SacPaws.com

    Each spring, the AKC Gazette publishes the results of all the previous year's competitions.  Championships, Obedience, Tracking, Agility, Rally, Field Trial, Hunt Test, Earthdog, Lure Coursing and other titles completed in 2007 are all found here, organized by group and breed.  Learn more about these activities by visiting the AKC web site.

    The information is most instructive. 

    First, it's clear that if you like dogs, and you like competition, or at least, active involvement, there is no shortage of opportunities to get involved in something fun.

    Secondly, it's plain to see, if you're interested in competing in obedience, a Miniature Schnauzer just might not be your very first dog of choice.

    It isn't that these schnauzies aren't smart or aren't obedient, because they are both.  It has more to do with the nature of the exercises.  How long does it take, for instance, to teach a Golden Retriever to retrieve?  Yes, yes, I know there are many nuances, and it can take a long time for even a Golden to get everything just perfectly. 

    But a Schnauzer?  It took me about six months to teach Petra to retrieve properly (yes, she and I were both very green).  But I remember that wonderful feeling of success very clearly.  Knowing I could teach her to retrieve left me feeling I could surely teach her anything - well, OK, that might have been an overabundance of optimism - in any case, I was hooked on obedience.

    There is no doubt that the Obedience exercises are more compatible with the natural inclinations of certain breeds.  That may explain why, in 2007, 31 Golden Retrievers earned the top title of Obedience Trial Champion.  They were closely followed by 20 Border Collies.

    And after that, there is a massive drop-off. 

    No French Bulldogs, no Afghan Hounds, no Neapolitan Mastiffs, and no German Pinschers made it to the top ranks.  In fact, those last two earned no obedience titles at any level. 

    It's a clue, people.  Dogs are different, and different dogs are good at different things.  Some dogs, like Border Collies and Dalmatians, really really need a job.  Some, perhaps the Bichon, are at their very best when providing love.

    In 2007, exactly two Miniature Schnauzers earned the top obedience title, but across the country some 58 earned obedience titles of some sort.  One of those would have been Spur, who earned a Companion Dog Excellent title in 2007.

    So we are not too far off the mark.  Spur seems to love the competition.  He seems happy in the ring.  And he adores going to the park for training.

    One day we'll be out there competing with the Goldens and all those others.  I think he's got it in him. 

    The AKC stats also include a list of the Top 25 obedience dogs by lifetime points.  Only six breeds are represented - Goldens, Shelties, Poodles, Border Collies, Australian Shepherds, and one lone Dobie.

    The list of the Top 25 for 2007 is similar.  It includes local handler Laurie Sasaki - a reader of this blog! - who ranks 5th nationally with her Australian Shepherd, Snip.  There is other inspiration as well.  A Collie, and, my goodness, a Keeshonden.

    So the unusual does happen.  If we work at it, maybe it could happen to us.  As long as we're also having fun, that's the sort of possibility that will keep us going.