Time to make dog agility a proper sport
Dog Training
Douglas Mello and Casey have been actively involved in dog sports for eight years. And while Mr. Mello is the only human on this team of two ?Casey is a beagle ?maximum effort and training are required of both of them.
That's just one reason local agility enthusiast, competitor and dog trainer Douglas Mello ?who also owns and operates Avonlea Agility ?believes that dog agility should gain recognition as a proper sport.
He defined a sport as consisting of a physical and mentally competitive activity carried out with a recreational purpose for competition, for self-enjoyment, to attain excellence, for the development of a skill or some combination of these.
"A sport has physical activity, side-by-side competition, self-motivation and a scoring system. The difference of purpose is what characterizes sport, combined with the notion of individual or team skill or prowess," he said.
Mr. Mello believes agility easily fits this description. With at least four to six runs per day, the activity is very physical. And there is strategy involved.
"You are always trying to find the quickest, cleanest line for your dog to run?in order to keep your course time to a minimum without incurring any faults like knocked bars, wrong courses or missed contacts," he said.
There is also a sense of teamwork between the handler and his dog that goes beyond the one-minute run.
"The dogs have to learn the desired behaviour or behaviours for each obstacle plus learn to work with the handler to follow their signals, whether verbal or physical," he explained.
He said teaching the dogs is relatively easy compared to teaching their owners how to handle.
Margaret Every, president of the Dog Training Club of Bermuda, said, "Dogs already know how to do these things?They just have to learn how to do them when we ask them to."
Any dog can do it
Mr. Mello said that while certain breeds are more prone to agility, any type of dog is capable of being successful at it. Avonlea Agility, for example, has everything from a tiny Yorkie to a large Pit Bull, including several SPCA shelter dogs.
Dogs are natural athletes. And just like humans, some competitive canine athletes have their own massage therapists and receive acupuncture treatment in preparation for the competitions.
Bermuda has hosted several internationally recognized top trainers including Joan Meyer, Sarah Mairs, Carolyn Dockryl and Stacy Peardot Goudy, all of whom have competed at international agility events including world level competition.
There are between 30 and 40 dogs that do agility in Bermuda. Most of them train at least once a week with their owners.
But it's not strictly serious competition. Dogs enjoy a number of benefits when doing agility that go beyond scores or times or ribbons.
"Agility gives the dog a release and a chance to bond with its owner," Mr. Mello said. "It gives the dogs a sense of purpose, it helps relationship building and provides stimulation?It also keeps the owner active."
To learn more about dog agility contact the Dog Training Club of Bermuda (291-4230), Avonlea Agility (293-6611), dog trainer Vincent Madeiros (799-7014) or the International Dog Events Association (238-0779).
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