Bay Team rescue stories

From BayTeam

Many Bay Teamers have a soft spot for those dogs unwanted by others—and most rescue dogs give back in ways beyond what we could have imagined. Here are some of their stories.

List of owners/dogs

In alphabetical order by owner's first name.

Amy Kitay's Frankie Andrea Sanfilippo's Gypsy Ann Dahlin's Penny Ann Kitchen's Indy Arlene Watson: Scully - Sparkle Carolyn Allen's Toby Cathy Barber: Buddy - Jesse Cathy Lynch's Willow, Kira, and Travis Celeste Thomas' Keeper Cheri Scannell's Risk Cindy Glantz' Jagger Craig Diskowski's Chilly Dave Connet's Megan Dave Robson's Robbie and Kimberly Diane Blackman: Tanith - Oso - Tsuki - Freeway Ellen Finch: Remington - Jake - Tika Eric and Wendy Bruce's Cheyenne Eric Bruce: JJ - Zac Erika Maurer's Chase Erin Callaghan's Jade Garril Page's Bandit Ginger Cutter's Tam Holly Newman: Jasmine - Zack - Billy Jennifer Jones' Jiff

Jennifer Slater: Tess - Julia - Dutchess - Jack Flash - Keeper Jerry Hereld's Sage Jerry Herzog's Jamie Jil Plummer's Cappuccino Judy Chong: Leia - Jaina Julie Craig's Highway Julie Schepis: Jake - Piper Kathleen Alles' Annie Kathryn Horn's Meiske Katie McCormick's Riggs Laura Hartwick: Ruby - Otterpop - Gustavo Laurel Scarioni: Edgar - Tina Le Ann Elgie: Dakota - Dash - Robson Leslie Halliday's Annie Lloyda French: Frida - Rosie Mandy Books' Ping Margaret Hughes: Ludo - Jellybean MaryAnn Penketh's Teddy Mary Ann Sorich's Kirby Mary Schultz's Ariel Mary Tillinghast Leneis' Abbey Micky Von Broen: Sassy - Kimba Mike Penketh: Magy - Taylor Millie Lee's Shasta Nancy Campanile: Tucker - Maggie Nancy Damarodas' Hawkeye

Nancy Gyes' Toast Nancy Marmol's Little Bear Naomi Harada: Cruiser - Misa - Dufus Natalie Bayless' Roxanna Pat Kaufman's Haley Paulette Czech-Fitzgerald: Freckles - Draco - Daisy Rachelle Carzino's Missi Raymond and Mardee Jang: Ally - Tater Rob Michalski's Rontu Robin Garber's Twix Ron Etherton's Meg Sara McAulay's Miko Sara McAulay's Moxie Sharon Murphy's Sydney Sheila Kolby: Lucky (and Sugar) - Logan - Tory Shirley Donovan's Jake Steve Bettcher: Annie - Micky - Sooty - Tippy Sue Loeffler: Chip - Kelly - Pal Terry LeClair's Jane Wendy Bruce: Indigo - Callie

Amy Kitay

Frankie (Jack Russell Terrier)

My JRT is from JRT rescue. He's not quite ready for competition—a solid recall would help, but he's way cool.

• Date entered: Dec 30 '03
  

Andrea Sanfilippo

Gypsy (Border Collie)

Ann Dahlin

Penny (All American)

Penny was characterized as "too hyper" and I was told she wasn't doing well in her placements and was brought back a few times to the shelter. I, on the other hand, found her to be perfect, loving, and adorable. I told them she could come to my house and be as "hyper" as she wanted. As it turned out, she isn't that hyper afterall. She really just needed somewhere to settle in and call home. She has a lot of energy, but I am very active myself so she is a good match for me. We get along really well. I think of her as having been the hidden jewel at the shelter.

• Date entered: Jan 6 2004
• Date updated: Nov 13, 2007
  

Ann Kitchen

Indy (Australian Cattle Dog)

Indy was a medical rescue. He came into UC Davis vet school (where I work) as a stray 6-week-old puppy who couldn't walk or stand or even lift his head! After some intensive testing it was decided he had had blunt force trauma to the back of the head and was brain damaged. His student doctor thought he was such a special dog he deserved a chance and set out to find someone in the school that would foster the puppy to see if he might have some recovery. Well, he knew a sucker when he saw one and introduced me to the little blue fluff and I said I would work with him for a week and see what I could do. It took two weeks of intensive rehab (physical therapy) to get him so he could right himself and crawl and after 2.5 years he has made an incredible recovery... he blazes about the agility courses without any obvious residual neurologic problems. That's my boy :).

• Date entered: Dec 30 '03

As of November 2007, Indy has earned agility championships in both CPE and USDAA.

• Date updated: Nov 12, 2007 by elf
  

Arlene Watson

Scully (All-American)

We adopted Scully from the Humane Society of Silicon Valley (formerly Santa Clara Humane) when she was one year old. She was a backyard dog with no training. 22 weeks later she had earned her MB-CD. A year after her adoption she had learned all the Utility exercises and was getting bored with obedience. One day Billy Tinsley said, "Why don't you try agility?" And here we are!

• Date entered: Dec 30 '03
• Date entered: Jan 9 '04

As of November, 2007, Scully has earned multiple agility championships and is still competing at the age of 11.

• Date updated: Nov 12, 2007 by elf
  

Sparkle (Chihuahua mix)

On Dec. 30, 2003, this little bundle of energy joined our family courtesy of Nike Animal Rescue Foundation.

Since March I had been in contact with several rescue organizations trying to find a young adult dog that would blend with Scully's personality. One of the foster moms at Nike asked if I would consider a long-legged Chihuahua-mix puppy. The puppy had been found in a park with bite wounds on her neck and shoulders. Surprisingly, she is not afraid of anything. She is a born retriever and is more interested in toys than food. I met with her twice and she was interested in everything but Scully. Scully stayed just out of leash range.

I took the puppy for a structural evaluation by Wendy Wallace. She passed with flying colors! Best guess is she is 13-14 weeks old.

Mixed Breed Club registered name: Diamond in the Rrruff.

• Date entered: Dec 31 '03
• Date entered: Jan 9 '04

Sparkle is now just two qualifying scores away from her USDAA agility Championship.

• Date updated: Oct 16, 2008
  

Carolyn Allen

Toby (Kerry Blue Terrier)

Toby’s first home was with people whose “lifestyle” didn’t really fit with having a dog, so most of the first three years of his life, he was confined to a boat, no exercise, and taught to pee in a kitty litter. His second home was a short-lived time, when growling at a grandchild brought the Kerry rescue people to me, looking for an immediate foster home for him. When he walked through my gate he had no muscle, no coordination, and lots of fear issues. However, upon meeting the two dogs in residence, he decided to do everything in his power to make sure he got to stay in this pack. Agility training was a very good thing for him – with every obstacle he learned, his confidence grew. Muscle came with good exercise, but coordination never did, unfortunately. Although he’s come along way, his fear issues combined with lack of coordination has retired him from an agility career, and he’s now the #1 cuddle buddy of the household. He’s a blue-ribbon champ at that!

• Date entered: Nov 7 2008
  

Cathy Barber

Buddy (Pembroke Welsh Corgi)

Photo Buddy "not the bravest of dogs" Keegan is a rescue I got through breed rescue via Corgi-L, the Internet list for Corgi lovers. He was abused as a puppy and came to me at 2 1/2 years old. He just turned nine and is as frisky and willful as ever. He earned his Novice titles in AKC and NADAC, and only received one Q in USDAA, when we found out he has a chronic pain issue in his back that flares up from time to time. He is now retired and very much in need of a new job.

• Date entered: Dec 30 '03
  

Jesse (ACD mix (with AmStaff))

Jesse "Dingbats Silly Puppy Jesse" will be four in April. She moved in with my housemate when I bought my house two years ago and needed a tenant to share costs. Housemate moved out 7 months later and asked if I would keep Jesse or he'd have to take her to SPCA for placement. Sucker here kept her and never regretted it. She began obedience and agility this year and loves the work. I tried to ILP her for AKC, hah! Not a chance! They returned the check inside two weeks! I guess a brindle, ACD-shaped dog just doesn't cut it as an AmStaff....

• Date entered: Dec 30 '03
  

Cathy Lynch

Willow (Labrador Retriever), Kira (All American), Travis (Flat-coated Retriever)

I love rescues too.. Willow, Kira, and Travis were rescues. Actually Travis was a rehome because his previous owners decided how much better it would be to breed aggressive Goldens, so Travis came to live with me. Willow and Kira came from the Peninsula Humane Society many, many years ago.

• Date entered: Dec 31 '03
  

Celeste Thomas

Keeper (Border Collie)

Four years ago I was checking all the Sonoma County dog pounds, finally wanting to get another dog after twelve years without. I considered many dogs, but none gave me that "gotta have" feeling. At that point, I knew nothing of breed rescue organizations or agility. One day I saw a litter of black and white puppies at the dog pound on Airport Blvd. The sign said "strays - Australian Shepherd X - about 8 weeks old." I couldn't imagine how a whole litter of pups could stray, and they sure looked like Border Collies - three almost all white, three classic black and whites, long tails a-wagging. I noticed the little female laying down in the back of the kennel, calmly observing her brothers wildly jumping up and down at the fence. She looked me over, then looked me in the eye. Her eyes lit up. She grinned, got up and stretched, and walked over to the fence to say hello. For me it was love at first sight. Every day I feel like the luckiest person in the world because she is by my side.

