Sadie's Surprise, CDX, TT, SchH I, VC (TDI certified)
(Majestic Golden Eagle and Treadway’s Lady Bug)
Like many young girls who grew up in the late '50s and early '60s I loved dogs, and especially Lassie. I was raised in a dog-loving family in Michigan, and we always had dogs, and they were house pets, but they were also hunting breeds because my Dad was a pheasant and woodcock hunter. I longed for a collie, but I was a practical girl and when my Dad said I could pick out a puppy from a labrador retriever litter for my 10th birthday in 1960, I jumped at the chance. “Pat” was my first dog and she was a great companion and eager to learn all the tricks and behaviors I taught her. Her picture hangs in our bedroom to this day.
In May 1976, while my husband, Tom and I were living in Pensacola, Florida, where he was stationed with the Navy, as a pilot, I saw an advertisement in the paper for Collie puppies. I was teaching school at the time, and these puppies were just the right age to be raised during my “summer vacation.” I called on the ad and we came home with our beautiful tri-color “Maggie.” I remember my husband said she was the cutest thing he had ever seen. He loved her bark. I did not know anything about Collies, other than they were smart and beautiful. Maggie was very smart and out-going. She learned all sorts of good dog habits from my training -- ideas and tips which came from books from the library. We did nothing formal, when I lived in Florida I did not know that American Kennel Club shows and trials even existed for pet owners like us. They were something you read about in books. I also was not sophisticated in the art of AKC names, and registered Maggie, after our 6-year-old cat, Sadie, who was indeed surprised to find a collie puppy in her kitchen.
When Maggie was one year old, the Navy moved us from Florida to San Diego. I decided that Maggie needed a play companion and I was fortunate to buy a well-bred golden retriever puppy from my veterinarian’s technician. This is important to my story because one of the breeder’s requests was that I show this puppy at AKC shows, or rather let the breeder show her. So the next thing I knew, I belonged to the local Golden club, and the local Obedience club. The people were very friendly, and encouraging and inclusive, and Maggie came along to all events with her Golden sister, Katie. Little did any of us know that Maggie would become the star.
Within one year Maggie had earned her CD and her CDX. The Obedience club trainer asked us if we would like to train for the club’s “Scent Hurdle Relay Racing Team.” Each dog on the 4-dog team individually raced over four hurdle jumps, found their own dumbbell out of four choices off a box using only scent, raced back, and of course this relay was timed. Maggie was very fast, very driven, and also excellent at discriminating the scent to find her own dumbbell, out of the pile, with a quick efficiency. We were hooked on this “canine sport.” Maggie was the lead dog on the Obedience Club of San Diego County’s Scent Hurdle Relay Race team for the next 8 years, from 1978-1986; retiring when she was 10 years old. Relay racing allowed her to do things she loved: run, jump and bark. The last year she competed the team won the Southern California Scent Hurdle Relay Racing Championship; it was a glorious day. Maggie would have loved the Agility competitions that we have today: running, jumping and barking!
Maggie had many other talents. She passed The International Temperament Test, which gave her the TT after her name, and she was also Level 1 Schutzhund trained (something I was interested in because my husband was frequently at sea and I lived alone). Her protection training was very helpful: one night she chased down an intruder in our yard; she pushed out the screen door to get him and he decided his best choice was to climb a tree and wait for the Border Patrol to come for him. Maggie was also Therapy Dog International certified and did many hospital visits, bringing cheer to brain-injured children at San Diego Children’s Hospital. The American Working Collie Association awarded her their “Versatile Collie” title. Maggie was truly a magnificent collie. She was a wonderful companion to our son, Matt, to the other dogs we acquired, and to our cats. She had a sweet and loving temperament and the wise demeanor of an old soul. Maggie slept on our bed her entire life. She passed away in 1991 at the age of 15.5 years. I think she lived that last year waiting for Tom to come home from a 10-month deployment. She died a month after he returned.
During the next 20 years, Tom and I were fortunate to love other collies and golden retrievers. Some earned their CDs, and some their HICs, and some were Conformation champions. Matt was growing up, I taught school, and my husband was away frequently with the Navy, so I did not have a lot of time for dog training. But like many others who love dogs, and love Collies in particular, I knew that when I had time I would be able to have more fun with my dogs.
In 2009, one year before I retired from my job as a public school educator, I bought a beautiful Golden puppy. Cooper also came with a request for Conformation showing and something I had never done before -- Tracking. A friend trained him for tracking because my work schedule did not mesh with that training. But the next year, when he was ready to compete, I was retired and able to attend his Tracking practices and watch with pride when Cooper earned his TD and TDX with his partner, Linda Sanders.
