The Spotlight shines on a long, low lightning bolt named Raven! Raven is a Miniature Dachshund who does not stand more than 6 inches tall, but her short legs do not slow her down. She is at the top of the rankings in the 4-Inch Preferred Class & is the overall top-ranked Dachshund in breed standings. Her owner, Jeanna, tells us what it is like to run this small speed demon and how she keeps her long-backed dog in condition.

Call Name: Raven

Breed: Miniature Dachshund

Age: 4 years old

Registered name: Jalyse’s Raven Brings The Sun CGCA CGCU TKI FDC

Owner name: Jeanna Billings

City/State: Petersburg, IN

League team and division: PoCo Pawsitive Partners, Regulation Sophomore

How did you get interested in Dachshunds and how long have you owned the breed?

I have always loved all dogs but especially Dachshunds! They are comical, independent thinking, loving companions. I got my first Dachshund in the early 1990’s, but Raven is the first one I did competitions with.

How did you decide to start training her for agility?

We live in a rural area, so our training options are limited. I was lucky enough to find an AKC S.T.A.R Puppy class about an hour away, so signed up for that. As part of the class, we got to experience some rally and agility sequences. Raven loved the agility portion, so I searched and found a nearby facility, PoCo Pawcademy, that was offering puppy classes geared towards agility competition. We learned all the early fundamentals, and that has really helped our agility journey.

What has she been like to train and compete with? She has very fast times. What do you credit that to?

Raven is really a joy to train! She picks up things so fast; it’s me who has to work hard to catch up. I am learning that she is extremely responsive to my slightest movement, so I have to constantly monitor my foot/head/hand/shoulder positions otherwise I’ll send her off course.

There are times that I feel like I am trying to harness a lightning bolt! Raven is VERY fast and fearless on course. Recently, a trainer told me that she is an anomaly — that she runs like a Border Collie in a Dachshund body.

Speed is an asset, but when she decides to make her own course, which happens often, it’s a challenge to get her attention back to the task at hand. That’s the independent thinking I admire so much. Sometimes, I just have to stand and laughingly watch her joy as she runs to the beat of her own drum. She actually smiles as she runs!

As to why she is so fast, maybe it’s in part because we train a lot at home. My house is very small and when working inside she has to, of necessity, make tight turns…..I think that has helped us at trials. Also, I work a lot on my handling skills because my brain just does not work as fast as Raven runs! But honestly, she just has a lot of natural talent, and she loves it; it’s her ‘thing’ that brings her joy. And that’s the most important thing for me…that Raven is happy.

What special care and preparation do you need to take for the long back/short legs of Dachshunds when competing in a speed sport like agility?

Before retiring, I provided canine sport and trigger point massage at agility events, so Raven gets regular body work before and after events. I also use laser and red light therapies after trials, and my canine chiropractor is an essential part of Raven’s care. She will jump or climb or do any number of things that are designed to make me say, ‘Oh no, what have you done now’….it’s just a part of who she is. So, these modalities really help keep her in shape. We also do a lot of core strengthening exercises. I recently consulted with a canine physical therapist to target areas specific to short, long-backed dogs. I limit our training time to 5-minute increments so as not to overwork her. We also do warm-up sequences before running.

What is Raven’s favorite reward?

Well, she’s a Dachshund, so food! I use teeny, tiny bits of regular air-dried food as training treats. It’s the only time she gets it so that makes it extra special. And when I get the food package out, Raven goes wild, barking and jumping around! She loves training time because it means extra special treat time.

Does she compete in other sports?

Yes, Raven has her Canine Good Citizen Urban, Advanced Canine Good Citizen, Farm Dog and Intermediate Trick Dog titles. She also loves scent work and Barn Hunt.

What do you like best about League and how has League helped with training?

There are so many things to love about League! Getting together and spending time with your teammates, cheering each other on, learning from each other. Raven and I really look forward to time spent with our PoCo Pawsitive Partners team. It seems like each new course has sequences that are new to us, so we have the opportunity to practice different handling skills. Who knew I could do a successful reverse spin? But I did it! I think even Raven was proud of me on that one.

Future goals?

My only goal is to give Raven her best life. So, it looks like more agility is in our future because she sure loves it. Maybe one day I will figure out how to harness that lightning bolt; that would be my personal goal!

Anything else you want to add?

I have never had a dog that did competitive sports and never thought it was something I wanted to do. But Raven changed all that. She needed a job, and it was up to me to provide it! This little girl has taken me places that I never dreamed of going, introduced me to life-long friends that I never would have met, brought more joy into my life than I could possibly have imagined, and shown how much spirit and determination can be held in a tiny body. It is such an honor to be chosen as a League Spotlight. Joining AKC Agility League was one of the best things we ever did!