abbey the champion dog

  • By Tami Lange Mosser
  • October 14, 2013
  • 459
                        
Dawn Streit wasn’t looking for a purebred. She wasn’t interested in going to the Westminster Dog Show. Streit, of Wooster, just wanted a dog she could have a little fun with. And now, six years and 800 ribbons later, she’s gotten exactly what she hoped for. Her Australian cattle dog mix (Streit guesses the “mix” part is a Jack Russell terrier), Abbey, has proven what Streit had suspected all along – you don’t have to put out big money and breed the perfect canine to hit the dog show circuit. And, she said, dog people are a lot of fun. She and her husband, Dean, already had adopted a beagle mix from the Wayne County Humane Society when Streit found herself looking for a second dog to join their household. The couple was attending the Wooster Area Chamber of Commerce Annual Home & Garden Show in 2007 when they spotted some dogs brought into the event by the Humane Society. One look at Abbey, said Streit, “and the sun just started shining, just like in the movies.” Neither of the Streits remember why the dog became “Abbey”, though Dean Streit said they threw in an “e” to honor The Beatles’ “Abbey Road.” And though Dawn Streit had shown horses in her youth and trained dogs for obedience before, she said this time she wanted to take things a step further. She and Abbey made a trip to the HY-BAR Training Center in West Salem, where Linda and Michael MacDonald have been training dogs for years. The first class, Streit said, was filled with purebreds “and here I come trotting in with my Humane Society dog.” At first, Abbey wasn’t in love with the classes, so “every night I worked with her out in the driveway,” Streit said. After more than a year, they headed for competition. For the past six years, Abbey has competed in Canine Performance Events, Inc., where mixed breeds and handlers of all ages and welcome to compete in agility-related events. One event in, Streit said, “I was addicted. This was my drug.” The hard work culminated with a trip to Nationals in Springfield, Ohio in June, where 698 dogs showed their ability to run, jump and make it through other obstacles. Abbey did well enough to be one of 84 who qualified for Jackpot, in which a portion of the obstacles must be completed without the handler at the dog’s side. For three days, Abbey and Streit worked their way through three classes a day – missing a perfect weekend by going just two seconds over on one course. “And” Streit was quick to say, “that was my fault,” as she did not give Abbey the proper commands. Getting through the course, she said, is sometimes just as difficult for the handler as it is for the dog. Not being a top finisher is fine. Abbey’s training and skill prove, Streit said, “you can take a shelter dog and you can do great things.” Competing in agility events creates “such a bond with your dog,” she said. “You’re a team.” Now Abbey has been joined in the Streit house by Rizzo, a border collie rescue that Streit found through a dog foster family. This time, it was Dean Streit’s time to fall in love. Named for the “Grease” character Betty Rizzo, the Streits agree the newer addition is tough on the outside, but a sweet, tender animal. Because of Dean Streit’s work schedule and other interests, Rizzo has been to a few shows, but without the regularity of Abbey, who is usually out for the weekend once a month. “People ask me, ‘don’t you make any money at it?’” Streit said. “No, I get ribbons.” And, she said, she has lots of fun, both with her dog and with people who love dogs. Someday, she said, Abbey will retire. As a dog gets older, the jumps are lowered so the playing field remains level. But someday, when it gets too difficult or her interest wanes, Streit said, “I will quit immediately. I will not hurt my dog for agility. It’s not fair to her.” In the meantime, training for both Abbey and Rizzo will continue with regular visits to the MacDonald’s in West Salem, but also at their Wooster home. Training at the house is integrated into the everyday activities that are a dog’s life, Streit said. “They have to work for their treats. Nothing is free.”


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