CH Chelsea Twilight Time, VCD1, CD, TDX, AX, AXJ, CGC
(Bronze GCH Chelsea Casanova Cowboy and Chelsea Diamonds and Pearls, HIC)
In 2012 I bought a beautiful 1-year-old tri-color girl from Gayle Kaye. Gabi came to live with us, and because of my Golden friends, she was signed up for Tracking, Obedience and Agility, probably before she got out of the van. By now Cooper and I were competing in several venues, he had his TDX and his CDX, and was finishing up his Agility championship; although for those who love Agility, you know it is never really finished! So, I was back in “performance land” and excited to have this new beautiful partner who soon demonstrated her many talents.
Gabi is one extraordinary girl. She learns quickly and loves to be part of a team. She is a very easy dog to train and always has a smile on her face and a gleam in her eye. My friend Linda Sanders was her Tracking partner and Gabi earned her TDX on her first attempt; completing her track in 9 minutes. She earned her BN quickly with 1st places and then her CD in three consecutive shows in one weekend with three 1st places, and all with scores over 195. She has earned her AX and AXJ titles in Agility. AKC gives a “Versatile Companion Dog Title” the “VCD1” for dogs who earn performance titles in Obedience, Tracking and Agility. Gabi earned that title before her 3rd birthday. And being a very balanced girl, she completed her Conformation championship from the BBE class with Gayle Kaye. She is truly my little sparkler.
In 2014, I bought Gabi’s half brother, Josh, as an 8-week-old puppy:
Chelsea Special Request, TDX, ACT1, HIC, CGC
(Bronze GCH Chelsea Casanova Cowboy and CH Chelsea Blonde Bombshell)
Josh is in training for Obedience and Agility. We may start some herding lessons too. Josh earned his TDX before his 2nd birthday with our friend Linda Sanders last February. He is just 2.5 years old and we have many adventures ahead of us.
In this story I have been asked to answer: What am I most proud of? What lessons did I learn along the way?
I am most proud that my dogs have lives that are enriched with all these fun and stimulating activities. Collies are “working dogs” and they love having jobs and learning new things. I am proud that I have been able to give them the opportunity to use their brains and it is wonderful to see them feel the joy of being my partner. I also know that no matter what happens in a competition, I always go home with the very best dogs, my dogs. I am always so proud of them. They also always carry the team. Case in point:
Sunday, October 23, 2016, (yes just weeks ago) in a Novice B Obedience competition with Josh, we are on the final individual exercise, the recall. Josh has already done a great job, and most certainly, after all these years, and earning CDs and CDXs with other dogs, I should know exactly what to do. It is “Novice” for him and “B” for me.
But oh my goodness: I leave Josh for the recall, he sits so straight, watching and waiting, I walk to the other end of the ring, I see him sitting there and I am filled with pride, I call him, “Josh Front” and he comes to me, tail wagging and sits so perfectly straight, exactly where he is suppose to. We are almost done, only the “finish” is left. The very nice judge says, “Finish your dog” and I look down at his smiling face looking up at me, and I should say “Josh Place,” but do I say that? Noooo I don’t, to the “horror” of my friends watching, and to my own horror I hear myself loudly say “Joshie Finish” . . . something I have never ever said to him, never, not one time, you never use a word the judge will use because it could confuse your partner! But my great Josh, what a trooper, he gets up without hesitation and moves to his place and gives me a very straight sit, and sort of a look as if to say “Finish? Really?” We lost no points on that exercise. Yes, Josh carried the team! We ended up with a 4th place that day, out of the 12 competing, and it was because Josh carried our team!
So what I would like you to take away from my story, is that performance sports are lots of fun. ALL handlers make errors, and most dogs try their best when given the right opportunities and training, and expectations are appropriate. For me, I am such an admirer of Tracking, and Obedience is great too, and many collies love to herd, but for me, if I could pick only one performance sport, I believe nothing can be beat the thrill of Agility competition and running with your collie. So test the waters, try something new. I bet you will find that your dog will carry the team too!
And in closing, below is a little video of our new puppy, Rory (Chelsea Here Comes The Sun) running through an Agility chute! Our future seems sunny with lots of fun on the horizon.
Life is short, have fun with your dogs! This is where joy lives!
Presented by Colliesonline.com | Contents