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 In this section:  On Agilitynet:                 
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Stand up and be counted
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Clyde Valley Dog Agility Club decided to go down the line of giving expenses to anyone who helps at their shows. In spite of the rumours that I do not help at other shows and that I never pick up a pole, all the clubs and ring parties where both Maureen and I have 'done our bit round the rings' would dispute this rumour. I agree that I do not put my name down as a ring party for the full day, but more often than not, I can be seen helping round the rings when I have no dogs to run for a couple of hours especially when the ring party is under stress. Last year, as many clubs do, we volunteered our Club to man a ring at one of our local shows. We ended up with three members attending the show. Many clubs volunteer their services, but how many members really do the work? How many attend shows? I know that the clubs give a reciprocal time and manpower back, but some clubs are very small and cannot really do this. When you look at the number a people helping at the shows, it is about 20%. You see the same people week in and week out helping at different shows. What are the other 80% doing?
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Clyde DAC Valley Entry Form We will be looking for helpers at our show. If you can help us over the weekend we will be delighted. Expenses will be given to help you to recover some of your entries as follows: Scribes - £40per day, Refreshments available all day. Please contact us if you can help, we cannot run a show without you. |
This year we decided to give expenses to those who help us to run the show. Without these people, there would be no shows. They stand out in the rain sleet and snow, sometimes in the sun, and are, where possible always cheerful and helpful and run their dogs, who the seldom see during the day, when they can get cover.
Yes, it does mean there is less money for the club, but at least it goes to those who make the effort to run shows. I do regret that it is the end of volunteers, but shows are now too big and help is so limited that we must keep up with the times.
Agility is becoming more expensive. It is not just the £2.50 a run. There is the fuel to get to shows, training fees, suitable vehicles, caravans, so why not give something back to those willing to help. We tried to involve local charities and clubs to enhance their funds, but for one reason or another could not do it.
We pay for equipment, timing gear, running order processing so why the big problem in giving something back to those who help round the rings?
These are of course my own personal thoughts and not necessarily of some of my friends in Agility! Of course, I could be totally wrong. What are your opinions?
From Brenda Tenten...
At the moment helping at a show is a voluntary activity that we undertake in order to put a bit back into the sport. In return, most clubs give a nice token of appreciation - preferential parking, lunches, a goodie bag etc. It is always well received.I feel that if ring partying is to be a paid activity, then you should do it properly. Recruit a team of people and train them - they do not need to have any idea what agility is about as they will be trained in their jobs, but an interest in dogs would be a bonus.
I don't think it is feasible to 'employ' agility handlers, thus having employers' expectations of them, AND have them run their own dogs whenever they need to. At the moment, people are prepared to 'mix and match' as it is a voluntary activity. If it was paid then you start to get the 'not my job' and 'S/he's the one paid to do that, not me' mentality.
Personally I'd prefer to leave things as they are, but if someone is going to pay for ring party services, then put it on a regular footing. You can't easily be an employed ring party member and a paying client (competitor) at the same time. (15/07/07)
From Blair Cochrane...
It is all very well paying scribes, scorers and ring parties money to assist at a show but are the people who are accepting payment for these services aware that it is a taxable income and should be declared to the taxman? I think not.Where does this leave other KC shows that relies on goodwill and gives a gift for doing the same service are we going to have to go down the same route as someone who has only just received Kennel Club Registration.
I assist in the organising and running of two 2-day Kennel Club licensed shows and I know just how difficult it is to get people to help. I feel that Mr Patterson is now making it harder for well established shows to get help. I help at our own two day shows in April and August and another three shows throughout the year. I have never saw Mr Patterson nor his wife help at a show, possibly because I have been busy running my dogs or helping.
Also Mr Patterson is charging a £2.50 admin fee to cover the cost of the venue. However, I feel that this should be covered by your entry fee per individual class. What do other people think? (13/07/07)
I am currently helping to track down a Border Collie stolen from Wales which is possibly in my area. Yesterday I visited a rescue centre and was astounded as to the lack of procedure in place to reunite lost or stolen dogs with their owners. Dogs which are chipped stand some chance but dogs which are not chipped have very little chance.
Firstly, the reception staff never see any of the dogs arriving at the home. They admit that they have no idea what dogs are in the kennels. So if you ask them if they have had a Tri BC in, the answer you get is 'go and have a look.' Now that's fine if you can travel there every day or so but what if your working or live miles away? The kennel workers were that busy mucking out etc they have no time to look on the dog lost web sites or at the numerous posters placed on the notice board at the home.
If I ran such a place I would put in place a system were it was one member of staffs job to check daily on the dogs been brought in and see if any matched dogs which had been registered lost on the web or details placed on the notice board. Sadly this seems to be too idealistic.
Dog wardens should be taught how to use the internet and encoraged to view lost dog web sites. On Sunday there was a BC found near here and the dog warden left the dog with the finders. Great! you would think. Well, that dog was almost identical to the one I am looking for. The dog warden had not notified any organisations such as Dog Lost where this dog was. I only found out by word of mouth. I personally have put the dogs details on Dogs found/lost site.
This situation must be a national problem. As dog lovers I think we could play our part. Perhaps if you live near a dogs pound, you could take a look at the dogs there and look at the dog lost web site. That way we can play a part in reuniting dogs with their owners.
Please also be aware of how important it is as dog owners to have an up to date photograph of your dog. I have been amazed just how many Border Collies there are in the dogs home. Without a photograph, I would have been struggling to know that the dog I was looking for wasn't there. (21/03/0y)
.www.doglost.co.uk is a national database for lost and found dogs.
From Jayne Edwards
I totally agree with Babs Cook, but I think the
problem actually goes further than just the rescue centres.
Links between the police and local authorities are virtually non-existent as are links between different police areas and different local authorities. If your dog is lost outside your local area - and it is not neither tagged nor chipped - you have seven days of ringing around to every police HQ, dog warden, small independent rescue and holding kennel in the country before the dog is 'murdered' or rehomed.
