Clean Run Magazine - May 2008 - 66

LB: How did you choose Sam? LS: It was love at first sight. I went to the shelter thinking I’d just look around, and of course every dog in the place tugged at my heart, but when I saw Sam sitting there in his pen I just lost my heart completely. Going down the rows of barking dogs, there was this black/tan pup, not barking, just sitting and wagging at me. His eyes met mine and I got that silent message, “What took you so long, and when can we leave?” I especially loved his tan toes. He was about 10 months old. It’s hard to say what his mix is. He’s mid-sized, prick-eared, black and tan, and has a coat that does not match any of the breeds he resembles in structure (head: Belgian Malinois, body: Australian Cattle Dog.) I call him a “Lancaster Kelpie.” LB: Did it seem he would be good for agility? but he has a nice big stride and would stride right over the up contacts. It was a very frustrating problem. We got through Starters and Advanced using the Hope Method (I would send him to the dogwalk and hope that he would hit the contact by accident). Once in Masters, though, the problem got worse and worse. I got the first few Standard legs by screaming Lie Down when he was approaching the dogwalk, and it worked a couple of times before he started (of course) getting annoyed and began refusing the dogwalk. (This was such dumb training on my part!) LS: I had never heard of agility at the time. However, in retrospect I would say Sam would have filled my bill anyway. He’s everything I like about agility dogs. He’s smart, quick, very sound (best structure possible, in my opinion), and most of all loves to play the game. LB: How did you get started in agility? Sam By Lisa Barrett Dog’s Name: Eventually I ran into Susan Garrett, and she taught me the magic of target training (see the “Training Notes” sidebar). The lessons we learned here were of enormous value in other training venues, especially obedience. Also, we got some really cool stupid pet tricks out of this. Just one thing: teaching the dog to ring the doorbell is really cute and funny for less than a week. Samwise Titles Earned: ADCH, NATCH, ASCA/AMBOR CDX, AHBA HTC Adopted From: LS: About a year after I adopted Sam, we went to a three-day horse event in Fair Hill, Maryland. Sam and I followed the sound of barking to the agility area and we both got our first look. It was, of course, the USDAA DAM Team Finals in October 1994. I don’t think I saw a horse all weekend. We spent three days watching the magical dance of dog and handler and I just had to try it. I located a group that weekend (Flexible Flyers) and started taking classes immediately. © 4U2CPHOTOGRAPHY Humane League of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Handler: Lynn Sigman LB: What training challenges did you face with Sam? LB: What was easy about Sam’s agility training? LS: Sam was fearless about everything, he loved to jump, and he was pretty good about down contacts without much real training. The only thing that stood in our way was me. The mistakes I made were ghastly. Sam’s intelligence was the only thing that saved us. 66 LS: One of the early challenges was the tire. Back then Sam had to jump 30". He was just 21.25" at the shoulder, so the tire was completely over his head. Teaching him to look up for the thing was one of our early problems. In class, they did things like block the area below the tire with Plexiglas or jump bars. That didn’t inspire a dog to look up. Finally I hung a tire from a tree at home, bracing the sides so the tire wouldn’t spin. I gradually raised the height of the tire. I didn’t realize it at the time, but what worked for Sam was eliminating the confusion of a frame around the tire. The only thing to look at was the tire. Our biggest nemesis was the up contact on the dogwalk. Sam is not a huge dog, © LYNNE BRUBAKER PHOTOGRAPHY, INC. LB: Describe your favorite agility moments with Sam. LS: Finishing our Starters title in standing water at the Oaks location of the Keystone trial. It was a mudfest. The tiny dogs were practically swimming, and the handlers were muddy up to our waists. Sam loved the mud. Running at our first USDAA Nationals in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1998. The placement ribbon we got in the Time Gamble still has a place of honor in my office. Clean Run | May 08

Clean Run Magazine - May 2008

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Clean Run Magazine - May 2008