Canine Agility is a competitive sport consisting of a dog and handler team in which the handler directs the dog through a set course of obstacles. The objective is to negotiate each of the obstacles cleanly and complete the course in the shortest amount of time.
Since agility began in the U.K. it has expanded into the rest of Europe and has flourished in nearly every developed country in the world. For approximately 12 years now, agility has become the fastest growing dog sport in Canada with thousands of participants. In certain areas of Canada there are agility trials hosted almost every other weekend.
There have been some very hard working and dedicated owners who have competed in agility here in Ontario with their Donalen Lowchen. My introduction to agility was through Barbara Gray,Blenheim, Ontario with her Lowchen, Ch. Donalen Cherchez La Femme, better known as “Kelsey”.
Barb first showed Kelsey in confirmation where he not only obtained his championship but became Canada’s Top Lowchen in 2000. Barb then started training Kelsey in agility where he attained a NADAC Novice B Jumpers Title with 2 Firsts in the 16” Division.
Some photos of Kelsey and Barb in action.
Also competing in Agility Association of Canada sanction trials is Donalen Apple of My Eye, AADC “Pippin” owned and trained by Brenda Laking, Huntsville, Ontario. In 2003 Pippin and Brenda went to 6 trails (9 days of trailing). At the 3rd trail Pippin earned his ADC (Agility Dog of Canada) title with 5 qualifying scores, a perfect score is required to qualify in this association. At the 5th trial, Pippin earned his AADC (Advanced Agility Dog of Canada) title with 7 qualifying scores. He now has 3 legs of the 7 he needs for his Masters title.
Brenda tells the story of Pippin, in his last Advanced Standard run, nearly giving her a heart attack by heading for an off-course chute, but she managed to call him off and got him over the next jump where he stopped dead in his tracks. The smell of freshly delivered French Fries at ringside caught his nose. She got him going again and they still qualified with 3 seconds to go on the clock for his AADC title.
