THE NEW BARKER 27 www.TheNewBarker.com Ebony continued to thrive in Agility, winning ribbons and trophies. She loved being in the ring. “She would run five yards per second and, my brain was having a hard time keeping up with her.” Lisa considered that she was the one keeping Ebony from reaching her full potential, and sought out the training advice of Maren Baldwin of Keegan’s Magic in Zephyrhills. The facility focuses only on Agility training. That change, made three years ago, gave Lisa the keys to the king- dom to properly run Ebony. “Most of the training is for the han- dler,” Maren told us. “We don’t have to train the dog. Once they understand the obstacles, then it’s dependent on the han- dler to run the course. It’s all very natural for the dog.” Maren describes Lisa as being very good-hearted.“She always puts Ebony first in everything she does.The first thing she said to me was that she wanted to do right by Ebony inAgility,but didn’t know how.” Having watched them compete, Maren knew Ebony’s potential. Dogs respond to body language, and Lisa real- ized that, while trying to keep up with Ebony, she wasn’t always conveying a clear message to her dog. “Dogs are watching their handlers for cues - how your foot is angled,the motion of your arms,” said Maren. “These are all cues for your dog. And be sure you’re looking at the dog before you ask anything of them.That’s the single most important cue. You could be doing everything else perfect, but if you aren’t looking at your dog, they won’t do what you’re asking of them. Once that clicks with the handler, suddenly they think their dog is super.” Except for having to sit out one season, due to Ebony needing surgery on both knees, they continue to regularly compete.This year,they made their second trip to Nationals in Springfield, Ohio. Their first was last year in California. “Nationals courses are not easy. Last year she qualified in six out of nine and placed in three.This year the courses were much harder. Ebony qualified five out of nine,” said Lisa. “As a handler, I’m still learning.” During competition, handlers are given a course map to study. They’re allowed to walk the course (without their dogs) prior to the start of each heat.This gives them the opportunity to plot a strat- egy on how to get their dog to run the course.“Applying what’s on paper to actu- ally running the course are two different things,entirely,”said Lisa.“Ebony will often bark at me once we’re in the ring if I’m not telling her fast enough what to do next.” Maren calls that “yelling” and said, “Dogs will tell you when you’re doing something wrong in the ring.The handler should take that as positive feedback. Lisa always knows she’s done something wrong if Ebony barks – or yells – at her.” Continued on page 29. Lisa Chavez Ebony, just being a dog, stops mid-course, to greet a judge.The course clock does not stop for her antics; the judge cannot acknowledge her. Photograph by Joanne Bridges, Furry Fotography. Above: Ebony and Lisa running the course. Photograph by Sarah Follstad. Below right: Ebony with some of her trophies and medals. g