Best In Show

Dog people are always the best people. Don't know why and I am probably a bit biased, but it is the truth. One of my day job coworkers has been training her dogs to do agility for years, so I wanted to visit a local competition after hearing from her how much fun it is for the dogs and the owners. I went to the Williamson County Agriculture Center south of Franklin to see what this agility was all about.

It turns out it is just a huge playground for dogs that have been appropriately trained. The dogs loved it and agility creates a great way for owners and pets to bond. Several years ago I had a Siberian Husky who was trained to sit, lay down, and "stay," but she didn't get the weaving, tunnel rushing, and jump training. Looking back, the additional training would have helped us both out a lot in the early years. With my husky and goddog in mind this event gave me a great chance to hang out and bond with other people's dogs. I do miss having my husky around to nudge me awake in the morning or in the middle of a nap so she can spin around in circles to tell me she is ready for a walk (one of those tricks you teach without knowing).

There is another agility trial this weekend at the MTSU Livestock Center in Murfreesboro. Anyone can go for free to watch the dogs run, jump, weave and play. The chances of seeing your favorite breed are pretty high, for they all come to the trials. Sadly, no huskies when I went, but I've heard there is one who won a trial a few years back. Oh, and don't forget to leave your fido at home. Only those dogs who are in the trials can show up at the event.

If you want more information about agility in Nashville, contact the Nashville Dog Training Club at www.nashvilledog.org. You can also look at www.pawsabilitiestn.com and www.cleanrun.com for even more information about future events and training.


Nashville Dog Training Club from Jake Stein on Vimeo.