23/09/2025
I've had people ask if we're planning to compete Loki in agility. I tell them 'no' and they reply he'd love it, be excellent at it, and it would look good to clients.
He would love it and be good at it.
But also, I respect myself and my health. Agility courses can and will hurt me. I might get away with it here and there, but overall, I'm safer jumping a horse than trying to train for proper agility competitions. That is the path to constant sprains and subluxation.
My goal is to enjoy our dogs while respecting who they are, including their talents, joys, and needs.
We all have our strengths. There is a great deal of work I do with our dogs where I am the best person for the job. But I am also aware of areas I struggle with, and I allow others to fill in those areas.
For example, it is Husband and the kids that take the dogs on the longer hikes, filled with natural obstacles and rock formations that Loki adores navigating, while Io plays in water and finds plenty to sniff.
Meanwhile, I have basic agility equipment at home, and I set it up in ways that reduce the chances I hurt myself while Loki and Io still have fun. On walks, I keep my eyes peeled for little challenges, using a sea wall, pillars, benches, and traffic-calming devices that can be used to make things interesting for the dogs.
In addition, we are looking at ways to allow Io to enjoy her strengths, including her love to swim and pull. But she also enjoys basic agility, despite being less talented at it than Loki.
I had a similar conversation with a client the other day. The person has some health challenges. I pointed out that there are many aspects of puppy training, and they didn't have to try to master all of them.
I showed the person all these training exercises that can be done from the chair and in the house without messing with the leash. The puppy would have fun, gain mental stimulation, and learn desired behaviours.
I also pointed out that it was 100% to let the other people in this dog's life do the leash work right now. It is okay to join in later, when the puppy is easier on a leash and less likely to accidentally trip them. Why risk hurting yourself when you can, instead, work as a team to meet your dog's needs?
So yes, dog owners do need to respect their dog's needs and talents, especially if the dog is a working breed (or part working breed). But there are many ways to meet them that can be done outside of traditional competition. Find a way for both you and your dogs to thrive and enjoy each other.
