MACH2 and C-ATE! Lynne says, “He's starting to show his age, but I'm hoping that he can continue to do agility for a while longer in the Preferred/Veterans classes.”
When asked what she thinks the future holds, Lynne says, “I would like to get another Sheltie puppy one day and start this all over again when circumstances allow. Agility has given me goals—and with Mac and Cory—a strong sense of accomplishment. It would be nice to be doing this well into retirement.”
Lynne is a California native who has lived in the Bay Area her entire life. Lynne, Mac, and Cory currently live in San Jose.
- Cory, Shetland Sheepdog, C-ATE, C-ATCH, MACH, MACH-2, MXF, TQX RE
- Mac, Border Terrier, Master Earthdog, MACH, MACH-2, XFP
[KB]
Credits
(Without -p = article by, with -p = photo by):
- [AS]: By Angela Sutton
- [EF]: By Ellen Finch
- [KB]: By Karin Bruce
- [KW]: By Kathy Wheelock
- [LH]: By Laura Hartwick
- [MW]: By Maura Warnecke
- [TC]: By Tania Chadwick
See also
- Bay Team Cool Canines for current/latest interviews.
