This is part of a series spotlighting All American Dogs competing in the national AKC Junior Agility Competition held on Dec. 13 in Orlando, FL, in conjunction with the AKC/Royal Canin National Championship, AKC Agility Invitational, and AKC Obedience Classic.
Name: Oliver of Manchester AX OAJ NF
Call Name: Oliver
Age: 7 years
Gender: Male
Jump Height: 16 inches
Junior Handler: Mary Hruz
Hometown: Manchester, MO
Mary says of Oliver: “He is my first dog, and he really helped me get into the AKC world through agility in our hometown of St. Louis, Missouri. Starting out, we got to know each other by learning tricks on our own from the time he was a puppy. I had always wanted to have an agility dog, so I watched a few training videos, built some obstacles, and we practiced in the backyard. It wasn’t until two years ago that we actually started taking agility classes, and from there, it wasn’t long until I showed him for the first time in a trial. We may have gotten a bit of a late start in junior AKC agility (since Ollie is already 7, and I am 17), but I still feel we have gained so much more trust and teamwork from participating in agility. Of course, we are super excited for the JAC in Orlando. I can’t think of a better way to finish my career as a junior handler, while sharing in another exciting adventure with Oliver.”