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Why Agility?
I started going to agility class as a last ditch effort to help our troubled dog Boomer. Boomer was our second Australian Shepherd, and he unfortunately came with a fair amount of baggage. Boomer had fear issues, aggression issues and anxiety issues.  We were concerned that he was a liability and that he was just plain miserable. After having a consultation with my good friend Dee Ganley, we discussed agility, and if the positive and exciting training that agility involves would help Boomer overcome some of his issues.
Needless to say Boomer was a project, but through all of his training he was a trooper and really showed me that he wanted to please me and wanted to learn. Not to long after we started training, we started competing. Boomer was a natural, and loved to run, issues completely disappeared when he was on course. Boomer quickly started to accumulate points and earn titles in several agility venues.
 3 years into competition Boomer started to suffer from seizures. I was heartbroken, and he was visibly depressed. At first I decided to retire Boomer, thinking it was the best for him. However he made it very clear that I was wrong. When I would take the young dogs out to play and train, he would howl, bark and carry on like a maniac. Seeing that he actually wanted to do agility encouraged me to bring him back out and take it a day at a time.
Boomer's seizures are now manageable, he tends to seize in the spring and fall. However, they have taken a toll on his body and well being. Boomer is now retired, and cheers on his sisters from home with his trusty seizure dog, Minnow.
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