• Date entered: Dec 18 '07
  

Cheri Scannell

Risk (Border Collie)

Photo Risk is my first rescue. He came to me from Sparks Nevada. I'm told he was likely dumped off a ranch, for not being a stellar BC. Risk has taught me a lot of things mostly about myself. We have struggled for years with focus and drive. I thought he was the one who needed work for a long time, until one day I realized that he and I have exactly the same problems. We both have a touch of ADD and we aren't so driven as to ignore heat or fatigue or something going on in the corner that makes us forget what we're doing. Once I realized that, things got easier. I understand him much better now. I can't expect more from him than I do from myself. Once I figured that out, we got better as a team. He is, however inhabited by an alien from outer space named Mr Fluffy. Mr Fluffy uses Risk's body to contact th mother ship on occasion. It's always unfortunate when that occurs in the middle of a run but what can you do? Generally Risk is in control and we have managed to get his ADCH Bronze-LAA Bronze and even some silver and gold so we are occasionally doing something right together. Actually, we do everything right together as long as we're having fun. Cheri

• Date entered: Dec 30 '03
• Date updated: Feb 28 '07
  

Cindy Glantz

Jagger (Sheltland Sheepdog)

Photo Jagger was rescued at seven months old. He had too much "GO" for the previous owners and needed a new home. He's a bundle of energy and speed and has been great for keeping brother Blaze on his toes. He came to me quite sensitive and lacking confidence at times, but you'd never know it now. Agility has changed him for the better. At the age of three, he has achieved his ADCH, Top Ten, won the 2003 Bay Team California Cup, and made the semifinals at the USDAA Championships. Jagger is my morning alarm!

• Date entered: Jan 15, 2004
  

Craig Diskowski

Chilly (American Eskimo)

Chilly came from from Spitz Rescue at 7 months old. He had been ejected from two homes, charged with various crimes including peeing on the carpet. When we got him his name was "Prince," but we changed it to Chilly. So, yes, he is the "Dog Formerly Known As Prince." We started him in agility when he was 4. He went on to get his NATCH and ADCH, win the USDAA Nationals veterans Grand Prix, and Bay Team California Cup in 2001. He's 11 now and retired from agility. Now he chases squirrels and warms furniture, and is enjoying his new career. He's a great, sincere dog, and I am blessed to be his human.

• Date entered: Dec 31 '03
  

Dave Connet

Megan (Australian Shepherd)

Photo Megan came to me through a private adoption. The original family had gotten her as a present for their little girl—who wasn't interested. She spent the first several months of her life totally ignored in a backyard. At 7 months, she came into my life—I know many folks wondered at first whether I would have to put her down—but slowly she came around. We started agility when she was 1 yr old and started competing at 2 1/2. This little ignored girl has now been to 2 National championships this year and she's not quite 5!

• Date entered: Dec 30 '03

To date, Megan has earned five different agility championship titles with Dave.

• Updated: Oct 16, 2008
  

David Robson

Robbie (Sheltie), Kimberly (Sheltie)

Photo Both of my Shetland Sheepdogs are rescue from Sheltie Rescue in the bayarea.

• Date entered: Dec 30 '03
  

Diane Blackman

Tanith (All-American)

Photo I went looking for Tanith. I didn't know her name, of course, or what she would look like. I was just looking for a personality suited to my own. I didn't know I would be getting a dog that would change my life. I knew I wanted an agile dog, one who was willing to try anything, one who liked people and wanted to please. I got exactly what I was looking for, and that never ceased to amaze me. Tanith was the joy of my life. In the morning she gleefully rolled across the bed, legs waving in the air, tail wagging. She gave gentle kisses, and seemed to be saying, "Come on, get up, there's life to live."

• Date entered: Jan 1 '04
• For more info: Dog Play Web site
  

Oso (Street Terrier)

Photo I didn't go looking for Oso. I was driving with Tanith in the back seat and here was this stupid dog standing in the middle of the street, barking. I looked again. Why was this dog standing in the middle of the street and barking? In the bushes was another dog lying down. Was it injured? I called a friend to come and help then I put a slip leash around the first dog. He had no collar and a scruffy look. The dog lying down suddenly got up and walked off casually. That left me holding onto a big scruffy dog. Should I turn it loose? No, I couldn't turn it loose to the fates of the streets. When my friend arrived, he took Tanith in his car. I put this unknown quantity, the scruffy mutt, in my car and we drove them home. I put him in the backyard; he objected with loud piercing barks. I brought him inside. Tanith didn't hesitate. It was love at first sight. I was confounded. I had been thinking that I needed a larger dog; Tanith is just not very threatening. But this wire-haired, big-footed beast? OH! Yes! was Tanith's response. So Oso stayed and has won my heart.

• Date entered: Jan 1 '04
• For more info: Dog Play Web site
  

Tsuki (McNab Border Collie)

Photo I had decided that since Tanith and Oso were so close in age (about two months apart) I wanted to get a third dog by the time they were nine. I figured that was young enough for them to handle a young upstart, but far enough apart to give a good spread. The problem was how was I going to find a dog that would fit in? I wanted a dog with the confidence and spirit to suit me, but one that would be accepted by two fairly dominant dogs. I never for a moment thought about getting a puppy. For one thing puppies are a heck of a lot of work. For another I'm committed to rescue dogs and puppies are not so easy to get.

Then I heard that a friend was fostering two puppies for Northern California Border Collie rescue. They had come from a litter of six puppies dumped in the pound at the tender age of five weeks! I had long ago decided I was not getting a Border Collie because, well, because my Mom expected that with my interest in agility I would get one. Despite myself, puppy fever began to yank on me. In desperation I called my sister to talk me out of it. Bah! she was useless. "So, what's the problem?" she asked. The thing is, she was right. Never was I in a better position to make a good home for a very young puppy. For one thing I was working at a job that permitted us to bring pets. That meant I wouldn't have to leave the puppy at home all day. For another thing Oso absolutely adores kittens. So I thought with a very young puppy he might be more accepting. He really has turned out remarkably well. I could not have even imagined that things would go as smoothly nor that he would be as fine a fit in this family as he is. Tanith accepted him right away. Oso ran from him for the first several weeks. I think he was afraid of damaging it and simply didn't know how to handle a puppy. When Tsuki got older and more sturdy they began to play. Now they are best buddies.

• Date entered: Jan 1 '04
• For more info: Dog Play Web site
  

Freeway (All American)

Photo

In April 2003 I lost my heart dog Tanith to hemangiosarcoma. And in January 2004 I lost my therapy dog Oso due to spinal problems. That left Tsuki with no canine companion, although he did have the cats. While Tsuki handled the new state well, I knew he must be bored and lonely while I was working during the day. So I put the word out that I was looking for a new therapy dog to join our family.On Sunday July 25, I got my first glimmer of a potential candidate. Shortly thereafter, Tsuki and I drove out to meet him. I don't know what I was expecting. I hadn't asked any questions about his physical appearance. I was somewhat surprised at the block headed black and white dog. After meeting him briefly I decided it was time for Tsuki to meet him. Tsuki was unimpressed. Tsuki almost never growls at neutered dogs, but he had a low rumble for this one. Freeway didn't care. He just seemed to shrug :"Okay so you don't want to play." I decided to take Freeway home.The person who found him did so as Freeway had been getting on the freeway. Amid screeching brakes his rescuer stopped for him and offered him a ride. He barely paused before accepting it. He had a too tight collar, no tags, no tattoo or microchip, and was dragging a length of baling twine. When introduced to "inside" he seemed unfamiliar with it. Best guess was that he was between 1 and 3 years old.Freeway has what a good therapy dog needs. A basic imperturbability. He takes things as they comes, and he doesn't seem to expend any energy on mere worry. It is interesting how much Freeway resembles Tsuki in a distorted kind of way. It's like looking at Tsuki in a fun house mirror. Everything about Freeway is slightly coarser - blockier head, more bone, shorter legs, shorter back. But he is a very very sweet dog. I think this is going to work out fine.

• Date entered: Oct 7 2004
• For more info: Dog Play Web site
  

Ellen Finch

Remington (Squirrelhund)

NATCH Remington (the late, great) lived alone in a back yard, never played with, never in the house, sometimes no water. A neighbor saw him from her balcony week after week. She finally approached the owner, who said his kid would be heart-broken if he got rid of the dog, but how about if she came over while they weren't home and took the dog? (Great owner/parent, huh?) So she did. She'd have kept him except he had too much energy and she didn't know what to do with him. He came to me through Nike Animal Rescue at 9 months. And boy, he had a lot of energy compared to my previous dogs!

• More photos, cancer diary: Remington's Page
• Date entered: Dec 18 '03
• Date updated: Jan 6 2004
  

Jake (Semidachshund)

Photo ADCH, O-NATCH, ATCH, APD, CATCH Jake ended up at Nike Animal Rescue somehow, and was adopted by 2 or 3 families who each brought him back because he had too much energy and they didn't know what to do with him. Pam Hartley (dog trainer) fostered him along with her other 7 dogs until she gave it all up for Lent, when Nancy Gyes (another dog trainer) fostered him. He was 7 when we finally teamed up. Sheesh, and I thought Remington had a lot of energy!