A collie was lost in the Wrexham area some months ago. He was not chipped and had disappeared without his collar. The owner contacted the police and dog warden, and they also notified the local press. Over a week later, it was reunited with its owners when it turned out to have been picked up in the neighbouring Local authority area and held in their kennel. It was lucky not to have been killed nor rehomed.
On a recent Friday afternoon, I picked up a very old collie, a victim of hit and run. She had to be rushed to the vet where a scan showed no micro-chip. Her ID tag had been ripped off in the accident, and the road was too busy for anyone to look for it. The dog warden was informed within an hour of the accident. A witness stated that the lovely (sic) gentleman who left the dog bleeding at roadside said he was going to ring the police as soon as he got home. Over 24 hours later, and with a huge amount of help from Doglost, the distraught lady and her dog were reunited at the vet's. She had rung the police within an hour of the dog going missing, but there had been no answer at the dog warden's number. She assumed he'd gone for the weekend, and that the police would have links, so didn't worry too much, and kept looking. Had the police and the dog warden access to same database,dog and owner would have been reunited within a couple of hours. The murdering scumbag who left her there had rung nobody (surprise surprise!)
We are currently fostering a little abandoned mongrel bitch found tied to a tree on Sunday afternoon with a rope round her neck. It was snowing. She couldn't be left, and when no owner returned to collect her, the young man who found her brought her here. The rope was entwined with various breeds of dog hair, including a show coated Beardie, poodle or Bedlington terrier and Border collie or some other mid-coated black and white breed.
The police duly noted details, stated that the holding kennel was full and sighed with relief when I said I'd hold on to her. And that was that! I asked about scanning for a chip, and was told the dog warden would do it, if I wanted. I asked if the police would contact the dog warden, and told them that I had reason to believe the dog had been stolen. I was told to do it myself. Basically, if I hadn't bothered to contact the dog warden, it would never have been done. I rang the next morning, and police confirmed there were no dogs reported missing or stolen in the area. I know this was not true as the local newspaper has run two 'missing dog stories' in the last month! I asked the dog wraden if he had facility to check the computer for other areas. No, he did not! The dog warden found no chip. The dog had no collar or tag. The local rescue has heard nothing, and a half page article in the local rag - with photo, plus Doglost and the AA forum - have drawn a blank.
The thing that really upsets me about this is that I know someone's heart will be breaking over this dog. She is sleek, well fed, no fleas, clean, and has passed no worms when I gave her a wormer (against the law, but necessary for my kids and dogs safety). I cannot in all conscience rehome her until a decent amount of time has passed, which makes things harder for me as each day passes. I will be overjoyed to find the family she keeps desperately searching for, but feel very reluctant to pass her on to anyone else and let her down again.
The thing that really makes me angry is that had I found a diamond ring, a car or a handbag etc. I could be in serious trouble for taking it home and not making every effort to find the owner. As soon as a dog is picked up in our authority, the owner has to pay a £60 fine plus £11 per day kennel costs. After a week, the dog is rehomed. Our dog warden service is lucky in that we do have some rescue centres to take last day dogs, and they have, apparently only killed two dogs since Christmas. However, not so long ago I remember the lady who ran the then holding kennel giving up the service after she had to hold six dogs, one after another, while the vet killed them.
It seems to me that the law is very quick to take our money, but not so quick to ensure owners get their 'property' back. It horrifies me that the police do not advise finders they must get the dog scanned for a chip, and that they don't check to see if the dog warden has been informed. The lad who found this little dog wanted to keep her. His family had no intention of ringing the police/dog warden because they assumed the dog was not wanted. They have never heard of dog theft, but described the dog to me as an Alsatian puppy. The only reason I have her is that their dog will not accept her! They were most surprised when I suggested she may have been stolen as a GSD pup by an opportunist and then booted out straight away when the mistake was realised.
This dog's seven days is up today. She would have been killed or sent to rescue had she not landed here. I now have the unenviable task of starting to ring round every neighbouring local authority and police area to see if her family is looking as desperately for her as she is for them. I also need to vaccinate her asap even though I am pretty sure she has been done. I then need to keep her here and live in fear of her owners turning up and breaking our hearts months and years into the future, or else I need to rehome her, knowing she probably has a loving family miles away.
This situation is unacceptable. If my dog escapes in a car accident, I should not have to ring every authority the length and breadth of the motorway, plus every road sweeper employed by the Highways dept. Whichever Authority or Police station I contact should be able to log the details at a central point available to every Police area and Local authority.
Note: If anyone knows of a sable crossbreed bitch missing from anywhere, please let me know via Doglost. She is described as a GSD X, area LL14 but, in fact, could be anything! My computer is not powerful enough to trawl all the pages and piccies. I have to do it in my work lunch breaks. (26/03/07)
As someone who has had a dog measure with two different heights, I am annoyed to read that some would request that my dog be measured again, and would urge that they think about this with more consideration.
My dog had his second and final measurement 17 months after his first, and was under the measure; not even borderline. It is his final and official classification as a mature dog. If I, as the owner, had a problem with it, I would appeal. That is the purpose of the appeals procedure. It is of no concern whatsoever to anyone else.
So some believe that I should now have to find and attend another appropriate measuring session at my own time and expense, when I have already followed the rules and had my dog correctly measured. When other dogs are only measured once, some not at all, and some twice - having had the same measurers both times, for it to be suggested that I should have to go through all this yet again, for a third time and with independent measurers, can only be construed as discrimination.
Although not the only reason, measuring was introduced to stop cheating, and also to stop the tittle tattle from those who saw a dog in a class that *they* thought it shouldn't be in. Well, it appears to have failed big time in that department. Indeed judging by the opinions from some of those who should know better, it seems to have become an even bigger farce.
God forbid that anyone should ever have the misfortune to own an 'unfortunately' sized dog, but one out there somewhere is obviously a huge threat to someone!
