The American Kennel Club is proud to announce the winners of the 2019 AKC Trick Dog Competition. This year’s competition was a virtual event, open to Elite Performers, AKC’s highest level of trick dogs. Fifty competitors from 20 states and Canada submitted videos of performances that were judged by three judges.
The winners were Tracy Dulock and her Golden Retriever, “Gryff”. Their routine, “Surfin’ USA,” was performed for an auditorium full of delighted elementary school students.
“Tracy and Gryff’s performance was a joy to watch,” said Mary Burch, AKC Family Dog Director. “The extraordinary bond between the handler and dog shines through. This is ultimately what dog training is all about. We are extremely proud of the happiness that AKC Trick Dogs across the country are bringing to their communities when they perform.”
The two semi-finalists in the competition were Laura Morefield and her Australian Cattle Dog, Carly, and Sharon Page and her Papillon, Dash.
“What a pleasure it was to watch these accomplished dogs and their handlers,” said Morgan Williams-Avila, one of the competition judges whose dogs star on the stage and screen. “I was honored to judge these extremely talented dogs, but I feel every dog owner can be a winner when they spend quality time teaching their dog to do fun tricks. Teaching tricks can be challenging, but each trick taught enhances your relationship with your dog. Congratulations to all of the 2019 competition participants!”
To learn more about teaching your dog to do tricks, see: https://www.akc.org/sports/trick-dog/
Winner
“Gryff” (Watermark’s Brave at Heart RN TD OA AXJ XF CA DS CGC TKE)
handled by Tracy Dulock of Robinson, Texas
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMiMZg2MYs4
Semi-finalists
“Carly” (Carly AX MXJ OF TKE)
handled by Laura Morefield of Midland, North Carolina
https://youtu.be/He-WLRBQnb4
“Dash” (MACH Topflite Dash 4 Cash UD BN GN GO RE FDC MXB MJB T2B CGC TKE)
handled by Sharon Page of McFarland, Wisconsin
https://youtu.be/hXNFL_QK1vU
All teams that submitted a video will receive a memento trophy. The three winning teams will receive a personalized trophy and their videos will be posted on the AKC Trick Dog website.