If you’re ever cruising around Houston, Texas, you may find yourself behind a car in traffic with a license plate that reads: “WHT ADOG”. And, if you’re just so fortunate, you might be bumper-to-bumper with Cherry Windlinger and her 16-year-old Maltese, “Luc” AGCH MACH20 PACH15 Luckenbach Luc MXG5 PAD MJC5 PJD MXP37 MXPS4 MJP39 MJPG4 PAX15 MFG TQX MFP TQXP T2B5.
With dozens of medallions, ribbons, and titles under his belt, Luc is living proof that a dog in motion stays in motion. He’s been competing in agility for more than a decade and will be the oldest participant at the 19th AKC Agility Invitational, presented by YuMove at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. The event is part of the 2024 AKC National Championship Week, sponsored by Royal Canin, on December 14 and 15th.
“Nobody ever expects the little white dog to be so fast and so good,” Windlinger says. “At 16, he still loves to run out the door and get the mail.”
Luc’s Journey to the Agility Ring
Luc’s road to becoming an agility champion was in the making long before he was even born. Windlinger recalls that in college, her daughter wanted a Maltese. She had her doubts about whether it was the right breed for their family. “I was like, ‘Oh no, you don’t want a puppy that little.’ But finally, I relented, and I got her a puppy that year, and his name was ‘TJ,’ and I just fell in love with TJ,” she says.
Years passed, and in 2008, Windlinger’s husband came home with Luc, and the rest is history. But it wasn’t all smooth sailing in the beginning. Luc is many things—affectionate, eager, motivated. But he’s also reactive and once he was 2 years old, Windlinger decided she needed to act.
“I read something that agility was good for reactive dogs because it builds their confidence,” Windlinger says. “I was afraid that he couldn’t deal with all the other dogs. When it was his turn to run, all the other dogs had moved like 15 feet away on the other side of the fence.”
Luc’s love for agility was evident from the moment he took to the ring. “It just turned out Luc was really fast, and he really liked it, so we went to our first trial—it was a NADAC trial—and he just got hooked,” Windlinger says.
Time and Time Again, Luc Proves Himself as Top Dog
Since that first training session in the agility ring, Luc has proven extremely successful in the world of canine sports. He has earned 20 MACH titles, 15 PACH titles, and the AGCH title. What’s more, he’s been invited to the AKC Agility Invitational 10 times—and six times, he won the breed medallion. He’s even made it to the finals at Westminster, the Challengers Round at the AKC National Agility Championship, and the AKC Premier Cup.
Perhaps the most compelling about Luc’s accomplishments is that often, he’s the only Maltese on the playing field. At the AKC NAC in 2022, Luc competed alongside Pembroke Welsh Corgis, Poodles, and Papillons—familiar breeds in the realm of agility. But looks can be deceiving: Luc is a bolt of lightning.
“He’s known as ‘Whatadog.’ A friend gave him the name because he would get a Whataburger for dinner on agility days. The name stuck because of his amazing consistency in the agility ring,” Windlinger says. “Of course he loves his rewards afterwards, but he loves the crowd cheering him, and he just loves running with me.”
Looking Back on an Agility Champion’s Favorite Memories
When asked about her favorite memory of competing with Luc, Windlinger couldn’t choose just one. Competing in the finals at Westminster was definitely a highlight of Luc’s career. She also recalls his very first MACH, and of course when Luc got his Agility Grand Champion (AGCH) title when he was 11.
“One year he lost to a good friend’s dog by a cumulative time of like half a second for the full run,” Windlinger recalls. “And my very first invitation with him back in 2014, that was pretty special.”
But of course the best part of competing isn’t the applause or titles. For Windlinger, it’s when Luc comes bounding up to her after completing a trial. “I carry him in the ring for the run, and he gives me kisses before we start the run. Then, after the run, I pick him up and tell him he is amazing, and he gives me more kisses,” she says.
Agility Changed Luc’s Life
Luc isn’t the only one whose life changed through agility. Windlinger was so inspired by Luc’s progress that she became a Karen Pryor Certified Training Partner and started her business, The Educated Pup. “[Luc] is the dog that changed my life. He’s my namaste dog, so I always say, ‘We learned to play this game together.’ I didn’t know how to do it, he didn’t know how to do it, and he was very patient with me because he loves the game so much.”
After the upcoming Invitational, Luc is looking forward to retirement. He first competed at the AKC Agility Invitational when he was 6 years old, and since then, he’s been invited back 10 consecutive years. Today, he resides in southeastern Texas with Windlinger and her husband, along with their three Havanese. When he’s not competing, he enjoys watching videos on Windlinger’s iPad, computer, and TV.
“Luc became so much more confident about life after learning skills needed to do agility and then being around other dogs and people at trials,” Windlinger concludes. “Agility changed Luc’s life!”
The AKC National Championship, presented by Royal Canin, is the dog world’s biggest event of the year! Learn more about conformation and follow your favorite breeds at dog shows throughout the year. They might be competing for the coveted Best in Show title in December!