Second Chance Dogs can make First Rate Athletes
By Lorraine Houston
Many people think that in order for their dog to participate in an organized dog sporting event, the dog has to have CKC or other similar ‘pedigree’ registration papers. To add to this, some folks believe that their shelter/rescue dog can’t play in dog sports because they are mixed breeds. This is simply not the case. You will learn, via the stories to follow, that dogs of any heritage and background are welcome to participate in a variety of sports and activities. In fact, did you know that almost half of the dogs on the renowned Superdogs performance team were adopted from shelters or rescue organizations? You see, the pawsibilities are endless!
Before I unleash the stories, let’s talk about some of the many dog sport options. There’s obedience, Rally-O, flyball, agility and Disc/Frisbee or how about tracking, herding, sledding, carting, musical freestyle or dock diving? The North American Mixed Breed Registry (NAMBR at http://www.nambr.cardoso.ca/index.php) was established in 1995 to offer mixed breed and unregistered purebred dogs the opportunity to compete in sanctioned trials. As you can see, there are many activities to choose from! You might be wondering which of these your dog would enjoy most. Experienced dog sport enthusiasts say that your dog will let you know what their pleasure is. For example, if your dog loves to run and play ball, flyball might be a good choice or if your hound mix can’t keep her nose off the ground, give tracking a try. Regardless of what you decide, it is not important that your dog be the best; what is important is that you and your dog are having fun, bonding and sharing time together. Before you sign up for a dog sport, experts agree that your dog must be schooled in the basics; sit, stay, down, heel and come when called reliably. Because most of the activities are played off leash it could be dangerous to have your dog running free without off leash control. You can’t expect your dog to respond appropriately if you haven’t taught the desired behaviour. Be fair to your dog and the other participants, use good common sense and keep their safety in mind at all times.
I would now like to share with you some pretty impressive stories about dogs who have been adopted from shelters or rescue organizations. Their spirit, determination and unwavering trust in humans are inspirational. Although many of these dogs are competing (and excelling) in their sport, that is not the point. The point is that they were given a second (or more) chance at love and life, and they are doing something they enjoy while spending quality time with their special person.
Rob Goddard has been involved with rescue dogs, dachshunds in particular, for over 4 years. Layla, a frightened little chocolate dapple dachshund, became part of Rob’s family by chance. Canadian Dachshund Rescue had an adoptive home lined up for Layla when Rob agreed to foster her. “She was such a nervous, thin little soul and was so stressed when I went to pick her up she messed her crate not 5 minutes into our trip home”. The first few weeks were a challenge. She was very afraid of going through doors, would not under any circumstance do her business except at home, and slippery floors made her anxious. The worst problem, however, was her reaction to other people when they came close. This prompted Layla to charge and lunge at the person. After several weeks of fostering Layla, Rob felt she was ready to go to her forever home; however, the potential adopters changed their mind and withdrew their application for her. Rob figured that this was a sign, and the Goddard family decided that Layla was meant to stay. Three months later, Rob and Layla joined their first agility class. She was happy to play agility as long there were treats and she stayed on the rubber matting. When she took her first jump and got her reward, Rob knew she was going to be just fine. “Our first trial was in February 2006 and it was clear we had a long way to go; however, she did manage to do several jumps and a tunnel and I was thrilled with that. We continued to practice and in October 2006, I was the one jumping (for joy!) when she earned her first ‘Q’ in jumpers. This year, Layla has shown she can compete and have fun too as she earned her first title in Starter Agility. Congratulations Layla, ADC. I’m honoured to have the opportunity to play agility with you.”
Jackie Parkin adopted Josie, a Chihuahua/Jack Russell terrier mix, from a friend when Josie was about 18 months old. Josie had had 4 previous homes. “What I'd been told about her was that she was originally purchased from a pet store in Owen Sound. My friend gave her to me because one of her dogs would not accept Josie and was a serious threat to her. Josie couldn't go off leash except in a fenced area for fear of her running away. I named her Josie because of the way she played with our cats (Josie & The Pussycats).” From the first day she had her, Jackie could not figure out why so many people had given her away. “She is an amazing, intelligent little dog. She came to me on Thanksgiving weekend of 2005 and had some basic clicker understanding. In February 2006 she competed in her first flyball tournament, running full time as our height dog.” In August 2006 Josie earned an invitation to compete at the Hyperflite/Skyhoundz World Championship Disc Dog competition, and in September 2006 she traveled to Atlanta to compete in the World Championships. She was the winner of the 2006 Southern Ontario Disc Houndz Club Cup Award in the MicroDog toss/fetch division. “”Josie became involved in dog sports because we have other dogs who are athletes and we wanted to offer her the same opportunity. We still shake our heads in disbelief that she had so many prior homes, and are grateful she found ours.”
