DogStar Performance Dog Sports with Bridget Thomas

07/30/2025

So cool!

Maple is part of the team at MSU’s Pollinator Performance Center doing critical pollinator research and education. A retired police K-9, she uses her super sense of smell to detect bacteria in bee colonies to help prevent disease from spreading.

Currently, beekeepers must manually inspect colonies for disease, but dogs like Maple can identify disease much faster, which could make a big impact on the industry.

This project is one of many occurring at the Pollinator Performance Center. Operating since 2021, the center allows MSU to be at the forefront of honeybee and other pollinator research.

07/29/2025

Entries open today! Online entries through Labtested

Sept 19th-21st, 2025

We have expanded our ISC/Novice & Open Trial!

3 days of ISC!

2 days of regular AKC classes

ISC designer Petr Pupík!

Mike Padgett judging ISC and a couple regular classes.

Diane Fyfe judging the majority of regular classes.

The End of Summer Cup will have prizes for 1st-3rd of a final on Saturday. And daily prizes for Mike’s favorite ISC NQ run.

Our prizes brought to you by our amazing sponsors:
Mocean
Maxie Chapman with Massage by Maxie
From Our Barn
Wondercide
Deerwood Academy
Saint Rocco's Treats
Caitlin DeGross Fitness

Photography by MB Photography

And UpDog courtesy of Jax Disc Dog League

07/29/2025

Don't forget! Something to look forward to....

Entries open today! Online entries through Labtested

Sept 19th-21st, 2025

We have expanded our ISC/Novice & Open Trial!

3 days of ISC!

2 days of regular AKC classes

ISC designer Petr Pupík!

Mike Padgett judging ISC and a couple regular classes.

Diane Fyfe judging the majority of regular classes.

The End of Summer Cup will have prizes for 1st-3rd of a final on Saturday. And daily prizes for Mike’s favorite ISC NQ run.

Our prizes brought to you by our amazing sponsors:
Mocean
Maxie Chapman with Massage by Maxie
From Our Barn
Wondercide
Deerwood Academy
Saint Rocco's Treats
Caitlin DeGross Fitness

Photography by MB Photography

And UpDog courtesy of Jax Disc Dog League

07/24/2025

CLASS STARTS FRIDAY!!

"TEACHING, IMPROVING, PROOFING AND HANDLING YOUR BACKSIDE JUMP SKILLS"

Join me for a summer skills online training course. Everything from just getting started to building independence and handling challenging drills/sequences.

Please head to the DogStar website for more info or contact Bridget Thomas with any questions, bridget@ dogstar-agility.com.
https://www.dogstar-agility.com/virtual-coaching-online

07/23/2025

STILL TIME TO JOIN IN ON THE FUN AND CHALLENGES!!

"BUILDING THE BEST WEAVES EVER" SUMMER ONLINE CLASS with Bridget Thomas

Summer is the time for skill building! There's still time to join in my "Building the BEST Weaves EVER!" online class. This class is very personalized approach and gives lots of individual attention to what you and your dog need.

This is a class for dogs that already know how to weave twelve poles but are now ready for the challenges of weaving "No matter what". Build your dog's confidence and speed in the poles and train/proof/challenge...
- entries
- exits
- distractions
- crosses of all kinds
- layering and distance
- discriminations and verbal clarity

Please contact Bridget Thomas with any questions, [email protected], or head to the DogStar website for more info.... https://www.dogstar-agility.com/virtual-coaching-online-classes

07/12/2025

Congrats to Annie Harris and Newt on working towards their summer activity, a CDX!

07/12/2025

I keep forgetting to post a welcome to Rebecca Sharpe's new baby Briard, Josie! Welcome to the DogStar family sweet Josie!

07/11/2025

Check out the DogStar website for info on our summer online topic classes and virtual coaching and training with Bridget Thomas!

https://www.dogstar-agility.com/virtual-coaching-online-classes

Please contact Bridget for scheduling, registration, or questions.

07/08/2025

I'll be headed to Tinton Falls NJ in a few weeks for a couple days of agility workshops on a variety of topics. Check out the Bayshore site, https://bayshoredogclub.org/ for more info or feel free to message me with any questions.

06/30/2025

So proud of my DogStar students for taking on the Dog Agility Competition of Florida (DACOF) this year without me! Everybody stepped up, supported each other, cheered each other on, and hopefully had a great time doing it. So many runs to be proud of!

06/26/2025

Agility isn't only for the young and fast handlers, but you do need some kick-butt dog training skills! And the judge's expression after the weave pole entrance.... Bravo!

06/03/2025

Good news! The Neuter Commuter is now accepting walk-ups—if we have no-shows—to help ensure every available spot is used to serve as many pets as possible.

We’ve seen a rise in missed appointments, which means some animals are missing their chance to be spayed or neutered. If you have a scheduled appointment, please show up, or give us a few days’ notice if you need to cancel. Your communication helps us make the most of our team’s time and resources.

Want to catch us at a future stop? Check out our full schedule here:
🔗 https://animalservices.marionfl.org/animal-center/calendar

To qualify as a walk-up:
• No food or water after midnight (for your pet’s safety)
• Bring any vaccine records, especially proof of prior rabies vaccination (even if it's expired)
• Payment is due at drop-off
• Arrive no later than 9:00 AM – walk-up spots are limited and not guaranteed

Scheduled appointment check-in is:
• 8:30 AM at the shelter
• 9:00 AM at all other mobile locations
🚫 Please note: We no longer accept cats and dogs on the same day. Each clinic listing on our calendar will indicate whether it’s a cat day or a dog day.

Standard Surgery Fees
(Includes vaccinations, microchip with registration, and Marion County license)
• Puppy (under 6 months): $55
• Dog (6 months and older): $75
• Kitten (under 6 months): $15
• Cat (6 months and older): $35
• Bully-type breeds, large breeds, or other commonly found shelter breeds: $15

To request an appointment, please visit https://bit.ly/43shKLC.

Thank you for helping us stay on schedule, fill every spot, and make the biggest impact we can for pets in Marion County!