Nominate Your Dog for The SupaDog Award

 The SupaDog Award is for the most improved rescue dog.

This award is not based on points or placings. In fact, the winner may not have even had a clear round yet! It is to acknowledge a special dog which has overcome whatever difficulties it's had in the past. A dog who has overcome its problems to the point where is it now able to do agility with its new owner.

That special dog/owner partnership could be you or someone else you know who may not realise how amazing their part has been in giving their dog a great future! All you have to do is write your/their story in as much detail as you think relevant, there is no maximum length, just tell the story as it happened and email it to darleague@tiscali.co.uk.

The award is a trophy and goodie bag

The winner and the dog's story and photo's will be published on the website.

(Goodie bags are also sent to our runner up dogs).

 Defa's Award, was originally sponsored by Patch Guipago inspired by her own dog.

 to read Defa's story click here

2006 Winners story click here

2007 Winners story click here

2008 Winner story click here

Defa's Story

Defa was bought from a breeder but had difficulties in his home from the start. His family, despite owning him for a year, did not realise he had been born deaf. They approached a rescue, saying he 'unruly and ignorant, unresponsive to commands, and very demanding'. It was there that his deafness was confirmed. With the words uttered, 'Deaf dogs are useless,' poor Defa was left there and then. His lead was dropped and the family he had grown up with simply walked away.

The rescue took him in and set about finding him a home. Many were interested, but after a year of being shunned and pushed away for not doing anything asked of him, he was quite a handful. No one could communicate with him.

After ten months in rescue, the rescue organisation approached Patch as she already had a deaf dog. She agreed to give him a home, sight unseen. When he arrived, she was stunned by how lovely but thin he was. The stress of not having a permanent home had taken its toll. He had severe stomach problems and could not absorb his food properly.

Gradually, as Defa realised he really was home, he started to relax and grew in confidence. His compromised digestive health, then his weight, improved steadily and we were well on the road to losing his insecurities. His training then really came easily. All he wanted in life was to communicate and be understood and to be given guidance and love. He craved learning.

Eventually, I found an Agility club and he took to it like the proverbial duck to water. Within a month, he was taking part in displays, often being the dog the audiences most wanted to meet. He is such a crowd pleaser – and boy does he know it! We began competing, and, though I make plenty of handling errors which rob him of the placings he might have been able to achieve otherwise, his own achievement is far greater in that he, as well as all the other deaf dogs in agility around the country and abroad, has been among the number of great ambassadors to show that deaf dogs really can shine like any other dog.