• More photos: Jake's Page
• Date entered: Dec 18 '03
• Date updated: Oct 7 2004

Jake earned multiple agility championships and continued competing until the age of 15.

• Date updated: Nov 12, 2007 by elf
  

Tika (Aussie Probably)

Champion-to-be (I hope!) Tika arrived at the humane society at 3 months--lady didn't have time for a puppy with so much energy. A family adopted her but returned her 3 months later--she had too much energy and they didn't know what to do with her so they "had to keep her in a crate ALL the time." She was so wild that the humane society couldn't complete her medical exam, so they called North Bay Canine Rescue, who called Gina Campodonico to foster her, who knew I was looking for an agility dog, so she called me--Tika was beautiful, and she loved playing tug of war, and then she'd just settle in and snuggle right up to me. What a sweetheart, despite that barking barking barking issue-- But, oh, man oh man oh man, I thought Jake had a lot of energy!

• More photos: Tika's Page
• Date entered: Dec 18 '03
• Date updated: Jan 6 2004

Tika has, to date, earned her CPE agility championship and a triple (bronze) championship in USDAA, won high-in-trial in her division at the 2006 CPE National Championships and appeared in the USDAA National Championship Team Finals in 2006. And she's a sweet, loving, intelligent dog.

• Date updated: Oct 16, 2008 by elf
  

Eric and Wendy Bruce

Cheyenne (Australian Cattle Dog)

JJ had some behavioral issues, so we thought he was lonely and we contacted breed rescue to get another (what we now know is an Australian Cattle Dog). A few weeks later, we adopted a 6-year-old female named Cheyenne. A few months later we found agility and there the addiction started. We thought we were getting Cheyenne in her twilight years; HA! That was in 1995; she started an agility career at age 8, really came into her own at about 11, and competed regularly until she was 13. Now queen of the couch, she doesn't seem to care that she is deaf or losing her sight and she will continue to rule our pack as long as she draws breath.

• Date entered: Jan 15 '05
  

Eric Bruce

JJ (Australian Cattle Dog)

Photo

We both wanted a dog, trouble was we wanted different things in a dog. I wanted a big dog, a guard dog; Eric wanted something that wouldn't eat us out of house and home and he wanted a dog to play with. We agreed on some things--the dog would live outdoors and not have any major grooming requirements.

The docent at the animal shelter asked if we had heard of blue heelers. We said no. She told us two blue heeler stories, one of their bravery and one of their playfulness and smarts. She introduced us to a small, one-year-old, blue, tailless dog with a captivating face and big, black ears that operated like radar.

We took him home that day. It took several days to name him, but he liked to jump--for the hose, a ball, or simply for joy--so we named him Jumpin' Jack Flash--you all know him as JJ.

• Date entered: Jan 15 '05
  

Zac (Border Collie)

As JJ reached his 10th birthday, and having earned his ADCH and NATCH, Eric had been looking for his next dog, a Border Collie, for months. I was reluctant to get a BC and did not want a puppy. At Thanksgiving 2003, we lost our fuzzy-love-dog, Pippin (Aussie), our only nonrescue. As we traveled home from Washington, with his crate empty, we stopped off at Pat Kaufman's house, near Chico, to see a BC, Ben, that she was trying to place. Ben had more problems than we could deal with., so we returned him to Pat at work (she operates an animal blood bank in Dixon). All Pat's employees had said they weren't interested in a BC, so Pat hadn't taken him to work before. Eric walked in the front door with Ben and one of Pat's employees (a Rottweiler person) instantly connected with Ben. Inside a week he was sleeping on her bed and left all his many phobic behaviors behind. They were meant to be together. Pat and I like to think that the empty crate was Pippin's gift to Ben; Pat lives about 2 hours north of where she works and these two might otherwise never have met.

Meanwhile, Jim Basic had posted an email to Bay Team about a young BC who had not worked out with herding or with search and rescue. We took him for a month's trial basis over the Christmas holidays. We were driving to Tucson and Los Angeles for a couple of weeks and decided if he could handle the travelling with 3 cattle dogs and 3 parrots he would probably make a good fit. I wasn't ready to let a new dog into my heart; it was just a few short weeks since we lost Pippin. I let Eric handle all of his care. One day Eric was busy so I took Zac for a walk. Suddenly he sat down in the middle of the street and wouldn't move. I thought something was wrong and as I bent down to see what was the matter he leaned against my leg and looked up at me, letting out a sigh as I stroked his chest. That was it—he found his way into my heart. Zac wasn't a rescue like the others were; he was never without a loving home. To our great delight and surprise, once we completed the adoption and got Zac's papers, we found that he had been bred by friends of ours, so we delight in meeting up with his breeder, his mom, and littermate at all the local trials. Some things are just meant to be. Zac had had some early introduction to agility in his puppyhood and quickly took to training. Keep your eye out for this wonderful young dog!

• Date entered: Jan 15 '05
  

Erika Maurer

Chase (Australian Shepherd)

Photo I owe you a rescue story on Chase ... I'm very proud when people are surprised that Chase was listed at North Bay Canine Rescue ... he seems so innocent and wonderful ... NOW.  :-).

• Date entered: Jan 7 2004
  

Erin Callaghan

Jade (All American)

You're right - Jade is a rescue! She started her life as Lady and went through several homes until she came into one of our training classes. I saw her potential immediately - HA, HA! She has been a handful from the day I got her but no one could love her more than I do. Those of you who have seen her in agility know that she has an evil twin, Nora. Nora doesn't come around much anymore and Jade has retired from her short agility career but we certainly were entertaining when she was showing!

• Date entered: Dec 30 '03
  

Garril Page

Bandit, Kep, Cali, Kiri (Border Collies)

All my dogs are rescues except for POP. Bandit, ADCH/NATCH/MACH, UD, HCT, CGC; Kep NUTZ; Cali, (we are working on it); and Kiri.

• Date entered: Dec 30 '03
  

Ginger Cutter

Tam (English Shepherd)

Photo Tam picked us out of a line-up at the Peninsula Humane Society by placing her paw on my husband's shoulder as he knelt down next to her pen. John just looked at me and said "This is the one!" She was a year and a half and had just had a litter of pups, not to be found anywhere. When they spayed her before coming home with us, they found a large lump in one of her mammary glands that was found to be malignant. So we were given the option of bringing her back...but after 1 week of being with us-- no way! She had her operation and has been cancer free now for 7.5 years.

She was our "child-simulator" and it worked out okay as we now have our 5 yr old human to show for it. She still runs agility in vets now and enjoys every moment of it.

• Date entered: Dec 30 '03
  

Holly Newman

Jasmine (Greater Brown Hüber Hound)

Photo We decided we were ready for a big-dog puppy and headed off to the Marin Humane Society to choose between two pups from each of two litters. After several visits, we decided on a quiet 13.5 lb shepherd mix named Jasmine. We hadn't heard of agility, we were just looking for a companion.

Our first glimpse of agility was in May 1998, when 4-month-old Jasmine and I went to the MHS Games event for some socialization and a good time. That was the year Sarah Johnson and Cruiser won the Iron Dog medal for the highest total score across 5 events (including agility). In 1999, we returned to the MHS Games and watched in awe as they repeated their feat. At that time, I thought Sarah was clearly a legend and Cruiser was obviously the most brilliant dog on the planet.

Of course, once I got involved in agility, I learned that in fact they represented a vast network of equally terrific people and brilliant dogs. I should also add that Margaret Hughes and her Pom Jelly Bean performed their famous Kleenex trick in the Silly Pet Tricks competition at this event.

Jasmine still doesn't quite understand why she should be asked to contort her long lanky body through the weave poles, but she seems to be having fun overall and we'll keep doing it as long as that is the case.

• Date entered: Jan 6 2004
• Many more photos: Jasmine Photos page

To date, Jasmine has earned her USDAA championship, several Bronzes and Silvers beyond that, and is still competing.

• Updated: Oct 16, 2008
  

Zack (Border Collie)

Photo I didn't really mean to get Zack - I was starting to think about a second dog as Jasmine got older, but I wasn't really ready yet. But I found myself at the MHS again on Dec 30 2001, donating my old car for the tax write-off. I decided to take a walk through the kennels (my favorite form of self-torture) and see what was there.

Zack was there. A beautiful 1-yo red border collie, bigger and taller than the usual (50lbs, 23"). We locked eyes, and that was that. Well not quite. Actually I got all of my friends and their dogs involved with the adoption to make sure everyone approved. And since the MHS knew he might be difficult to place, they agreed to waive their strict rules and let me foster him for two weeks before committing. Except for the carsickness (which he has overcome - whew) and his obvious lack of social skills, he passed.

What I didn't realize is that the shelters obviously have a class for the dogs that the unsuspecting public doesn't know about - called "How to Hold Yourself Together and Hide Your Faults for Two Weeks so Your Prospective Guardian Takes You Anyway." Yes, he has issues. But I love him and he adores me, so we're dealing with them. Hopefully someday he'll be able to compete, even if only at Elk Grove with a fence around the arena.

