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Alfie the Irish Twerphound
Although
the alarm clock had gone off at 6.30am, it was a lovely day for an agility show. The sun was
peeping above the horizon to light an azure sky, the birds were twittering ready to start
feasting on all the ripe berries and fruit on the trees. A gentle breeze was rustling the
leaves and Richard and Sheila Partridge were off to Paws in the Park, usually a very nice,
relaxed show at the Hop Farm which is part of a large open-to-the-public Show. It had all the
makings of a perfect day, but little did they know... |
Photo: Agility Photography UK |
Alfie the Pint-Sized Powerhouse
In
July 2019 Deb Lunnon was volunteering for a rescue charity when she was called
to collect a nine-month-old black pug who was in a very bad way. He had
demodectic mange and secondary skin infections which meant he smelt awful. A lot
of his fur was missing, and he was in a sorry state. Not only that, he had not
been socialised and had had zero training. His behaviour was feral. The first
thing she did was change his name to Alfie. And that was the start of a very
special relationship. |
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Backstreet Bonnie
When Yvonne Goode first saw Bonnie, she looked more like a discarded dirty rag than a
dog. She cowered at back of the pen at the rescue home - her black and white coat more
yellow and brown, but through it all her huge eyes glowed. Now Bonnie is the Canine
Survivor of the Year 2003. |
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Caddie
Once Caddie (Fourpaws
Caddie Shack) got her first clear round at Shrewsbury, she and her handler Mike Walker
never looked back. She started quite steadily but once the confidence came, so did the
speed! She won out of Grade 3 at the end of the summer that year. And now they are
Agilitynet Rescue Dog of the Year |
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Casey's Story
From the start Casey was very difficult. Before Lesley and Colin Harpley brought her home
from Chilterns Dog Rescue Society, she showed signs of nervous aggression to people and
dogs, while at the same time being quite dominant. Lesley explains how they got over the
problem. |
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Cassie - An
Utter Nutter
Junior handler Gina Graham got her 'little freak' as company for her crossbreed Dizzy who
had been in training for about five months. And what a dog she got! This is Cassie's
story - a fruit 'n nut case makes good! |
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Chloe
Chloe was due to be PTS for behavioural issues. Then
she started agility training with Lucy King and within six weeks, they were out competing
at UKA shows. Agility helped to turn her life around. |
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Daisy the Romanian Dog - How agility helped an agoraphobic dog
Imogen
Edwards had always wanted a dog. Due to her disability, she was looking
for a small one that wouldn't need much exercise and one that did not
shed as she is allergic to a lot of breeds. Then she saw a group of dogs
rescued from Romania on the Little Rescue Facebook group. When Imogen
first met Daisy, she was pressed flat against the wall, but she had a
pretty face, so Imogen scooped her up and they just sat together for
ages. That's when Imogen knew that Daisy was the dog for her. What she
didn't know was that Daisy was afraid to go outside.
(03/08/24)
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Dogs
Reunited
Border Collie litter sisters Lassie and
Smudge were handed in to Battersea for rehoming in 2001. Almost six years later they met
up... where else but at an agility show! |
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Dylan's Diary 2003
Having seen young Dylan on the Rescue Me page
of Agilitynet and umming and ahrring for about three days, Mandy Melville-Love finally
picked up the phone and called Sarah at Wiccaweys Rescue. Mandy has agreed to keep a
doggie diary of his progress for all his new friends |
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Dylan's Diary 2004...
Continued
The next gripping instalments in the continuing story of a Dylan, a young
rescue dog as he starts out in his agility life with Mandy Melville-Love. (21/03/04) |
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The Flying
Flynn
Flynn is a rescue collie who had a very bad start in life.
Agility has given him a sense of purpose and helped him bond with his Guv'nor Rob White.
While he might never get out of Starters, his rosettes actually outnumber the scars from
the earlier part of his life. Like most collies, he has a wicked sense of humour... |
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Hearing
Dogs for Agility
Collie-cross pup Gimili and mongrel Rizzo are two very special dogs who have gone from
rescue pups to trainee hearing dogs, and now very promising agility dogs! |
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Holly's
Story
Holly
was three years old when Clive Bayliss adopted her from The Border Collie Trust in August 2010.