Looking
through the schedules which have appeared so far under the new grading system, what I feared
happening has happened. It has become apparent to me that in their efforts to provide classes
for all grades and all sizes, the number of runs available per dog have decreased.
This is obvious when you consider that the old novice which comprised groups 1-5 has now been broken down into Grades 1 and 2 (old Starters), then 3 generally separately, then 4-5 combined. Thus, whereas under the old system if you had a grade 5 dog, you would be likely to get three runs - two Novices and one Intermediate - you now only get a maximum of two. This is fine if you run multiple dogs, but hardly makes it worth entering if you have only one.
Surely, it would be much better if shows geared their classes to two or three specific grades, and maybe Large or Medium/Small only rather than trying to be all things to all people, and thus you could select the shows which cater for your level and size, and avoid those that did not.
From Jane Dee...
I admire clubs for trying to put on as many graded classes
as they are doing. In fact, it seems to me that we are getting maybe not more classes but
certainly more runs at my dogs own grades which has to be a good thing. We small dog handlers
don't seem to be getting less runs, but then we are very used to only having two runs a day.
Three are a bonus for us.
Certainly for dogs in Grade 1 and 2 - the schedules I have seen are great - how nice to be an Elementary Small dog and compete only against other Grade 1s ! When I was a starter - and I only won out last year - I remember only one Elementary Mini class, and that was at The Agility Club show !
Charlotte brings out her baby Large dog into Grade 3 in March. She is over the moon at the classes Quiz is offered, so thank you everyone!
There are also a great number of handlers who run dogs that are a mixture of sizes, so do not feel that large only or small only classes would be a good thing, but then again, it is down to each club to schedule what they want. People will vote with their feet.
The changes will affect different people in different ways and, so long as the majority are happy, then what is the problem? If the majority aren't, then it will become apparent and more changes will be made. And at the end of the day, if there isn't anything for you, your dog won't mind. He will just as much enjoy a ramble through the forest as a couple of agility runs. (13/01/07)
Please consider a rescue dogs for agility as opposed to a registered one! I know some of you want to compete abroad and they have to be pedigrees. But when the foreigners say jump, why do we say how high? We are the world's best agility nation. Do we really have to follow other countries like lost sheep when it comes to competing? Our top dogs were all WSDs with a few x breeds as well until the foreigners arrived on the scene. Now all our 'top dogs' have to be pedigrees with papers to prove it and for what?
It seems to me for some to gain commercial profit outside our country and those whose egos say they need to compete abroad to be the best. We have the best agility dogs and handlers right here in this country! Why can't we have our own championships and be that happy proud nation that started agility? Is there anything stopping us from propelling agility forward just as well, but on our terms? We can always get those foreigners to compete here more.
The effect this is having on rescues here is becoming devastating by the day. You only have to look at the number of suitable dogs in rescues or on farms to see this. Look closely at your own heart. Look how many young dogs are on Agilitynet that could have not only a second chance but a fantastic, happy working life to go with it. It could be a dog's dream and you folks have the power to grant that dream!
British people in general are supposed to be great dog lovers, and I always thought agility people where at the very top of the list here. But I am beginning to be proved so very wrong, by the very people I have always looked up to in so many ways in the past.
Agilty life is fun!
So let's have more of it, with more heartfelt enjoyment rather than what we can gain in
other directions. Don't forget who followed God to all the corners of the earth while he
created this planet. It was a four-legged creature who was so devoted, faithful and loving that
God named him after himself. The last animal to receive it's name was Dog.
Please think about what effect your actions have on so many other things in our lives. Because some lives do depend on it, believe me.
From Richard Partridge...
I have been reading the correspondence on
Agilitynet regarding selection of non-rescue pedigree dogs for agility with some interest,
particularly when the topic came to International Competitions. I won’t grind my axe on this,
except to say that 8 years ago an Italian lady felt the same, that it was patently unjust that
only 'posh' dogs could enter Internationals, so, unlike others, she did something about it. She
went off and invented IMCA, or to give it it's full name, International Mixbreeds Championship
Agility, which was only for mixed breeds. After a couple of successful years the competition
was opened to pedigree dogs and the name cleverly changed by adding a simple little ampersand
to International Mix & Breeds Championship Agility.
(23/01/07)
From Lynn Pottage...
I am glad to see my article has got the agility community
thinking and airing their views. This can only be good for the overall growth of agility. Nice
to see the different opinions coming across. The article was written to help bring awareness to
the situation and certainly caused a lot of views to be aired on the net and the forum. Thank
you all for being bothered enough to air all your views. It has given a lot of food for thought
and come up with some issues which I had only skimmed the surface of.
But in reply to the situation of farmers (in genersl terms) breeding litter after litter and are we not perpetuating the problem in providing homes?
The answer is no.
Farmers (again I use the term in general) breed what they want not what the public want. They would carry on regardless of what we the public do as they have for many a year gone by. They would probably just drown or shoot the unwanted pups as opposed to selling them on. They do not command high prices so they don't make much if any profit at all. Most also don't generally breed from unsound stock because if the dog can't do a good days work year after year it is of no value at all to him. If a particular line he uses produces hip dysplasia, blindness etc he won't get his worth in terms of work out of the dog and so will discontinue the line so to speak.
But as I said thank you all for your answers to the article and I hope I have not lost any friends for putting my head up to be shot at , but someone has to keep you all entertained in the winter months. (22/01/07)
From Cathy McDonald...
In answer to the comments on Speak Out about rescue vs
pedigree dogs I would like to add the following.
I have just written an article on this subject for the Agility Eye about how it developed here in the Netherlands. I have also given my personal view on this subject, which is….all dogs can do agility regardless of their parents
I am under the impression that some of the Uk agility handlers think that non-pedigrees can not be run at an agility show in Europe. They can, at any show being held in the normal agility circuit. They can not qualify for a show were a FCI title can be won such as CACag (national Ag Champion) or Caciag (international Ag Champion.)
