CRUFTS EUKANUBA MINI CHALLENGE FINALISTS
Soraya Porter & Ernie 'Hartsfern In Earnest'
 
Ernie did not come from a recognised rescue association - he happened as the result of a young boys individual rescue attempt.
 
Unwanted
Ernie's mother became pregnant when the local 'lad about town' Jack Russell climbed a 6ft fence and had his wicked way with her.
She was a Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen. When the owners of the bitch found out she was pregnant, they decided enough was enough and, quote, "she's always getting pregnant". So they announced to their young son that they were going to have her put to sleep. The lad was heartbroken and told his best friend at school about his poor dog. His friend instantly said that his parents would take her, that they had lots of animals and that they wouldn't mind.
The first his parents knew about it was when he turned up on the doorstep with his friends dog in tow! After explanations had been given, they kept the pregnant bitch, even though they had never owned a dog before, and certainly never a pregnant one. The plan was that they would charge a small amount for each pup and use the money they got from the pups to have the bitch spayed. They would then rehome the bitch.
So on 31st March 1999 she gave birth to 8 puppies. Sadly one didn't survive, but all the others did, one of which was Ernie.
I call Ernie my angel dog, as he has changed my whole life, and literally kept me sane when I was off work for nearly six months with severe depression. Ernie is always happy in the mornings, smiling and jolly no matter what. He loves everyone and everything, including my two Siamese cats. It was his happy smiling face that made me get up each day when I was sick, and take him for long walks and laugh, at a time when laughter did not come easily.
Agility
As a result of Ernie loving his weekly dog agility classes - which I started initially to get me out of the house and some weight off Ernie, I have now become a total dog fanatic, with a strong emphasis on agility. We train at Valley Farm Agility club & Colchester Agility Club & have one to one lessons with Niki Keeler, Jo & Iain Frasier have also helped me with handling. I have qualified as an Agility Club Approved Instructor, completed a dog first aid course, become an agility judge (not in a big way though), teach regularly at Colchester Agility Club, and I'm working on trying to get my Kennel Club approved instructor qualification.
All this because of one small hairy rescue dog who nearly wasn't born at all!
 
From Elementary to Advanced
Ernie has achieved amazing things - he took me from Elementary to Advanced in one season, and when you consider he is my first agility dog, and our collective steep learning curve, I get all choked just thinking about it.  He is working happily at Advanced level - having reached this level with three Open Mini Agility wins and one Jumping
He won the Dogs in Need Novice final the week of my 40th birthday, and when we go to Crufts in March, this will be our third consecutive year of competing in the Eukanuba Agility Challenge.
On qualifying for his first appearance, he was the Page 3 pin-up in the East Anglian Daily times - a whole page! He also appeared on Look East regional television programme which featured slow motion shots of him coming down the dog walk and going through the weaves.
He is such a happy, friendly dog,  He is not the sort of dog most of the public would think of when you mention dog agility.
He loves Crufts - he is very popular with the visitors and has lots of photo's taken each time - the Japanese seem particularly taken with him. Nothing seems to phase him. People always seem to think he is some kind of special breed. I made the silly mistake of jokingly telling someone he was a Ditch Dwelling Anatolian Haggis Hound and they wanted to know more about the breed!!! Ooops.....
I love talking about my wonder hound. I still have an ongoing battle with depression, but I'm back at work, and I'm coping largely as a result of Ernie, agility, and all the friends I've made as a result of the two.
Crufts
Ernie will be back at Crufts this year in the Eukanuba Agility Challenge Final.
 
Thank-you Soraya for sharing your story about you and your special hound, and the best of luck at Crufts.
(Jan '06)