First Agility Competition at the 138th Annual Westminster Dog Show

CEDAR CITY, Utah - March 4, 2014 - PRLog -- The world famous Westminster Kennel Club’s 138th annual dog show held last month, held their first ever agility competition.   The competition is known as one of the most prestigious dog show in the world.  The agility competition is an appropriate addition to the show.  Agility is a demonstration of fine skills, sportsmanship, and how attuned to their owners the competitors are.  It proved to be an entertaining segment for the audience to watch between judging the physical appearance, poise, and gait of the dog when trotting around the ring.

The dog agility competition was first publicly introduced in 1978 at England’s Crufts Dog Show.  Since then, the sport has taken off among dog owners and their enthusiastic companions.  Agility courses give both owner and competitor something to work for, bringing the two closer together.  Dogs just want to please their owners.  The agility competition gives both owner and competitor a bonding experience.

The agility segment received a warm welcome by the audience and spectators around the world.  People were impressed by the competitors’ speed, nimbleness, and enthusiasm.  It’s fun to watch dogs play and just be dogs.  Sometimes while watching these dog shows, with the dogs finely trimmed, brushed, and poised, it’s easy to forget their playful nature.  They appear so serene and focused.  Dogs are at work when they are in the competition ring.  We can forget underneath all the proper proceedings, seriousness, and pressure, there is a warm, playful soul.

The Westminster competition focuses mainly on physical appearance, poise, and gait when judging.  Each competitor is only merited a brief lapse of time for judging purposes, as there are many competitors.  If more time was rewarded in the ring, it could take many weeks, or even months to get through everyone.  However, by only judging by these standards, the show might be a little perplexing to those who are not familiar with dog shows.  Some might not understand why others are completely transfixed by a judge walking around a dog, touching and prodding them, then trotted around a ring by their owner.

The agility competition gives the Westminster dog show a different perspective, a twist.  It is fun to watch these dogs do what they do best: work and play at the same time.  People first started domesticating and selective breeding dogs thousands of years ago for the purpose of working.  The dogs that responded the best to positive reinforcement and bonded closely to their owners were chosen for breeding.  Over the years, dogs have developed deep-rooted loyalty to their owners and trainers.  The agility competition allows for companion connection between human and dog to shine through.

Agility training, practice, and competitions are fun bonding activities between dogs and their owners.  A fine breed of dog for participating in agility is the Miniature Australian Shepherd.  They are smaller cousins of the well-known full size Australian Shepherd.  Bred for their compact size, the mini Aussie retains all of the intelligence, discipline, and loyalty of the Australian Shepherd.  Their smaller size makes them ideal for tackling agility courses, and their intelligence and ease of training make them an all-around breed for training in dog agility, as well as service dog training and sport training.  Mini Aussies from Color Country Aussies out of Cedar City, Utah, are known for their intelligence, beauty, and companionship.  Their eagerness to please makes them a fine choice for families.  For more information on Miniature Australian Shepherds and current puppies for sale at Color Country Aussies, visit their website or Facebook page.

Source: http://www.westminsterkennelclub.org/2014/show/news/agility_082813.html