Hollywood (a.k.a. Holly) was originally purchased from a flea market in the Niagara region. She was about 8 weeks old when a family with young children bought her. By the time the little Australian Shepherd mix was 3 months old, she found herself without a home. The family said she was too nippy and energetic for young children. A Toronto-based rescue organization was called and Holly was placed in foster care until a permanent, suitable home could be found. It wasn’t long before Gary Mueller and Julie Glasson found Holly on the Petfinder website. “We adopted her in August 2004 and despite her somewhat rocky start in life, she settled in nicely with the other resident fur-kids. Her nipping was actually not much of an issue with us and Holly actively and appropriately plays with many of the children in our neighbourhood” said Julie, Holly’s proud mom. In January 2007, Holly achieved her Flyball Dog Champion-Silver (FDCh-S) and is currently an active member of Some Ruff Competition flyball team. When the tournaments are over, Holly can be found splayed out on her pillow, all four feet in the air and happy as a clam, or in the backyard on patrol for squirrels, bunnies and birds. “We've been teaching her to catch a frisbee in the hopes of trying her at some disc trials this summer but that's still a work-in-progress and part of the fun is the process!” says Julie.
Wendy Grandman’s tale involves a sable German shepherd named Driver who was originally abandoned in Brampton, admitted into a shelter and then taken into the foster program of the German Shepherd Rescue Toronto. “Driver came to us as a fluke. I had no intention of permanently acquiring another dog, but I was immediately entranced by him. Although he was extremely thin and had skin and intestinal problems, he took an immediate interest in playing Frisbee with me and my dogs. I have 3 dogs that are active in the Disc Dog sport. I really could not believe that Driver was so focused and intense about playing Frisbee despite his health issues. After taking him to the veterinarian, we received the good news was that he was sound and just needed some medications to get him over the skin irritations and diarrhea. From the moment he entered my life, I knew that Driver was more dog than I had ever had before. He is a big boy and his energy level is inexhaustible! We introduced Driver to the world of Disc; however, my husband and I had already decided that he would be a member of our family whether he wanted to play or not.” Brimming with pride, Wendy says, “Driver finished 3rd in his first Disc Dog Trial in January 2007, followed by a first place finish three weeks later! He is an amazing dog and has accomplished so much in such a short time. At one time, I was labeled a ‘border collie’ person and I am now thrilled to hear people say ‘there’s that lady with the amazing German Shepherd who plays disc.’”
About a year ago Lena Cox adopted an Australian Shepherd/Collie mix from her local pound. “When I saw her, I fell totally in love with her and knew we would have a long and fulfilling life together. Little did I know of the issues Lucy had. We learned very quickly that she suffered severe separation anxiety, we had no experience with that and had to learn to manage and help her overcome her anxiety. Many of our friends and family said we should consider taking her back to the shelter but I knew that wasn't an option. We set out working through her troubles and with the help of some wonderful trainers and lots of patience, I'm happy to say that she is now crate trained and far less stressed in our absence. We started attending agility classes and she is doing so well. It has really helped build her confidence and also provides her with the mental and physical stimulation she requires. I'm not sure what we will enroll in next but I’m sure something will pop up!”
Nine years ago, Katherine Hoffman adopted Tasha, a Rottweiler, from the Guelph Humane Society when Tasha was 5 months old. “I have no idea of her history before I adopted her, as she was abandoned. I do know she’s the best thing that ever happened to me”, says Katherine. Since then Tasha has tried several sports and has a long list of achievements. Tasha is registered with both the Canadian and American Kennel Clubs. She has trained for agility, tracking and obedience. She has her Companion Dog title from the CKC and her Rally Versatility (RV) title from the Canadian Association of Rally Obedience (CARO). Tasha is the first Rottweiler to earn the RV title with CARO. She has also earned her AKC Rally Advanced title and is currently working towards her Rally Excellent title. Tasha has her Canine Good Neighbor certificate from the CKC and has passed both the Temperament and the Herding Instinct Tests. She is a registered therapy dog with St. John’s Ambulance, and has participated in demonstrations and shows for senior homes, schools and community events. Katherine says, “Tasha is truly an ambassador for the breed and the best friend I have ever had!”
As you can see from these first-hand stories, a rough start in life does not mean that a dog cannot learn, grow, play, and love life again. That’s what dog sports are all about – offering a dog and their human the chance to learn, grow, and play – together, as a team.
Lorraine Houston is a feature writer for Dogs, Dogs, Dogs! and an evaluator for Therapeutic Paws of Canada and St. John Ambulance Therapy Dogs. She is a member of the Etobicoke Humane Society’s dog adoption team and the director of Speaking of Dogs, an organization devoted to education, outreach and rescue. A Maxwell Award winner from Dog Writers Assoc. of America, Lorraine lives in Don Mills with her husband, two sons and family dogs. She may be contacted at lhh4dogs@rogers.com or through www.speakingofdogs.com