This year for the first time the Open European Championships will be held under the rules and regulations of the FCI and to everyone’s amazement, they are allowing non pedigrees to enter. So maybe the times are changing for the better. So all you UK handlers with your rescues and pedigrees are welcome to take an agility holiday here and, if you need any help, please contact me. I will be more than pleased to help. My details are below. (20/01/07)
Cathy Mc Donald
Caracasstraat 18, 2622BT Delft, The Netherlands
Tel: 015 2618696 or 06 22227638
Email: bute@planet.nl
Tel: Ready 2 Run: 06 48456915
From Mick Chambers...
Just catching up on the latest replies to Lynns' article,
I found myself getting just a little hot under the collar. Why? Mike Bacons' comment and I
quote 'If only registered pedigree dogs were allowed to compete, it would close down a
lucrative market to these unscrupulous breeders, and reduce the indiscriminate breeding.'
Really?
Do you honestly believe that there are no unscrupulous breeders of pedigree dogs? No pedigree puppy farms? I know this not to be true, and although they are a small minority of breeders they are still too many. The laws of supply and demand will always lead to unethical practices, whatever the product, when demand is high. Look what happened when the film '101 Dalmatians' came out.
Should pigs sprout wings, and agility become a sport only for registered pedigree dogs, what happens to the thousands of non-qualifiers? It will never happen, even if the Kennel Club was daft enough to go down that route which I'm sure it isn't. There are at least two alternative organisations, who do not practice canine apartheid, more than willing to accept any dog fit enough to compete. (19/01/07)
From Mike Afia...
Re the discussion concerning Pedigree dogs, I wish people
would remember the fact that Agility is the only sport in the world that for some reason allows
this racist attitude. I wonder what the reaction would be for example if 3-day eventing
suddenly announced that only thoroughbred horses could compete? I firmly believe that FCI
events should be boycotted. (19/01/07)
From Jill Spurr...
I'm sorry, but Lynn's statement is both misleading and
offensive, and does nothing to help the plight of rescue dogs at all.
The rescue kennels are full to overflowing because of ignorant people, cruel people, greedy people - the list is endless. Neither the FCI nor agility handlers with a desire to compete under FCI rules have one iota of the impact on rescue centres that a single puppy farm can have, so lets stick to the facts and not try and emotionally blackmail the people Lynne claims she looks up to!
I find it ironic that Lynne talks of it being egotistical to want to compete abroad and yet says 'We can always get those foreigners to compete here more.' I find that statement very embarrassing, having talked to European handlers simply bursting with pride at having been invited to Crufts to compete! Why can't we have our own championships? We do! In fact, we have two - the Kennel Club International and the International at Crufts.
The top UK handlers that compete abroad may have a pedigree now as opposed to a working sheepdog, but lets not be under any illusion that those WSDs were all rescues - there are respected working lines that can chart their ancestry back to Wiston Cap with the best of 'em. So how can the tiny amount of people that do pursue the FCI World Championships (among other competitions) have such a devastating affect on rescue centres? Simple answer: they are not.
Agility is one of the greatest ways of rehabilitating a rescue dog. It gives any dog purpose and interest. It will always attract people with rescues, and people in agility will always rescue dogs. And let's not pretend that the rescue centres are perfect. I've seen the same dog come to training classes with a succession of new owners. I've seen dogs poorly matched to their new home. I've seen fabulous homes overlooked for tenuous reasons, and I've walked out of a rescue centre with a dog without any checks whatsoever. There is good and bad in everything. (18/01/07)
From
Carel van Wyk (Namibia)
I have been following the arguments regarding pedigrees
vs. rescue, crossbreeds and pavement dogs with much interest. What a lot of the people forget
is that you have to be a dog lover before you become breed orientated. Agility and other doggie
sports (excluding breed shows) is about a handler interacting with a dog and not a breed
although they may handle a purebred dog.
I have the utmost respect for people who stay loyal to the breed they love and do not change breeds just to have better results in agility or any other doggie sport. A lot of BCs and other breeds are in the doggie sport world because of the aspirations of their owners and not for fun and friendship.
By restricting agility and other dog sport to registered dogs, more than half of the participating members (at least in Namibia) will become spectators at doggie events.
We currently have five dogs of which four are rescue dogs. The rescues can at most be traced back to their mothers, if we are lucky. We are also breed 'orientated' as three of the five dogs are Border Collies. Our addiction of BCs already last 25 years and I do not foresee that we ever will be cured of that.
Please take note that agility is about four years old in Namibia and we have only discovered the joy and fun of it a year ago. As we are dog lovers, we never have been without a mongrel or two in our pack. All the dogs get the same attention and training. Our latest SPCA adoption is an agility star and out perform our BCs with light years. We do not know her exact age and her blood lines - she fits in such wide category of breeds - but we love her to bits, as we do for the other dogs. We have fun and the dogs have fun when we compete and train. The other mongrel (BC x Rough Collie) is just a dog and we enjoy him as dog.
It will be a sad day when 'just dogs' are excluded from prestige dog sport events. (17/01/07)
From Mike Bacon...
We have had unregistered and/or rescue dogs as well as
pedigrees for as long as I can remember but someone must put the counter argument to this
extreme argument. Every rescue dog re-homed encourages and supports the puppy farmer and casual
breeder. The mother of the dog will be sentenced to a life as a brood bitch.
A farmer very close to us who breeds several litters every year proudly told me when his top bitch had her 13th litter. Where have the puppies gone? The best go to farmers as working dogs but many to agility homes. The lucky ones go directly and the unfortunate ones go through the rescue organisations, sometimes after several homes.
If only registered pedigree dogs were allowed to compete it would close down a lucrative market to these unscrupulous breeders, and reduce the indiscriminate breeding. If the rescue organisations stopped taking in dogs under any circumstances and where possible made the owners take responsibility for their actions, the market could be further reduced, but that would downsize the growing re-homing and behaviourist industries.
From Mick Chambers...
