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From delinquent dog to agility ace
 When
Lucy King first met Chloe about six or seven years ago, she was a very different dog to the one
she is today. She was due to be PTS for behavioural issues. She was boisterous, yet nervous and
shy, reacting to situations where she felt pressured by showing nervous aggression. Then she
started agility training with Lucy and within six weeks, they were out competing at UK Agility
shows. Lucy explains how agility has truly turned their lives around.
My friend was a foster carer for a local charity and she
was asked to consider taking on Chloe as the charity couldn’t really cope with her. Being the
kind natured person that she is, she took Chloe on without having been made aware of all the
behavioural issues that were underlying.
I went with my friend and her husband on that first
fateful day to pick Chloe up, and it was love at first sight. As a child I had been terrified
of dogs, but there was something about Chloe that I liked. She travelled on my lap back to
their house as they had no dog guard, and from that moment on, I adored her.
 Whilst
I worked on my friends yard part time, I would play with Chloe endlessly, and take her on walks
down the bridleway. Most of the time she was lovely, but there were also instances where we
despaired - the running off for miles after deer and not coming back, the barking and
aggression towards men, the chasing of livestock and the unpredictability of her nature.
Approximately two years ago, I took Chloe on to be my own
dog as I had always wanted. Within weeks we started to do obedience training and in February
2008, we started at a very good local agility club. Chloe took to it like a duck to water, and
within six weeks we went to our first UK Agility show and actually came away with results,
although not a rosette - one place away, typically!
She took every piece of new equipment in her stride, even
the seesaw, despite being scared of loud noises! Since then, we have been members of a couple
of different clubs, and went to about six agility shows last year, finishing the year by
winning 1st place and getting our first trophy! This year, we have already started to book
shows, although we had a period of six months with no agility due to my original club moving to
Shropshire.
I found learning about agility with Chloe so fascinating
that I spent a fortune doing various courses in canine behaviour and agility, and I now teach a
Beginners class at a local club, which I absolutely love and hope to continue for a long time
yet.
 Sadly,
Chloe is now going on ten years old and beginning to feel her age when jumping, so we will
never progress to the level we both want to, but there is one thing I can say with no doubt at
all. Agility helped to turn this delinquent dog into the best friend I have ever had, and more
importantly, my loyal, never-wavering companion.
About the author...
Lucy King
has been interested in agility since she went to a pet show as a
child where she was allowed to run a very kind person’s Weimaraner over a course. She has her
own business called Paws for Success, and helps to teach at a local agility club in her spare
time. Continually updating her knowledge of canine behaviour and training, Lucy hopes to one
day work to rehabilitate other rescue dogs like Chloe.
Chloe is a nine-year-old Collie X GSD who was dumped on a
charity as a puppy and had more than five homes by the time she was three years old because of
her behavioural difficulties. She is now a registered Pets as Therapy dog, visiting people in
homes, as well as competing regularly in agility.
Lucy works as a journalist for Pony and I Love Ponies
magazines. She also has her own dog training club called Paws for Success.
First published 02/07/09
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