They say it takes a village, and that applies to dog sports too. So what happened when the traditional North American “village dog” steps foot into the AKC Rally ring? Courtney Treres of Holly, MI, and her Carolina Dog “Beauty” took the national stage at the AKC Rally National Championship to find out.
As the only Carolina Dog team competing in the event, 5-year-old Beauty (Swamp Fox Black Beauty CM CD PCD RM4 RAE2 FDC FCAT SWA SCNE SBNE SEM SBM SCE RATO CGCA CGCU TKI ATT VHMA VSWI FITG) is a sight to behold. This rare breed is a member of the AKC Foundation Stock Service, which means that they’re still working their way towards full breed recognition.
Sparking an Interest
As involved as Treres is now, she got her start in dogs in 4H as a child, but just “a little.” It wasn’t until she was an adult that she got her first Carolina Dog — or heard of them. But the breed immediately caught her interest.
“They’re a feral-based breed, kind of like an American version of the ‘village dog’ like they have in other countries,” Treres says. Not all Carolina Dogs have owners: they’re among the breeds that still live in the wild in some states, like near the Georgia-South Carolina border. They can also be found in states like Arizona or even as far north as Ohio and Pennsylvania. Because of their independent, pack-driven nature, they can be harder to train. But once they’ve found their people, they’re stuck to them like glue.
“They are what were left over when settlers or [Native Americans] moved out of the Southeastern US and were pushed West,” Treres notes. “They ended up in remote areas and kept breeding until they had a specific type,” she says of the Carolina Dogs you see today. The breed became part of the FSS in 2017.
A Chance Introduction to the Breed
Treres’ introduction to the breed came through a friend of a friend who had seen Carolina Dogs at an AKC Fast CAT event and became intrigued. That connection eventually led Treres to Dr. I. Lehr Brisbin, who discovered the breed in the 1970s.
Treres initially wanted to bring home a male puppy, but only a female was available. “And that’s how I ended up with Beauty!” she says.
Clearly, the breed stuck with her. She is also a Board Member of the Carolina Dog Fanciers of America, the Parent Club of the breed.
Training Toward the National Stage
Thinking back to her 4H roots, Treres began to speculate what she could do with Beauty. “I just wanted to try all of the different sports to see what my dog would like, and she really enjoyed practicing rally,” she says.
They began training together for the sport in 2022, and have made fast progress to the national stage at the 2026 AKC Rally National Championships. “We’ve stuck with it all the way to be here at the championships.” This was Beauty’s first time competing in Rally at a national competition, and they competed in the Championship class.
But AKC Rally isn’t the only sport she does with her dogs. “I now have six of them, and have had two litters on top of all of the sports and conformation trialing that they do.” Not only is she a handler and proud owner of the Carolina Dog, but she’s quickly become involved in breeding too.
Going to a national competition in any sport is no simple feat. “It’s been a lot of years of work and trialing to get here.” Beauty was only two points away from her Rally Championship title at the time of the National Championship.
Turning the Breed’s Instincts Into Strengths
Despite the pressure of the national stage, Treres is already no stranger to a challenge. Carolina Dogs, used to being wild, are known to be reserved and suspicious in nature. “Their instincts are survival-based, so they’re very aware of their environment and can sometimes be very cautious about strangers,” Treres says. Not that you would be able to tell with Beauty, who was friendly and open to anyone who approached her.
Being at a competition like this, the environment is a challenge for any dog. “There’s a lot of chaos, noise, people, distractions,” she says. “Naturally, they want to be looking around for potential issues.” Carolina Dogs are pack animals, though, so when they’ve accepted a human “into the pack,” they’re able to drop their guard and be more comfortable. This might be where Treres and Beauty find their success: a trusted bond.
Building Trust With a Carolina Dog
If you’re thinking of getting a Carolina Dog, or starting in dog sports with them, Treres notes it is a challenge. “The biggest thing is building their ring confidence,” she says. “They need to stay connected with you through those challenges.”
In general, local AKC clubs usually offer AKC Rally classes. “Sign up for a beginner class. Really start to work on your foundations and your relationship with your dog,” Treres notes. Carolina Dogs can easily lock onto distractions outside the ring. Building up trust with your dog will help them focus on you and only you.
“I’m always happy to talk to people interested in the breed,” Treres says. “My advice to people interested in the breed is to reach out to the Carolina Dog Club. One of the board members can get in touch with you.”
Carolina Dogs aren’t for everyone, and would fare best with experienced dog owners. They require a great deal of training and exercise. But with the right amount of attention, even these independent dogs can be loyal dog sport partners.