titles, 32 Rally titles and 126 Agility titles. So, get that Pug off the couch and get going! I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowl- edge the support the Pug Dog Club of America (PDCA) has given to those who venture out into Com- panion Events. The club was instru- mental in getting AKC to lower the Obedience jump requirement for Pugs down to three quarters of their height rather than jumping their ac- tual height. PDCA offers a yearly, leveled Versatility Award to encour- age participation in multiple venues, with the highest level requiring a conformation championship. Obedi- ence and Rally competition are of- fered at both the Regional and the National Specialties, and every year since 2004 the club has offered a “Pug only” agility trial. The complete Pug: titles at both ends!
can do is stand there and wait, or they decide their own course is way more fun, stopping in the middle of the tun- nel requiring the handler to crawl in and get them, leaving the course to go say “hi” to the judge or the ring crew, leaving the ring to go find their treat bag, and much more. Each of these dogs mentioned above went on to earn Master titles or a Master Agility Champion title…patience and a sense of humor are required. My years with Pugs have been a complete joy. I have been blessed with beautiful sound dogs that could “do it all” and they have. Pugs will generally give and give and give to make you happy…and did I men- tion they like treats? More and more people are looking at Companion Events as a way to enjoy their Pugs to the fullest. According to the AKC 2017Annual Stats therewere301 con- formation titles earned, 19 Obedience
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Donna was born, raised and resides in the San Francisco Bay Area. A retired Elementary School Principal she has been competing in the dog world since the ‘70s. As a firm believer in “titles at both ends”, all of her earlier Great Pyr- enees and for the last 27 years all of her Pugs have been owner-handled Cham- pions and earned titles in one or more of the Companion Events (Agility, Obedi- ence and Rally). Her top-ranked black Pugs have earned Best of Breed at the Eukanuba Invitational and Award of Merit at Westminster along with Specialty Best of Breeds and many Companion Event titles, including High In Trial. She is currently working toward a Com- panion Dog Excellent (CDX) title in Obedience with “Jet”-GCHS Karon’s Moonlite Phantom BN CD RA MXP MJP2 CGCA VL5, and soon will be starting a new puppy in Conformation. Donna has held every office in her lo- cal Obedience club and is a past Board member, Secretary, Vice President and President of the Pug Dog Club of America.
“My years with Pugs have been a complete joy. I have been blessed with beautiful sound dogs that could “do it all” and they have. PUGS WILL GENERALLY GIVE AND
GIVE AND GIVE TO MAKE YOU HAPPY…AND DID I MENTION THEY LIKE TREATS?”
66 • T op N otch T oys , S eptember 2019
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