Static is a seven-year-old, male mix breed from Union County Humane Society (OH). They had him listed as a Border Collie/Rat Terrier mix but I have never had a DNA test done.
How did you end up adopting him?
I adopted Static as a companion for my other dog Oscar (also a mixed breed).
What about the dog made you want to adopt him? Was there something different or special that moved you to the decision?
The reason I adopted him is because he had been in the shelter for a few months and clearly was not thriving. He needed to get out. Static was also the right size, I really wanted a medium size dog. He also has quite the attitude, I like a little attitude!
What made you want to get involved in agility with your dog? Had you competed in agility before you got your rescued dog involved or was it new to you?
I had successfully competed in agility with my other dog, Oscar, in CPE (before AKC accepted mixed breeds) and then eventually AKC. I had not done much USDAA with Oscar because of the more technical courses. Oscar is very consistent but not super driven. He was not that competitive in USDAA but was a rock star in AKC.
Did your dog happen to have any behavior or training issues when you adopted him?
Static has plenty of issues (I like to call it personality myself), his biggest one being me! We did have to work on confidence and some redirection when presented with distractions. He is not fond of other dogs in his face so I have to be paying attention when I have him out of his crate. We also worked a lot on impulse control as with any high drive dog. I can’t say I have been super successful with this one!
Did you find that agility helped to improve your relationship with your dog and help with the behavior/training issues (if any)?
Agility definitely gave this dog more confidence and it really built up his trust in me. It has truly strengthened our bond.
Was there anything about training for agility or competing in agility that was a challenge with your dog?
Our biggest challenge is and probably always will be trusting him to go do his job. He is my first high-drive dog and when we first started training he would just zip off and take everything because he was having so much fun. That put me in the habit of not trusting him so I can get down the road to the next obstacle. We will always be a work in progress.
What previous USDAA events prior to Cynosport 2017 have you competed in with your dog? What titles, etc. did they earn or other accomplishments you’re proud of?
This year I am proud to say Static is a PSJ regional champion! Standing on that podium, flanked by two purebred dogs, is my proudest agility moment so far with this dog.
What are you looking forward to this year with your dog at Cynosport?
Everything!
What would say to people who are considering adopting a dog who might want to do agility some day and are concerned a rescue dog may be more difficult to work with? Likewise, what do you think makes competing with a rescue dog a real benefit?
The advice I would give is to get with the right trainers. It takes a village sometimes and I am so thankful I had the courage to turn away from a few who clearly were not the right fit, and also thankful for those who stuck with us. My current trainers/coaches will forever have my undying gratitude. In my mind I am not sure there is a benefit to a rescue dog over a dog from a breeder. Look, at the end of the day a dog is a dog and people want what they want. I would never begrudge someone for wanting a purebred dog from a responsible breeder but my heart will quite possibly always be with the rescues!
Photo Credit: Joe Clark Photography