Meet the April 2024 OVERview Cover Puppy

Zander, age 1, owned by Samantha Ferrie

This article was originally published in the April 2024 OVERview digital magazine.

Our Facebook followers shared so many adorable puppy pictures as part of our contest for an April 2024 OVERview digital magazine cover photo, but we could only choose one winner! Meet Zander — a Border Collie who just turned one year old last month and lives in Greenville, Texas, with owner Samantha Ferrie. (See our photo contest runners-up in the April OVERview, pages 4 and 5.)

Just what was Zander up to in the cover photo? Samantha shared the details. “I was teaching a very beginner intro to agility class and a student, who is also a friend, was holding Zander for me as I was working with a handler and dog on learning to tunnel. I was explaining that my verbal is ‘tunnel, tunnel, tunnel,’ when I heard, ‘Oh Zander!’ and the rest of the class started laughing. I looked up, and Zander had taken my verbal very seriously and jumped into this tunnel and then proceeded to voice his displeasure at my working with another dog.”

It’s been almost a year since Samantha first got Zander. “I got him from his breeder — USDAA judge (and 2022 Team USA gold and bronze medalist) Kama Rueschenberg — on April 29, 2023, when he was 8 weeks old,” she said. “He is my fifth agility dog and will be joining my others playing some USDAA agility when he is ready to compete.”

Compared to her other agility dogs, Samantha said Zander is much more independent and has a “let’s do this” type of personality. “He is definitely benefiting from the knowledge and skills I have gained over the past 13 years. Compared to my other agility dogs, he is learning skills much faster, with greater understanding and accuracy. He is very outgoing and loves everyone he meets.”

When Zander isn’t competing, Samantha says he is a “little busybody with a nice off switch,” but he is also a cuddler. “He is very snuggly and always wants to be next to or on me when it is time to relax,” she said.

Averie, Jake, Samantha Ferrie holding Zander (10 weeks old), Thief and Finley (Trish Keck Photography)