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An Active Dog Is A Healthy Dog!
The PupLife.com Interview With Cheryl Carter,
Dog Agility Expert
PupLife.com recently had the opportunity to talk with agility
expert and dog trainer, Cheryl Carter, owner of Candy’s
Canines in Antioch, Illinois. Since 1996, Cheryl Carter
and her excellent staff of instructors have been teaching
and competing in the exciting sport of Canine Agility.
PupLife.com: Hi Cheryl. Thank you for participating in PupLife.com’s
Annual Dog Health Awareness Month 2006. We are very excited
to talk with you about canine health, the growing sport of
dog agility and the importance of diet and exercise in your
dog’s routine. Let’s start at the beginning. Tell
us a little bit about the history of canine agility.
Cheryl: The sport of agility started in England in the 1970s
and was purely done as a demonstration. It came over from
England back in the 1980s. I started agility training around
1990 when there were only 2 venues to choose from. One was
NCDA( now UKC) which usually held events indoors and the other
was USDAA one of the first venues here in the United States
to hold events outdoors.
In the sport of agility, the handler has a limited amount
of time to get their dog to safely navigate a set of obstacles
in a predetermined order. The obstacles can include jumps,
tunnels, a chute, weave poles, an A-frame, a dog walk, a teeter-totter
and more! The dog must safely complete the obstacles in a
specific order and within a time limit.
PupLife.com: How did you get started in agility sports?
Cheryl: I started with my mixed breed, Wishes, back in 1991.
At that time agility was probably the only sport that would
allow mixed breed dogs, and I wanted to prove that my "All
American" mutt was just as good as the purebreds. Wishes
was a once in a lifetime dog. He loved agility sports but
he loved me more!
PupLife.com: With dog obesity and complications from obesity
on the rise, what are your thoughts on the importance of exercising
your dog.
Cheryl: I believe in keeping your dog in optimum physical
shape whether or not you and your dog participate in agility.
PupLife.com: How do you begin training your dog for agility?
Cheryl: As with any athletic regimen, proper warm-up and exercise
is of the utmost importance. With an obese dog, we start by
formulating a proper diet, and then move on to stretching
and flexing exercises. Initially, a lot of work is done on
flat ground until the dog has dropped weight. Only then can
we begin adding in agility equipment like jumps and tunnels.
Most of our students realize the importance of creating a
solid foundation and stick to a regiment that conditions their
dog and allows them to gradually increase endurance and activity.
I encourage spouses and children to come and observe our agility
classes so they, too, can learn the importance of getting
and keeping their dogs in shape.
PupLife.com: What do you consider the health benefits of canine
agility sports?
Cheryl: Training on a daily basis with my current competition
dog, Pandy, has greatly strengthened our relationship, on
and off the field. I always say, “A happy dog is a healthy
dog.” Agility has kept my dogs in optimum physical condition,
even my retired agility dogs who are 11 and 9 years old. Every
time I take my dogs to the vet for check-ups, he says, "They
have the heart of an athlete, strong and steady!" I do
believe the fresh air and activity has promoted my dogs’
health - mentally and physically.
Agility has also contributed to a great awareness of healthy
supplements like glucosamine MSM which helps keep the bones
and joints in top condition. In addition to the exercise component
of agility, we also do chiropractic work with our agility
dogs. I myself get adjusted on a monthly basis, and the dogs
are doing a lot more work than me, so they need it, too!
PupLife.com: Is agility right for every dog?
Cheryl: Not always, but it can be. It largely depends on the
owner. I do have a few dogs that are not interested in agility
but they have learned it. I don't compete with those dogs
but rather use agility to exercise their minds and bodies.
I do not like to force the dogs into doing something that
they really don't want to do. If a dog is running fast, tail
wagging and smiling, I’d say he likes agility. If a
dog trots around a course with his tail down, I'd say the
owner either has to find a better motivator, or that the dog
might be better off doing something else. A few of my dogs
prefer herding, some prefer obedience and some prefer flyball,
but they all do agility in one form or another.
When we start training a new agility dog, we start by building
attitude and drive using games. So even if the owner and dog
don't want to go into competition, they’ve at least
learned something new and have created a bond that they can
utilize in other arenas. Dogs love to learn new things. It
makes them feel good, gives them confidence and a generally
well-rounded personality. My students continue to attend classes
whether or not they are actively competing because they know
it's good for them and their relationship with their dogs.
PupLife.com: Please tell us about your organization, Fundog Agility.
Cheryl: Fundog Agility was a started back in 2000 as a sub-group
of my training school, Candy's Canines, Inc. Fundog Agility
focuses strictly on agility sports. Since my school also offers
obedience and flyball, I wanted to keep agility events separate.
Fundog people train with Candy's Canines. Basically if you
train with Candy's you are automatically a Fundog member,
no fees or rules - just lots of perks. On April 1, 2006, my
training school, Candy's Canines, celebrated its 10th year
anniversary!
At Fundog Agility, we host 4 NADAC/AMBOR trials and 3 CPE
trials each year. We also work with our local park district
offering "Try It" classes. Additionally, we just
started a Rescue Dog class for those dogs that are having
trouble fitting into their new homes. This is a very specialized
class and limited to 4 dogs.
PupLife.com: How much does it cost to participate in agility
sports?
Cheryl: Costs vary from venue to venue and club to club. I
really never think about how much it costs to enter an agility
trial. I always find a way! Costs at Candy’s Canines
and Fundog Agility are extremely reasonable. You get a very
high quality of training from our instructors for a very reasonable
price. With everything being so expensive these days, I don't
want the dogs to miss out. I don't want it to be financially
hard on an owner to train their dog. Owners get a reasonable
break on multiple dogs and classes. And, they don't lose anything
by missing a week here or there: we just carry it over.
PupLife.com: Thanks so much for talking with us today, Cheryl!
Please let our readers know how they can get in touch with
you at Candy's Canine's and Fundog Agility.
Cheryl: Thank you. It's been a pleasure! Candy's Canines can
be reached online at http://www.candyscanines.com
or your can give us a call at 847-838-4820.
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