Once upon a time, you had two choices – conformation or obedience. (Okay, there were also field trials if you happened to have a sporting breed.) And if your Beardie wasn’t exactly show quality, the conformation judge would gently suggest, “Why don’t you try her in obedience?” as a comforting consolation. Now there are so many titling activities on offer that a Beardie with any aptitude at all can find something to suit her nature. In fact, with our exceptionally versatile breed, there’s a temptation to try them all. Time and the state of your bank account may limit that idea. And then there’s the question if your beloved dog has any interest at all in a particular sport.
F’rinstance, my blue boy, Declan, streaks like a jet when he cuts in the afterburners and races across the fields at MACH 3. I couldn’t wait to try him in FASTCAT. He seemed like a natural. So there I stood at the far end of the 100 yard track, waiting for him to set the grass on fire when a friend let go of his collar at the other end. While I waved and shouted, Declan looked over the orange fencing that delineated the runway and decided he wanted nothing to do with the whole idea. Despite all efforts to entice him, he just wasn’t interested in anything except leaving the premises. So there went $28 down the drain.
And then there was the time someone brought a rat to the training building. Declan took one sniff of the creature and backed out of the room at warp speed. No point in trying barn hunt.
But I don’t mind. He has other talents. Besides, it didn’t cost me anything to find out how he feels about rats.
Maybe that’s the point. There are so many opportunities that if your Beardie doesn’t care to chase lures, sniff out rats or follow tracks, there are still other endeavors he might find enticing.
Laurie Lo is a self-confessed obedience junkie but her boy, Smokes, developed a rather blase attitude toward the sport after a time. After wrapping up his UDX, Laurie decided to let him have a try at herding. Smokes came alive with enthusiasm and displayed natural talent and instinctive behavior. He’s proof if your Beardie isn’t exuberant over one sport, another activity may be more to his liking.
But how much is too much? A magazine ad bragged about numerous titles the owner’s dog had acquired. Then it followed up with ‘thanks’ to each of several folks who had trained and titled the dog in their particular field of expertise. That got me wondering if these activities were designed to have owners spend time with their dogs, having fun, bonding and perhaps teaching useful lessons. Or is the idea to garner such a multitude of titles that the dog’s name looks like it’s surrounded by the alphabet in a blender? Sure you can send your Beardie out with a top notch trainer or handler and have him earn big wins or superb scores. And all you have to do is write checks. Or, you can do it yourself. There’s a certain satisfaction at looking at a certificate or that title after your dog’s name and thinking “We did that. We earned that title together. We’re a team!” And isn’t that a fantastic feeling?
— alice bixler, Summerfield, Florida, Bearded Collie Club of America, bcca.us