Lynns' plea to the agility community is obviously one from
the heart, and one I can empathise with. Without agility and the kind hearts of those who take
on rescue dogs, there would be a lot of dogs whose lives would either end prematurely or not be
quite so fulfilled.
I agree with most of what Lynn says, but then I agree with Jo on the point of whether Brit handlers and their dogs are the best, based on the competition that the Kennel Club sends team to. It may well be that this country could win an agility world championship, but until that competition is open to all dogs, without a hint of canine apartheid, we will never find out.
Of course, the FCI World Championship is not the only one out there. Remember the UKA sent a very successful team to the IFCS World Championship where a pedigree is not a requirement, and Britain also has the Belgian Sheepdog World Champion with Andy Brown. Who knows what the results would be for a truly open agility world championship competition?
I was pleased to see that the European Junior Agility Championship is open to all dogs who are registered with an FCI recognised organisation, which includes the Kennel Club. Check out the website at www.junioragility.be/. It has an English section.
As to Rachel's' question about why there is the pedigree only rule at the FCI Championships, the simple answer is money! The FCI was set up to protect the interests of the breeders of pedigree breeds, much like our own Kennel Club. Unfortunately the FCI is not so open minded as the KC when it comes to canine sports. The only qualification a dog needs in the more enlightened countries is a clean bill of health, and that is how it should be. It has been said that by becoming a partner of the FCI its attitude can be worked on from the inside and, hopefully, change the pedigree only ruling. I live in hope, but I will not be holding my breath until it happens.
I have no interest in competing abroad - just as well because our boys are Working Sheep Dogs, although my sons' dog has a family tree going back more generations than I can prove for myself. It includes show, obedience and sheepdog trial champions, as well as a number of top agility dogs. I am sure the FCI will bend eventually, remember the KC and the rise of the independent agility shows? Maybe the same will happen in Europe. (28/12/06)
From Jo Fraser...
Hey, get real! I've been to the Worlds for the past four years and the rest of the world is
brilliant. Where do we get the term 'We are the best in agility?' We send out some of our best
dogs and handlers. Simon Peachey, David Munnings and many others who regularly take the top
places here. We saw some awesome dogs and handlers this year from many European nations and I
for one will take on board some of what I've seen and incorporate it into my next dog and maybe
I can achieve the results of the winners this year. The best aren't necessarily British but if
we watch we will learn and we will whop their little backsides again!
(08/12/06)
From Rachel Woods...
Jo is right that we can all learn something by watching
others – be it on home ground or overseas, but I think the point of the article is more about
the restrictions on what dogs can enter, No-one is knocking the standard of dogs that qualify
but what about are thousands of dogs that are certainly good enough but cannot attend! In order
for anyone to get to the Worlds, their dogs have to have papers and most rescued dogs don’t.
Mongrels certainly don’t. I agree with Lynn – an agility home is one of the best places a
second-hand dog could ever go to but some handlers may overlook them for dogs that would
qualify for overseas competition.
It isn’t the fault of the handlers. If they want to compete abroad, fair play to them. We should be blaming this ridiculous foreign ruling. Does anyone know why they even have such a rule. I have never actually seen it defended, justified or even explained. Is there any way to challenge it and get it changed. Then maybe some of our great World Champ handlers will be seen in future years with crossbreeds, mongrels, unregistered rescues or WSDs. it would open the field up hugely in the Small and Medium categories and would surely not just benefit the UK but agility everywhere! (13/12/06)
I
am so delighted that more dogs are now receiving the benefit from massage therapy. Those that
have received good and appropriate treatment for their dogs know first hand of the benefits.
Sadly, along with, or because of, the growing success of this therapy we are seeing more and
more therapists starting up without the appropriate qualifications. Massage therapy of all
types whether it is human, equine or canine is a highly skilled practice that needs an in-depth
knowledge of anatomy and physiology as well as the appropriateness of the techniques for
different conditions and situations.
As a Canine therapist I work on veterinary referral and am now viewed as part of the professional team, it has taken a long time to establish this position however, I am now worried that with a few inscrutable people who see it as a way to 'cash-in,' this persona will diminish in the eyes of vets and other professionals who are too part of the Canine multi-disciplinary team. However, much more importantly, dogs could be treated by under-qualified or inappropriate therapists that could be doing more harm than good. Massage is not a superficial treatment it is very deep and far reaching and this should be understood fully by any therapist undertaking a treatment of any dog. If a person seeks a massage and it is conducted badly they can refuse to return, a dog does not have this luxury!
Can I suggest that before you take your dog to any type of therapist check on these points:-
That they always gain veterinary consent (this includes at shows too – it is ILLEGAL for anyone (other than a Veterinary Surgeon) to treat your dog without veterinary consent
Always ask what their qualifications are, then check with the training school that they have indeed completed and passed their qualifications or accreditation. (Galen Therapy Centre has graduates names displayed on their website).
Find out how many hours they have spent studying to ensure that the qualification is suitable for YOUR dog
The best way, is of course to go on 'word of mouth' recommendation; even so, one should always ensure the same questions apply.
As well as treatments I have seen some highly irregular articles on the subject written and advising on subjects of massage and ‘stretching’, these too should be checked before taking any advice.
I hope that more and more dogs benefit from this therapy that really can enhance health, performance, longevity and behaviour, just please ensure that the person you are entrusting with your 'family' is fully and appropriately trained and qualified.
Always remember consult your Vet for any health issues, massage is a referral service, and should not be viewed as primary care.
Cardiovascular
workouts, core stability, flexibility training and lots of extra fluids... No, not the agility
dogs and handlers, although I know they had all worked extremely hard preparing themselves and
their dogs for the world champs, I mean the supporters!
Yes, that's what you get on a supporters outing to the World Championships. Extreme workouts, running up and down the steps in the vast St. Jakob arena ice stadium. shouting, singing and whistling for each of the GB competitors. Dancing in the aisles of the narrow seats and at the very top of the stadium during course changes! Weaving through the huge crowds coming in the opposite direction to try and see the dogs and handlers after their runs and, of course, the extra fluid, well that goes without saying!
