Clean Run - November 2010 - 64

am continually managing and watching out for possible off-courses.
It took me a long time to figure this out. I can still remember
one judge saying, “You had no way of saving that. She committed
to that off course super early… like five obstacles ahead of time. I
am sure you didn’t even see it as a potential.” And that judge was
right. I need to recognize her likely commitment point and plan
my handling with that in mind. I
really can’t change her direction
once she has committed. Her
extended stride carries her very
far, and I have to try to not let
her float out there even slightly,
because once she does it is hard
to get her back in.
LB: Please describe your favorite agility
moments with Hailey.
LS: At her first event, Hailey was
running Gamblers in an indoor
horse barn. A few obstacles into
our run, there was loud cheering
in the Masters ring, where
Lo and George Baker had just
earned Tony’s ADCH. Hailey
turned and jumped a solid
36"ring gate into the Masters
ring to join the celebration. I
was mortified. My friends tried
to get her back to me, but she
was busy doing her own victory
lap! Finally she effortlessly
jumped back over the ring gate
and resumed her Gamblers run.
The judge, who was setting a bar
for the next dog, laughed and
said, “I guess we weren’t finished
here?” It was so embarrassing at
the time, but I laugh about it now
and think about how far we have
come in just two years.
I think some of my favorite moments
are when I lead out and
turn to look at Hailey just before
I release her. I love her face and
her expressions and the bond
we share at that exact moment.
LB: When did you realize Hailey could be a champion?
At the end of Hailey’s first agility season, when she earned her
AAD, I gave her the nickname “Superstar” Hailey McBean. I
did this because I never thought it would be possible to earn a
MAD or ADCH, and I figured she deserved a “title” in front of
her name. But as the Qs came, I suddenly realized how close she
was to an ADCH. Surprisingly the Jumpers legs had come pretty
quickly as Hailey and I settled into a rhythm on course. By early
summer, we needed only one more Standard run, but Standard
legs were not coming so easily. We suffered from the “almost
perfect” syndrome. Each run would have one minor error, and
64
while we commonly placed, we did not Q. Then on a difficult
course that I never expected to get through, Hailey quietly and
confidently completed the course and earned her ADCH. No
one knew it was her championship run until we checked our
scribe sheet and time, and then began to celebrate with the now
ADCH Hailey McBean.
LB: What else do you do with Hailey?
LS: You wouldn’t believe a dog
Hailey’s size would be a good
cuddler, but she is. She gets
herself so small that it’s easy to
snuggle with her, and that’s one
of my favorite things to do with
her. Hailey also loves to tug, play
Frisbee, catch mini marshmallows,
and just recently learned
to enjoy dips in the kiddie pool
in our yard.
Hailey is a certified therapy dog
with the Good Dog Foundation
but we haven’t done much therapy
work since we got hooked
on agility. But she loves therapy
work. It is wonderful to have
therapy work to fall back on as a
second outlet for a working dog.
LB: Would you get another dog from
a shelter?
LS: I will probably always get
my dogs from shelters. There
are wonderful dogs in shelters
throughout the country, and all
deserve loving, forever homes.
Each dog is special, and each
one has a gift to share. The next
dog I rescue will likely be an
adult. That way I will know the
temperament, size, and what I
have to work with.
I firmly believe shelter dogs
know they were rescued. They
know they are special. And they
know that you as their human
picked them and realized their potential. I love telling Hailey’s
story and I love what an amazing dog she has become. She has
touched many people and hopefully opened up many people’s
eyes to the possibility of getting an amazing rescue dog.
LB: Your favorite venues?
LS: I love the style of USDAA courses, and how competitive it
can be, in a friendly, low-stress, supportive environment. USDAA
competitors seem to be some of the most supportive folks out
there. People really seem to love their dogs, love the sport, and
provide a lot of encouragement even when things do not go as
well as planned.
Clean Run | November 10
Clean Run - November 2010

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