Dogs Doing What They Love — at Any Age
USDAA Veterans Program helps transition dogs to retirement.
This article was originally published in the August 2024 OVERview digital magazine.
While aging brings obvious physical changes for our pets, it doesn’t mean they have to give up what they love. Thanks to the Veterans Program, which is unique to USDAA®, older dogs can continue to compete in agility at a level that accommodates those changes. That may include reduced jump heights, no spread hurdles, a lower A-frame, and additional time allotments.
Ronda and Scott Dillard, of Nevada, Texas, have run four of their Pembroke Welsh Corgis in Veterans over the years. Ronda noted that Veterans classes help keep their older dogs fit, playing the game they all love while keeping them safe. For example, their older Corgis could continue jumping safely when their jump height was reduced from 12/10 inches for Championship to 8 inches for Performance and then to 4 inches for Veterans.
“Competing in agility is something Scott and I do together many weekends a year, and we take our whole crew of dogs with us when we travel. I am glad that there is a place for us to still take our older dogs to the line,” she added.
Four of the Dillards’ dogs reached their Lifetime Achievement Awards through the Veterans Program: ADCH-B PDCH-B Integral Farm’s Foxie LAA-G (Foxie); ADCH PDCH-G Kyndaara’s Magical Me LAA-P (Oy!); PDCH-B Cibola Ragtime Cowboy Joe MAD LAA-B (Ein); and PDCH-P Ambers Moonlight Eclipse LAA-P (Luna).*
Running in Veterans also allows the handlers to keep an eye on how their dogs are moving and jumping – and aging. “We are always looking for any change in their performance to clue us in to any changes in their bodies. As we see their speed drop, notice hesitation before jumping, or any other change in their performance, we check to see if the cause is a physical thing that can be treated or is simply a sign of aging. It is possible to transition them away from the contacts, where they could fall to just Jumpers, and then to full retirement when they can’t safely jump the jumps,” Ronda said.
Ronda and Scott are both retired software engineers. They are currently building their “golden years” dream facility, which includes an indoor agility/obedience/rally space, an outdoor agility space and a small barn.
Learn more about the USDAA Veterans Program.
*Titles: ADCH, Agility Dog Champion®; LAA, Lifetime Achievement Award; MAD, Master Agility Dog®; PDCH, Performance Dog ChampionSM. Levels: Bronze (B); Gold (G); Platinum (P)