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Joyful Dogs

Dog agility is a competitive sport in which the handler guides her dog through an obstacle course. At all competition levels, agility should be JOYFUL!

I started agility in 2007 at Austin K-9 Xpress Agility Training Club with my Border Collie/Lab mix, Amiga. I loved it, and continued taking classes with various instructors while also learning more about the sport through books, DVDs, online material, and seminars. By 2012, I had started teaching agility classes, which I continue to do whenever I have the time! I currently teach Beginner and Level

2 (Foundation Skills) Agility Classes at Austin K-9 Xpress. My first agility dog, Amiga, had to retire early from the sport due to arthritis, but I currently compete with my sheltie/terrier mix, Chiquita. In January 2016, we won a spot on the USA Team that traveled to the IFCS World Agility Championships in The Netherlands. We continued to compete in the US for several years. In 2017, we made the Grand Prix Finals at USDAA Cynosports (Nationals). Chiqui is now retired from agility. I have started competing in USDAA and UKI with my young Hungarian Mudi, Okos.

09/04/2024

Go to original post to place bids!

06/02/2024

It’s almost summer so it’s that time of year when people assume that “dog in a car” = “danger” = “I must act”. NO

Stop. Calm down. Make observations. Evaluate the context.

Is the dog panting? Is the dog lethargic? How hot and sunny is it? Is the car parked in the shade? How much situational awareness do you have (ie do you know how long the car has been there and how cold the interior was when it was turned off)?

By taking unnecessary and possibly illegal actuon, Ignorant Busybodies make it harder for dog owners like me to give their dogs safe and enriching adventures in the summer. Even in Texas I was able to safely leave my dogs in the car with careful planning (finding shade, how much I pre-cooled the car, and extremely short time away from the car). But I never knew if my careful planning would be undone by some ignorant and panicked human. And I was the victim of harmful, ignorant meddling several times.

Please do not have a knee-jerk reaction to “dog in car”. Stop. Evaluate. Taking well-meaning action can cause real harm so THINK before you act.

Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk.

From Tyson Richards
~Starscream

05/08/2024

In fact I did not know. Very cool!

Did you know?! All 13 of Silvia Trkman's DVDs are now available as streaming videos in the Learning Center. Whether you want to teach your dog running contacts, fabulous weaves, tight turns, or brilliant foundations, Silvia has a DVD for that!
➡️ The Easiest Way to Running Contacts
➡️ Foundations Revisited
➡️ Xtreme Foundations
➡️ Foundations Fun
➡️ Heeling Is Just Another Trick
➡️ Cik & Cap Turns
➡️ Tricks for a Great Bond
➡️ Tricks for Better Thinking Skills
➡️ Fun, Fast & Fabulous Weaves
and more!
See them all here: https://www.cleanrun.com/category/online_dog_training_classes/online_dog_agility_courses_by_instructor/silvia_trkman_agility_training_dvds/index.cfm

04/25/2024

Austin-area peeps! Please share. Gizmo is a young, sweet male tabby cat looking for his forever home. Must be indoor-only. Lol at that face! ❤️🥰

(Currently being fostered at a home in Austin with 2 other cats.)

Meet Gizmo, a young (approximately 1 year), vibrant soul with a heart full of love. His sweetness is undeniable, winning hearts with his gentle purrs, fervent trill at mealtime, eager greetings, and soft nuzzles. Gizmo’s playful side is a joy to behold, with his energetic antics and charming games...

04/18/2024

Good reminder that many dogs hide pain, and signs of chronic pain can be subtle.

Ruby - Health Update ♥️

I've noticed some changes in Ruby recently, so I took her to see a vet this morning. As I had suspected, she has now been diagnosed with osteoarthritis. This is currently affecting both of her hips and her right elbow.

Unfortunately, she is unable to have many of the treatments due to her liver condition, but we have started her on librela injections today, which she will now have monthly for pain relief. This should hopefully make a big difference to her quality of life. She is also taking joint supplements.

Older dogs do slow down, but arthritis is a painful condition. Treatment/management options are available, and no dog deserves to be in pain, so if you do suspect your dog might have it, then it's best to get them checked out by a vet.

Signs I have noticed in Ruby include:
Increased level of panting
Pacing at night
Stiffness when getting up/walking
Slowing down on walks
Reluctant to jump into the car
'Bunny hopping' when she runs
Toilet accidents during the night

Dogs can hide their pain very well, and so it is likely that she has been in pain for a while now, long before I noticed these physical changes in her behaviour. I feel awful about this, but I am glad that she now has a proper care plan in place and won't be in pain any longer.

Check out Canine Arthritis Management (CAM) to learn more about the condition and the different ways you can support your dog.

02/26/2024

By Debby Szczepanski in the Austin TX area! Comment on the ORIGINAL post to provide info, ask questions, place orders, or just give kudos 😀

01/26/2024

01/21/2024

Just might need some of these!

What a fun fundraiser idea!! Thanks to the Shenendehowa High School Art Club for doing this!! 🐾

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About me as a competitor

I started agility in 2007 at Austin K-9 Xpress Agility Training Club with my Border Collie/Lab mix, Amiga. I loved it, and continued taking classes with various instructors while also learning more about the sport through books, DVDs, online material, and seminars. By 2012, I had started teaching agility classes (more on that below). My first agility dog, Amiga, retired early due ring stress & arthritis.

Chiquita is my second agility dog. She’s a spunky sheltie/terrier mix, 13 pounds soaking wet, and currently jumps 8” (USDAA Performance). She has competed in NADAC, USDAA, and UKI. In January 2016, we won a spot on the USA Team, and later that year we competed at the IFCS World Agility Championships in The Netherlands. We had so much fun competing overseas, and it taught me a lot about mental management of “ring nerves”. In 2017, we went to Cynosports (USDAA nationals), where we were a Grand Prix Finalist. Chiqui is now (in 2020) semi-retired. She has a reduced competition load (mostly USDAA) and spends more time snuggling, stealing food, and going for hikes. Okos is my third agility dog. He’s a black Hungarian Mudi named Okos (OH-kohsh). He weighs about 28 lbs and jumps 20”. He’s still quite young (2 years old in September 2019 - just a baby)! I have taken my time with him, focusing on overall physical & mental development and on building strong agility foundations. We currently compete (on a limited basis) in USDAA & UKI. We are also learning running contacts - and I can’t WAIT for the day that we can debut our running dogwalk and Aframe in competition!

About me as an instructor