Clean Run - July 2013 - 6

and over. A large part of the fun is figuring out how best to communicate the course
sequence to our dogs. I believe Masters-level courses should have some course patterns and challenges beyond those acceptable at the Novice level. Courses that require some handling even the playing field, both within and across jump heights;
otherwise it’s just a speed race within a jump height and the courses may only be
challenging for the larger or faster dogs that have fewer strides between obstacles.
The pressures of the U.S. emphasis on a titling program and keeping the sport accessible to all breeds counterbalance any tendency toward overly technical and difficult
courses. It’s up to all of us to counter the opposite pressures toward courses that are too
simple, leaving us unprepared for regional, national, and international events—
and, ultimately, taking the spirit of sport, competition, novelty, and fun out of agility.
Note: If you would like to try the challenges discussed in this editorial, see my
“Judge’s Debriefing” article in CR May 2013 or visit my Facebook page, Ann Croft
Agility Coach. I hope you’ll give them a try and see that you can have fun and be successful on these types of challenges and, perhaps, ultimately embrace them.

Ann Croft
Ann lives in San Diego, California, with her Border Collies Trigger, Flurry, Kit, Stun, Thrive, and Doce. Ann has
been competing in and teaching agility for over 20 years and has been a USDAA and AKC agility judge for
almost as long. She has trained and handled two Border Collies and a Boston Terrier to ADCH MACH2 titles
and is a multiple-time national finalist in both AKC and USDAA with both breeds. Her Border Collie Trigger is
a DAM National Champion and AKC Reserve National Champion. Ann has traveled throughout the US,
Europe, and Australia competing, judging, and teaching. She is available for seminars, online video review,
private lessons, and coaching. See her website www.pawsonthewind.com/AnnCroftAgilityCoach.
html, visit her on Facebook at Ann Croft Agility Coach, or email her at 3XADCHMACH@gmail.com.

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TRADEMARKS

I got tired of having ice bags melt in my portable ice
chest and I got very concerned when one of those
blue ice packs leaked all over my dogs treats
since I wasn’t sure what the heck was in those
things. So I decided to keep my treats cool another way. I get drinks at the market that are
in a pouch, like Capri Sun, etc. I freeze those
and then simply throw them into the ice chest
when I leave for the show. Since they are in a
foil pack, they stay cold for many hours, don’t
leak, and as a bonus on really hot days I just
grab one, mush it around and get a yummy slush for myself. If I don’t drink them,
I just throw them back into the freezer for
the next trial. D

Deborah Davidson Harpur
6

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Clean Run | July 13

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Clean Run - July 2013

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