• Date entered: Jan 6 2004

As of November, 2007, Zack is not only competing in agility, he is now in the Advanced level in USDAA.

• Date updated: Nov 12, 2007 by elf
  

Billy (Sorta Collie)

Photo This time around, we had been looking for a dog for quite some time. We've "interviewed" a few prospects, but none have worked out for a variety of reasons.

Then along came Billy, who was picked up in Madera as a stray and held for 10 days (which is about the lifespan limit there). Then he was hand-delivered to Jeanne Clark in Chico by one of the Madera shelter volunteers. Jeanne is one of the wonderful folks who fosters and cares for dogs in Border Collie Rescue of Northern California. She nursed him through a wicked bout of kennel cough for a month, and then posted him on the website just in time for me to see during a routine check. Rich and I drove up to Chico on 10/25/08 to pick him up, and four days later he passed his orthopedic evaluation with flying colors. Yay!

He's a really nice boy, with an adorable face and a sweet disposition. He has already won over the alpha bitch Jasmine and has successfully engaged her in short spurts of play and chase. Zack still isn't sure about him, but Zack isn't ever sure about any changes like this. Billy is persistent and adaptable in his play efforts, and they soon found common ground in the game of tug. Most importantly, Zack hasn't had any negative reaction to him since the moment they met. This says a lot about Billy, in that he didn't do anything (like stare or give a hard eye) that would typically set Zack off. This bodes well for Billy's future dog interactions.

He's young and playful, curious but not obsessive. He has shown no signs of separation anxiety, travels quietly while crated in the car, and settles well in his crate at night. He responded almost instantly to the clicker and has learned to offer new behaviors with just a few repetitions. I'm really looking forward to training him for agility.

• --Hnewman 13:41, 10 November 2008 (EST)

Jennifer Jones

Jiff (Border Collie)

I started to look for a border collie when it became clear that my father was soon going to die from cancer. I thought having a new life around me would help me cope with my sadness. I saw a neat red and white boy (7 mo) with prick ears on the Washington/Oregon Border collie rescue web site but wasn't sure I wanted to go with a rescue. A couple of days later, I went back to the site and saw that he was adopted. I was sad and kept thinking about him. For some reason, I checked the site a few days later and it said he was back! I knew I had to find out about him.

Long story short, he had been purchased as a puppy from a couple in eastern Wa, who ran a cattle auction house. The first owners went through a divorce, moved to Seattle, felt they couldn't care for him in the city and turned him into the local humane society. They did care for him well, his primary owner was a 13 year old girl. They told me they took him to the "best dog whisperer" in Seattle for training and gave him a spoonful of peanut butter each night before he went to bed. I found this out AFTER I decided to name him Jiff; his original name was Riley! He was then briefly adopted (for 2 days) by a guy who got Jiff home and found that he didn't want to sit in the yard all day by himself when there was a school full of elementary kids playing with balls across the street and a 2-foot fence between him and the kids! (How shocking!)

I asked Sandra Katzen (an agility friend up there) to check him out for me. She did, sent her approval and even picked him up and took him to the airport for me. By the time I got him, he'd lived in at least 5 different places in less than 1 month. None the less he came out of the crate unscathed and rapidly adjusted to our family.

My Dad died a couple of weeks after I got Jiff and I know having a new life in the house with during that time was tremendous therapy for me. Jiff is a great dog. He's fun to have around and easy to live with. I wish he weren't quite so careful in agility, but it gives us something to continue to work on.

• Date entered: Oct 7 2004
  

Jennifer Slater

Tess (NZ heading dog/BC cross)

[now retired]. She was in a litter being checked into the North Shore animal shelter on Long Island when my ex-husband scooped her up. She taught me all about agility (not to mention obsessive behavior!). Now at 12 she still loves to do weaves and tunnels but is sadly very arthritic.

• Date entered: Dec 30 '03
  

Julia (all american)

Pound pup - adopted at about 15 months old from Bennington County Pound in Vermont. She was terrified of everything. Now she's a little love - learned to socialize through all her wonderful agility friends.

• Date entered: Dec 30 '03
  

Dutchess (border collie)

Adopted at 3 years old from Northern NY Border Collie Rescue. Spent her previous life on a chain - it was tough to convince her that it's OK to run. She's still pretty slow, but what a long way she's come!

• Date entered: Dec 30 '03
  

Jack Flash (australian shepherd)

Adopted as a 12-week-old baby from Calaveras County pound - and nursed through a horrendous case of parvo - he's my miracle child.

• Date entered: Dec 30 '03
  

Keeper (border collie)

[also breed champion, UD, but not with me]. Adopted at the age of 6 from her previous owner who didn't like her - hard to imagine since she's about prefect - a sweet little working dog.

• Date entered: Dec 30 '03
  

Jerry Hereld

Sage (Border Collie)

Photo Sage was born on an Arabian Horse Ranch in Turlock, CA, and one day as small pup, about 8-9 months, she got into a corral with the rancher's prize Arabian and chased him into a barbed wire fence. Of course the old fart got upset and evicted her. A local school teacher got wind of this and set out to rescue her and did. She finally got Sage away from the rancher and through a couple of intermediate stops got her to North Bay Rescue (Patti and Charles Frest). It was through my retired ophthalmologist, the late Linda Borlick, that I finally ended up with Sage. She will be six in February.

• Date entered: Jan 5 2004
• Date updated: Jan 17 2004
  

Jerry Herzog

Jamie (Smooth-Coat Border Collie)

Photo Jamie was said to be 1 1/2 years old when I got her from the Santa Clara Humane Society (now called Humane Society of Silicon Valley). She was a timid shy little girl afraid of almost everything, but we have had a blast these last three years and she's gained a lot of confidence. Aren't rescues great!

• Date entered: Jan 5 2004
  

Jil Plummer

Cappuccino (Border Collie)

Cappuccino was disowned by his breeder because the pup was a brother/sister mistake. He was given to a woman who trains herding and, as she had no time to spare, was shut in a pen in a barn for several months with no exercise at all.

I was at a trial when someone told me about him. I'd been sort of thinking of getting another tiny black-and-white Border Collie pup like Seamus—and—well, to cut a long story short, in a couple of days I had a very big six-month-old BC on a month's trial. After two days I had my name tattooed on his thigh and he was mine! I wouldn't trade him for the world.

• Date entered: Dec 30 '03
  

Judy Chong

Leia (All American)

Leia (retired agility dog) was rescued as a puppy whose pregnant mother was fostered by the SFSPCA and then placed in the hearing dog program.

• Date entered: Dec 30 '03
  

Jaina (breed)

Jaina (couchpotato) was a rescue. She was found wandering in a field and ended up in the Fremont shelter.

• Date entered: Dec 30 '03
  

Julie Craig

Highway (Border Collie)

[The story as Ellen heard it.] Bill and Renee Newcomb almost ran over a border collie as they were driving along a rural highway. They got out, and the dog ran over to them and was the sweetest little girl with no identification. After investigating whether she already had an owner, she became a rescue dog.

We all knew that Julie needed a fast dog who loved doing agility, and apparently the match was made.

• Date entered: Jan 1 2004
• Date updated: Jan 6 2004

Highway has earned her USDAA agility championship and, at the age of 10, is still competing and having a good time.

• Updated: Oct 16, 2008
  

Julie Schepis

Jake (All American)

Jake was sitting in a glass cubicle at the Capital Area Humane Society in Columbus, Ohio. He was surrendered because he was "too much work," according to the informational sheet in front of his cube. He really was adorable, but all he wanted to do was sniff and chew. As a graduate student at Ohio State, Julie felt that she had no time for a dog, but often hung out at the shelters to pass time and pet the puppies. But Jake caught her attention because of his cute face, so she put him on "hold" to think about it. She came back the next day to say, "no thank you," and when she walked in the door the worker said that she was so glad that Julie came back because she knew this was a good match and so they upped his castration to that day so Julie could take him home tomorrow. The lady was so excited that Julie just said o.k. and left in a daze. Having absolutely no clue about herding breeds or much anything dog, she was in for a big surprise as the energetic pup ran around constantly and nipped at her heels and butt and anything else that moved. Someone at the dog park told her about agility and she started training when he was a year old. It took almost 3 years of training and fun matches and several false-start trials before Jake would stay in the ring and play the game Julie's way. Now Jake can be found at many CPE trials having a great time.

• Date entered: Feb 5 2008
  

Piper (All American)

After the first accidental shelter stop/ family addition, you would think that a person would learn to avoid their weaknesses. At a fun match at ARF in Walnut Creek, Julie thought she would walk in to check out the facility. Growing up with German Shepherds, Julie had a childhood dream of having a black one (not sure why). She walked in that day and a black German Shepherd mix was sitting in a plastic chair looking too human for words. She called her boyfriend (now husband) to tell him about the find. He said, "We don't need any more animals." Julie agreed. Brian came later to watch the fun match and the black dog had the same effect on him when he saw her. The informational sign said "a very shy dog for a dog-savvy home." Maybe it was because they smelled like dog and had treats in their pockets, but Piper wasn't shy with them for even an instant and she bonded with Jake after about 30 seconds. Jake is very particular about his dog friends, so it seemed like a sign. She still is a bit shy and uncertain, but having an outgoing brother and agility has really brought her out of her shell and she has started competing in CPE!