Union Jack flags, tee shirts, jackets, trousers, socks and even pants! Many more supporters than I’ve seen before and a sense of feeling united.
Excitement, apprehension, the highs and sometimes unfortunately the lows. Yes, we felt it all to, and as for the dogs they didn’t know they had so many surrogate handlers guiding them round the course from the stands!
To see agility at its best and to be represented by such a fantastic group of dogs and handlers was an amazing experience. The professionalism of the management team and their total support for the squad was exceptional and I, for one, felt very privileged to have been there to witness it and very proud to be British.
Despite
what many people believe, judges do not set up courses with the intention of ruining someone’s
day.
Judges are all human. They are all volunteers who gladly give up a day of competing so that everyone else can compete. The reward they get is handlers telling them that they have enjoyed their course.
As judges are human, they get things wrong. Sometimes a course can be too easy and sometimes it can be too difficult. What suits one handler will be hated by another. Therefore, a judge will never please everyone in their ring. It could be a judge’s first time and, if not experienced, they may put up an unsuitable course, but as long as it is not dangerous, we should not berate them publicly.
We all like moaning; it is a national pastime. All of us - me included - moan when we walk courses. But it is not fair to moan at a judge just because we cannot get our dog round their course.
Variety is the spice of life and I, for one, would be sad if courses became standardised for a particular grade.
When I judge I try to set up a course which will be enjoyable to run. Mostly it works, but sometimes I get it wrong and feel awful. But one thing I do know is that whatever course I put up, it will not suit everyone.
We must be supportive of our judges and show our appreciation when we run their courses. Otherwise people will not want to judge and then we will have no competitions to enjoy with our dogs.
If you have a Mini dog and live in Scotland, you have a bit of driving to do! It's interesting to note that the 'newer ' events have heats 'up North' but the older ones don't. The Kennel Club apparently isn't willing to budge about adding heats in Scotland for now while Berkshire alone as 11 events for KC sponsored events.
There are no Mini events sponsored by Pedigree in Scotland nor has Eukanuba.
It is a bit unfair that the Kennel Club who represent British dogs and to whom we pay our registration fees does not provide a fair coverage of the country. Worth noting also is the lack of heats in Cornwall, too.
Editors Note: We were of two minds on whether to post these comments or not as they came via post without a name. Rather than being accused of not being interested because we live 'down south' we thought that we would open up this topic for discussion. Would prefer, however, if the author were to identify themselves even if they did not want to go public.
From Luisa Fallon...
Regarding the question that someone from
Scotland has asked - 'Why are there no sponsored events for Mini dogs north of the border?"
Well, I thought this to myself a while back and so directed the question to The Kennel Club and
Dave Ray. The response I received was that they look at replacing heats when an existing club
surrenders one but, unfortunately for Scotland, this hasn't happened and KC/Pedigree don't want
to ask any of the existing English clubs that hold heats to give one up. They did say that the
heats for Minis are spread throughout the main body of the UK to give as many people a chance
to enter, and they have a heat as far north as Lancashire.
The Midi/Mediums have a couple of heats in Scotland that I'm aware of. Lucky them!
Just thought I'd add my 2p worth! (10/11/05)
I’ve enjoyed a summer with weekends (and a couple of weeks) packed with (mainly KC) agility shows all over the country. There is no doubt at all that agility is still growing, and shows are getting larger. I have helped out at many of the shows I’ve attended – but often this is a frazzling experience as there are so few willing helpers. And hereby lies a problem that I think needs a culture change to put right.
At the moment, the old 80-20 rule applies – 80% of the work is done by 20% of the people. And everyone knows that if you’re getting frazzled running a ring that has too few helpers, you will never be in the right frame of mind to run your dog properly when it comes to your turn. And this just isn’t fair. I understand that those new to agility would need to learn the tasks (this is only possible when there is sufficient help on the ring) and those entering Champ classes have to run in strict order – but the champ class doesn’t last all day! Clubs just cannot continue running nice, relaxed, safe shows without considerably more help from everyone.
So – if you accept that all handlers should help out at shows – just how much help is enough? Let’s look at how many people it takes to run a ring and then scale it up to work out how often handlers need to help at shows.
Let’s
exclude judges and the members of the club who put on the shows from this equation – these are
essential elements in the whole agility scene, but not the issue here. A successful ring party
consists of: scrimer, scorer, pads, caller, leads, runner, and two pole-pickers. You need two
for each job so that everyone effectively works for half a day, giving everyone time to run
their dog. 16 people to enable (on average) 400 dogs to run. With, on average, each handler
running two dogs (data from Agility Aid) that’s 200 handlers per ring. Dividing 200 by 16 gives
around 12 – meaning that for every 12 runs a handler has, they need to help on the ring for
half a day. With most shows offering three runs per dog per day, the average handler should be
helping for half a day every fourth day they compete.
So come on you handlers – make 2006 the year that you all commit to helping out at more shows. (22/10/05)
I
worry that by reducing everyone’s option to two classifications each, we could end up seeing
the demise of classes such as Elementary and Advanced. These two classes currently are hardly
ever get scheduled, and they would be very easy to drop if you wanted to keep numbers at a show
down, without affecting the majority of people.
I personally believe that instead of reducing the number of classification a dog can go in we need to increase them. I would do this by adding two new categories.
New Class & Classification
Novice Graduate
This class would sit between Starters and Novice. The class would be open to all dogs
that have not won a first place at any KC show, Elementary and Starters wins excluded.
New class
Post Graduate
This class would sit between Novice and Seniors. It would be open to Novice and Senior
dogs only, and wins from this class would progress you to Advanced.
I would keep the options of Open and Intermediate classes for shows that need to schedule such a class because of class sizes. These will also help shows schedule classes for the smaller numbers of dogs, such as Mini (Small) and Midi (Medium).
I would also like the following class definitions changed.
Elementary
This class is for Owner/Handlers and dogs not having gained a 1st to 3rd
place at a KC Open show.
