GratitudeWhile enjoying my morning cup of coffee this morning, it occurred to me that I learned about IGP dog sport almost 25 years ago. This realization prompted me to dust off old scorebooks and photos and reminisce on the journey. I did not find IGP dog sport; it found me. In 2000, I bought a GSD puppy named Otto. I was inexperienced as a handler and Otto had turned into a menace and liability by the time he was 12 months old. I was desperate for help and found a local trainer to help me reign Otto back in or at least not be such a liability. I would meet this trainer at a Menlo Park Schutzhund Club on Sunday mornings with a few other of her clients for some old school training. Gradually, I felt I could walk down the sidewalk without embarrassment. It was not what you could call a promising start to working dog ownership. One Sunday I decided to stay a little late at the field practicing, when a number of trucks pulled up, unloaded their dogs and started training. I put Otto in his crate and sat down to watch. What I saw blew my mind. This was the first time I had seen something like it. While I was trying to just survive my dog, these people were performing obedience and protection with fantastic control and flash. It forever changed my perception of dogs and would be the beginning of a journey that would change my life. Ajay Singh was the helper at the club that day. He walked over and made conversation. He asked about my dog, and I sheepishly said I had a 'dangerous dog.' He laughed and said "Let's train!" We had our first protection session that day. Some time later he would introduce me to tracking. Ajay was the spark and has been a good friend ever since. He is among the most insightful and well-read GSD experts I have ever met. I have maximum respect for his opinion for both IGP and the GSD breed. Around a year later Ajay suggested I visit the South County Schutzhund Club for to attend a seminar by x2 world champion Ivan Balabanov. This experience was like an epiphany. Ivan was the first to open my eyes to working with the dog, instead of imposing my will. He made training seem like play. It was fun, and I saw immediate results. I now understood harmony and joy were the centerpieces of good training. However, a secondary thing that happened that day was that I discovered the South County Schutzhund Club. This club is located just south of Silicone Valley in Northern California. The location was nothing special; it was an unassuming dirt field with six blinds. It has 6 well-used floodlights, one bleacher, and a shed out in the middle of nowhere. Ordinary people would drive by and not give a second glance. But to me, this place was haloed ground. I was in awe from the first time I visited. During the period I trained there, six members competed on the USA world team. The training was highly structed and disciplined. They brought in some of the best European trainers for seminars and demanded that each member put in the effort. The club expected each member to achieve the potential of our dog. People would travel from far to train. Dave Deleissegues was the primary helper for most of the time I trained there. Dave had impeccable work ethic and was a vice-world champion as a handler. I attribute the best trial performances my dogs directly to Dave skills. He brought out the best in the dogs. Training would often go deep into the night, sometimes past midnight. There were nights in freezing temperatures during winter. No one ever left early. It was all part of the right of passage. I spent almost ten years training there between 2000-2010, until I moved to Southern California to take a new job. This place is tattooed on my heart. Over the years I have owned four GSDs and handler-owner-trained each to IGP titles. I have participated in 43 trials, including 9 championships. Highlights include: • Championship tracking score 97 at the 2005 USA GSD Nationals (Judge Al Kerr) • Championship obedience score 96 USA North American Sch Championship (Judge Al Kerr) • Championship protection score 94 at the 2008 USCA National Championship (Judge Bill Szentmiklosi) • Tracking score 100 points at S. County Sch Club (Judge Frank Mensing) • FH score 95 under Judge Friedl Heghmons In 2014, I began mixing my first love, photography with my new love, dog sport. I booked 10 championships in 2015. In 2016, while photographing the USCA South West Region IGP Championship, I met Jessica Vampola and quickly became friends. She shared a love for both dogs and photography. In 2017, our relationship had grown into a romance. We traveled as a team worldwide to photograph IGP. We were married in 2021, and I credit Dog Sport for bringing us together. Time is the purity test for what is significant from that which is merely a distraction. Initially, I was ambitious and hopeful of achieving titles and doing well in championships. I sometimes got caught up in club drama or asking too much of my dog. It hurts me to think of the time wasted indulging in those feelings. I am more at peace now and in less of a rush. I enjoy the process of living a lifestyle that is centered around working dogs. I take immense pleasure in the little things, like greeting my dog with the same enthusiasm he has. I look forward to our walks and training together. My dog centers me. I owned each of my GSDs until I had to let go so they could pass over to the other side. I was there next to them to say good bye and thank you. The grief when this happens is indescribable. A dog's life is painfully short, and I want to savor the time we share. While I can appreciate goals, for me now, what is most important is to enjoy the gift that lies happily and loyally at my feet. Dogs make life better. Dog Sport has led me down a road full of amazing dogs, people, and life experiences. I have much to be grateful for.
My first dog, Otto x2 IGP3
My second dog, Bella x3 IGP3, FH2
My third dog, Blako x7 IGP3
|