• Date entered: Feb 5 2008
  

Kathleen Alles

Annie (Border Collie)

From Kathleen's web site:

In 2002, Kathleen rescued "Annie," an eleven month old Border Collie. Annie has the C-ATCH championship title in CPE and the ADCH-Silver Championship title and Tournament Masters-Platinum titles in USDAA. In 2005, Annie was a finalist in Dog Agility Masters Team competition at the USDAA National competition held in Scottsdale, Arizona.

• Date entered: Oct 16 2008

Kathryn Horn

Meiske (Kelpie Mix)

Photo Adopted from the Oakland SPCA to be my next couch potato. Instead, she introduced me to dog sports (obedience, then agility). She was at the first agility trial ever in this area and traveled extensively across the country with me to compete. (One had to do that back then!) She was the 3rd dog in the country (first small dog and first mixed breed dog) to earn the ADCH/NATCH, the only two championship titles available at the time. She placed 2nd in her class at the USDAA Nationals in 1992 and 1st in her class at the NADAC Nationals in 1995.

• Date entered: Dec 30 '03
  

Katie McCormick

Riggs (Labrador Retriever)

Photo We got Riggsie when he was a year and a half old, when he retired from the show ring because of a heart murmur. When we had had him just a year, he was diagnosed with hemangiosarcoma. The tumor was in his hip, and his left hind leg had to be amputated. He was given four months to live.

From the first week I had Riggsie, I knew he was going to be a once-in-a-lifetime dog. I just never knew that our time together was going to be so short.

Ten days after Riggsie's left hind leg was amputated, we took him on his first post-surgery off leash walk. He hobbled along. It was painful to watch. Then he looked down the hill and saw a stream. Before I could stop him, he raced down the hill on his three legs to plunge into the water. That was Riggsie. All he wanted was to get back to being a dog.

Riggsie lived 16 months with hemangiosarcoma, defying the doctors' expectations. We packed a lifetime of love and joy into those months. Even through chemo, Riggsie lived every day to the fullest. I remember one time we were on a camping trip, and the dogs were swimming in the pond. A young Vizsla showed up and joined in. I threw a ball into the pond, and the Vizsla was first in the water. Not to be outdone, Riggsie jumped in after him and surged past him to get the ball.

Riggsie was never an agility star. In his short career, he competed in one AKC trial and two CPE trials. He never earned a title. His biggest agility accomplishment was winning a stuffed elephant for taking first place in AKC Preferred JWW. But Riggsie was an amazing athlete in his own right. On his first leash walk after his amputation, he startled me by doing a handstand since it was the only way he could manage to lift his leg. From that point on, it became a standard part of his repertoire. When people met Riggsie for the first time on our morning walks, their standard response was to gasp "He only has three legs!" Watching him run and swim, you would never know.

Knowing Riggsie and going through his illness was the most profound experience of my life. It changed me forever. I was honored to know and love him.

Riggsie, you are my angel. Thank you for coming into my life.

"We who choose to surround ourselves with lives even more temporary than our own, live within a :fragile circle, easily and often breached.

Unable to accept its awful gaps, we still would live no other way.

We cherish memory as the only certain immortality,

never fully understanding the necessary plan." Irving Townsend

• Riggsie's website

• Date entered: Oct 7 2004
• Date updated: Feb 5 2008
  

Laura Hartwick

Ruby (All American)

Ruby came from a shelter where I used to volunteer. She was basically a feral terrier, and for some reason I thought I should bring her home with me. She was dog aggressive and could do things like get food off the top of our the refrigerator. I had never done agility before, and we took a "Just for Fun" class, trying to find a way to tire her out and train her at the same time. It worked! Ruby runs in performance now, and is such a good dog.

• Date entered: Nov 3 2008
  

Otterpop (All American)

Otterpop came from the side of the road. She had been spotted out on a country road chasing cars for a couple days, along with a big dog. A friend of a friend captured her, and they thought she was Ruby. I went out to take a look. She liked chasing balls, cars, and looked like Ruby. Her unique personality didn't make her seem like a real adoptable candidate for the shelter, so I brought her home. She lives for frisbees, chasing sticks at the beach, and almost has her ADCh.

• Date entered: Nov 3 2008
  

Gustavo (All American)

Gustavo came back from Juarez, Mexico with a group of vets that go down to spay and neuter and teach human euthanasia methods to animal control down there, and always bring back some street dogs with them to the central coast. A lady I know was fostering him, and I knew from the second I saw him that he was a super special dog. And super fast. She was looking for a home for him that could accommodate his "high energy personality." We thought maybe he was a border collie/ chihuahua. When we tried to do a dog DNA test on him, he came up as Untested Breed. Whatever he is, he is one the sweetest dogs I've ever met, and has been my biggest training challenge. He started trialing this year and is doing awesome, and is also a Pet Assisted Therapy Dog.

• Date entered: Nov 3 2008
  

Laurel Scarioni

Edgar (Border Terrier)

Edgar the Border Terrier adopted from Border Terrier Rescue May of 2005 at 1 year of age. Edgar was found wandering the streets of LA and ended up at Animal Control. He was pulled from the shelter by Border Terrier Rescue, and I managed to convince my husband to drive to LA with me and adopt him! When we arrived to meet him, I knelt down and he put his paws on my leg and leaned his head on my chest. It was love at first sight! I had been out of the agility world for a few years, but I decided to see if Edgar would like to learn the game. Happily for both of us, he thinks agility is a blast!

• Date entered: Nov 4 2008
  

Tina (All American)

Tina the All American was adopted from the Petaluma Animal Shelter in 1996. This 1 year old mix was terrified of people, but one of the staff took a liking to her and conned me (another staff member) into taking her on as a project. Well, Tina came a long way in our first years together and one day at the dog park when she was 3 years old, someone said that she would be a good agility dog. I knew nothing about agility, but looked into it... and the rest is history! At 13 1/2 years old with cataracts and arthritis, Tina is retired from competition but still enjoys playing a little agility now and then!

• Date entered: Nov 4 2008
  

Le Ann Elgie

Dakota (Border Collie)

Dakota was adopted at age 8 weeks from border collie rescue. She was a bright and healthy pup with a brilliant future in training. No one would have known or even suspected the health issues to come. She was brilliant in puppy training (foundational/groundwork in agility and sheep herding) and showed an extremely promising future in any performance sport.

By 4 months of age, it was apparent that something was wrong. Dakota had lost a substantial amount of her fur on her eyes and legs; she didn't appear is if she felt well and she appeared uncomfortable a lot of the time. Despite very good nutrition, she was weak, sickly, thin and did not appear healthy. She was initially treated for an array of skin issues, however, the fur continued to fall off. Vet appointment after vet appointment provided no cure for her skin issues. Once the issues were really out of control, and her skin had opened up into oozing, bloody sores all over her body, she was diagnosed with dermatomyositis (DM), a genetic collie disease affecting skin and muscles. At this point, I began consultation with Texas A and M DM lab, in conjunction with Dakota's own vet. Dakota was placed on a very heavy cocktail of supplements and a human circulatory medication, Trental. While showing marked improvement over the next 11 months, Dakota still has small patches of hair loss and small patches where the skin follicles died from the disease and will not regenerate.

In the meantime, at about 5-6 months old, Dakota went lame on her front leg. She had had an accidental jump from a deck which was attributed to the cause. She was placed on 6 weeks bedrest, which is always a challenge for a young border collie. She was also placed on sedatives to help facilitate this process and she instantly had a very adverse reaction to the sedatives, kicking her dermatomyositis into high gear again, and thus losing large amounts of fur again. After 6 weeks of bedrest, Dakota seemed better for a few weeks/month, however, she later went lame again. Her condition was such that she could not stand, could not get herself up from a down/seated position, and needed stairs to get onto the bed. It was suggested that her condition might worsen to the inevitable. A whole panel of x-rays was conducted and Dakota was diagnosed with shoulder osteochondritis and hip dysplasia. At this point, because she could barely move, but really wanted to be a young border collie, I sought consult after consult with professionals to determine what to do. Dakota was seen in numerous places and began hydrotherapy to provide her with exercise. It was later determined that she needed surgery for the shoulder osteochondritis, however, she was unable to undergo anasthesia due to the state of her dermatomyositis. It began to be a race for her health as the longer the surgery was prolonged, the worse arthritis could set into the joint, however, rushing to surgery could end fatally if the dermatomyositis was not at a stable state. Hours of consults, xrays, diagnoses, treatment, trips to specialists, research and thousands of dollars later (8K to be exact), Dakota's dermatomyositis was improving and it was looking like she might be able to undergo surgery, however the least invasive, most state of the art surgical methods were imperative due to her weakened condition. Many miracles were then to follow, including Dr. Andrew Sams of Mill Valley, an orthopaedic and arthroscopic surgeon, who completed Dakota's surgery with huge success....Sarah Johnson, who helped tirelessly towards Dakota's rehabilitation....the Starfleet Canine Aid Foundation who contributed generous assistance towards the cost of the surgery.....Dr. Carol Jean Tillman at Geary Veterinary Hospital in Walnut Creek who gave countless hours of consultation and assistance, the Canine Rehabilitation Center in Walnut Creek who tried to help Dakota through hydrotherapy prior to surgery...the list goes on...for miles.... Today, Dakota is one year post surgery. After months of rehabilitation, exercises, retraining muscles, teaching jumping, etc., Dakota is finally competing at the novice level in jumpers, predominantly NADAC at thist point, with high hopes to also compete in AKC and USDAA. Although 2 years and 2 months old, developmentally and muscularly, she is a very young pup still due to all of the health problems, and often struggles to find the coordination to make it all happen. The perseverance, dedication and love for what she does is unparalleled in this pup...she is a daily inspiration to myself and my other dogs in our agility endeavours....and there is a not a night that goes by, that we don't all give thanks to the stars...and wish on one more, for Dakota.

