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The all or nothing dog...
 When Glynis
Smith got into agility, her aim was to socialise her Sheltie Sam. Steady and reliable,
he wasn't fast but he was accurate, and he only needed one more win to reach Grade 6
before he retired.
But, as we all know, once you've started agility, you can become addicted, and Glynis longed for
something a little faster. She never knew what she was in for when she got
Dixie.
I had been considering
the possibility of getting another pup for a while and, after speaking to a
breeder at a show, my name was third on a list for a male Sheltie/Collie cross
whose elder sister was already showing
promise. I was disappointed when there were only two males in the litter, but
found out, when they were seven weeks old, that a female was available. It was
Dixie who was destined to be my all or nothing dog.
Hurricane Dixie
The first few weeks were horrendous. I'd be
walking the garden for hours at all times of the day and night to get her to
perform, but no, the rug in front of the fire was much nicer. It had been scrubbed
so many times that I replaced it when she was six months old.
 She was never still.
The house was strewn
with toys, chewed socks, post, shoes and any clothing she could find. Anything
she came across was fair game. It was at this point that I worried I had taken
on too much and was just too old and less able to cope with this Duracell pup. To be honest, I don't think I felt so tired after giving birth to either of
my children.
After four months,
however, things started to
fall into place. Dixie could be left during the day with no issues, and the rug was
no longer a toilet. She slept all night.
But calm isn't a word you can actually put into a
sentence about Dixie. Even when she's asleep, she's
up and moving to another spot every 20 minutes. Hence, when she was 18 months
old, I had to ban the dogs from my bed at night. I was simply exhausted.
Starting training
We ventured to puppy classes where she excelled at everything, learning quickly and being the demonstration dog
for the rest of the group.
It was at this point, I started to take her
in a soft crate to watch the dogs in Sam's training class.
Big mistake.
She could open the zip. I had to sit holding the zipper and drip feed her treats to
try to keep her calm. Unsurprisingly that didn't work. We had to use a normal crate to keep
her in but calm was missing - and still is as many folk who know her can confirm.
 Born to run
Dixie really took to agility. She's fast, sometimes accurate - definitely not steady and reliable
like Sam but, oh
my word, she is fun.
On the 10th July, 2016, I tentatively paid
my entry fees to run her at a Beachside show. This would be her first time in the ring.
She was amazing - four runs, five faults in each. She was responsive, listened to
every word I said, followed my body movements - and there's a lot of body to
follow - and wowed the spectators. One of the Beachside ladies even made a
comment on Facebook about my amazing pup.
But that was it.
By the time Dixie turned two,
she had decided that
this agility game was so much fun that she just didn't have time to wait for me. She would self-release, usually before I
could even get to the first
jump. For four years now, I have thrown
most runs, patiently putting her back on that start line, where she will wait, release on
her cue and run a clear round after already being E'd.
Fast
forward
Now she is six years old,
and we frequent the world of competitive agility most weekends. And every
weekend we come away with an E for every run - big fat Es but with some amazing work. If they gave a
rosette for every E, I could decorate my house and have plenty left over.
 Between 2016 and 2017, she managed enough KC
Jumping wins to go to Grade 4. She's still there!
At this point, I would just
like to mention that
Dixie has been hampered by a very accident-prone handler. Broken ankles followed
by reconstructive surgery, smashed metatarsals and torn muscles,
have resulted in me being housebound for
approximately three years And, of course, there was also Covid!
So far in 2021, she's had one clear round
at UKA which was the result of a re-run. I can only assume she waited because
she already thought she'd had enough fun at the start in the first run.
She also has a little quirk of putting in an
extra jump for good measure and, if things go wrong, she will take any jump trying
to get the right one. I have to call her in and settle her.
Don't get me wrong
She will have the odd
clear round, especially if it begins with four jumps to a tunnel, which ideal for both
of us. She will work well at a distance on the right course, once
winning a Steeplechase at an independent show in 14.9 seconds... not too
shabby!
In the whole of 2019, she managed three KC
wins - one with 5 faults - so she needs two more wins for Grade 5.
