The Sports Dog A psychedelic sketch

The sports dog's life becomes unusual since the very childhood. It enters a special world called "Agility" being only three or four months old. After that, almost daily training starts. At first, the dog doesn't see any point in the things it is required to do. But very soon, excitement and willingness to work appear. Since that, it is not simply a pet, but a determined and keen sportsman. Speed becomes the point of its life. The start, the handler's command, his gesture, the turn of his body, violent flight and the finish become special things. The Agility dog looks graciously at her relatives trotting for a twenty-minute evening walk with their owners. What do they know of real life, those creatures who spend the whole days sleeping within the four walls?

Of course, life is sometimes hard, for example when the jump bar hits its legs, when it slips down the A-frame, or when the handler repeats the exercise again and again, from the very beginning. But anyone who has ever seen the agility dogs waiting impatiently for their run, breaking the leash fasteners and biting the leashes, can understand that they never envy the over-fed creatures locked up within their apartments and looking forward to a walk round the house. Agility dogs are looking for any sign of the future training - what their owner wears, what she has in her hands, are they coming to the club? And the joy of the dog when it understands that work is coming is indescribable. Never mind that it will be tired to death when it comes home. It is much more happy than those animals having only their bowl and a sofa. Its life is extremely interesting, and it promises new courses every day.

But years pass, and training becomes more difficult than before. The turns are not so fast, and the obstacles seem to grow higher. The dog becomes slower, makes more mistakes and breathes harder. Well, the Agility career is shorter than the life… Then the handler takes a new dog, and the silly little chap sees this range of obstacles in the ring for the first time, not understanding their meaning. But very soon it will start yelping impatiently when it waits for its turn. But this will be another life...

But the owner will not forget his elder dog. He will not leave it at home,
and it will still accompany him to the club. It will become a teacher
for the newcomer. And the "veterans" will keep pulling
their leads, trying to break the leash fasteners
that stop them, and prove the youth,
the owner and themselves that
they are still able
to do a run.

Katya Olekhnovich