• Date entered: Nov 4 2008
  

Dash (Border Cattle Dog)

Robson (Boston Terrier)

Leslie Halliday

Annie (Kelpie mix)

Annie. She came by way of a friend in Healdsburg when she was 9-12 months old. She is, ahhh challenging, to say the least, and LOVES agility. Some day you will see us running and jumping and contacting (in some sort of controlled chaos) in the Bay Team trials!

• Date entered: Dec 31 '03
  

Lloyda French

Frida (German Shepherd mix)

Photo Frida, now 9 years old, was picked up as a stray by the Peninsula Humane Society in February 1995. Having recently bought a house, I was now looking for a dog - my first since I was a child. I had been to several rescue organizations but no dog really seemed right. Frida had been at the shelter for almost a month when I showed up in March and was probably within a week of euthanasia. She was sharing a kennel run with another dog but when I stooped down and saw her I knew I'd probably found the right one. She agreed because she didn't hesitate to come to me (and has always had a very reliable recall). As we took her outside, it was apparent she was also house trained and pretty mellow (I had an 11-year-old with me to test that). I took her home and have been proud of her ever since. In a medical x-ray to evaluate something else, we found BBs lodged on both sides of her. While they don't cause any problems, it does indicate that she had been shot at multiple times. Frida was my impetus to start dog training. I had no idea how addictive it all would be. We joined the Mixed Breed dog club and got to know lots of great dogs and their handlers. Frida never has liked the obedience ring where the judge follows too closely for her comfort. Agility turned out to be a great venue for her. She has completed Novice titles in NADAC and CPE. While definitely a Velcro dog, she runs very cleanly if mom just directs her correctly Today, she is retired from the agility ring but is quite happy to run through tunnels and go over the dog walk for treats. She remains the beautiful alpha of our house.

• Date entered: Oct 7 2004
  

Rosie (Border Collie)

Photo Rosie, my 2-year-old border collie, comes from Northern California Border Collie rescue and joined our home in August 2003. I knew Frida's agility days were coming to a close and was looking for a new agility partner - one that might not be so Velcro. I had to pass up on one dog that came to my trainer's attention but, just a week or so later, Rosie came into BC rescue. She had been turned into Sacramento SPCA when BC rescue found her - also days before she would have been euthanized. After a week with one foster house, she was sent to a foster home in Chico - to someone who also runs in agility. The Chico foster mom had known I was looking for an agility dog and felt Rosie would fit the long criteria I had sent. One Saturday, the whole household drove to Chico to meet her - my partner and me along with Frida and Red-dog, my partner's toy poodle. Rosie was a winner in all our eyes and I returned two weeks later to take her home. We had a bumpy start as Rosie adjusted to things and we adjusted to life with a young border collie. Today - all of us are very attached to this great girl (including the dogs). She's still green in agility but we got our first jumper's leg at the recent Bay Team USDAA trial. She already does things I never could persuade Frida to do. She is definitely an impetus for me to learn to be a better, faster handler.

• Date entered: Oct 7, 2004
  

Mandy Book

Ping (Boxer)

Photo New puppy Ping is from the Humane Society Silicon Valley. I was checking out boxers for a couple of families that were looking for a new one. Of course when I saw her (all skin and bones and wiggle!) I instantly fell in love. Needless to say, she went home with me instead of being placed with another family.

• Date entered: Jan 5 2004
• Date updated: Oct 7 2004
  

Margaret Hughes

Ludo (Shih Tzu)

Ludo is from the Marin Humane Society. Ludo, my 8+ old Shih Tzu (yes he was ILP'd as a Shih Tzu and is in fact a purebred Shih Tzu with very long legs and body) came into the shelter twice with his sister. He and his sister would dig out under the fence. The first time he went back to his original owner and I remember watching him being dragged across the parking lot to their car. The second time he came in, they couldn't afford to get them out and left both of them there. Ludo has been my teacher dog for a lot of things. He was dog aggressive when I got him and would attack all intact male dogs. I still have to watch him around large intact male dogs, but if introduced properly, he is excellent. I wasn't going to do agility with him, because he had such a hard time with obedience, but he soon was running past Jellybean and became my "fun" dog to run. He isn't the fastest dog in his 12" class, but he has been steady over the years and has increased speed with lots of practice. I love running him and have missed it over the last 2 years.

• Date entered: Dec 30 '03
  

Jellybean (Pomeranian)

Jellybean is from the Marin Humane Society. Jellybean, my now 9+ year old Pomeranian, was one of 100+ Pomeranians confiscated by the SF Animal Care and Control from a breeder gone bad (collector). The Marin Humane Society took 10 of the Poms and Jellybean was one of them. She came to the Marin Humane Society at 7 weeks of age, broke her leg while in foster care and sent back to foster to finish out fixing her leg, returned at 12 weeks and then I adopted her. She has been the absolute best dog in the whole world and a great member of our family. Agility was fun for her in the beginning, but as she got older, started to feel it in her joints. She retired from agility a few years ago.

• Date entered: Dec 30 '03
  

Mary Ann Sorich

Kirby (mixed breed black lab)

Photo

I adopted Kirby from the Pinole shelter almost 4 years ago. He's my first dog, so everything we've done together has been a learning experience for both of us. Good thing he turned out to be such a patient dog!

• Date entered: Dec 30 '03
• Date updated: Jan 2 '04
• Date updated: Jan 6 '04
  

Mary Schultz

Ariel (Australian Shepherd)

It took me almost three years to be ready for another dog after my beloved Lab, Linda, died: never without a dog since I was eight years old, I couldn’t bear the thought of any other dog after twelve years of Linda’s pretty much perfect companionship. I looked and looked — but I didn’t know how to choose my next dog — I didn’t want a next dog: I wanted Linda!

But one day...while I was browsing dog personals sites...I saw 10-month-old Ariel's face across some crowded thumbnail pics on the "Animal Friends Rescue" adoption page. There was just something about her...and although I had never known an Australian Shepherd, personally, and the breed was not even on my list of possibilities...well, it was crazy love from the moment we met.

But who knew what I was in for! She convinced me early on that she was a girl who likes to get out and do things, and she dragged me along to our first agility class in January 2007. Ariel was a much better pupil than I, but I kept stumbling along behind her, and I don't know how it happened, but at the age of 55 I actually started *running* around (making a fool of myself! that most fun part of agility!), and after our first trial, seriously considered going on a diet to lose that ten pounds that made it hard to keep up with my dog. It only got worse: I lost 20 pounds! and bought a tent to camp at Turlock in November! Crazy love, for sure!

But it’s not so crazy: it is something deeper having to do with what happens “when species meet” (Haraway). The day I congratulated Ariel with her beloved orange ball (the special one) after our first Steeplechase run (clean, and just a couple of seconds off the cut), I found myself very near tears at, what is for me, the sheer beauty of Ariel’s desire to run with me.

I needed this dog, and she came to me. I don’t know how to frame this mysterious fortune, this puzzling luck of my little life (the temptation for this atheist to thank god is strong) –– but I am oh so glad to accept it.

Reference: "Haraway, Donna J." When Species Meet Univ Of Minnesota Press, December 2007.

• Date entered: Nov 3 2008
  

Mary Tillinghast Leneis

Abbey (Border Collie)

Abbey is also a rescue - I got her from the Sacramento Animal Shelter on Labor Day weekend, 1998. In her previous life, her name had been "Ebony" but I think dogs deserve a new name when they enter a new life. I went to the pound thinking I wanted a Lab, but I came home with the sweetest dog I'd ever met -- and eight years later, I still think she's the sweetest dog ever. She may not be the fastest, but she has a lot of fun, and that's what it's all about! There's a picture of her on the Sacramento Animal Shelter page as a "success story".

• Date entered: Jul 11 2006
  

Micky Von Broen

Sassy (All American)

Rescue from Sonoma Humane Society.

• Date entered: Nov 10, 2008
  

Kimba (Border Collie)

Rescue from BCRNCA.

• Date entered: Nov 10, 2008
  

Mike Penketh

Magy (Golden Retriever)

Photo She was 1 1/2 yo when she adopted me! and has been best friend and 24/7 companion ever since. I can't describe the pleasure she has given me. School presentations, hospital / retirement home visits, walking through the mall, grocery shopping, walking into a nice restaurant with a blonde 5-year-old is something to be experienced. A clean run is special too.

