Not to mention, they’re very, very athletic. “They were bred to be working in conjunction with humans doing tasks and responding very quickly to cues and commands at a distance. “I would say they’re one of the one of the most, if not the most biddable dog breed out there, which means that they want to do what you want them to do,” says DeWitt, a full-time certified professional dog trainer with an in-depth background in dog behavior. The difference in watching a top border collie churn through a course after watching a dachshund or a mastiff feels something like watching LeBron James take the court on the heels of a mid-major college game. The herding dog is widely regarded as the most intelligent of domestic breeds, underpinned by a sheer athleticism seemingly tailor-made for the sport’s demands. But as a spectator sport, agility trials are to conformation shows, more or less, as Miss America is to the Olympics.Īny able-bodied dog is eligible to compete in agility under American Kennel Club rules, but border collies like Verb and Fame have won the overall title in all but one of the seven years since Westminster introduced it. As competitions they are similar in the sense they determine a best from a field of dogs and thus exist to celebrate an ideal. Handlers don’t care what their border collies look like as they careen through the course and fly toward the finish line: they just want them to win and have fun doing it (and not vitally in that order). Unlike conformation shows which only allow intact purebreds, it is open to mixed breeds.

But the judging at these shows almost exclusively places an emphasis on physical appearance, effectively ignoring the genetic factors like health, temperament and function that enable a dog to live a successful life as a working or companion animal.Īgility exists on the opposite end of the spectrum from the conformation world, offering a far more dog-positive arena free of controversy. The essential purpose of the more than 20,000 conformation shows held annually in the United States is to assess dogs for breeding stock or, more specifically, in a way that promotes selection of parents in order to produce the “best” puppies. The conformation portion of Westminster is one of America’s longest-running sporting events and what most people envision when they think of dog shows (or, indeed, Best in Show), but vocal critics have claimed it enables the breeding of dogs for beauty over health and function to the detriment of the animal. “There’s two people that can beat us,” she says. That’s why it’s so addicting, because you can’t guarantee it.”Ījoux, who plans to retire Fame shortly after this year’s Westminster after a decorated career, strikes a more confident pose as the competition looms. “Agility is funny because I’ve had so many good runs with Verb and every time I wonder if I will ever have another, because it always feels like it’s just lucky that it happens. “I do feel a little bit of pressure of being the reigning champion, because I think everyone’s watching and everyone’s expecting you to do something,” DeWitt says in the days before the trial. In a couple days’ time, they will make the two-hour drive north to New York City and attempt to make it three in a row for what’s fast becoming the winningest household in the sport. Fame, aged nine and in the winter of her career, won it the year before and remains a formidable threat to regain the crown. The six-year-old Verb, owned and handled by DeWitt, captured last year’s Westminster masters agility title with a sensational final run that went viral and enters this year’s competition as the defending champion. The cure for the teaching blues is a quick fix with some inspirational sayings.View image in fullscreen Pink the border collie competes next to handler Jennifer Crank at the Westminster Kennel Club’s agility title (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews) Photograph: Bebeto Matthews/AP The thought of the training process with a new puppy can seem daunting. Choosing one (or all) of these to remind yourself how fun and exciting training can be. You have come to the right place if you are looking for a little inspiration before starting down your dog training path.

Preparing your new addition to become the wonderful and obedient companion you dream of will cost you a bit of patience and understanding, but we can assure you that they are happy to put in the work as long as you do. However, with this great puppy power comes great puppy responsibility – well, we think that’s how the saying goes at least. Congratulations on your new puppy! You are now the proud of owner of a wild and free canine who’s ready to take over the world! Together, there’s no saying what the two of you can accomplish.

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