Clean Run - August 2013 - 38

If the dog’s mental attitude can’t be
swayed enough for him to enjoy the
trial environment spare him the grief.
Let him shine in class and workshops
(assuming he does) and take him to the
beach or the woods on the weekend!
Lots of dogs do not need agility and
some dogs with less coping skills than
others suffer from the pressure of it.
Physical Limitations: I can tell
you there are lots of dogs trialing
that are too out of shape, too old,
not structurally sound enough, or just
too beat up to be doing competitions.
Most of those dogs have handlers
who suspect it might be the case but
have lost perspective. It is not okay
and it is not necessary to keep these
dogs in competition; there is no agility
title or award worth it. Dogs should
be competing because they love it

and because it is actually benefiting their bodies by keeping them fit, not
breaking them down when they are past their prime.
If your dog has minor physical limitations consider avoiding full-length courses,
drop the jumps way down, and stop doing some of the obstacles that are harder
on his body in class. These changes may afford you a much longer and no doubt
healthier ride!

Don’t Quit Loving Agility
You can quit going to trials and still excel in class, still go to seminars and
camps, still become a better dog trainer, still hone your skills in every way
shape and form.
Do not quit agility just because the road to competition is blocked. Agility and
competing are not one. Agility is about dog training and dog bonding and no
one has to go to a trial to do that. I have some outstanding students who do
not trial their dogs. They are respected for their talents and accomplishments
the same as everyone else in their classes.
One last thought: If you have a friend who has good reasons to stop showing,
please respect her choice. It may be the best thing for her or necessary for her
dog and it may have been a very difficult decision. D

Sandy Rogers founded ACE Dog Sports in San Francisco, California, in 1999. She has been competing nationally and teaching obedience and agility since 1991. She has
made the US team selected to compete at the World Agility Open in 2011, 2012, and 2013. Jack Russell Terrier Quill brought home the individual gold and silver medals
in 2012. Her dogs have competed in all the USDAA and AKC National Championship finals multiple times. She placed 2nd in the AKC Championships in 2012. Sandy
also placed 3rd twice in the USDAA Grand Prix (12" Quill and 22" Brink) and won 16" Speed Jumping in 2007 and 2008 and Performance National Standard in 2007 with
Brink. Sandy has two DVDs available Training the Extreme Dogs and One Jump Two Jump.

Anna Eifert

& Agility Gallery

Anna & Nevian: Silver medalist
FCI World Championship 2006 (Basel, Schweiz),
Crufts Winner 2010 (British Open and
International Class)
Agility seminars and private lessons
with photo service
USA & Canada: 2013 March-April-May
and October-November-December
Contact us:
Seminars: eifert.anna@chello.hu
Photo service at trials: info@agility-gallery.com
www.eifertanna.com
www.agility-gallery.com
Anna Eifert – Francesca El Temperamento „Dú” - V’Nevian Macleod S’Tip –– Thomas Krizsán

Clean Run | August 13

http://www.eifertanna.com http://www.agility-gallery.com http://www.eifertanna.com http://www.agility-gallery.com

Clean Run - August 2013

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Clean Run - August 2013