Clean Run Magazine - December 2008 - 52

So You Want to Raise an Agility Star By Mark Dillemuth Photos by author except where noted {{ You’re not a professional agility competitor with coaches, seminars, and camps at your immediate disposal. That’s okay—it doesn’t matter. You can still raise an agility star. I recently had the pleasure to start with a clean slate and do exactly what I thought would be best for creating agility success with my Belgian Tervuren, Kesä, to make her capable of becoming the top agility dog of her breed in the country: a lofty goal, but one that provided direction for my training. No matter what breed your next dog is, this article will help you raise an agility star, without sacrificing a great family friend. In preparation for my new dog, I read The Culture Clash by Jean Donaldson. Besides giving me great insight into how dogs behave, it helped me deal with any potential behavioral problems. Here is what I did to create a foundation of success for Kesä’s first 18 months. I hope it provides you with ideas for your next agility pup. 52 © clean run One Best Dog for Agility? When wondering about what type of dog is best for agility, the common answer is a Border Collie, since they dominate the sport. Just look at the results from national and international championships to see how this breed excels. If your goal is similar to mine, however, any breed will do, as long as the breed has the following traits: drive, good conformation and angulation, athleticism, stable temperament, trainability, and friendliness. I consider these traits critical for any top agility dog. If any are missing, you will be making sacrifices toward your goal. Bonding and Socialization Once you have your puppy, start your training immediately. Having a close bond with you and being well-socialized with other dogs are two essentials your dog needs.Your dog must know you are the most important thing in his world. Take care of his basic needs like food and water, let him sleep with your slightly worn t-shirt, and play with him on the floor. Be careful of your new pup’s health by avoiding public places until he’s about 12 weeks old and has had all his shots. During this time, socialize him with other dogs as much as possible. Enroll him in a puppy class where potential disease problems are minimized. This class is mostly for socialization and is a place where you can help him understand impulse control and proper interaction with other dogs and people. Throughout training and in competition your dog will be off leash. Life is much easier if your dog is friendly with other dogs and people, since you will be around both at competitions. The other part of the puppy class is obedience. At minimum, every agility dog needs a solid sit, stay, come, and down. To train the best agility dog, practice these skills daily and your dog will shine at his weekly class. Since this practice lays the foundation for his agility career, do not consider starting an agility class until the foundation behaviors are solid. To supplement my Clean Run | December 08 I chose a Belgian Tervuren as my agility partner because I like the breed and they are in the top 10 of the most popular dogs performing agility. I considered many Tervuren lines with exceptional backgrounds of titles and reputations that demonstrated the traits listed above. When deciding on a breed, research is the key. My search was a long process, but educational and fun. I got a Tervuren from working lines, where dogs excelled in sports or protection. Kesä’s Aunt Ava won the 2003 IFCS World Agility Championship and her mother made it into the Grand Prix of Dog Agility Finals at the 2005 USDAA Cynosport Games. I am very satisfied with the results thus far and I have thoroughly enjoyed working with a dog that meets all my training requirements.
Clean Run Magazine - December 2008

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