From being dumped in the Nevada Desert with little chance of survival seven years ago to being part of a top agility partnership, All-American Dog “Cricket” has had quite the inspirational journey.
Ahead of attending the 2025 Agility Premier Cup, her owner-handler, Flora Steffan, from Bend, Oregon, is keen to remind people that, regardless of the level they’re competing at, the key to a successful partnership is listening to your dog, respecting them, and having fun together.
A Bond With Border Collies
When Steffan was 8 years old, she took in a stray Border Collie, “Pepper,” and thus began her lifelong love for the herding breeds. “They seem to have such insight into the human soul,” she says. “They’re so personable, and really want to be on the same team as you.”
31 years ago, someone dumped a puppy on her porch. Steffan named her “Guess,” and her love for the breed only intensified. “Guess is the one I felt was my mentor,” she says. “She really taught me the true intelligence of the herding breeds. She was just incredible and definitely a dog of a lifetime.”
Steffan lived in a rural ranching community where there were no local animal rescues. Soon, she was known as the “Border Collie Lady,” helping to find suitable homes for abandoned dogs. “I did everything on my own until 2014, when Herd U Needed a Home became a nonprofit,” she says. “Now I have some of the most amazing volunteers. It takes a village to do what we do.”
A Latecomer to Agility
Steffan has been heavily involved in dog training. She says that she noticed people rehoming their dogs too often, usually for reasons that could be fixed through training. She emphasizes the importance of providing the right outlets for intelligent dogs like Border Collies and also teaching them how to settle. “They have to learn how to turn off their brain because if they don’t, they can become neurotic,” she says.
However, she didn’t start her agility journey until six years ago. “My friend, Carol Mann, was doing a demonstration in my hometown, and I loved seeing the connection between her and her dog,” she says.
Steffan started taking lessons and competing with her first agility dog, “Paige.” However, it wasn’t until Cricket came into her life that Steffan realized the importance of tailoring your training to meet your dog’s needs.
A Stroke of Luck and Kindness Saved Cricket and Her Family
Seven years ago, in Winnemucca, Nevada, some off-road riders contacted a local animal control agency after spotting a dog wandering around a remote part of the desert, known for being a local dog dumping ground. The animal control officer noticed the dog kept running into a hole. When he crawled in, he discovered four puppies. Their clever mama had hidden her babies to protect them from the cold and predators.
The agency contacted Steffan, and a dedicated volunteer made the 14-hour road trip to collect Cricket and her family. The sweet dog and three of her puppies were tricolors, and had no trouble finding new homes. “Cricket was mostly all black, without the flash,” Steffan says. “She was kind of like the ugly duckling of the pack, and her fosterer told me she always hides under the porch and doesn’t want anything to do with people.”
For Steffan, who was thinking about getting another dog, it felt like this little, overlooked puppy was meant to come into her life.
Cricket Has Been the Greatest Teacher
Cricket showed phenomenal promise in the agility ring from the beginning. Her nicknames are “Pocket Rocket” and “Furry Missile.” Steffan couldn’t keep up at first and was constantly disconnecting from her. “Let’s just say she waited a long time for me, because I was not the handler she needed,” she says. “I was used to ‘Steady Eddie Paige’ trotting along beside me.”
There were times when Steffan felt like giving up on their agility partnership. “I came out of runs so many times in tears, thinking, ‘I cannot handle this dog. I don’t understand her,'” she says.
While it was initially overwhelming, Steffan kept at it. She and Cricket developeda strong bond and worked to reach her full potential. The biggest lesson Cricket taught her is that you get what you put into your dogs. Soon, all their hard work started paying off.
“Cricket reminded me that she is as special as I allow her to be,” she says. “You need to really listen to your dog. If something isn’t right, take the time to find a trainer who will help you work it out.”
Taking the Agility Circuit By Storm
Steffan is racking up the agility titles with Cricket and some of her other dogs. However, she is humble about her achievements, saying she is still learning and giving credit to her wonderful, patient dogs.
Cricket missed out on first place at the Agility Invitationals last year by just 0.10 seconds. Steffan has also held the number one title in the United States for two years in a row and the number two spot last year. Both Cricket and Paige are Agility Grand Champions, and Cricket is aiming for PACH6 (Preferred Agility Champion) this year. One of her younger dogs, Paco, is also on his way to being a Grand Champion.
These are impressive feats, especially considering Steffan is also juggling full-time nonprofit work, volunteering in the 4-H youth development program, and teaching dog training to underprivileged kids in her local community.
Ahead of the AKC Premier Cup, Steffan said she was excited about attending with Cricket. “It’s going to be a huge honor to be there, especially with my girl. She was thrown away in the desert, now competing with some of the best dogs in the nation.”
However, she says she doesn’t have a goal other than to enjoy the experience. “You gotta have fun with your dog,” she says. “If you don’t have fun, you steal all their joy.”
The AKC Agility Premier Cup has crowned its winners. See the top-scoring agility teams in each division for the 2025 competition.