 She has, however, made it to the league finals
at T & A in every one of her competing years, just managing a handful of clears in
the preceding 12 months to scrape in at 5th place. We've never won. We have
always been E'd, but we get a lovely rosette for attending! When the league
winners and finalist presentations were going ahead in 2019, there was an
announcement over the tannoy that we had managed to get to jump 11 before being
E'd. This in itself was such an achievement. And if we ever manage a clear round
the clapping and cheering is such a lift to both of us.
Keeping
positive
Until the last couple of years I would leave
shows very disappointed. It would get worse when I thought about
the other dogs we'd trained with - younger than her - and some already at Grade 7.
I had this amazing dog, but I couldn't seem to get her around a course.
In
training she has a rock solid wait and usually doesn't put a paw wrong but, in the
ring, she's an independent, deaf, single-minded, speed freak. Trainers and judges
alike are astounded by the way she can do the complete opposite of what I'm
asking even though I'm in the right place, giving the correct command and using
the necessary body language. Recently I tried to turn her left after an A-frame.
We were still clear with three jumps to go. I said left, my body turned left, my dog
turned right and took a tunnel.
Many KC judges have spoken to me about this
wonderful, stunning, amazing little dog who will go far once I have her
undivided attention. She'll be seven in January and I'm still waiting.
We travel to many shows, the furthest being
63 miles away. We like to vary our pickup points for our Es. After all, variety is the
spice of life so they say.
 A glimmer of hope
As I sit here, I'm thinking about the last
couple of weeks at Dogs In Need, T & A Independent and
Agility Ability KC shows. You can probably guess the outcome.
We had one agility run with only 5 faults and two runs with a wait. I
made up my mind on the very last run. If she broke her wait, then
her lead would go on and she wouldn't get to run. I walked off, arm out, waiting
to see her rush past. I reached my release point, turned my head, and there she
sat, still where I'd left her, ears pricked waiting for her 'okay' like butter
wouldn't melt. I was so shocked and pleased that I fluffed jump three and we
were E'd, but I didn't care. It was the second wait of the day.
Life with Dixie is
amazing, hectic, exciting and so much fun. I have no illusion that we'll ever
gel in the ring, but I'll never give up trying. A 45 second run with my girl will always
be a roller coaster ride or a complete car crash, of this I have no doubt. But
in my mind, I see myself flying around on the green carpet at Crufts - but definitely
without the Lycra - and Dixie taking the last jump and glory.
Right now this is
merely a pipe dream but, whatever the future holds, I know I have the most loving,
affectionate, happy, crazy, beautiful pup cuddling up beside me on the sofa each
night, and I wouldn't change it for the world.
Epilogue
I'm not really sure how this happened but, since I wrote my story for
Agilitynet, things have changed dramatically. I've not had a single broken wait
in any run. We had two 2nd places at UKA, qualifying for the SWAG Steeplechase
Grand Final. And at the Norfolk Autumn show, we only had two handler error Es
out of six runs, a 2nd in Jumping and a 1st in Agility, leaving us to secure
just one more win to Grade 5.
I'm totally amazed as is everyone who has
witnessed this incredible transformation, long may it last.
  News
flash...
Dixie went to her
first KC show in February after a three month break. She managed 3 Es but on
her fourth run, she came 1st and won into G5. It only took five years.
Onwards and upwards now.
Your Feedback
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Lucy Fulford
This is such a great article! Having Dixie's brother, I totally
understand where you are coming from with an all or nothing dog. Dixie,
with her wait, Loki with his arguing at tunnels and go rounds. But,
wouldn't change him for the world. You know I'm a massive fan of you and
Dixie. I'm super proud of both of you. I wish I could handle Loki like
you do Dixie! (12th October 2021) |
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Sally
Pleasant
Reading Dixie's story sounded so familiar. This is my all or nothing
dog, Zebedee. Threw so many runs as he would break his wait. He only had
two competitive seasons due to a toe injury for him and then my own ill
health causing me to retire him from competition very early at only four
years old. But in that very short time he reached grade 7. It was either
E or win. Simple as that. He is an awesome dog. We still train for fun,
and distance handle only now. (12th October
2021) |
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Tracy Down
This is Wilf, my crazy spanner. Always boom or bust, never just a
clear round. We finally got it together and had 2 wins at grade 5 by the
time I lost him. I used to envy those people who would go out for a nice
safe clear but I really miss the adrenaline of taking of the start line
and hanging in for dear life and getting that clear.
