It's a dog's life: Canine athletes travel the globe

By Cherry Sokoloski
North Forty News

As athletes, Able and Rumor have a distinct advantage: they have four legs apiece. Besides this attribute, the LaPorte border collies have intelligence, a lot of heart and a good trainer.

The two dogs and their owner, Stacy Peardot-Goudy, are part of a growing interest in dog agility competition. Peardot-Goudy got into the agility game in the late 1980s, when it was new in the United States, and has run long and hard with it. In fact, she now trains dogs (and their owners) throughout the United States as well as in Canada, Australia and Costa Rica. She recently competed in the World Agility Championships in the Netherlands, where she and Able helped Team USA win the team gold medal.

Peardot-Goudy also runs a dog agility camp in Castle Rock each July.

Agility competition, in simple terms, involves an obstacle course for dogs. Dogs jump over fences, weave through poles and dive through tunnels. There are both individual and team events, and the dogs are judged on speed and accuracy.

It takes two to compete well in agility work. "Agility is the epitome of teamwork," Peardot-Goudy emphasized, requiring a good relationship between dog and owner. The owner makes it worthwhile for the dog by providing treats and toys, but the main motivation is a strong human-animal bond.

"Ultimately," Peardot-Goudy said, "the reward is the dog's love of the game, and the appreciation of each other."

Because of the sport's tremendous popularity, several different organizations sponsor agility trials. One of those, the U.S. Dog Agility Association, will sponsor the World Cynosport Games this November in Scottsdale, Ariz. Peardot-Goudy plans to be there with six dogs. She and her husband, Geoff Goudy, have a Jack Russell terrier and a sheltie in addition to their border collies.

Agility is not for every dog, the trainer pointed out. Dogs with small and medium builds generally excel in the sport, because their bodies can better handle the jumping and pounding that are part of the game.

For Peardot-Goudy, agility competition is just one part of a life-long affection for dogs. She remembers receiving her first puppy when she was just 8, and she obedience-trained her first dog at age 12.

In Larimer County, there are a few organizations involved with dog agility competition. One is the Front Range Agility Club, which sponsors trials and holds dog agility demonstrations. The club can be reached at info@FrontRangeAgility.com.

In addition, the Larimer Animal-People Partnership will sponsor the annual Doggie Olympics, which includes agility competition, Sept. 17 at Fort Collins City Park by the ball fields.