Wendy and her Champion, Chili, (L) have competed in the World Agility Championships in Italy - twice! Here the winners are enjoying a mountain hike along with Chili’s buddies Crush and Phoenix.

Destiny is amusing.  When I read a Canadian newspaper article on Wendy and her World Team member, Border Collie, Chili, I resolved to feature them in an article. 

Five days later, at the beach in a city of 3,000,000 people, I randomly started talking to a woman, Anne, Wendy's mother! That is how I miraculously connected to Wendy for this article!
 
Destiny also guides Wendy's life. "When I was four-years-old," said Wendy, "I played ‘dog training' with my uncle’s two Golden Retrievers teaching them to jump over obstacles that I made.  I rewarded them with treats.  I’d never heard of the sport but, in my innocence or inner knowing, my actions were paving the future!

Growing up you assume that you have to earn a living doing something practical, but life is measured in doing things that you love.  I love dogs!

With toddlers and working part-time, my dogs were not getting much attention, so when I read an article on dog agility ‘we’ signed up.  I instantly ‘knew' this was my destiny, Nirvana - a place of paw-fect happiness surrounded by dogs and dog lovers watching canines excitedly paw-forming!

Witnessing dogs mastering a variety of obstacle courses is a fluffy fluid metaphor of life about meeting obstacles head on, barking at them, and keep on going.

That was 15 years ago, ‘back in the olden days’ of dog agility.  The sport was so new that there were only 2-3 competitions a year held great distances apart.  Over the years, the sport exploded!

When I registered my youngest dog, Crush, with the Agility Association of Canada (AAC) her number was in the 22,000's!

This sport is fun!  Dog guardian's ages range from 5-90-years-old."

Participants have one common-dog-nomitor - they all LOVE canines.

"In 2010, I began teaching dog agility," said Wendy.  "I was finally doing what I loved!  Now I instruct 12 weekly classes, plus private lessons.  My clients vary from those who enjoy spending time with their dogs to those striving to earn titles, or aspiring to qualify for a world team.

This sport benefits pets and people on an emotional, social, and physical level. Our dogs are our pets, companions and partners." www.DogWorks.ca

Wendy's oldest Border Collie, Phoenix, won the 2012 National Championships and her current competition dog is a red merle Border Collie, 'Red Hot Chlli Pepper'. 

Chili has an im-paws-ibly high drive for paw-formance.  Fitting of any paw-fessonal athlete, Chili is on a raw food diet, receives acupuncture, and visits a chiropractor keeping her healthy and fit.

Last year, in Chili's first World Competition, she placed 5th! Her resume includes  competing in most of Canada’s ten provinces, coast to coast, across 2,800 miles. As a world traveler, she enjoys the scenery in California, Florida, Oregon, Washington, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, France, the Netherlands, and Italy - and like any typical tourist dog she wants her head out the window!

At the AAC Nationals, Chili qualified to represent Canada in the 2015 World Agility Championships in the Netherlands and the World Agility Open in Italy.

“Upon arriving in Europe, Chili had jet lag,” said Wendy, “but after a few days of R & R she sprang back.  In Italy, she shifted into an entirely new and yet undiscovered gear and speed. It was brilliant witnessing her amongst the 400 dogs representing their 34 countries.”

Chili's career titles: Agility Trial Champion of Canada, Versatility Silver Award and podium finishes in regional and national championships.  In the USA, she competes at the USDAA’s  Master Level.  

“But titles don't really mean a thing!” said Wendy, “Running on course with this beautiful, inspirational, and amazing teammate is reward enough!”

While interviewing Wendy, we were suddenly interrupted by frenzied barking.  No matter how well-trained her four dogs are, when they see the mailman, they explode into “mailman-mayhem” - just for the fun of it!

1.    Avoid hot or cold weather.  In summer, fly at night.

2.    Contact the airline.  Ask EXACTLY what is required.

3.    Arrive at the airport in *plenty* of time with a well-exercised, pottied, comfortable pet. After checking in, take the pet out one more time.

4.    Mark your crate with fun colors so it can be spotted from a distance.  Tape the pet’s name, photo, flight information, and contact information to the kennel.

5.    Don't get on the plane until see that your pet is loaded or have the gate attendant verify that they have loaded your animal, by them telling YOU its name, not by you asking.  Some airlines hand you a chit when your pet is loaded - these airlines are preferred.  If in doubt, call the flight attendant.  If they don't respond, stand up!  A plane can't take off if you refuse to sit down.

6.     Fly direct if possible, even if it is more expensive

7.    Secure the kennel’s door with a zip tie and tighten all screws.  Kennels pop open in transit!

8.    Strap a pouch outside the kennel containing; quick clean up wipes, treats, and  water/food.

9.    Medicating a pet for air travel can be dangerous.  Pets can have a reaction or aspirate.

10.    Place a puppy pee pad on the crate’s bottom and carry extra for emergencies. 

Mary Ellen's Silver Persians swam their way into readers and viewer's hearts! They have appeared in International magazines and newspapers around the world. (France, England, Canada, China, Germany, USA, etc.)

Also, several National and International TV shows featured the swimming felines teaching pet-water-safety. And their furry faces appeared on a line of shirts.