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Glen makes history
as the first dog to get his AW/P...
 The
Kennel Club introduced the new Platinum and Diamond Agility Warrants in order to
provide handlers with additional goals to aim for once they have achieved the
well-established Gold Agility Warrant. Platinum requires 1,200 points, 400 of
which must have been achieved from that calendar year. Shetland Sheepdog, Ag.Ch.
Japaro Cool Jazz at Craygill (aka Glen), has become the first dog of any breed
to be awarded the AW/P. His owner Jean Tuck says he's a brilliant little dog who
really understands agility and always tries very hard to do the course
correctly. Sadly this fairy tale has no happy ending. Jean had to say good bye
to this brave little chap lost his battle against cancer.
Glen gained the last of the points required for his
Platinum Agility Warrant in May, and the certificate arrived in June. So I was
particularly surprised, upon returning home from a few days spent with
our grandson in early July, to find a message from the KC asking for information
for a press release. Apparently, despite having missed quite a few shows due to
ill health, my tiny Sheltie, Ag.Ch. Japaro Cool Jazz at Craygill AW/P, was the
first dog to be awarded this new warrant. Wonderful that a Sheltie was getting
recognition, and particularly pleasing that my brilliant little agility partner
was receiving such special attention.
Like many others, I was disappointed when the
Platinum warrant was announced to find that the ALC recommendation that existing
points could be used had been overturned. Points above the Gold warrant had to
start from 1st January 2016. However, as a bonus there was also a new
Diamond warrant, too. I’d hoped to claim for both my Shelties for both new
warrants using their existing points as I keep a record of all places, but now
they had to start from Gold level which Glen gained in 2011.
My older lad retired to Veteran height just after
Crufts, leaving only Glen to chase the new awards. I did find that having such a
definite target was a plus when choosing and attending shows though, as it
challenged me to keep my handling skills up to scratch when we’d got to the
point where our main agility aims had already been achieved. The scheme is a
good one as every clear round gives points, and top-10 places give additional
points, doubled for agility. As Glen is particularly good at the Agility
classes, and is frequently in the places, his score mounted up quickly!
Sadly, Glen has since been diagnosed with an
inoperable tumour. He is only seven years old. This makes the excitement of the
press release, and the congratulations of agility folks and the Sheltie world,
particularly sweet. As he is still fit and doesn’t yet know he is ill, he is
able to continue doing the things he loves, and Agility is at the front of
those.
The much maligned LHO is brilliant for him.
In
order to keep up with Glen, I had to lose over a stone in weight, so he has
certainly helped me to keep fit.
Glen also has other skills, gaining his top level
(6) Rally title earlier this year, and enjoying competitive obedience. He
competed at Crufts this year, for the fourth time. It would be nice if his
health would last for him to complete the Diamond warrant but, of course, I
won’t be pushing him so we’ll just have to see.
 There
are other things he really enjoys too, such as our walks in the Peak District,
being with our grandsons, and obedience training in the garden, particularly the
dumbbell retrieve. Times like these serve to remind us, as if we could really
forget, how incredibly precious is our time with our special companions, and how
short that can often be.
So, what particularly special memories do I have?
Obviously the win that made him the 8th Sheltie Agility Champion was one
such. Also competing at Crufts with him was a huge pleasure and I have very many
photos and videos of this which I will treasure forever. Then the more simple
things – Glen bustling ahead on our moorland walks, racing with companion Scott
along a beach, filling the house with his personality, skipping along beside me
as we headed for the ring for an agility run, his little face looking chirpily
up at me as he tried to get into the correct obedience position and earn his
sausage, sitting on the stairs waiting for the post, taking over the largest dog
basket and the comfiest bed, asking to play when it was really bed-time, his
great intelligence and zest for life and his verbal comments on almost
everything. So many wonderful memories. A dog in a thousand million.
I
hope this achievement will encourage new people to become interested in agility
and I also hope those already involved will be inspired by our achievement and
will work towards the Platinum Agility Warrant too and possibly even go on to
the Diamond award. That’s the great thing about agility – there’s always some
new challenge to spur you on.
With no other competition dog, and a pup booked who
is only one week old, I shall shortly be saying goodbye to the agility world, at
least for the foreseeable future. So good luck to everyone in whatever agility
targets you have set yourselves, and perhaps try for an agility warrant or two!
About the author...
Jean Tuck started agility training in 1997 with Louis, her
Sheltie of that time, to give him confidence. A Smooth Collie, Ross, followed,
who combined breed with agility, both with success. From late 2002 agility
became Jean’s main canine activity and both dogs reached Grade 5. Scott joined
in and reached Grade 7, making Glen her fourth agility dog.
Jean has five grandsons, two of whom live in
Norway.
First published 19 July 2016
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