Which Dog Breeds Excel in Agility

By Linda Cole

When people think of a specific dog breed for the sport of agility, the image of a Border Collie often comes to mind. The dog’s piercing eyes are focused on his human partner as he waits to start his run. Both dog and owner are pumped and ready to go, eager to test themselves against the clock. The dogs job is to race around an obstacle course as quickly as he can, taking direction from his partner. The Border Collie excels in this fast-paced and demanding sport, but there are other breeds that have the speed, intelligence and determination to be agility champs.

Aside from being a fun way for a dog to burn off energy, agility is a sport that builds confidence and patience. One look into their intense, eager eyes and you just know that agility is something dogs truly love to do. A paralyzed Border Collie named Zip enjoys agility so much that she continues to run courses in her wheelchair!

Herding Dogs

Members of the Herding Group have what it takes to excel in agility. These breeds were developed to move livestock and can make sharp turns. They have plenty of stamina and speed, can think on their own and are workaholics who follow commands from their handler. They are intelligent and quick to learn new things. This group includes the Border Collie, Australian Cattle Dog, German Shepherd, Collie, Shetland Sheepdog and Australian Shepherd. Even the short-legged Cardigan and Pembroke Welsh Corgi can succeed in this dog sport.

Terrier Group

These sturdy little dogs were bred to follow prey underground, and they love the excitement of a challenging run. They are tenacious go-getters who need a way to work off excess energy on a daily basis, and agility is a perfect dog sport for that. Their stubborn streak can get in the way during training, but a pocketful of CANIDAEs new Pure Heaven dog treats will help a feisty terrier focus on learning the course. The Jack Russell, Parson Russell, Rat Terrier, Bedlington Terrier and Border Terrier can do quite well on an agility course.

Retrievers

Bred to work closely with their owner, retrievers are smart, energetic dogs that are eager to please. Retrievers are alert and have a willing attitude to pay attention to their owner’s commands. Agility requires good communication between canines and humans, which makes it a good fit for breeds like the Golden Retriever, Labrador Retriever, Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever and Chesapeake Bay Retriever.

Other Agility All Stars

Regardless of size or breed, any healthy dog can learn how to run agility. The Doberman Pinscher, German Pinscher, Rottweiler, Samoyed, Siberian Husky, Schnauzer and Great Pyrenees are Working Group members that enjoy racing through a course. The Poodle, Papillon, Bichon Frise, Dalmatian and Yorkshire Terrier can also be found weaving around poles, dashing through tunnels and flying over jumps, enjoying every minute.

How an individual dog does in agility depends on how well he can follow directions. From the dogs point of view, winning isnt the end goal; its the joy of navigating through an obstacle course at full speed with their best friend. Even toy breeds have an opportunity to compete on a course designed especially for smaller dogs, and they are competing against other dogs their size. Mixed breeds are also welcomed in some dog agility clubs. The only exception is the American Kennel Club.

Giant breeds, like Mastiffs and Great Danes, and smaller dogs like Pugs, Boxers and other breeds with a pushed-in nose, may not be interested in expending the energy it takes to participate in competition. However, an individual dog from any of these breeds may enjoy running an agility course, and they are as capable as other breeds of doing well.

Its important to have your dog checked out by your vet before you begin agility training. The development of giant breed bones must be taken into account to prevent permanent injuries, and all dogs need a clean bill of health to make sure they are fit and healthy. Feeding your canine athlete a quality dog food, like CANIDAE Pure Elements, is also essential.

When it comes to the dogs that are usually sitting at the top of the leaderboard in agility competitions, ten breeds dominate. These are the Border Collie, Jack Russell Terrier, Australian Shepherd, Australian Kelpie, Standard Poodle, Papillon, Shetland Sheepdog, Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Rat Terrier and German Shepherd.

Top photo by Anita Ritenour
Middle photo by Ian Wilson
Bottom photo by David Merrett 

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Which is Smarter Cats or Dogs

By Linda Cole

Intelligence in dogs can be subjective because of the different jobs they were bred to do. The Bloodhound ranks at the bottom of the intelligence list, but that doesnt mean hes dumb. When it comes to finding a scent and following it, theres no other breed that can top the tracking ability of the Bloodhound. Dogs and cats have different innate skills that set them apart from each other, too. According to scientists, there is a difference in their level of intelligence. But does that mean one species is really smarter than the other?

Im not a fan of labels, like smartest or dumbest, to describe animals or people. Everyone is good at something, and we develop needed skills that allow us to be successful. A science whiz can carefully analyze statistics from a study, but may freeze in fear when presenting it to a group of peers. A chef can create an exquisite meal that melts in your mouth, but cant fix the broken freezer in his kitchen. Cats and dogs use smarts they were born with as well as learned intelligence to process information they need to survive.

Cats do have smaller brains than dogs, but a smaller brain doesnt necessarily translate into being “not as smart.” If youve ever watched a cat stalking a mouse, you see a disciplined and patient hunter that knows the exact moment to attack. The cat may not realize the mouse is food, but instinctively understands the process required to be an efficient hunter. A dog is more apt to race around chasing the poor mouse until it collapses from exhaustion.

The danger to cats is when people believe felines are such good hunters that they can take care of themselves. Kittens that were never taught by their mother to hunt, kill and eat are capable of catching prey, but wont learn an important life lesson of survival. Lost cats have to learn that lesson on their own if they are going to survive.