• Date entered: Dec 30 '03
• Date updated: Jan 15 '04
  

Taylor (Golden Retriever)

• Date entered: Oct 17 '08
  

Mike and MaryAnn Penketh

Teddy (BC and Flatcoat mix)

From Homeward Bound Golden Retriever rescue.

• Date entered: Dec 30 '03
  

Millie Lee

Shasta (Australian Cattle Dog)

We found Shasta on the Australian Cattle Dog rescue web site. She was found wandering the streets of Los Angeles and recently had a litter of pups. A woman who rescues dogs (and had a soft spot for ACDs) found her at the Monrovia animal shelter and fostered her. Shasta arrived to us with all kinds of rescue baggage, ranging from trust issues to being skittish and afraid of everything. We started obedience first, and then agility to help gain her confidence ... and that was the silver bullet that turned her around. She's turned into the most lovable, smart, silly and atypical friendly ACD. She's been to two USDAA nationals and continues to be a great agility partner as she reaches her golden years.

• Date entered: Nov 12, 2007
• Submitted by: Millie Lee
  

Nancy Campanile

Tucker (Labrador Retriever)

I "rescued" Tucker in 1996 from Golden Gate Lab Rescue at 10 months of age. He was originally at the Oakland Shelter, scheduled to be euthanized, until Lab Rescue stepped in and I subsequently adopted him. He grew up to be a wonderful, smart, athletic dog, and a perfect family pet. He was even featured on ABC Channel 7 news, describing his fate as a rescue dog.

Tucker is quite an accomplished dog. He received his CGC in May 1997. In March 2000 he received first place in obedience at the Golden Gate Labrador Retriever Specialty Show, and received his CD (Companion Dog) Title. In January 2003, at the Skyline Dog Fanciers Obedience Show in San Mateo, he received High Point Labrador, and High Point ILP Dog with a grand score of 196.5. Tucker also has an abundance of agility titles, currently competing at the Masters, Elite, and Excellent Levels. In Feb 2003, he received his USDAA Advanced Agility Dog title, in three consecutive runs placing first. Most notably, Tucker placed 8th in the top 10 Ten Labradors in 2001 for his accomplishments in Open Jumpers Agility according to statistics complied by Front and Finish. Way to go for a rescue dog! In November 2007, Tucker ran his last run of his career at the USDAA show in Turlock. It was a beautiful snooker run, getting the last Super Q he needed for his APD. What a nice way to end his career.

• Date entered: May 7, 2004
• Date updated: Feb 19, 2008
  

Maggie (Labrador Retriever)

Maggie was rescued in May 1998 through Golden Gate Labrador Rescue. She is also an agility star, competing in the excellent levels of AKC.

Tucker and Maggie also do their share of community service, as they are both certified Therapy Dogs and are active in the SF SPCA Animal Assisted Therapy Program and the Peninsula Pet Assisted Therapy Program.

• Date entered: May 7, 2004
  

Nancy Damarodas

Hawkeye (Golden Retriever)

ADCH MACH Damarodas' Seadog Hawkeye was adopted from the Penninsula Humane Society in San Mateo at the age of 6 months. He was not being shown to the general public and going to go to Golden Retriever Rescue because he had a few issues. He needed a quiet home. He spent some of his puppy time on a chain. I've never trained a dog before and he has been a real challenge but fun.

• Date entered: Dec 30 '03
  

Nancy Gyes/Jim Basic

Toast (All American)

Rescue.

• Date entered: Dec 31 '03
  

Nancy Marmol

Little Bear (Pomeranian)

I got Little Bear from Grateful Dogs Rescue in Pacifica two years ago. Little Bear was found in a park in San Francisco and taken to Animal Care and Control. The SPCA deemed him unadoptable because he was "snappish," so Michelle from Grateful Dogs took him. She introduced me to him at the annual Halloween pet event at Golden Gate Park. I was there with my older Pomeranian, Sasha, to participate in a Bay Team agility demo. Little Bear just LOVES agility. He is actually much better at it than Sasha. In his first year of competition he got his Open Regular, Open Jumpers and Novice Gamblers titles in NADAC. He also got his Novice Standard in USDAA and his Novice Standard and Jumpers in AKC and some titles in CPE.

• Date entered: Jan 7 2004
  

Little Bear has since earned agility championships in both USDAA and CPE.

• Updated: Oct 16 2008
  

Naomi Harada

Cruiser (Border Collie)

Cruiser is a rescue, picked up off the streets of South Central LA (by LAPD).

• Date entered: Dec 30 '03

Cruiser has earned agility championships in both USDAA and AKC and a Bronze Lifetime Achievement Award from USDAA.

• Updated: Oct 16, 2008
  

Misa (Border Collie)

I had heard about Misa from North Bay Canine Rescue, who received her from Modesto Animal Shelter after she had been wandering the streets of Modesto.

• Date entered: Dec 30 '03
  

Dufus (breed)

Dufus was my inheritance after my boyfriend died. He had gotten Dufus from Oakland Animal Control. I feel very lucky to have these great dogs.

• Date entered: Dec 30 '03
  

Natalie Bayless

Roxanna (Bichon Frise)

Photo Roxanna Danna Fellhammer spent her first year and a half to two years in a 900 sq. foot home. There were 110 other bichons frises in there with her when county animal personnel showed up. (The owner had been a very, very fine breeder. Alzheimer's set in and there were no close relatives still living.) During the rescue she got parvo - probably from the vaccination. All that and a long plane ride to California as Bichon Rescue spread the victims out across the country to find enough good homes.

Our girl weighed less than 6 pounds when we picked her up two and a half years ago. She weighs all of 9 now. The rescue rep told us it was unlikely that she would ever be completely house-trained, and "don't expect too much."

I am very, very proud to announce that she has her novice NADAC titles, her NA, OAJ and just completed her NJP (in three runs). One of these days we'll get those USDAA legs. Oh yeah! House-trained, too!

• Date entered: Dec 31 '03
• Date updated: Jan 6 '04
  

Pat Kaufman

Haley (All American)

Haley (one jumpers leg away from her ADCH) is a rescue. Her ridge can probably be credited with saving her life. She was found walking down the highway by a young man when she was about 8 weeks old. He took her to Chico State with him and he and his buddies spent all their time playing ball with her and taking her swimming. After a few months of this they flunked out of college and had to move back in with Mom and Dad in an apartment. She was 8 months old at this time. They had an old, blind pug and said, "This dog has got to go." I got a call from a friend of theirs asking if I would take her as a blood donor. I turned her down as a donor, too small, wrong blood type, etc. but I could tell she had a special spark that I rarely see in the dogs people call me about, and who could resist the punk hairdo. I took her home to become a search and rescue dog. She was great at that, but due to a heart defect had to transfer her talents to agility. We have never looked back. She has been the perfect dog. Great drive, with an off switch, kind and honest. Before I got Fleet, I looked for a long time for another rescue, but gave up when I couldn't find one with the same spark. Now I have gone over to the dark side.

This may be a rehome and not a rescue, but she had one foot out the door and on the way to the shelter.

• Date entered: Dec 30 '03

Haley has since earned agility championships in both USDAA and CPE.

• Updated: Oct 16, 2008
  

Paulette Czech-Fitzgerald

Freckles (Border Collie)

Photo I call Freckles a rehome because her original owner gave her to me when he could not handle her. I think he did a good thing as it was hard for him to give her up, but she was not getting what she needed from him.

• Date entered: Jan 5 2004
• Date updated: Jan 15 2004
  

Draco (Border Collie)

Photo Draco is a rescue from No. Calif Border Collie Rescue and I was sooooo fortunate that spirit put us together. His mom was rescued by Terri from the pound. Did not know she was pregnant as she was so skinny and one week later she had eight great puppies.

• Date entered: Jan 5 2004
• Date updated: Jan 15 2004
  

Daisy (Border Collie)

Photo

Daisy was a rescue also, although not a happy ending as she came with too much damage.

• Date entered: Jan 5 2004
• Date updated: Jan 15 2004
  

Rachelle Carzino

Missi (Border Collie)

I have never done a rescue before, mainly due to the lack of history on most rescue dogs and the fact that I love puppies but, when my Border Collie, Dazzle, had to have OCD surgery, I decided to take a look at Border Collie rescue on-line "just for fun."

I wanted a female, 9-15 months old, black and white, who had to be physically sound. When I came upon her picture, I was immediately mesmerized by her eyes and decided (again "just for fun") to see if I could qualify their stringent application process. I received immediate response that I had qualified and decided to contact the "foster" mom to get more info. Since I already had 3 dogs, adding another one into the pack wasn't necessarily what I wanted to do, but I missed having my "go anywhere" dog and I wasn't interested in a puppy at the time. After speaking to the foster mom, I decided I had to take a look at this dog and set up a meeting. My husband , at the time, was completely unaware of any of this and I was secretly hoping I wouldn't like this dog so I wouldn't have to try to convince my husband of adding in another dog. Alas, after meeting her, I knew she had to be mine, so I told the foster mom I would pick her up in 3 days.