Starters
For Owner/Handlers and dogs not having won a first prize at a KC open show, Elementary
wins excluded.
Novice
For Dogs that have not won a total of either 1 x agility win, plus 1 other
win. Or 3 x jumping wins. (Elementary, Starter & Novice Graduate wins excluded)
Seniors
For dogs that have won at least either 1 x agility win, plus 1 other win.
Or 3 x jumping wins. . (Elementary, Starter & Novice Graduate wins excluded)
Advanced
For dogs that have won at least 4 wins, 2 of which must be agility, (Elementary, Starter,
Novice Graduate & Novice wins excluded)
My new structure would look like the following:-
Elementary, Starters, Novice Graduate, Open
Starters, Novice Graduate, Novice, Open
Novice Graduate, Novice, Post Graduate, Open
Seniors, Post Graduate, Intermediate, Open
Advanced, Seniors, Intermediate, Open
Please note that I have not listed Championship. That is because this in not a classification, but a class that is only open to Advanced dogs. Likewise Post Graduate, this is a class that is only open to Novice/Senior dogs.
This would then mean that if shows did decide to cut out classes such as Elementary or Advanced, hopefully they would still have a choice of classes to enter.
Shows could then also self-regulate the classes by either saying a dog can have a maximum number of runs, or by giving the either/or option.
Please remember that it is the future of our sport that is important. If we make the wrong changes to our classification and restrict the options too much what are the knock on effects for the future?
Lately
I have been contacted by a few show secretaries looking for judges. I know a lot of you do
judge already, but this is aimed at those of you who don’t, but would maybe like to give it a
go. It is not necessarily as bad as you may think. Most shows we go to you hear people moaning
and groaning when they walk courses; 'That’s dangerous' or 'That’s not suitable for the level
of handler it is designed for' or just simply 'I’ll never manage that. What is the judge
thinking?' But how often do you see those same people in the middle of the ring.
I asked a few people to take their first judging appointment at the UKA show that I ran last year, & believe it or not they all really enjoyed themselves.
This could be an opportunity for some other people to put something back into Agility, instead of us always relying on the same few people taking three or six judging appointments each year. If we all do one or two a year then everyone can enjoy competing in the sport we all spend every week training for.
One last point; just like in other sports (Rugby, Boxing, Football etc) the best judges are often not the “Top Handlers”. It is not for everyone but until you give it a go how will you ever know.
That’s for taking the time to read this. Hopefully I will hear from you soon.
Stuart Carter
I think it’s great that people are attempting to analyze more scientifically what our dogs might be experiencing while playing agility. I am NOT a physicist; I quickly get lost over my head in this stuff. A biomechanist I used to work with referred me to a website with various models that can be used in pre-college math and science classes. (These days, even pre-college math and science materials can often leave me bewildered.)
A relevant model for this discussion involved a comparison of two different types of ski jumping events. Nordic jumping stresses distance travelled. Aerial freestyle jumping stresses height attained (higher heights mean greater air time allowing more time for spins, twists, etc). The model analyzed landing impact forces for the two different types of jumping events. You can read the details at:
http://pumas.jpl.nasa.gov/PDF_Examples/05_10_99_1.pdfIn the ski jumping examples, the flatter trajectory of the Nordic jumper resulted in less impact force; the rounder trajectory of the Aerial freestyle jumper resulted in more impact force. Admittedly, dog agility is not ski jumping. However, the model and its discussion are just one example suggesting that in analyzing impact forces from landing different trajectories, there would appear to be much more to the question than merely calculating the energy involved executing the jump.
It seems perhaps even more important to consider how that energy is absorbed or deflected as the jumper returns to the ground. Angle of descent relative to the ground would seem to be one factor. Add to that, the question of whether the jumper’s horizontal velocity will be allowed to continue forward or instead be expected to turn sharply upon landing. A higher trajectory might mean less horizontal velocity, which would be beneficial in preparing for a turn. Then again, it seems counterintuitive to expect dogs (and humans) preparing to turn to typically resort to jumping higher and higher in order to lessen horizontal velocity; instead I would expect a tendency to shorten stride. That logic would suggest that jumping higher and higher might not be the most effective strategy for dissipating landing impact.
Anyhow, I look forward to the possibility of more input from those with greater physics intellect and practical knowledge than I can apply to such questions.
In any event, whatever the jump heights, best wishes to UKAgility!
Greg Fontaine (Asheville, NC USA)
She did very well, but she wasn't very nice to the Vizslas and I found I wasn't enjoying it so much, so I found another home for her. I know I have the ABC classes, but are the other dogs really Anything But Collie? I think the only solution is to limit the class to Kennel Club registered pedigree dogs, excluding BCs, or even the whole Pastoral group. Or is that a step too far?
I love to see other breeds competing and admire the handlers, but I wonder if they are under pressure to Get a Collie? Are we gundog owners/older handlers being overlooked at club, in training, in competition or do we have to have a black-and-white super dog (and a transplant of younger legs - and brain) to get a bit of respect? I suspect that some collies are not much loved but are kept purely to perform, especially when kept in numbers, oh, and to boost their owners' egos.
There must be a place for the slower dog and the older handler in Agility if they are to get any pleasure out of it. Or is it all about having a lot of fast, not necessarily loved (or lovable) dogs who live out in a run all week to go to shows at the weekend?
Thank god we have these new more informal organisations cropping up. Let's hope that there are so many shows available that entries are down, there are shows near home, and we can have a bit of a lie-in in the morning!
From
Kerstin Mcdonagh...
While I wholeheartedly support the concept of ABC
classes, there are several points on which I disagree with Tessa. The first, and most obvious
one, is her suggestion to change ABC classes to include KC registered pedigree dogs only or,
God forbid, exclude all pastoral group breeds. The first proposal would exclude any
'non-papered' ABC which came out of rescue, many working-type (gun) dogs which are not
necessarily KC registered and cross-breeds without an ounce of collie in their ancestry. While
I do recognise that there have been instances of unscrupulous people attempting to sneak
collie-crosses into the ABC classes, I strongly object to any measures which would drastically
alter the ABC-class criteria, just to keep a relatively small number of spoil-sports out.
