Clean Run - July 2019 - 43

Photos of the dog sitting from
the side and front. Diane Bauman
recommends you examine the sit
from the side carefully. "If a dog can
get his front feet tight to the back,
there's balance. If the sit looks like a
teepee, it indicates angulation in the
rear. Those dogs are going to have
a harder time jumping and turning."
Many prefer a cat-like foot-a tight,
arched paw when sitting or standing.
"Avoid flat, splayed feet," says Sara
Brueske, a trainer and performer
at Purina Farms in Missouri in disc,
agility, and dock diving. About half
her dogs are rescues, and she routinely fosters and evaluates rescues
for sports potential. "Toes are so
easily broken," she says, "and broken toes never heal. It's the worst
injury." Everyone agreed that it's
worth the additional investment to
have an expert examine the photos,
videos, and eventually the dog. "Ask
someone familiar with dog structure-even a horse evaluator can
spot lameness," says Gail Storm.
Video of the dog running and
playing with other dogs. When a
caretaker gives you unedited video
of a dog turned out to play with
other dogs, Gail Storm says, you'll
observe "lots of physical movements, so you can look for lameness
or movement that isn't quite right.
I like a nice, long length of stride."
Ideally, you'll see him running over
hills and uneven terrain. "Some,
like puppy mill dogs," adds Storm,
"have never been able to use their
bodies, never been on grass, never
seen stairs, never seen glass doors
or different flooring," and unedited
video can show how quickly they
acclimate. Although many are overweight and in no condition to be
evaluated for athleticism, Christina

July 19 | Clean Run

Has the pup been exclusively with
his littermates or has he been
socialized with other dogs?

CoUrtEsy oF ClEan rUn

length relative to the breed
standard. "Boston Terriers won't
have much neck, but some will
have longer necks than others." Gail Storm agrees a longer
neck "helps a dog balance on a
dogwalk and over jumps. Think
about how the dog uses the
neck to engage each weave pole
and make the turns dogs are being asked to make these days."

How does the dog enter a new place with
the caretaker? How long does it take for him
to be able to work in that environment?

Cornwell Curtis says, "A weird gait is a deal-breaker. It's not fair to ask the dog to
do what we do if he has a slipped hock and a higher chance of injury." In a video
of free-wheeling play, you can also observe how the dog interacts with other dogs.
Andrea Rigler says, "I want to see him interacting without reactivity, aggression, or
fear." Diane Bauman sums up, "Basically, I want to see movement, light on the feet,
turning easily, running for sheer joy."
*

Video of the dog jumping. Gail Storm suggests asking for video of an adult
dog jumping on and off a bed, or, depending on the size of the dog, a footstool or
chair. If he is jumping over baby gates, you might ask for video of that. Watch for
ease of movement. Christina Cornwell Curtis says to check the landing. "Is the
dog landing on his back legs like a pogo stick? If so, he'll get injured. Look for signs
of a weak back end." According to Storm, an easy but excellent display of soundness is video of the caretaker asking the dog to put his front paws up on the
person. "Is the dog willing to stretch up comfortably?" A dog with fit and limber
joints will be.

Video of the dog playing with the caretaker. What we consider high-drive
might not be what the caretaker considers high-drive. Also, a high-energy dog might
not engage with a person. Sara Brueske and Ami Sheffield ask for unedited videos of
the dog playing with and taking treats from the caretaker so that they can check for
food and toy drive. "I look for a nice, natural return from a tug or Frisbee, but that's
a bonus," Brueske says, "that can be trained." Andrea Rigler says, "I have a strong
energy, and I need my dog not to be overwhelmed by me, so a lot of it is knowing
what kind of energy level the dog has." Christina Cornwell Curtis says, "Try to get
a video of the dog chasing a toy. I can train a retrieve, so I don't worry about that.
I also look for aggressive tugging with a soft toy. I scale the tug down for a puppy."
Ann Braue, who's coached international and European teams and ran with the AKC
Agility World Team five times and at Crufts twice, says, "If he has zero interest in
treats or toys, I have to reevaluate." Rigler also looks for "unsolicited eye contact"
with the handler and "willingness to engage with the handler instead of the environment." Christina Cornwell Curtis also watches for vision loss. "With an older herding dog, I worry about Progressive Retinal Atrophy, so I'll watch the timing of his
catch.To run agility, you want the dog to see the weave pole."

Video of the dog reacting to an unfamiliar location. Agility dogs have to
be good travelers, so it's smart to watch the dog react to an unfamiliar place. Sara
Brueske says, "Stipulate the video be unedited from the time the vehicle opens at
a new place, like a pet store or park. I want to see the whole process."

Meet the Dog
At some point, you'll meet a dog in person. Before you go, make sure you prepare. Ann
Braue suggests you pack a variety of treats. "Maybe he doesn't like liver. Make a doggie
trail mix! Liver, cheese, hot dog, high-value stuff." Several people insist asking the care43

Clean Run - July 2019

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