We lost Sassy on October 8, 2020 after 14 wonderful years. She was a dog that just loved being with you and seemed to know what you were thinking before you did. We did agility only because she loved it so much and after we started winning, I loved it too. She was a PNE SuperDog at two years old, performed in BC Place at CFL half-time shows, visited care homes and made the podium at several of the Regional and National agility competitions even though I wasn't a great handler. Everyone who met her loved her and she had many friends among my animation students who she would drop in on occasionally to do tricks and mooch handouts. She was my shadow, just wanting to be wherever I was and doing anything that was asked of her.
Doing tricks at CapU's
"Bring Your Pet to Work Day"
"Bring Your Pet to Work Day"
Just some of the many ribbons awarded over during her 10 years in dog agility
Our neighbors and Sassy's best friends, Sundance and Solitaire
This is how amazing she was in agility: I could send her away from me (dogs don't like doing that...they want to be near you) and do a jump, weave poles and then a tunnel. Then I would shout, "Again!" that meant to do the same obstacles in reverse. Unbelievable that she could comprehend that from a one word command but she could (as seen here).
Weave poles were her favorite agility exercise
We beat out the border collies for the big bucks, not because she was fast but because she rarely made mistakes in the agility ring.
Sassy got to meet her dad and uncle at a Regional agility competition.
Our agility club: Paws Squad
Sassy and her brother, Benny, waiting for dinner
On the podium at the National Agility Championships
Practicing with the BC Lions cheerleaders for a BC Lions half time show
Another National event. Our best place was 5th in Canada
An early photo...just a puppy
At two years old in the SuperDogs shows at the PNE. We would have done this every year but they only wanted handlers with multiple dogs (to save $)
I don't think we ever came home empty-handed from a competition.
Hiking the 14 km to Norvan Falls
She had a sense of humour and played along patiently
Sassy was prone to lipomas (lumps) and we had to have a large one taken from her heel
She loved other Shelties. This one was a good friend and friendly rival, Echo
Always watching and waiting for the next command....or a treat.
Passed the exam. Could have herded sheep but that seemed boring compared with agility.
We won the lookalike contest at Bring Your Pet to Work Day at Capilano University.
Always interested in food, which made her that much easier to train.
Doing tricks for the patients at VGH long term care home.
A fan favorite at the BC Lions half time show
Echo and Cathy were close competitors usually one place ahead or behind us.
Sassy always made it into the posters, T-shirts and birthday cards from my talented animation students.
Trying and failing to defend her bed from the new rescue kitten.
Playing around on one of her last walks at Loutet Park
Summer 2020 on windy Saratoga Beach, BC
