Agility class number four! Two more weeks to go!

My baby is an overachiever! She has officially mastered the tunnel, the dog walk, the hurdles, the A-frame, and now - the teeter totter! Ok, so maybe using the word "mastered" is painting the picture a little rosy. However, she is running through the tunnel with no problems, she sprints over the dog walk and the A-frame, and she hops hurdles like a gazelle. The weave poles are still posing a bit of a challenge, but we are working on that. She is getting better and better but that is going to take some time.

Today she learned how to ride the teeter totter seesaw thing - it scared her a little at first but once she got the hang of it she was riding it like a show pony. Here is a pic of the teeter totter. Obviously that's not my baby Maddie, but appears to be a blue heeler or something similar. I'll take some pics of Maddie on the equipment when she gets a little more confidence.

Permit me to get on my soapbox for a moment. As you know, both of my babies are mixed breed rescue dogs. It has recently come to my attention that The AKC (American Kennel Club) does not allow mixed breed dogs in their agility competitions. Now, I never planned on putting Maddie in competitions, but come on. Why not? I understand why Maddie and Sugarbear can't be showdogs, but you don't have to have "papers" to hop through hoops, folks. This event is just about dogs being dogs.

I know dogs don't have civil rights, but this policy is terrible. Dog fans should be uniting to encourage people to adopt dogs from pet shelters and rescue groups. Instead, the AKC is treating people who adopt and rescue dogs like second-class citizens by excluding them from events where a dog's breed is irrelevant. Harrumph.

Props to the UKC (United Kennel Club), the US Dog Agility Association and the North American Dog Agility Club for allowing mixed breed dogs to compete through the American Mixed Breed Obedience Registry (http://www.ambor.us/).

Now, check out this picture Gavin took tonight. Maddie is actually sitting ON Sugarbear while she looks out the window - so funny. Love these girls.