From July 3 to 5, the 2025 AKC Rally National Championship will take place at Purina Farms in St. Louis, MO. Dogs and their handlers will navigate a course side-by-side, going through 10-20 different signs that indicate different skills to be performed. One of those dogs, a breed you may not recognize, is “Buddy,” the Norwegian Buhund.
Hundreds of dogs from across the country will showcase their talents at this year’s Rally National Championship, and naturally, some breeds will be more represented than others. Buddy (Fortryllet Its So Easy To Fall In Love CD BN RI BCAT CGC TKN) has the honor of being the sole representative of his breed. This Spitz breed is known to be rare in the United States, and as of 2021, there were only about 400 registered Buhunds in the country.
Back For Another Round of Rally
Buddy, who’s now three years old, is returning for his second AKC Rally National Championship with his handler, Christine VanVleet, after competing in the 2024 championship in Wilmington, Ohio. Buddy comes from a litter of Norwegian Buhunds that VanVleet bred herself. Both dogs that he descends from are successful dog sport competitors.
VanVleet picked up on Buddy’s smarts early in his life. When he was a puppy, she noted his knack for quickly picking up on new skills and his ability to make observations about the world around him. “From an early age, I was able to see he’s a thinker. He would watch the other puppies [and] his mom before he would dive into anything,” said VanVleet. “When we started [basic obedience training], he caught on so quickly that I transitioned to where we would go to something more formal. Our go-to to start is always Rally.”
Variety Is Key When Training
When it comes to training for Rally competitions, VanVleet’s approach is multipronged and always rooted in positive techniques. VanVleet has found success in honing Buddy’s skills through a mix of obedience training at home and utilizing resources at her local kennel club.
“We participate in obedience classes at the Kalamazoo Kennel Club, and then I work with a woman who offers both semi-private lessons and small classes,” says VanVleet as she outlines her training regimen.
She also finds it beneficial to take Buddy’s training “on the road” to get him comfortable performing behaviors around distractions in a variety of environments. VanVleet and Buddy practice their skills anywhere, from parks to the beach to their local Lowe’s store.
VanVleet Knows Her Way Around Competition Sports
Though it’s only year two of competing with Buddy, VanVleet is no stranger to dog sports. VanVleet fell in love with competition sports in 1999 when she had her Bullmastiff run in a practice agility match on a whim.
“I took [our] Bullmastiff [to the match] along with me,” said VanVleet. “Somebody said, ‘Why don’t you just run her and see what she does?’ And she ran like she’d been running it all her life. I was hooked on the agility after that.”
After years of competing with her Bullmastiff, VanVleet eventually found her way to Norwegian Buhunds. She’s been a proud owner for the last seven years. VanVleet praises the breed for being incredibly versatile and intelligent dogs.
“They’re just so engaged. Buddy wants to work. He picks up on things very quickly. The more he works at them, the more behaviors he offers,” says VanVleet. “I’m just blown away by their level of intelligence. I mean, I have four Buhunds, and I see it with all of them.”
A Great Breed for Dog Sports
With their low prevalence in the United States, VanVleet notes that she sees Norwegian Buhunds most often in the conformation ring. She was surprised to learn that Buddy would be the only Buhund competing at this year’s AKC Rally National Championship.
VanVleet notes that while she does see many Buhunds at these competitions, “it doesn’t mean that there are tons of them at any one particular show.” VanVleet finds their rarity somewhat surprising, especially considering the breed’s versatility.
“I’d like to see a lot more Buhunds participate in performance events. They’re very capable,” says VanVleet.
A Bond That Thrives on Trust
Obedience training and participating in Rally have strengthened VanVleet’s bond with Buddy. Because a handler and dog need to work in tandem for Rally, being able to come together as a team is crucial. According to VanVleet, watching the duo compete is the only way to truly understand their connection.
As much as VanVleet loves having Buddy compete in Rally and obedience, ultimately, his happiness is paramount. No title is worth Buddy’s stress or dissatisfaction to VanVleet.
“My philosophy with my dogs is to go as far as they’re comfortable,” she says. “As long as he’s happy doing whatever it is we’re doing or training for, I will take him as far as he can go.”
The 2025 AKC Rally National Championship has crowned its champion! See who won the competition in each division, and check out the full results.