(12th October 2021) |
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Samantha Ellis
This is Marley. She's only just starting her agility
journey at one years old. We are about four months into training and she
loves it! Picks commands up very quickly. She is either switched on and
focused on the job at hand listening to every word I say. We have to
rely on vocals as she's so fast. Or she's off saying hello to every man,
woman and dog, totally switching her ears off. Definitely an all go or
nothing kinda gal. Definitely a Dixie in the making.
(12th October 2021) |
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Shirley
Elkins
Love the story. Here's my ‘all or nothing' dog, Kira
(aged 4.) She is fast and furious and I can't keep up. I do try, but age
is catching up with me. This year up till August, she has had 14 clear
rounds out of 172 runs, beat that. Her clear rounds consisted of 6 x 1st
places, 5 x 2nd places and 3 x 3rd places. But I love running her and to
me she is just ‘my crazy merle girl.'(12th
October 2021) |
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Rebecca
Williams
This is Mabel,. She's only three. I got a Small dog
so I would be able to keep up. We mostly get Es as I struggle to get in
the right place because she's sooo quick. Most runs I just hang on for
dear life, hoping for the best, screaming direction from behind. It's
starting to come together and when it goes right is awesome. We never
come 2nd. (12th October 2021) |
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Lynne Humphries
My all or nothing dog. If his bottom lipped started
juddering on the start line, you knew you were in for all kinds of
crazy! Seriously fast but not always in the right direction. When we got
it right, it felt amazing. I had to retire him during lockdown and I'm
kind of missing the flying by the seat of our pants runs we used to
have. (12th October 2021) |
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Karen Stubbs
I had an 'all or nothing' dog in Meesha, now almost 12
and retired. Her KC name totally summed her up... not for the faint
hearted. No two runs were the same. You never knew what she was
going to do, but she was great fun to run.
(12th October
2021) |
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Valerie White
I am hoping that my Marbles, who is as yet only 8 months old and is
grand niece of Dixie, will pick up some of her ability to work away, it
is a delight to watch Dixie enjoying her agility.
(23rd October
2021) |
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Tracey Veale
Quinn is my all or nothing dog - she only has one speed and I definitely
have to think on my feet when running her.
(23rd October
2021) |
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Amanda
Luttman
I don't have an all or nothing dog. I have a dog that is full on
everything at 100mph. And when I handle right and get my timing right we
can go clear. There is always a bit of luck involved. And when it goes
wrong, we learn. It's never nothing. When I perceive my dogs turns right
here I think all about me q'd a left, I look back at the video and see
the subtle signal that wasn't quite right. And if I believe I really did
get it right, then I know my training hasn't been enough. And so we go
back to train it. So it's never nothing. (12th
October 2021) |
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Annabelle Smith
We love watching Dixie run. When she’s clear, the whole place erupts
with cheering.
(12th October
2021) |
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Jennifer Costello
Dixie is just awesome. (12th October 2021) |
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Pat Last
I've stood in the ring judging some of your runs, Glynis. I've been open
mouthed in awe of your distance handling skills. Who would want to be in
the line of Dixie. So glad of your recent success.
(23rd October
2021) |
 About the author...
Glynis Smith has always lived in
Norfolk and has had dogs for the majority of her adult life. Dogs were - and
always have been - her passion.
Due to health issues,
she had to retire from work ten years ago and started agility two years later at
the tender age of 53. After a few lessons, she was hooked and went on to compete
with Sam and later Dixie. She tends to use a lot of distance control and hopes
to continue for many years to come.
First published
10th October 2021
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