Neurons are a type of cell in the body that transmits information. Cats have 300 million neurons and dogs have 160 million, which means felines have the ability to process information much better than dogs. Many people dont give cats fair credit when it comes to intelligence. They are solitary creatures by nature, but aloofness has nothing to do with being smart. Their attitude is “whats in it for me,” and a desire to please is permanently on the back burner. Although with the right motivation, cats are just as capable of learning commands and tricks as dogs. Some cats will jump through hoops for their FELIDAE TidNips™ treats and some learn how to run an agility course – the kitty version. Felines also know how to manipulate their owner to get what they want. They are, after all, experts in the art of training us!

The brains of dogs have grown steadily over the years, but theres been no change in the feline brain since they were domesticated 8,000 years ago. However, the reason a dogs brain has increased in size is because the more social an animal is, the bigger the brain size. Plus, larger animals need a bigger brain to process sensory information because of the body size. Canines have been bred to do different jobs that help us. Because they are social, they have a willingness to please and can be taught different skills that benefit mankind. We are still discovering new ways dogs can assist us.

Dogs listen to our words, and learn what certain ones mean. Canines are also experts at reading body language, listening to our tone of voice, and knowing what kind of mood were in just by looking at our face (called Left Gaze Bias). They know if we are being fair or if another dog gets more treats, and they respond to our emotions. Cats know when the one they love is upset and needs some tender loving purrs to make things better.

Both species can problem solve and learn just by watching one another. Over the years, Ive had cats and dogs who learned on their own how to open doors. One of my cats enjoyed watching TV and figured out how to turn it on. When I got home, he would be sitting on the floor right in front of the screen. A cats curiosity may get them into trouble now and then, but their cautious and inquisitive nature is a sign of their intelligence. 

When it comes to which one is smarter, both dogs and cats have the right amount of intelligence to do what they do best: bond with their human companions and give us unconditional love that lasts a lifetime.

Top photo by Pete Markham

Bottom photo by Jason McDowell

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Photographing Dogs and Cats– Which is Easier

By Langley Cornwell

As you might imagine, I am one of those people who takes crazy amounts of pictures of our dogs and our cat. Now that so many cell phones have decent cameras, it’s easy to capture those precious moments.

What got me thinking about this was an article I read in Catster. The writer volunteers as a photographer at her local animal shelter. In the article, she chronicles her change of mind – at first she preferred photographing dogs but eventually came to enjoy cat photography more. With dogs, she liked the camaraderie and thought her photos were better with natural lighting and nice outdoor backgrounds. When she ventured into the cat room to take pictures, there was too much commotion. She couldn’t get a cat to sit still long enough to snap a good shot. And, when she got lucky and captured one of the elusive creatures on camera, the backgrounds were cluttered with litter boxes, cages, supplies, and maybe a few bags of CANIDAE Life Stages cat food, all lit by severe fluorescent lighting.

Then one day the shelter manager hung up a donated blanket and two heat lamps in an effort to spiff up the cat photos. The photographer mentally rolled her eyes, thinking there was no way a cat would sit in front of that thing long enough to have her picture taken. She was wrong. In fact, she now believes that cats intuitively know what she is trying to do and pose for the camera.

This revelation made her change her stance on the topic. The cats posed so well that she could photograph twice the number of cats in half the time she usually spent on the dogs. With dogs, she spent time following them around the exercise runs or waiting for them to get still enough to be photographed; they were more interested in sniffing the grass for the latest bit of news than being caught on camera. So her final answer was that cats are easier to photograph than dogs.

Jet "meditating"

If I was forced to give a straight answer, I’d have to hedge. In my experience, cats get into more “photo-worthy” poses, but I can’t manage to get a good shot of our cat Jet with his eyes open. Experienced photographers could probably give me a few tips, but I’m just an animal lover with a cell phone and no skills. When I snap a shot of the kitty, a flash usually goes off and he, with his cat-like reflexes, closes his eyes in that split second. I have so many cute shots of the little guy but it always looks like he’s meditating.

For kicks, I decided to pose the question to some friends. The answers were divided. Diane at CANIDAE says that dogs are much easier to photograph than cats. “Cats have a habit of turning their heads at the last minute – totally frustrates me to no end.”

Dana, a local friend who takes pictures for the Charleston SPCA, believes that dogs are easier because you can grab their attention more easily. She loves photographing cats too but says it’s harder to “stage” or anticipate a moment with most cats.

I have another friend named Jenne who takes photos for an animal shelter. She also believes that dogs are easier. “After having to photograph hundreds of cats at the shelter, dogs are easier, hands down. Treat in hand, ‘here doggy,’ perfectly still – snap snap. Cats, you gotta chase them around and even then it takes forever to get one useable shot.”

Jet napping

Another friend believes dogs are easier because they show a much wider variety of expressions and emotions. Then there were those that absolutely preferred photographing cats. Some laughingly said they can only get a good photo of their cats if they are sleeping. But some prefer to photograph cats because they simply don’t move around as much as dogs.

Crystal said “Id have to say cats. Dogs want to walk up to you for attention, and some wont sit still for the camera. A picture of a big black nose isnt something youd want to put in a frame. Cats are more laid back about it. They just sit there and stare with an expression that says youre a silly human.”

Most people can make a good argument for both sides. Tamara calls it a tie: “Cats may move around more, but Ive never met one afraid of the camera , like some dogs. On the flip side, some cats will let you follow them around like the paparazzi they deem you to be, while some dogs love the attention and will pose like good models.”

A childhood friend and photographer named Blake also says it’s a tie: “EXCEPT that cats dont necessarily want to play with you like dogs do, like when I crouch down on the ground to get a different perspective and the dog subject thinks that means hes supposed to come to me and play. I love taking pictures of both, though!”

As you can see, there’s no easy answer. What about you? Which side of the coin do you fall on?

Dog photo by Jelene Morris
Cat photos by Langley Cornwell

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