Encinitas dog and owner take top honors at regional dog agility championship

Encinitas resident Vicki Ernenwein and her Australian Shepherd, Mayday, earned a blue ribbon at the United States Dog Agility Association Southwest Regional Championship, held June 28-30 in Norco, Calif. Local agility club Dog Agility Sport Handlers (DASH) hosted the event.

Canine athletes and their handlers competed for top honors as well as qualification to the Cynosport World Games of Dog Agility to be held in Tennessee this fall.

Mayday, age 5, was crowned Regional Champion in Performance Speed Jumping which requires speed and accuracy on hurdles, tunnels, A-frame and weave poles.

Ernenwein, who is a cancer survivor, has been competing in agility since 2011. She attributes part of her success in recovering directly to her family – both human and canine.

Dog agility is a great sport that anyone and any dog can participate in. “I love how fun it is! The dogs love it and I get the pleasure and benefit of an activity I can share with my pets as well as the camaraderie of the other exhibitors who are dog lovers like me,” said Ernenwein.

Dog agility requires dynamic physical and mental engagement for dogs and humans alike. Guided only by voice and movement cues from their human partners, the canine athletes compete against the clock, flying over hurdles, weaving between poles, racing through tunnels and bounding onto the see-saw. Obstacles are set according to the dogs’ height and experience level, allowing dogs of all breeds and sizes to compete.

The United States Dog Agility Association is an independent canine sports authority, dedicated to promoting the sport of dog agility as a recreational, family sport that fosters responsible pet ownership. For more information, visit USDAA.com. —News release