A Nanaimoite and her pet are looking to be top dogs at the International Federation of Cynological Sports’ World Agility Championship beginning Wednesday (April 13).
Tressia Toole and Jetta, her three-year-old border collie, are headed to the Netherlands after earning a spot on the Canadian National Agility Team last summer in Vancouver.
Agility consists of a trainer and dog navigating a timed obstacle course, which includes jumps of various sizes, teeter-totters and tunnels.
Toole said she is excited to be a part of the national team and doesn’t foresee anything unexpected on the championship course.
“All the same obstacles, but just at a world-class level,” said Toole. “You have to be as perfect as perfect because the dog behind you is one-10th of a second faster or slower than you and that’s really what makes the difference. Everyone’s going to run clean, it’s just who can run it the fastest.”
Since the two work so closely together, Toole said she has a special bond with Jetta.
“She is my teammate and she’s my youngest dog, so she’s my baby dog, and she’s the funniest dog I’ve had. We do everything as teammates do. We warm up, we make sure we stretch, I massage and stretch her before and after we run and it’s all about making it fun for her,” said Toole.
She doesn’t want to predict how she and Jetta will fare – she just hopes the two have a good time.
“It’s hard to say where you’ll finish up because we haven’t seen the other competitors before, but we’re hoping for clean runs, that’s really all you can ask for – for her to run happy and fast, enjoy the experience of going to your first world competition,” said Toole.
Toole and Jetta are one pair of 20 on the Canadian national team.
For more information on the competition, please go to www.wacnl.com.