26 THE NEW BARKER www.TheNewBarker.com Together, In Perfect Harmony. Her name, Wild Thing Ebony Express, is a restrained version of the name Lisa Chavez really wanted to name her high energy dog. “I didn’t think the AKC would approve Creature of Mass Distraction,” laughed Lisa. Today, the little Havanese with the drive of a Border Collie is a champion in Agility, having amassed ribbons, trophies and certificates to prove it. But, it wasn’t always that way. And, having to prove something was never the driving force. Lisa received Ebony as a gift from someone who knew she’d been suffering the loss of someone who had been close to her. “Honestly, in my heart of hearts, I was ready for a dog - my first as an adult,” said Lisa. The only thing she knew she wanted in a dog was one with a lot of personality. The American Kennel Club describes the personality of a Havanese as “cheerful little dogs with a spring in their steps and a gleam in their big brown eyes.” Little did Lisa know that she would end up with a dog who had personality overload in her DNA. Of all the puppies in the litter at the breeder’s home, Ebony was the only one Lisa picked up and held. “She just looked at me and licked my chin. And, that was it,” said Lisa.She took the puppy home at eight weeks old in 2010.“What an amazing journey it has been these past eight years.” Lisa wasn’t sure what to name her new puppy.“She was so black, with Groucho Marx eyebrows. Every name I came up with just didn't seem to fit her. Then, one day as I was making my bed, a song just popped into my head out of nowhere. It was Ebony and Ivory by Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder. I couldn’t get it out of my head.” Lisa took that as a sign. Ebony was always a very busy puppy. “Oh, very, very busy.” Lisa figured the time had come for her young dog to learn some basic obedience. She signed them up for lessons at the DogTraining Club of Tampa. Once they had the basics down, Lisa thought some advanced Obedience classes would be good for her still busy-as-ever pup. “It just didn’t hold her attention.” Next, they tried Freestyle.“She enjoyed it, but I could tell she wasn’t enthusiastic about it.” Ebony continued to be distracted during the Freestyle classes.“She was very energetic. Some people called her wild. Others said she’d never amount to anything.” Then, someone suggested Lisa take an Agility class with Ebony. “She took to it like a duck to water.” Ebony’s first Agility competi- tion was Pasco Paws in 2012. Lisa entered her in three runs and Ebony qualified in all that first day. “She did have some antics, running out of the ring, but that was because I was a green handler,” said Lisa. ©PixNPages.com