I waited until the night before I went to get her to spring the news on my husband and he wasn't too thrilled about the idea, but I left him no choice and brought her home. After hearing her history: she was picked up from the Salinas Animal Shelter as a stray, then adopted by a woman suffering from cancer, then given up to Border Collie rescue due to a submissive urination problem, and then through veterinary examination found 2 pellets in her, I decided to name her P.O.W.'s Stealth Missile, "Missi" for short. She was estimated to be 9 months old when we got her and she has been the sweetest little dog.

Watching her confidence build over the last 9 months has been amazing and my husband is completely smitten with her, as much as he tried not to be. She is taking agility classes and catching on to everything beautifully and I'm hoping will live up to her name on the agility course. So far, so good! The bottom line is my experience with rescue has been the best and I would recommend it to anyone interested in getting a dog.

• Date entered: Jan 5 2004
  

Raymond and Mardee Jang

Ally (Australian Cattle Dog)

Ally came to us through NIKE animal rescue. She had been in a cat foster home for about a month while waiting for a space in a dog foster home. The dog foster home owner was a client of the hospital where I work, and brought her in to be checked for a microchip. Our cattledog had died about a month before and Raymond had just said that it was time to think about another dog. So, with my boss urging me on, I told the foster care mom to put my name on the list for her.

Two days later I got a call. Ally was in heat and they wanted to get rid of her. I took her in to be spayed and called Raymond. He came down to see her. Ally was all over him and we had a new dog!

• Date entered: Jan 5 2004
  

Tater (Pomeranian)

Tater was brought in to our hospital after being hit by a car. He was unconscious with a huge head wound, his tail was pulled, leaving a 2-inch-gap between vertebrae. His rectum was separated from his outside skin and he had no skin on one rear leg with grinding wounds. He woke up 3 days later. One of our surgeons wanted to work on him, but we needed an owner. So, I said I would take responsibility for him and try to find his owner. He went into surgery. I did not find his owner and took him home to recuperate and change his bandages daily. For 6 months Tater watched Ally and me try to learn this new game called agility. Then one day while working Ally in the backyard, Tater followed Al over jumps, through tunnels and over the teeter! He did not care that no one thought he would even survive. He wanted to be an agility dog. And so he is...

• Date entered: Jan 5 2004

In November of 2007, Tater made it to the final round of the USDAA World Championships in Performance National Standard (Grand Prix) and placed 5th.

• Date updated: Nov 12, 2007 by elf
  

Rob Michalski

Rontu (Australian Shepherd)

Rescue through Nancy and Jim.

• Date entered: Dec 31 '03
  

Robin Garber

Twix (Keeshond)

Photo Twix came to me via Bay Area Rescue Keeshond. He was a delightful 11 month old scamp: bouncy, sweet, outgoing and a bit mischievous. He had too much energy and too much spirit for his first family. They sought out but then ignored the advice of a Humane Society behaviorist on how to work with him. Rather than put in the time required to teach manners to a young dog, they chose to debark him when he was only 9 months old. Two months later, they turned him over to rescue.

BARK called me because I'd been waiting for an energetic young Keesie who would enjoy agility. This young rascal sounded perfect for me! Still, I hesitated. For the past year I'd been grieving the loss of Merlin, my 16 month old Keesie, to a toxic reaction. Was I really ready to begin again? I told a friend I was "betwixt and between" about adopting this fellow - a phrase I doubt I'd ever used before in my life! From that phrase, I started thinking of this pup as "Twix" - a more light hearted and bouncy name than his original one. To no one's surprise, I did adopt Twix! From the moment I actually met him, my heart was captured. With his help, my heart began to heal. Twix has thrived in the sport of agility. All that energy and exuberance that caused problems in his first home now have the perfect outlet. Twix is still a sweet, mischievous scamp but these days he's also filled with the joy that agility has brought into his life.

• Date entered: Mar 02 '06
  

Ron Etherton

Meg (Border Collie)

Photo Anne and I first met Meg in November, 1994. Nancy had given her a bath that morning, but Meg thought she needed a mud bath before we got there. Nancy related Meg's sordid neglected past, but what the heck, she was a border collie. All border collies are good agility dogs, aren't they? Jim already had her jumping like a kangaroo. Meg was bug-eyed and suspicious of everything. With her pointed nose, I thought she looked like an opossum. She had to be tied to the door when I drove her home. (We didn't have a van or even a crate then.) The first thing she did when we got her home was to race after a low flying bird - and catch it. As it turned out, that was the key to any agility success we might have later - she is movement motivated. At times she behaved like a wild animal. She is still noise sensitive. Meg is now 10 years old. She won the NADAC 20" Elite Championship in 1997, has 10 NATCH's, an ADCH, and ASCA titles I don't understand. (ATCH?) She finished second in the 16" Vet division at the NADAC Championships in 2001. She's mellowed in her golden years and - no longer looks like an opossum.

• Date entered: Jan 5 2004
  

Sara McAulay

Miko (Kelpie X)

Miko the Kelpie X (we think) came from the Berkeley East Bay Humane Society. He had been picked up as a stray in Martinez and taken to the pound there. He was about 9 months old when I got him in September '05 -- my first dog in over 35 years! My own first dog ever -- as opposed to family dogs that were largely someone else's responsibility to not-train. I had no idea what dog agility was at the time. I was interested in training service and utility skills because of a program I'd seen on "Animal Planet." I knew my cat wasn't going to turn lights on and off or pick up my keys when I dropped them, so I told the folks at Berkeley Humane that I wanted a smart dog with a good disposition. I got that with Miko, in spades! We call him St. Miko the Good, for his sweetness, or sometimes MensaDog because he learns so quickly.

He's my first agility dog, and I made a lot of mistakes with him, starting out. Even so, and despite the fact that there are a number of things (tracking, digging for gophers, protecting the house from squirrels) he prefers to agility, he's been a consistent performer at CPE trials, and does a little NADAC too. He got his CPE Level 2 title in 2007, after 5 trials, and finished the year with his Level 3 Standard certificate as well. He's in Level 4 everything except Jackpot and Snooker now, and I hope he'll earn his C-ATCH one of these days. He has a low melting point though, and I just don't ask him to run when it's really hot. This means he gets summers off, except for our annual trek to Eureka in August for HumDog CPE.

Miko and Moxie have their own blog.

• Date entered: Oct 16, 2008
  

Moxie (BC/Aussie)

Moxie the Moxerati entered my life completely by accident. We had been looking for a small, quiet lapdog. Went to the Countryside Shelter near Santa Rosa on Labor Day, 2006 to look at a mini poodle mix and came home with a perpetual motion machine. One part we got right -- he's a lap-sitter, and at almost 40 lbs he makes his presence known! All in all, I don't know which of us is luckier, him or me, the way things turned out.

His story is this: One night in July '06 a car was observed driving slowly down a street in Santa Rosa. The back door opened, a dog came flying out, ass over teakettle over a fence and into a backyard. The car sped away. No one got the license number. As luck or planning would have it, the owner of the backyard sometimes fostered dogs for Countryside. She kept "Wags" (he's a bobtail with an ebullient personality, so his rear's in a near-constant state of shimmy) long enough to learn that he was housebroken, crate-trained, and knew a few basic commands. Then he got sick, a really bad case of kennel cough, and was in the hospital for a month.

He had just been released for adoption 2 days before I showed up looking for anything but a hyper, intense, driven adolescent male dog -- the vet figured him at about a year old. But he was so beguiling -- so friendly, so cute; who could resist? We cat-tested him and he showed no aggression. He and Miko romped and played as if they'd been brothers forever. So we wrote a check and took him home. In January '07 he started foundation work with Sandy Rogers at Ace DogSports, and has been an Ace pupil ever since.

Even before he ever took a lesson it was clear that in his own mind at least he was born to run agility. Given the opportunity, he'd tear around the field jumping the jumps and racing back and forth over the dogwalk, self-rewarding 5, 6, 8 times. He did the teeter and jumped through the tire on his own, with me standing there horrified, hands over eyes, waiting for the crash that never came. His attitude has always been "every turn is my turn, and everybody else should just get outta my way!"

He went to his first trial in January '08 -- 7/10 Qs, 6 firsts, 1 second. That's pretty much been his pattern since. If I can stay in contact with him, he's fast and usually clean. If I lose him, he's just plain fast, making up the course as he goes. We mainly do CPE, plus some NADAC and in September tried our hand at USDAA. He's in CPE Level 4 everything except Snooker (we -- okay, I -- have some Snooker issues), where we recently, after 8 tries, finally moved up to Level 3.

Moxie and Miko have their own blog.

• Date entered: Oct 17, 2008
  

Sharon Murphy

Sydney (Australian Cattle Dog)

Photo I rescued "Molly Brown's Angel Sydney" at 7 mos. old from C.A.R.E. during an adoption fair at Town and Country Shopping Center (now the location of Santana Row) in San Jose in Jan. 1999. She had failed the humane society's 'food aggression' test miserably, but some employee there thought she was so beautiful and smart that she called the cattle dog rescue lady at C.A.R.E. I don't know where she came from before that, but I heard that she was just too much for someone to handle and spent most of her puppyhood in a crate. So they took her to the pound.

My 17-year old do