Welcoming a New Puppy to the Family

USDAA judges Skurzynski and Mahoney share their experience.

Originally published in the USDAA OVERview April 2023 digital magazine.

Letting puppies be puppies

When judge Jan Skurzynski lost her older Border Collie, Blazer, a few years ago, she and her husband Dale Mahoney, who is also a USDAA judge, knew they would soon add another puppy to the family to become Dale’s new competition dog. With their busy judging and trialing schedules, including events like Cynosport®, they are careful not to have more than four dogs in their home at one time, spreading them out over the years to give eachdog the time, attention and training they need.

Their process for selecting a puppy started more than a year before they found Aly, a Border Collie who is now 2 years old. Jan kept her ear to the ground without actively searching for a new puppy, keeping in touch with several breeders she knew from her agility career. When a friend from Alaska confirmed a pregnancy in one of her dogs, Jan and Dale became interested.

“Donna Gates of Tonglen Lake (Alaska) has produced other very nice agility prospects, and Aly’s mom had dogs from a previous breeding that impressed me with their agility training,” Jan said. “In the past, I’d had conversations about her approach to breeding, which focused on pedigrees, structure and performance. That gave me confidence in deciding to get a puppy from her.” (Read Donna Gates's advice for selecting an agility partner.)

“Our early training has been slow due to our busy schedules and Aly’s development,” Jan said. “We let our dogs be puppies for as long as they need to be, and we saw early on with Aly that she doesn’t respond well to pressure. If we train at a slower pace and let her find her comfort level with the skills she needs to learn, her confidence develops further and her joy in working with us rises.”

Living in Nampa, Idaho, Jan and Dale don’t have many opportunities to go to local classes, but that hasn’t stopped them from giving Aly and their other dogs a solid agility foundation. Dale entered Aly into her first event at Boise Agility Runners & Climbers’ spring trial (April 7-9), not with the goal of qualifying but to ensure she is happy and “driving with all the remarkable athleticism and speed she possesses.” Dale entered her in Jumpers, Gamblers, and Snooker, where she could run just jumps and tunnels. “She is still working on contacts and weaves, so this was mostly for ring experience. She ran really well, however, and qualified in every run,” said Jan.

Selecting a puppy for agility

“For anyone looking for a puppy to start in agility, I would suggest looking for a reputable breeder, if possible, to give you the best chance of finding a structurally and emotionally solid dog,” Jan said. “Since Dale and I, and many of our fellow competitors, will take a dog and keep it through its life regardless of what might develop, we try to give ourselves the best chance of having a long and successful agility partnership."