Communication, Trust, and Fun
Anyone who sees me compete, know how deeply I care about the relationship between the dog and the owner. Ribbons and accomplishments are nice and all, but the ability to share with another species a deep level of communication, trust, and fun is what dog sports is really all about. Most of my dogs have been recycled. Please support your local shelter and breed rescue!
Marvelette-DOA Wait A Minute is a Whippet/BorderStaffy
The newest addition, I have high hopes for this sweet pup in disc, agility and scentwork fun.
Photo: Dog Breath Photography
Pearl - Village Ocean’s Iridescent Gift, DNA says 33% GSD, 66% APBT
2021 UKI Agility Open Games Finalist
2022 Canadian UKI Agility Open Biathlon Silver Medalist
Six years old and my wild child. Feeling down? Go hang with Pearl for five seconds. She is a workaholic-absolutley loves any silly game as long as it’s with her people. Disc, agility, competition obedience, ring sports, and scent work. She has her Championships in snuggling under blankets, ball chasing and whispering sweet nothings in Fi’s ear.
And dogs that have gone on:
Hi-Fi - 2010-2022 ADCH, PDCH Village High Fidelity Bull In A Chime Shoppe, AX, AXJ, ASD, NW1(P)
2019 UKI Agility Open National Finalist
DNA says mixy mix of APBT, Cattle Dog, Cocker Spaniel and GSD
The happy go lucky dude of a dog. He liked agility well enough but he loved scent work. His idea of a great time was being cut off leash to search an entire building, and then grounds, to clear it before a scent work trial. He opened up the whole world of scent detection that not only recharged, but turbocharged, my dog training batteries.
Diagnosed with bone cancer a month after Skeeeeeter! passed, he celebrated life in grand style on three legs for 18 months before osteosarcoma returned.
Skeeeeeter! - 2005-2021 ADCH Village What’s That Buzzing In My Ear, AX, MXJ. The barking thing was a Sheltie mix.
At 23 pounds, she was a peanut with a loud loud voice. She was a dog who expressed herself freely from impressive madteeth waved at any member of the Boxer breed to a patented raucous barkalator greeting with wide racing loops around her human fans which she had legion. She taught me a lot about reactivity and patience. We both think weave poles suck.
Daisy - 2001-2017 MACH 2, PDCH Village Flower O’ My Heart, RN Irish Terrier.
Multiple agility titles across four venues. The highest titled Irish Terrier in USDAA ever. Ran in Regional Speed Jumping Finals at the age of 10. Qualified 7 times for AKC National Invitationals and participated in five. Made it to the Finals once. The dog who changed my life.
Peaches - Papa’s couch potato.
I pulled her from a shelter that was closing for NEBCR and failed at fostering her. A Border Collie/Pitty mix, she had moderate separation anxiety which doesn’t seem so moderate when the inside of your car/house/bathroom door is subjected to free floating anxiety through the mouth of a 50 pound dog. Sigh. She accompanied my husband on his daily walk to our record store in Harvard Square. She was a good dog who was turned in to the shelter at the age of 9, after being adopted by the family as a puppy, for growling at the kid. Turns out her back really hurt. A lot. No agility for her, but she sure could hog a bed.
Clementine - 2002-2006 Village Oh My Darling.
My first Border Collie/Pitty mix and Daisy’s bestest pal ever. Another failed foster who opened up my eyes to dogs with aggression. Classic brilliant dog with fear issues, especially around people. Oh, but how she would light up whenever she saw any of her getting-longer list of people friends. Gone too soon, we had almost two years together. Her tragic loss at a young age was so painful it colors all my training. Dogs aren’t here long enough and can be gone in a blink. For Clemmy’s sake-make the ride a good one.