It wasn’t the rap on the front door by the postman, but the bing on my computer that let me know that I had received mail titled, “2025 Westminster Preliminary Confirmation.” This led to a happy, joyful, excited Irishman sinking back in his chair and then screaming with joy! I knew we had been at the top of the wait list, but I didn’t dare dream, as there hadn’t been any movement over the previous week.
Westminster means the world to us. In the Dog Agility world, it’s like no other. It’s a very special occasion. I was so excited to share the news with everybody. It’s an absolute joy having the chance to show my special wee Parson Russell Terrier, Tayto, doing my sport of Agility, and what it means to us. Tayto’s past generations have “just” pranced around a ring, but my boy was going to Twist and Shout!
The Irishman and Tayto were going to Westminster, an impossible dream just a few years ago. A fashionably late invitation was not a problem, as we love challenges. We were already preparing for AKC Agility Nationals in March, and so we just changed our focus to this amazing event. Our progress has been going nicely over the past year, so we were kind of ready.
Fun, Accuracy, and Speed are the pillars of Agility for us. It’s been a long, testing adventure, not easy but extremely rewarding. Tayto’s the dog who was once afraid to jump over the first jump at a trial; we have come a long way. We’ve learned so much about each other and have broken the norms. We have experienced a lot and I felt we were at a good place. Every part of our adventure has been a challenge.
We are always refining our handling and exploring new positive ways. Tayto’s not a natural high-drive dog, so I needed to give him a reason. The only reason that he will accept is having fun. One fun technique involves me unlocking my own “Happy Inner-Terrier!” He has taught me this valuable life lesson.
Our approach is a lot different than high-drive teams… Tayto needs a “why?” He demands that I bring out my lightheartedness, insisting everything must be fun! It’s a battle of the minds, but I’m just about winning at the moment!
