I hadn't worked Tuck in agility for more than a year, because I had read so
many stories about elkhounds and cruciate ligament tears of agility dogs,.
So many elkhounds that do agility are on pain reliever meds that I decided
agility just wasn't for my dog.
Tuck LOVES agility. But I waited until he was 2, and got all his OFA's to
insure he was sound in structure before I considered jumping him. And after
going to the nationals, decided most (NOT ALL) of the elkhounds doing
agility are overweight, I began to see why they seem so injury prone. So I
have , again, been toying with the idea of entering Tuck in agility.


But there we were at the agility show and go, and I did not bring Tuck. I
just wasn't committed to doing this. But it DID look like so much fun,
that My friend asked, and I consented to allow her to run Tuck in agility.
So she ran home and got Tuck

What surprised me, is My friend who had never been on an agility course AT
ALL, Not even to help set one up, had just taken a dog, controlled him at
speed, and ran a flawless agility course (well almost, Tuck went were he
was directed)
In fact, she made it look so easy, I decided that I would try it.

I was surprised how fast the agility course went, because it looked so big.
I couldn't keep up with Tuck as he hurtled around the course. But all I had
to do was ask him to slow down, and he'd stop, waiting for direction .
I had easy control.
Then my friend, yesterday asked to try my dog in open work in obedience,
again, he worked a very nice, qualifying CDX class. She had never been in
an obedience ring before either. Tuck gave her excellent attention, never
taking his eyes off her. then she asked to take him into Rally advanced.
(OK she had done Rally novice) and she took him through rally advanced
without incident. It looked very nice.

I liked the fact that someone else could control my dog, and he could have
that much teamwork, cooperation and attention, with someone who never
worked him or trained him.

I think in September, i'm going to enter him in Conformation, Open A, Rally
A, and Agility. That's going to keep me busy!