Hundreds of dogs overcome obstacles at Valley agility trials

By Sean Barron

An emphasis should always be on having fun and enjoying the sport, participants said.

WASHINGTONVILLE — If you watched Barbara Glover’s 3-year-old dog, Ziva, you likely saw her running in circles — but definitely getting somewhere.

The animal, however, wasn’t so much determined to remove obstacles from its path as to run on, in and through them.

“[Ziva] has a mind of her own,” said Glover, who drove about 175 miles with her large gray dog from her Friendsville, Md., home to be in a dog agility competition Saturday at the Four Seasons K9 Athletic Center, 2 Painters Path, here.

The free event, which ended Sunday, was put on by the Youngstown All-Breed Training Club and is sanctioned by the American Kennel Club. It was open to the public.

An estimated 200 pure-bred dogs were entered for the agility competition, which is one of the nation’s fastest growing dog sports, officials with the local club say.

Agility is an athletic event that requires training, teamwork, concentration and conditioning. In a typical agility trial, a dog follows cues from its handler through timed obstacle courses with objects such as A-frame devices, chutes, tire jumps, teeter-totters, dog walks and tunnels.

Dozens of people watched one dog and handler at a time run through a course that featured 20 such devices. With more than a touch of choreography, the dogs on cue performed feats that included skirting a table and climbing up and down the teeter-totter as their handlers ran alongside. Many participants were from the area; others came from as far away as Illinois, New York and other states.

Glover’s was one of several dogs to have taken part in one of two e

The easiest class is the novice, which features a simpler course for beginner dogs. The next level is the open, which allows less margin for error and has a more challenging setup, Glover explained.

Even though the ultimate goal is to win a Master Agility Champion ribbon, handlers should have as a top priority enjoyment of the sport, she continued.

“I like doing it because it’s something my dog and I can do together,” Glover said. “It’s fun.”

Deriving pleasure from participation also isn’t lost on Linda Mecklenburg of Mount Gilead, Ohio, who has competed internationally and has a silver medal to her credit.

Mecklenburg, who came with her 2-year-old border collie, Wonder, said she got into the sport about 20 years ago and has seen it flourish since. In the late 1980s, it was common to have only one event per month in the country, she noted, adding that she tries to be in one each weekend.

Mecklenburg was on two teams representing the United States, one each in 2007 and 2008 as part of the Agility World Championships in Norway and Finland. In 2007, her team competed in Norway and took home a silver medal, she recalled.

Mecklenburg’s interest comes from her background in horse-show jumping, which “led me in this direction,” she said, referring to her love for dogs and such competitions.

A beauty of agility trials is that they provide many levels for participants to succeed, Mecklenburg continued. That’s another reason the accent should be on fun and enjoyment, she said.

“You can’t expect perfection overnight,” Mecklenburg added. “I’m constantly working to get better.”

Up to 330 runs are permitted at such competitions, according to AKC rules, noted Stacy Judge, the trial event’s secretary. Participants have to finish three qualified runs in each category to advance to the next and get a ribbon, Judge explained.

Beginning in January, mixed-breed dogs will be able to take part in AKC-sponsored agility trials, she noted.