The spotlight shines on two sister French Bulldogs who are showing the world that any dog can run the big International Sweepstakes Class courses successfully! Sushi & Meiko compete on the Ph.D. team of Happy Dog Sports Team 3, and they placed #1 and #2 in the 8-inch jump height class for the Summer Season. They are handled by Texas couple Trevor & Malari Smith and have achieved many honors in agility. Trevor tells us more about competing with these fun girls.
Call names: Sushi & Meiko
Breed: French Bulldog
Age: 4 years
Registered names: Sushi — Callahan’s Lets Roll MX MXB MXJ MJB MXF T2B DCAT & Meiko – MACH3 Callahan’s Fry Fry and Sizzle MXS MJG MXF TQX T2B2 FCAT DJ
Handlers names: Trevor Smith (Sushi) & Malari Smith (Meiko)
City/State: Leander, TX
Team name and division: Happy Dog Sports Team 3/ Phd international
How did you decide to get Frenchies? What about the breed appeals to you?
Malari had always wanted a French Bulldog and when her Shih-Tzu qualified for agility invitationals we decided that would be a good breed to get with a better chance than some of making invitationals and so Trevor would have a dog to run as well. Little did we know that the breeder had two fabulous girls that were just perfect for us, so we ended up with two! We love their goofy personalities and overall happy-go-lucky attitudes. Sushi will lay in your arms like a baby for hours if you let her, and Meiko, like most Frenchies, loves to snuggle in a dog pile with humans or other dogs.
How did you get them involved in agility & decide to start competing with them?
We have been involved with agility for many years so when we went looking for a breeder we followed the kennel name of one of the top French Bulldogs in agility, knowing they would understand the drive and structure we were looking for in order for them to be successful. Sushi had a lot of innate toy drive, and both girls really love food, making training them very easy.
What do they like best about the sport?
Other than a lot of treats. They definitely enjoy working with us as a team to run the course, and they love to run fast!
Are there special challenges to running in the Ph.D. division with a smaller breed that is brachycephalic?
One of the biggest challenges has been the Texas heat. We run these courses outside, so we really only get one chance to run the full course in the summer to make sure they do not overheat. Even though they have good airways, just being a brachycephalic dog makes them more sensitive to heat so we monitor them closely so they do not over exert themselves. We make sure to keep them lean and physically fit so they remain in top performance shape.
What are some of the top honors they have earned in AKC Agility?
Meiko has now been invited to the last two AKC Agility Invitationals and will be going to her third this year. She has won the breed medallion the last two years! She has been the #1 French Bulldog in AKC Agility the last two years. Sushi will be attending her first invitationals this year. She was ranked #5 French Bulldog. Meiko recently earned her third MACH, and Sushi is 2 QQs away from her first! Sushi used to have quite a bit of ring stress, so we are so very proud of how far she has come and how well she has been running this last year!
Do they compete in any other sports?
Both of them LOVE Fast CAT!! They run literally as fast as their legs can go. Meiko has also started competing in dock diving and has earned her Dock Junior Title with NADD.
What do you enjoy most about being part of a League team?
We love the challenging courses without the full pressure of a trial setting. These courses have really pushed our skills, and both girls have surprised us by showing us what they are capable of doing. It has been fun to sharpen these tougher skills and grow together as a team.