He only had limited information about her early years, except that she had spent her first two
years on a farm in Wales, and was presumably a failed working farm dog. She was rehomed and
then rehomed again seven months later. It was clear from the start that this little lass had a
few issues. With the help of the trainers at Dog Learning Zone and a lot of patience, Clive has
helped to progress Holly towards a happier doggie life. |
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It's Magic
Daniel Millwood is not
professing to be an expert in agility training. This is just his story about him, his
first dog Magic, and how agility has changed his life. |
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Jack Be
Nimble of Valgray
Jack
Be Nimble of Valgray came into rescue as a puppy and was only there for a few days before he
was snapped up by Ann Young. Sometimes she admits it was hard work, but she has done well with
him. He ended up with 1844 point in the Valgray Rescue Dog of the Year league, so we asked her
to write something about her clever little boy who was the 2012 winner, without much help from
her... or so she says. |
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Jack's Story
Samantha Carter's Jack (Ajax Jester) is a very
special dog. His journey to where he is now has been long and difficult, but it is not
yet over. Here is his story. |
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Kratu the
Romanian Rescue
Kratu went viral after his performance at Crufts. He was
representing Woodgreen Animal Charity for the third year in a fun display for
rescue dogs meant to show how owners and their dogs can enjoy an activity
together by doing agility but, much to the delight of the audience, things did
not go according to plan. He stole the hearts of hundreds of spectators at
Crufts and millions of views on-line with his own free style interpretation of
the agility course. His owner Tess Wolfe says there is so much more to this
Romanian rescue dog however than just clowning in the ring. |
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The Magic of Merlin
He's deaf not stupid. If you have ever
watched Lisanne Steen guide her WSD Merlin around an agility course, you would be
surprised to learn that Merlin was born deaf. How on earth was he trained to be a good
companion and agility dog? |
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Merlin's Diary
The best dogs are not necessarily those who set the agility world on
fire. They are the ones who make everybody smile. Just ask Helen Jones
who saw a post on the Agilitynet Rescue page about a bright, active
collie pup looking for a home. Since she picked up Merlin, there has
been a lot of blood, sweat and tears, but what an interesting journey
she's had with this handsome joker. Following in the pawprints of his
canine idol, Lou Cadman's Paddy, here is Merlin's version... |
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Mongrel
Madness
Ruby Shorrock (17) prefers mixed breeds
to pedigrees and says that her favourite breed is ‘rescued.' She has vowed that
throughout her life she will only ever have rescued dogs and what's more, she loves
agility. |
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Nieve
Jan Lockwood talks about her little rescue dog
Nieve and the SupaDog DARL League.
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Ouja Fink
Introducing Diva, the 2007 Agilitynet Rescue Dog of the Year. Barrie James fell in love
with this little dog with the big ears. Now she's Grade 5 and only two years old. What a
success story! |
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Penny Black
Holly
Davies always wanted a dog. She dreamt of the day when she be at Crufts with her own dog, but
she was never allowed to have one - and that was that! So she took up horse riding, but it
wasn't as good because you can't take a horse home! When a lady at the stables announced that
her dog was having puppies, Holly couldn't believe it. She went to see them when they were only
one day old. 'All sold - sorry,' the owner said 'but the little girl one. We want to find her a
better home.' And they did. |
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Pip -
The Story So Far
Mandy Colbourne
kind of fell into agility by accident in 2017 when she asked about some mini agility jumps
she saw in a friend's field. Thinking of her rescue Border Collie Pip, she
commented that maybe they should take up Agility. It was a tongue in cheek
remark that was about to change her life. Mandy explains how one man's failed
sheepdog became another one's agility star. |
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Shannon
The trials, tribulations and successes of a BSD rescue by Louise Downing. |
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Shep's Sad Story
Shep is a lovely little dog who has really been to hell and back. He has suffered severe
cruelty and abuse, but thanks to the courage and bravery of two elderly ladies, this
young lad now has the opportunity to have the life he deserves. This is his sad story. |
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Sparky - Third Time Lucky
When Jo Davidson-Poston finished uni, she decided that she must have a dog. She decided
that she wanted another Papillion. On meeting the breeder, she was told about Sparticus
(Sparky for short.) He was 18 months old - the perfect age to start agility training.
Seeing him run round the garden in a figure of eight and then stopping to pee up her
sister's leg, confirmed that he was the dog for her. |
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Spud's Story
Spud (Golden Wunda
Spud Noworries) was picked up as a stay in Southern Ireland. When Linda Cummings saw him
on Agilitynet, it was love at first sight. In 2009 Spud won the DARL Agilitynet Rescue Me
Award with a stunning 2577 points - 56% more than the 2nd place dog. |
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Spy's Story (Part 1)
One Friday Claire Hayes was surfing Agilitynet when she saw Spike (now Spy) on the Rescue
Me page of Agilitynet. It was love at first sight. |
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Spy's Story
(Part 2)
Claire Haynes never thought that training rescue dog Spy (formerly Spike)
would be so difficult. |
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Super
Sasha
Trudie didn't get truly addicted to agility
until she got Super Sasha of Valgrays who really showed her owner what agility was really
about - time, patience and lots of fun. |