Dog-gone good

[Crossfire Bulldogs]

Canines take center stage at Fairplex
By Monica Rodriguez Staff Writer - Whittier Daily News

POMONA - Stella, a 4-year-old Chihuahua, ran through the obstacle course in Barn 9-A at Fairplex like a flash Friday afternoon.
Later, Mister Bojangles, a 5-year-old Great Dane, jumped, crawled and dashed through the same course with the nimbleness of many other smaller breeds.

"This guy is fast. I'm really, really proud of him," said Zee Marie of Las Vegas, Mister Bojangles' owner, as she petted her canine partner after his turn on the course.

Stella and Mister Bojangles are among the 431 dogs of more than 45 breeds taking part in the High Desert Dog Agility Show this weekend at Fairplex.

Teams of dogs and handlers from across Southern California and as far away as Idaho turned out for the four-day event put on by the High Desert Agility Club, said Pat Charlton, the show's chairwoman.

Dogs and their handlers will be competing at different levels throughout the weekend. Friday, some of the top dogs in the sport took turns running through tunnels, weaving around a series of poles and making their way from one end to the other of a teeter-totter while running against a clock.

Some of the dogs were family pets and others were acquired by their owners with the goal of taking part in agility trials, Charlton said.

"It's a lot of work but it doesn't feel like work. It's fun," Charlton said. "It's amazing how you can take the family dog and make it a great athlete."

For people interested in seeing what this sport is about and what it can lead to, this is a good show to visit. Not only can they see the work of the dogs and their handlers, but they can also speak with trainers and others involved in the sport, Charlton said.

Some of the teams competing Friday will head to a national competition in Tampa next month. Among them will be Mister Bojangles.

This show is a great way to prepare for that competition, Marie said.

Olympic diving champion Greg Louganis was among those at the show Friday. He was competing with three dogs - two Jack Russell terriers and a Border Collie.