Clean Run - July 2013 - 49

© MIKE LIFER

Trainer: Jenn Crank
Base: Columbus, Ohio
Years competing in agility: 21
Venues of competition: AKC and USDAA
Top competition results: 24-time national finalist; 3-time national champion;
12-time regional champion; 8 international medals, including 3 FCI medals and
a gold at 2011 WAO.
Dogs: Shetland Sheepdogs Guess, 14.5
years; Blaster, 11.5 years; Kaboo, 7 years;
Presto, 5.5 years; Swift, 5 months. Border
Collies Xtreme, 8 years, and Sonic,
co-owned with Susan Crank, 6 years.
Greatest accomplishment: “I am torn
between my own and those of my students. When I have been working with a
student and they get a MACH or other big
win, it is so exciting and rewarding for me.
For my own accomplishments, it would
have to be when Blaster won the USDAA
nationals team event with Marcus (Topps)
and Linda (Mecklenburg) or when we
won the silver medal with Ashley (Deacon) and Karen (Holik). I am a big fan of
team events. It’s a whole other challenge.”
Favorite treat: Zuke’s Mini Naturals
Rabbit
Always in her trial bag: Lots of toys,
grooming supplies, dog treats, Flexi leads,
poop bags, harnesses in different colors
with interchangeable tags so they all say
different things, and nonchocolate candies such as Skittles, Nerds, Sweet Tarts.
“I’m a sucker for that kind of stuff.” She
also says she never leaves home without
her dogs’ Back on Track coats.
Good luck charm: A “box of luck” containing seven charms that was given to
her by her mother.
Best advice to give: Quality over
quantity.
July 13

| Clean Run

Training
with the Stars
Jenn Crank
By Sally Silverman, photos by dogsportphotos.com except where noted

Jenn Crank was practically born training dogs—literally. Her mother,
Susan Crank, was an avid obedience competitor and trainer, who
worked her dogs through the pregnancy and then took little Jennifer
along in the stroller to classes and competitions. By the time Jenn
was five she was begging for a dog of her own to train and her talents
began to blossom. “I may be young,” she says, “but I have been at this
as long as the other top trainers.”

The Young Prodigy
It was a no-brainer for Jenn to take to
dogs and, not surprisingly, a brief time
before she was asking for one if her own.
“I had to prove my worthiness,” she recollects. Her parents had a friend who
was a breeder and offered Jenn a mature
Shetland Sheepdog. Because Lacey had
already titled in the obedience ring, Jenn
was unable to compete with her but, at
the tender age of four and ﬁve, took Lacey into the ring for fun runs. The love
affair with dogs continued and, when she
was six, Jenn got Skittles, the ﬁrst Sheltie that was really her own. Two years

later Jenn earned a novice agility title
with Skittles. “Agility was this cool new
sport that we had seen people doing. It
was offered at our local obedience club
so my mom tried it and then I tried it,
too.” Jenn loved agility, but she was just
as crazy about obedience and conformation, junior showmanship, and herding.
Guess was next, a son of Skittles and
a versatile Sheltie, participating in all
of the canine activities that Jenn wanted to pursue. When he made the AKC/
USA World Team in 2004, it became a
turning point. Agility now demanded
49
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Clean Run - July 2013

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