League competitor Susan Soviero originally wrote this article for the Keystone Portuguese Water Dog Club newsletter. Susan runs with a team at Bayshore Companion Dog Club in New Jersey. She tells us how competing in the League with her PWD, Cayo, has helped with succeeding at trials. Susan lives in central New Jersey with her husband, three PWDs and a Frenchie.
Cayo and I came into 2024 with a couple of qualifying scores in Novice JWW Preferred. I had just completed an obedience goal in 2023 and added the AKC Obedience titles of Beginner Novice and Novice to Cayo’s resume and wanted to do the same in agility.
Our experience in agility trialing at different locations was limited as was Cayo’s experience with the excitement of an agility trial. I checked the schedule of trials within about an hour and 15 minutes of me and went to work taking two classes a week and adding seminars, however, I realized this was not going to simulate a trial. I decided to avail myself to the AKC Agility League and luckily signed up for the winter session.
Cayo and I embarked on our experience with the league, which my club Bayshore Companion Dog Club offers. We qualified for the Sophomore level as we had the NJP title. My goal was to get Cayo comfortable enough to earn his Open JWW title, Novice Fast title and hopefully embark on our Novice Standard experience with some success, and of course, contribute to my league’s team!
The league afforded us a more simulated, though small trial experience. My dog had to wait by a ring gate to go into the ring and not be treated during the run (though you can run for exhibition only with a toy at Bayshore). My additional goal was to try and simulate the trial experience and teach the dog the continuity of that experience and push us as a team to compete with clean runs. I gained this additional experience as I ran every two weeks in the league session.
We had a bumpy start and still have our struggles. I credit running in the league with being able to run as a team more fluidly without faults in trials. Cayo and I continued into the Spring league season with an eye for trialing more consistently as spring and summer trials were more available within a comfortable driving range.
Going into the fall season, we still struggle with trying to shave precious seconds off our time and speed in the weaves but we manage to run clean nearly every time and are fairly competent on the equipment. As I mentioned, the league helped our teamwork, cleaned up faults and simulated a small trial experience. When we started trialing on a more regular basis in late spring 2024, our JWW courses improved, helping us earn the OJP title and move up to Excellent JWW. We now trial in Standard and earned our NAP title at the end of this past summer. The league gave us additional confidence, improved my handling and enabled me to have feedback from experienced people in real time away from the formal trial environment.
Any competitors who are trying to hone skills or just want to have fun with their dog in a more informal environment, I highly recommend joining an agility league offered near you. Our league is only offered to club members, due to the popularity, but anyone can check out how to start up a league or join a league near you. It is a national program, there are rankings, and there is an annual championship.
No matter the reason, if agility is in your blood, you may want to broaden your horizon with some agility league experience where you can have fun with your dog, bond with other competitors, and what is most fun — cheering on others! The league at my club, though competitive, is a relaxed atmosphere where we all support and encourage each other. We clap for our small successes and flawless runs and lift those up struggling or just starting.
Regardless of your agility journey, may you run clean and enjoy your journey!