Prayers for Luke

It all started with a private lesson. “I need your help—my puppy won’t stop biting me,” said the voice on the other end of the line.

We scheduled a training session for later that same week.

As I made my way into the training room on the day of the lesson, the cutest little lab mix puppy came running to greet me. He was all wiggles and kisses. I couldn’t  help myself, and I bent down to relish in his cuteness and puppy breath. He whirled around me like a Tasmanian devil grabbing at the curls of my long hair then the back of my shirt and finally my forearms. Afraid my face might be the next body part to fall victim to his razor sharp puppy teeth, I stood up.

“That’s what he does. He’s so wild and vicious.”

I smiled and extended my hand, “Hi…

Dandy’s USDAA Debut & Flyball

May 10-11 Flyball Tournament

Northeast Woman!

Animal advocate: Salem Twp. woman turns childhood passion into a way of life

“Shame on you!”

I loaded Scout into my truck for the ride home. She willingly jumped into the crate and made herself comfortable. (It’s always helpful when a dog is crate trained, I thought). As we made our way onto the highway she started barking. Vehicles following behind us made her uneasy. I requested Scout to “quiet,” and she immediately obeyed. Another plus, I thought, she’s learned what quiet means, and she’s not so frantic that she’s unable to exercise self-control. That lasted all of about ten minutes. She had to be reminded several times on the way home to be quiet.

At home, I opened up the back of my truck. Mirk and Echo jumped out and as usual made their way around the property to ward off any opportunists that had wandered into my garden to dine on the bushes and flowers. In the interim I opened the…

Sweet Dreams, Sweet Ginger Snap, Part 2

MACH!

By Katherine Dattoma

We were ready ! Early that agility trial morning, with the car packed full of family and dogs, we headed into sunrise and a day full of promise. After years of strategizing master level gambler and snooker courses with Oreo, I should have no problem navigating a Novice level course. Why then, did my nerves tingle and my stomach clench as I set Ginger up before the first obstacle? Much to my surprise and elation, Ginger qualified in her first few classes – and then disaster struck. A fast moving non rubberized teeter had her sliding to the bottom of the contact, where she froze before getting struck in the bum with the rebound. Ginger never fogot a fear or an injury! Agility trials were immediately transformed into terrifying events, and teeters could no longer be negotiated past the…

 Over My Husband’s “Dead Body”!  

By Katherine Dattoma

It was time. That little itch had grown into something bigger and more persistent. The guilty pleasure I had secretly been indulging in, of sneaking peeks at internet photos of beautiful Border Collies in need of homes, was morphing into a serious search. It was time to add another dog to our household, albeit once again over my husband’s “dead body”!

Oreo, my first rescued Border Collie was enjoying a full agility competition schedule, but I began to discern subtle signs of trouble before he had even reached the age of six. My eye, uneducated in correct canine conformation, but knowledgeable in evaluating the equine, could see that Oreo’s hind end structure was somewhat, well, odd. All the other wonderful Border Collie quirks and attributes possessed in abundance by Oreo had compensated up to this point, and enabled us to enjoy…

Token Goes Mad!

By Linda Husson

April AKC Agility Trials