other dogs. Obedience clubs and trainers can be found in most areas of the country. An obedience story... ask 11-year-old Devin Riley who his best friend is and he’ll tell you without hesitation it’s Zeus, his Mini American Shepherd. Devin received Zeus on New Year’s Eve, 2012. Zeus was a 10-week-old squirmy little puppy that Devin snuggled with all the way home. Zeus in now almost 2 and Devin has been training him through 4-H and AKC. Zeus and Devin excel at obedience, rally, agility, jumpers and showmanship in 4-H, going to the Min- nesota State 4-H Dog Show in 2013 and taking home a couple of reserve state championships at the age of 11 months. Rally is a much newer sport and is an excellent introduction to the more chal- lenging obedience skills. In rally, the dog and handler team move at their own pace through a numbered course using graphic signs to indicate the skill to demonstrate at each station. Rally encourages team- work and communication. Advanced obe- dience skills include dumbbell retrieves, scent discrimination articles and directed jumping—skills that our smart Minis
find mentally stimulating. In addition to rally, AKC has recently added several optional titling classes to the traditional more formal obedience program. Th ese optional titling classes include the begin- ner novice class and the pre-novice class to ease the transition from practice ses- sions to a trial setting. Novice level rally and obedience skills are great all around basic skills for owner/pet team to master. Rally and obedience skills are great for challenging the mind of the Min- iature American Shepherd. Our versa- tile companion dogs excel at training and learning new skills. Each year, Miniature American Shepherds and their handlers qualify to compete in the AKC Rally National Champion- ship and the AKC Obedience National Championship competitions. DISC DOG Disc Dog is a competition where the human partner throws a disc and the dog runs and jumps to catch it. Whether competing at a major event, or just play- ing catch in your backyard, this is just one of the many activities enjoyed by the
Miniature American Shepherd. With unusual agility and drive to retrieve and work with their handler, many have excelled to the top of this sport. Catching a disc pro- vides a great outlet for boundless energy and will keep your dog fit and lean. With great speed and athleticism, they are able to com- pete with the big dogs in this sport. Disc Dog events include the Toss and Fetch (how many/how far can you catch in an allotted amount of time), Freestyle (catches and tricks done sequentially to music), Long Distance (catching the disc at great distances) and Entertainment. Some of the accomplishments for the Miniature American Shepherd are: • 2006 Skyhoundz Microdog World Champion • 2013 Skyhoundz Microdog Long Distance Champion and World Record Holder • 2013 Skyhoundz Microdog World Champion and World Record Holder • 2014 Quadruped Long Distance
World Champion (All sized dogs) with a single catch over 100 yards
266 • S HOW S IGHT M AGAZINE , S EPTEMBER 2014
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