“It is sport for her as well as for me,” laughs Alicia Massart, slightly out of breath after the agility course she has just completed with Shelty, her three-year-old Shetland sheepdog. “I have to run next to her so that she has the right rhythm, while I give her instructions so that she understands what to do, both words and gestures. » And when we see them both develop because of the Auménancourt Canine Education and Leisure Club, we almost have the impression that it is easy, when it is not at all.
“Go through a tunnel, slalom, cross a seesaw: a dog can’t do all that spontaneously. We train here for several hours every Saturday morning and also during the week at home. You have to repeat the exercises constantly otherwise she risks forgetting, and go gradually.For example, to get her to jump, I put the bar almost on the ground at first, and once she gets the hang of it, I raise it a little each time. explains the 11-year-old schoolgirl who has a secret weapon to achieve her goals. “Dogs love treats like fox or small pieces of sausage, that’s their reward, and Shelty understands that! »
I love the atmosphere at the competitions and I feel the dogs have as much fun as we do.
The duo has been practicing agility for almost two years. “Initially we went to puppy school to teach him basic training, to sit, not move, and it was by watching other dogs train on the course that I wanted to try. »
When Shelty was ready, Alicia Massart started the competitions. “I just love watching other people complete obstacles. There is always a good atmosphere between the drivers and I have the impression that the dogs are having as much fun as we are. »
A family competition
Next weekend, the duo will take part in the French Junior Agility Championship, which will take place in Vire in Normandy. A deadline that the young lady imagines with a lot of philosophy. “There are only eleven of us registered in the U15, and I am the only one in the Champagne-Ardenne region. There will be competitors with a very good level, I can’t wait to see them develop with their dog. Of course I hope to get a good place, but in the worst case, even if I’m last, I’ll be the eleventh best agilist in France in my category, so that’s great, I’ll be happy. » Shelty will have another opportunity to shine as she will also compete in the adult category, this time with Delphine, Alicia’s mother, as driver. A family story!