Tessa's second suggestion assumes that just because a dog belongs to the pastoral group, it can compete on equal terms with Border Collies and Working Sheepdogs which is complete nonsense. What about dogs like Briards and GSDs which are large dogs, or show-type Beardies which, to quote a Beardie-owning friend of mine, are not always the fastest dogs in the world since they have to stop and check their appearance in a mental mirror every few jumps?
As to Tessa's question about whether handlers of 'other breeds' feel pressurised into getting a BC, yes I do know quite a few people who have gone from ABCs to collies. A very large number of these people have been surprised to find just how difficult collies can be to train.
I went the other way, from Minis to WSDs, to a much longed-for GSD (when I eventually found a promising litter) and I have come to the conclusion that BCs/WSDs are not the dogs for me. I spend a few seconds only with my dogs in the agility ring, and much more time just sharing my home with them, and collies just don't fit the bill.
Anyone who thinks that a collie is the answer to instant success should spend a day picking up poles at a show - the number of collie also-rans is amazing. As to whether gundog owners/older handlers are overlooked at club level etc., I suppose that depends on the club or trainer in question. Despite the fact that I run a GSD, I was asked by my club to act as trainer, even though the collies there outnumber other breeds. I've thoroughly enjoyed the experience, but I also know my own limits and am now asking people to take the opportunity to go on courses with more experienced (collie) handlers to further their progression in competition.
I can't comment on Tessa's statement as to whether collies kept in large numbers are loved or not. But please bear in mind a collie can only boost its owners ego if it actually does some winning - and most collies do not win regularly. What could possibly be worse for a person's ego than having a dog which has the potential of being a star, only to be let down by its handler?
At the end of the day, it is the best dog with the most skilled handler that will win a class. An ace handler can take a mediocre dog and make it look pretty good, while a poor handler can take an agility champion and make it look like it shouldn't be out of elementary. Whatever your breed of dog, it will only be as good as you make it. The fact that most of our top handlers prefer to run collies is probably one of the reasons that collies are perceived as more successful than other breeds - but I suspect that the skill and dedication of most of these handlers would also allow them to achieve great things with an ABC, mini or midi dog.
Tessa eventually arrives at what appears to be her real grievance: the ability of shows to cater for slower dogs and older handlers. Remembering that her piece is entitled "In support of ABC Dogs", does she suggest that ABC (or gundog) equals slow? If so, I suggest that she takes a look at the now not inconsiderable number of ABCs which have made it into, or part of the way into, senior or even advanced classes in recent years. These include some excellent and promising Weimaraners, NSDTRs and working-type labs. Fundamentally, agility is a sport which requires a certain amount of skill from the dog as well as the handler, and not all dogs, whatever their breed, have the skill or drive to make it to the top. There are also a fair number of "older" handlers who are still competing very successfully, as born out by the fact that the list of winners from veteran handler classes are often very similar to that from regular class. On the basis of this, since I am regularly beaten by veteran and junior handlers, could I please have a class which excludes both, as well as any dog which doesn't knock poles, can cope easily with minimum distances between jumps, has perfect stay-starts and always hits the up-contact on the dogwalk?
Excluding good, winning dogs from ABC classes would be a disaster, since it is excellence that drives progress. Over the years, agility as a whole has advanced enormously. Please don't widen the performance gap between collies and ABCs by discriminating against the good ABCs.
From Wendy and Mike Fairlamb, Toni Dawkins, Tracy
Johnston and Julia Smith...
Whilst enjoying living in a country that allows freedom of speech, how can Tessa
Ventris feel it is okay to be so insulting and hurtful to anyone who is competitive and owns a
certain breed of dog. In any other context, this would surely be racism.
If the author of the comments above had started out with a 'gifted gundog' why did she then go out and buy another breed of dog and not the breed which she loved and had served her so well? I will let you work out the answer to that question. What she should have done is continue with the breed of her choice and work towards improving that dog’s performance. No dog, whatever the breed, should be judged by the inadequacies of the handler. Each dog is only as good as the effort made by the handler to bond and grow with that dog.
Agility is a competitive sport, but that does not mean that by being competitive we do not love our dogs - whether they are lovable or not! Nor does it mean that they are tools. What a spiteful and cruel thing to say about people you do not even know. Does the author think that by owning multiple dogs that it hurts any less when one of them falls ill and dies? Words almost fail us. What a sad vision of humanity this person holds. Would the author also prefer that dogs were kept shut in a cage all day as she seems to think that letting dogs have the freedom of a run to use is so bad?
As for the age issue at training clubs I, (Wendy) have two ladies in there 80s who train their dogs, a Miniature Poodle and a Cocker Spaniel. They both realise their limitations when working their dogs, but they also take great pleasure in the bond built spending time with them.
If the author has attended a training group where she - or any other person - was encouraged to 'get a collie' then we would be shocked. We have attended several clubs and run our own training classes and we would never tell anyone to get any breed of dog other than one that they had chosen themselves.
Perhaps the author should take up Breed showing where she would only be asked to compete against the same breed... oh, apart from Best in show.
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Feel strongly about an agility issue? Feel free to state your opinion here. This page is
designed to be a free and open forum for discussion about agility topics. It's more a strong
statement than a grumble. (That's the 
I
recently judged a small club show, both Jumping and Agility for three levels. Apart from the
indoor venue shape and size restrictions, I thought it would be a doddle.
Having
judged recently, I was thoroughly embarrassed at the cheque I was given by the organisers to
cover my expenses etc. for judging at their show. I accepted the judging appointment as I
enjoy it and, at a 2-day show, I have no problem giving up a day. I agree with Blair Cochrane,
and I am sure the tax man knows nothing about money received for judging or training days, but
that is another can of worms!
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