OTCH Shannon, UDX, Can UD, U-UD, MX, AXJ, AAD, RM
May 17, 1986 - Feb. 19, 2000
My Miniature Schnauzer, Shannon, started agility when Darlene Woz met a gal from out of state who brought British Agility to Michigan. We heard all about Peter Lewis and Ken Tatsch thru them. We would meet and play around with homemade equipment. It was definitely a comical sport back then as no one knew what they were doing and funny things always happened. We never took ourselves seriously either, so fun was the major draw! I was a charter member of Canine Combustion Dog Agility Club - one of the earliest USDAA clubs, and am a member of that club today.
Some early events were a Steeplechase event in April, 1988, in Warren, Michigan; an agility fun match as part of a Fox Terrier event, which actually used a metal slide as part of the agility equipment as well as a raised ladder which we expected the dog to walk on! We also took part in an agility demo at the AKC International Shows in Chicago about 1989. Another wonderful event was a joint effort between Canine Combustion and Swansee Dog Club in Toronto that put on agility competitions beginning in 1989 by the "Committee for Dog Agility". John Grant was instrumental in that area. USDAA events quickly followed with Swansea.
When USDAA Agility Tests began, my mini jump height crowd consisted of wonderful people like Chris Frank and Bill Sterling. I would always try to follow Christine as her Samantha would make Shannon excited to get into the ring. Shannon would bark the whole run and people would often say I knew you just ran as I heard Shannon barking from the other ring!
Shannon and I did agility for the fun of it - our major interest was obedience. She was the No. 12 dog ALL BREED obedience dog in 1994, earning the
equivalent of 6 OTCH'S in her career. In Agility, she earned her USDAA AAD and her AKC MX MXJ - there being no MACH during her competitive years. AKC agilty started in 1994, and I am grateful as they extended her career because their jump height was only 12" compared to the 18" that Shannon always jumped in USDAA.
The picture I'm attaching is Shannon at 11 l/2!
Lynn Baitinger & the Schnauzer Brats!
