JACKSONVILLE - A massive Doberman named Spyder, a tiny Boston terrier named Frankie and even a tiny Dachshund named Kepler all showed off their best athletic talents at the Pals and Paws Dog Agility Club's weekend contest held Friday and Saturday at the Cecil Equestrian Center on Normandy Boulevard.
"We have three or four events each year and this is one of them," said Lauren Hansen, Pals and Paws Agility Club out of north Florida. "We have dogs of all sizes, shapes and abilities doing courses of 20 or so obstacles for time, points and treats at the end."
Dogs start with 100 points and end up with deductions for infractions along the way; missing an obstacle, stopping on the course, going the wrong way as well as the time element.
On one end of the Cecil Equestrian Arena, an obstacle course was set up to test dogs and trainers through tunnels, teeters, hurdles and tubes while on the opposite end, the big dogs blasted for speed, height and turning ability in the arena dirt with the likes of Dalmation high-flyer Aspen soaring above the 20-inch hurdles with Edwin Moses-like ease.
"It takes a trainer and dog sometimes about 3-5 years to become synchronized," said Pals official Rita Browning, who has been in dog agility since 2008. "It's just like a coach and a runner or swimmer. You put in the time and when it clicks, it clicks."
Browning noted that, Tulsa, is the 'mecca' of dog agility where the nationals have been held with a huge national event in Tampa as well.
"You will see these dogs get just as excited to get on the course as any athlete," said Browning. "You also see the dog that looks like he has no interest, but when he gets the go, he sets off like he's on fire. They just click a switch and go."
Browning coined a phrase used by dog owners, Biddable, which is the word to describe the dog that has 'the look'.
"When the trainers look at dogs and say 'he's biddable', it means he has the look," said Browning.
Biddable by definition is said "to be biddable" or do the bidding of the trainer with German Shepherds the top breed with Poodles, Border Collies, Doberman Pinschers and Labrador Retrievers in the top five "biddable" breeds.
"Then, you get a Boston Terrier like we have here, that's a national champion," said Browning. "A lot depends on the trainer and owner and that relationship."