Stuck between a
rock and a hard place...
 Recently
Beth Rachlis has been reading the discussions on-line and in the agility media
concerning the Kennel Club's decision to introduce Lower Height Option (LHO) at
shows. Usually it starts on a Monday, after a weekend of shows and goes
something like this 'it's unfair that the KC brought in LHO or 'my full height
dog would have / should have won,' but now it also seems to be creeping in to
when shows and schedules are announced. Beth thinks it's it just not right! She
is proud to choose LHO!
I have one of those
smaller Large dogs. Izzie (MorgansR
Swizzie Rascal) measured 469mm at UK
Agility (UKA). As her name indicates, she is a rescue dog – adopted at about
seven months from Morgan's Rescue in Cumbria, and she carries a bundle of nerves
with her which makes her stand taller than she is.
She had never had much
human contact and was petrified of everything as anyone who has seen her
meltdown in training or competition can attest to! At our first meeting, she
didn't move. She had to be carried out of her kennel and onto the field so I
could see her. I didn't adopt her for her potential to grow to 'normal' size. I
adopted her because her face lit up and she completely relaxed when she met my
other dog and, as a bonus, my other dog didn't try to eat her!
I've recently returned
to Agility after a four year absence. My first dog never made it out of Grade 1
and has now retired to Veterans/Anysize. I quickly realised that Izzie might
have a problem. She was short, with a long back and, if she measured into Large,
there would be some VERY large jumps. Whilst still doing foundations and still
running over Small, I made an hour and a half journey to get her measured only
to have it officially confirmed that she was in fact a 'Large' dog.
 It
took us almost seven months to get her up to full height. She used to run under
Medium jumps and even tried to crawl under Small ones. She would shut down, run
away and hide in the car, climb on contacts or run into tunnels. We would get
one run out of her and then nothing for the rest of the training session. But,
we got there. She would do it, but wasn't the happy, carefree dog that I saw
over Medium or 550mm.
And
then LHO
was announced
Hallelujah! It came at a time when I was starting to think about
entering her into competitions. We could do 550mm! It is 81mm taller than her,
but she was much happier and more confident.
I waited eagerly for the
shows with LHO to be announced. I admit I got antsy, and entered her into a
couple of full height classes just to see. She did it and didn't drop poles, but
she wasn't very happy.
There was such a
difference at our first show at LHO, so we haven't returned to full height. We
have skipped local shows and gone further afield. We have joined UKA where she
runs over 550mm.
Izzie has just gone up
to Grade 4, and has recently gained enough points for her AW/B. She's exceeded
all my expectations and sometimes we have moments of brilliance, usually when I
remember to tell her what to do! However, we also get eliminated – a lot. I cue
her late. I forget the course. The dreaded tunnel monster sucks her in, or she
sees a piece of contact equipment and just can't help herself.
LHO has not solved all
our problems nor made her a robot dog. If anything, it has made running her
harder! She's happy and drivey. My mistakes are amplified as she will take any
jump she sees even if I am facing the opposite way and shouting left, Left,
LEFT! at her.
Would she have had the
same success over full height? Who knows? What LHO has given Izzie - and me - is
confidence. She's happy. She wants to be there and do Agility. I stand in the
queue amongst our other LHO competitors, and we bond. The Labradors, the
Spaniels, the Shepherds, the Collies, the crossbreeds, the all the other dogs
who may struggle over Full Height love LHO. The owners believe that LHO is
better for the long term health of their dog.
 Choice
and fairness
The Kennel Club has given us the responsibility to make a choice for what we
think is best for our own dog. There is lots of talk about 'fairness' at the
moment, specifically how it isn't fair that dogs can win up running at LHO, and
how it isn't the same course. Well, it isn't fair that my little dog forgot to
grow. It isn't fair that she should have to jump Large at 181mm more than her
height (or 138% of her height) – for a hobby that is mine, not hers. Dogs aren't
born being taught how to do Agility, they have to learn. As such, I believe that
we have a responsibility to ourselves - and our pets - to do what we feel is
best for them. Each dog has different strengths and weaknesses, and it is up to
us to support them.
Comments have been made
comparing Agility to human sports but the analogy falls down. Humans can make
their own decisions about how often to train and if the sport suits them. Dogs
can't. We have to be their voice and make decisions on their behalf.
In KC Agility Liaison
Council minutes, it has been mentioned that participation into the sport of
Agility has fallen. There are comments that Grade 1 and Grade 2 are a lot
smaller than they used to be and where are the new people? Well, maybe they are
finding that Agility isn't the sport for them and their dogs. Perhaps sports
like Flyball where the smaller dogs are encouraged and sought out or Rally-O
where size doesn't matter as much, are a better fit for them.
LHO isn't perfect. Some
people decry that shows can choose whether or not to offer it, that awards
should be combined or separate, or if there should just be a confirmed 4th
and 5th height.
But, what we have to
remember, is that we can only work within the framework we are given. Running at
LHO is not cheating. It is allowed within the rules. It is for anyone to use. If
a dog wins up quickly, before they are ready, all that happens is that they then
get stuck in a new grade until they win out. That may already happen with the
dogs running over Small, or Medium, or those who enter shows with small entries.
Stuck
between a rock and a hard place
There is shrinking interest in KC Agility with lower numbers of new
handlers, while there is growing pressure from research and other organisations
that maybe the arbitrarily set heights of 350mm, 450mm, and 650mm may no longer
meet the needs of the modern Agility organisation. Dogs run successfully in the
UK and across the world at different jump heights, and organisations such as UKA
offer a greater variety of heights and options for dogs.
The Kennel Club's
tagline is ' Fit for Function. Fit For Life.' The existing three height bands
are not accessible and functional for all dogs. While the Kennel Club is making
decisions on the future of these heights, their interim introduction of LHO
allows for more participation, hopefully shoring up the shrinking Grade 1-Grade
2 numbers, and allows greater access to Agility for all dogs.
 Footnote:
Since this article was written, UKA,
Sweden and USDAA have lowered their jump heights for the 2017 season. In those
organisations, Izzie would be jumping 500mm (UKA), 500mm (Sweden) and 20 inches
[508mm] (USDAA) as opposed to the Kennel Club 'full' height of 650mm
(25.5 inches).
 About
the author
Beth Rachlis lives in Newcastle upon Tyne with her two rescue dogs.
She dabbled in Agility with her eldest one and returned 18 months ago with Izzie.
In her spare time, Izzie
enjoys herding her pet cats, swimming and rolling in poo.
First published 30 November 2016
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