AGILE DOGS HAVE THEIR DAY.Byline: Jim Feehan The Register-Guard Annie labored as she scampered up a wooden ladder during her run at top-dog status in a canine competition Saturday at the Lane Events Center. Annie, a 10-year-old basset hound basset hound, breed of short-legged, long-bodied hound developed centuries ago in France. It stands from 12 to 15 in. (30.1–38.1 cm) high at the shoulder and weighs from 25 to 50 lb (11.3–22.7 kg). , might not be as nimble as a collie collie, breed of large, agile working dog developed in Scotland during the 17th and 18th cent. It stands from 22 to 26 in. (55.9–66 cm) high at the shoulder and weighs from 50 to 75 lb (22.7–34 kg). , shepherd or papillon papillon (păp`əlŏn'), breed of toy dog whose origins are obscure but whose widespread existence in Europe is attested to as early as the 17th cent. It stands from 8 to 11 in. (20.3–27. , but she attacks the steeplechase steeplechase Either of two distinct sporting events: (1) a horse race over a closed course with obstacles, including hedges and walls; or (2) a footrace of 3,000 m over hurdles and a water jump. course with dogged determination, said her owner, Karin Pearson-King of Vancouver, Wash. Annie was among about 200 dogs from up and down the West Coast that took part in the first day of the four-day Cascade Dog Fanciers Dog Agility Trials, which conclude Monday. Standing 12 inches at the shoulder, Annie's stubby little legs provide just enough support for her 40-pound body. Think of a fireplug with four tiny legs. "They simply have no ground clearance," Pearson-King said. Agility contests involve handlers directing their dogs over a timed obstacle course. Between them and the finish line lie tunnels, jumps and poles they must slalom through, plus the tricky teeter-totter. Dogs receive only voice commands, sounds and signals from their owners. The agility trials were sponsored by the McKenzie Cascade Dog Fanciers and the Eugene Kennel Club. Fellow basset hound owner Susan Goble of West Linn said her pooch actually looks forward to the competition. "Her eyes light up and she just tears up the course. Why, she has even beaten corgis, Jack Russell terriers and papillons Papillons, Op. 2, is a piano piece written in 1831 by Robert Schumann. Meaning 'butterflies,' Papillons begins with a 6 measure introduction before launching into a variety of dance-like movements. ," Goble said of Jade, her 6-year-old basset hound. One of the more popular breeds at Saturday's event was the papillon, a breed of toy spaniel spaniel: see sporting dog; toy dog. spaniel Any of several breeds of dogs used to flush game. Spaniels originated in Spain, but most modern breeds were developed in Britain. Breeds range from 14 to 20 in. with long, silky, white coat with colored patches and erect or drooping droop v. drooped, droop·ing, droops v.intr. 1. To bend or hang downward: "His mouth drooped sadly, pulled down, no doubt, by the plump weight of his jowls" ears that are fringed. Chip, a 20-month-old papillon, breezed through the obstacle course in 46 seconds. A relative novice when it comes to dog trials competition, Chip doesn't seem distracted by the hubbub surrounding the event. "He's really revved up and excited and raring rar·ing also rar·in' adj. Informal Full of eagerness; enthusiastic. [Present participle of dialectal rare, to rear, variant of rear2. to go again. As for me, I'm winded afterward," said Chip's owner, Janice Taylor of Sisters. Chip's nontraditional canine treat: a slice of Tillamook medium cheddar cheese. "I tried sharp, but he likes medium," Taylor said. Near the grandstand area, vendors sell dog-themed fleece blankets, pot holders and handbags among other items. A veterinarian specializing in chiropractic care for dogs was treating a sheltie sheltie, shelty a common name for the Shetland sheepdog. sheltie eye anomaly (SEA) see collie eye anomaly. sheltie syndrome see epidermolysis bullosa. . "They're like little kamikazes slamming into thick (steeplechase) posts," said Lisa Piccioni of Creswell, a veterinarian for the past 11 years and a board-certified animal chiropractor for the past three years. Margo Slaughter of Eugene said she visited Piccioni after noticing the gait of her 7-year-old wire fox terrier wire fox terrier n. Any of a breed of small fox terrier developed in northern England, having a rough wiry white coat with patches of black or tan. Also called wirehair, wirehaired terrier. , Asta, was slightly askew. "After one session, she was as good as new," Slaughter said. While she treats horses, mules and donkeys, Piccioni specializes in caring for four-legged athletes at dog trial competitions throughout the state. "The injuries are not as bad as football, but close," she said. CAPTION(S): Annie, a 10-year-old basset hound, flies over one of the jumps in the agility course at the Lane Events Center on Saturday afternoon. The dog ran the course with her owner, Karin Pearson-King of Vancouver, Wash. She's "not your typical agility dog," Pearson-King admitted. |
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