It's A Berner-ful Life: MAD Maggie

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Wednesday, June 1, 2011

MAD Maggie

This past weekend we headed out to the first outdoor agility trial of the year. On Maggie's very first run of the weekend, she qualified in Masters Standard to finish her Masters Agility Dog of Canada title!

To some people this is not a big deal, but for Maggie and I, it is like getting an ATCh - something I was never sure we would achieve. This will be the last agility title that Maggie and I earn together. I promised her that once she finished her MADC, she would get to retire from competitive agility. She will still get to play and do demos and the occasional local trial just for fun but no more trialling.

Maggie is such a good dog and she really does love to play at agility but I know she doesn't always love the ring and she only does it because I ask her too. I can really see her slowing down physically and because her poor structure, I do not think it is fair to ask her to keep competing in such a demanding sport. It is sad to see our competing days coming to an end but Maggie will have fun doing other things. She loves to do agility demos and have people cheering for her so she will keep doing that. She will get to come out and have fun training but without the pressure of competing, so our fun is not over.

4 comments:

Bella and DaisyJune 1, 2011 at 10:23 PM
Congrats Maggie!
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Amber-MaeJune 2, 2011 at 1:32 AM
Congratulations to Maggie!!! It's so cool to get titles innit? My boy, River also has poor structure hence he will never compete in Agility & anyway, he doesn't enjoy it that much. He has straight shoulders & upperarm & he's a HUGE dog, weighing over 35 kilos. He could really damage his joints from landing onto the ground too many times. He enjoys doing other things though like Obedience, Doggy Dancing & Field Retrieving.
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AnonymousJune 2, 2011 at 2:05 AM
Congratulations Maggie and Kim! Great stuff!!
Maggie must be one of the very few Berners with this prestigious title! Maggie...enjoy your well-earned retirement, and have fun!
Rick
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MuttsandaklutzJune 9, 2011 at 6:39 PM
Awesome, congratulations! Berners sure aren't very common in agility but I think it's so cool to see the unique breeds show their stuff. Maggie will have lots of fun outside of the trial ring now.
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An Extraordinary Dog For Extraordinary People

"The Bernese Mountain Dog is different from most other dogs in many respects. Take his size, for example. Everything about a fully grown Bernese is big and strong, massive and mighty; his body, his paws, his teeth , his tongue, his tail,his emotions, his responses, his will, his good, and when they exist, not-so-good habits. Anyone who wants to adopt a Berner needs to think large. A Berner cannot be carried to the vet's in a basket; a struggling Berner cannot be pulled along on a leash; a fully-grown Bernese cannot be forced into a down position by the use of a hand-or even two. A Berner cannot be bathed in a sink, scooped up with an arm, or lifted across a puddle. A Berner slurps water with a bigger tongue from a bigger bowl (and thus slobbers more water on his folks); his coat takes longer to brush; he must go for longer walks. A Berner's paw leaves bigger , deeper, muddier tracks in the house, in flowerbeds, in the car, and on clothes; he shakes off more water upon entering the house after a hike in the rain; his tail wags with greater strength at a higher lever; he barks less frequently, but louder. A Berner bounces more merrily, mourns more deeply, sulks more sadly, resists more strongly, clings more closely, and loves more intensely. A Berner Sennenhund requires more than the little finger. He needs the whole hand, no both hands; no, still not enough. A Berner needs the total person."

---excerpt from"The Bernese Mountain Dog A Dog of Destiny" by Bernd Guenter.