Eavesdropping on high flying Team Brierley...
 Following
the publication of Anne Brierley's
article on competing
with Bracco Italianos, we check in with the Bracc Pack to see how they are
doing. How are these ancient and noble hunting dogs - rarely seen at agility
shows - doing in the ring? We listen in on their post-show debriefing with The
Boss.
One year later and there are now five dogs on Team Brierley - three Braccos
and a Working Cocker plus a
Chihuahua X.
Anne: So Ettie,
as pack leader of Team Brierley,
give us your honest opinion of the events that unfolded this weekend.
 Ettie: We set off on Friday night and I had
anticipated I would be first on. However, I was sat on the bench! I didn't get to
do any Agility on the Saturday. None. At all. For some reason or other, the coach has
decided that Gunner is the rising star and I'm the back up. I was so pissed off!
I really don't understand what the coach sees in that Spaniel!
Like I said, I wasn't happy. I expressed
this very clearly. I just gave as
much lip and rhetoric as I could! Coach marched me out of the ring and said nothing. We were
eliminated!
What did the coach expect?
She was obviously disappointed with me and
gave me serious evils! It was clear that the boss was not happy.
Then
I realised that resistance was futile and that perhaps co-operation may be the
answer. I suddenly had an epiphany and forgot about
my loathing of the spaniel.
Together, as a team, we won Grade 3
Jumping!
Once again the coach had me as a starter in
the A-Team. I couldn't be happier.
 Anne: Bertie, what is your view on the
situation?
Bertie: For a long time I've been a huge fan of Baloo Bear from the Jungle Book. He is amazing!
Anne: You do realise he is not a real person?
Bertie:
What dot you mean?
He is my hero. He was my inspiration.
Then I completely forgot about Agility and then my
nose just took me there. Man, those BBQs by the caravans were irresistable!
By the way, the Boss is amazing. She gave me some
fantastic new treats!
 Anne: Now, how about you Millie?
Millie: OMG.
I was so excited this whole thing is just unbelievable! Mum - sorry Coach -found
the most amazing sprat treats and I would do any thing for one! It was such good
fun doing all that jumping. Mum was very pleased with me.
I did struggle a little bit with one course, but I got round and celebrated
with sprats. Delish!
I admit that I did just have to go and say hello to a couple of people, but what can you do?
You can't go to a festival and not socialise.
Oh yeah, I forgot. I did get 10th in Agility
and a 4th in Jumping.
Anne: Gunner, we've heard there is a little tension
between you and Ettie. Would you like to comment?
 Gunner: Well... I don't want to get embroiled in
the politics of all this, but me personally, I don't have an issue with
Ettie. She is the pack leader and I respect her authority.
As for my sport, being a Working Cocker, I love the game.
It's my
passion.
I like to get things done just as the coach has taught me. There were a
couple of times when I realised I was going too fast over the seesaw and had to
put the brakes on real hard! You could see the smoke coming off all four paws
and they were smouldering afterwards. I did, however, get my touch.
Overall I was
pleased with my performance - obviously room for improvement - but I'm new to the
game and it's only a matter of time before I get a place.
Coach was very pleased and that's all that matters.
Anne: Last but not least Bomber.
Bomber: I love my Agility at home and in
class, but this all seemed a bit overwhelming. Because I am small, everything so much higher and all
I wanted to do was to get to mum, and it was easier to just go around the jumps.
I did like all the people and obviously had to go and say hello.
Eventually, with lots of encouragement from mum,
I did manage to go over a few
jumps and all bits of agility equipment and I made all my touches.
I did enjoy myself, but I do get a bit nervous and it will take a little time to
get used to the whole environment.
Anne: Well thank you for your time, it was a
pleasure talking with you all and hearing all of your opinions.
For more information about competing with Bracco Italianos, see
Agility and the Bracco
Italiano
 About the author...
Anne Brierley
grew up with dogs and cats in her life including Yorkshire Terriers, Spaniels
and a Labrador X - not all at once, but over the years. They were purely pets,
badly trained and always loved.
It wasn't until she got married and had
children of her own did she got her first dog - a Bernese Mountain Dog called
Bovis, who was just a family pet with little training.
Next came Samson, a Newfoundland, and his
name reflected his size. He was big even for a Newfoundland. He was a protective
dominant dog and Anne had a steep learning curve in dog training techniques from
a specialist dog behaviourist. It was Samson who made her realise the importance
of dog training from an early age. Tom, a Papillion, was Samson's companion and
great mate.
In 2002, along came Buttercup, her first
Bracco Italiano followed by Little Em, a bloodhound. Of course, she made sure
both dogs were well socialised and trained to a basic level for family life.
 After
Buttercup passed away in 2011, Anne realised she couldn't live without a Bracco,
so Ettie arrived. She was a bundle of energy. Ettie was enrolled on puppy
training classes, and went on to get her KC Good Citizen Bronze and Silver
awards. As she grew, it was clear that her energy needed to be channelled into
some form of structured exercise, so so they began some gundog training and
agility.
Shortly after Buttercup died, Em passed away.
Bertie then arrived on the scene - five months old, poorly socialised and
terrified of everything. Now he loves life to the full. It was a challenge but
continuous efforts paid off. He too loves Agility.
Then along came Millie, a tiny puppy, with a
sweet nature. She is still small and sweet. She too loves Agility and also does
gun dog training.
Anne also has two other dogs - Gunner a
Working Cocker and Bomber, a Chihuahua X. They also do Agility. She has found
that Agility with the dogs creates a closer bond through the pleasure they get
from it and the partnership it creates through working together.
First published 14 June 2017
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