Jayne Pettitt & Dan (Wiccaweys Dancing Brave)

Supadarl Finals Winners Grade 2 2009

Dan arrived at my house as an eight week old puppy on the 1st June 2005. He was my very first collie, and 2nd agility dog. My other two dogs were both rescues so I chose the same route to get my collie puppy. He and his siblings had been 'rescued' by Wiccaweys at 4wks of age. The reason they were taken from their mother at such an early age is because the farmer was going to drown them.

From day one it was obvious he was a bright little boy, who wanted to learn. The first few months were a pleasure, both he and I learning new things together. He was always a clingy boy, who didn’t like me to leave him. He would jump stairgates, stable doors, and he learnt to open doors, all at a few months old, just because he didn’t like me to be out of his sight. I’m sure this was all due to those first few unfortunate weeks of his life.

At 5/6 months of age Dan became very fearful. Even though he had been well socialised 'life' had suddenly become very scary and stressful for him.  A walk would be something to 'dread'. People, dogs and certain things and situations, would just fill him with fear and he would just bark. I would come back from a walk feeling 'mentally' drained. It has taken a lot of patience and hard work to get Dans temperament to where it is today. He will always fear or dislike certain things. He is not keen on strangers, especially men, coming into the house, but is a lot better out on walks. When he goes up to a stranger and asks them to throw his ball, it makes me  so happy and  I realise how 'far' he has got in managing to overcome with his fear!

Dan started his agility career in October 2006. He got a 7th in his very first class, and then did a brilliant run to get 2nd in a Jumping class.

Learning to run and handle Dan (I’m still trying!!) has never been easy. To be fair to him there are many things I should or would have done differently with him as a young dog training. I never worked on turns, didn’t know what a Flick-Flack was, and didn’t do many other types of training that is usually done with young dogs before they start competing, so unfortunately for Dan, he has had to learn 'new things' later on, and when we had already started competing.

I was just amazed to have a dog with so much drive and focus, so hence a dog that will run on 'all-day', but I have struggled with control, and starting in grades 1 and 2 only encouraged him to run ahead and drive even more! The fact he has gone from Gr 1 to Gr 5 in two seasons, without ideal foundation training and with a handler having to start from scratch re positioning, commands, and running a fast dog, says something for his talent. At his very first KC show in May 2007 he won gr 1 jumping, and by the July of that year was Gr 2. By June 2009 he was Gr 5. He has two jumping wins in this grade, but I am quite happy to stay in Gr 5 for now as I feel we have some 'things' to train and hopefully improve on if we should happen to go to Gr 6.

In just over 2 seasons competing he has qualified for 8 Finals. He has won three of them been second in three, had to withdraw from one due to a slight injury and his eighth Final will be the Adams Burns Derby next July.

Our wins in the 2008 First Contact Final and this years Supadog Rescue League Final are two highlights of my life .

I have never put pressure on myself and my dogs to be a 'certain grade'. Hopefully, with lots of hard work, good training, a good dog and abit of luck, you will achieve something in agility. I can sometimes get disheartened when I am not getting clear rounds and my confidence can take a 'knock', but I just try and think that at least if my dogs are healthy and happy that’s all that matters.

As regards Dan, I always remember saying 'he's a rescue, and what ever he does will be a bonus', especially as he was such a fearful boy. In agility he has achieved so much, even if he doesn’t always listen, but in life he is so special to me. He came to me at a very low point in my life, and we just bonded instantly. He can be 'highly strung', 'gobby' and 'clingy', but to me he is my loyal companion, best friend and soul mate. We have been through some tough times together and managed to get through them. I will, I’m sure, never have another dog who loves me like Dan does and weather he competes in agility or not, my life is so much better for having him in it.

Jayne  x