Shimmer shines

Shimmer has logged more air miles than most seasoned travelers — albeit his flight accommodations were a bit cramped. “He’d rather be scrunched than travel in cargo,” said Barb Davis, who stows the 9-year-old sheltie under her seat and pays $250 for his airfare to Europe.

The pooch and his human trainer have traveled the world for eight years, competing in national and international agility events. Although he doesn’t rack up frequent flier miles, Shimmer is the dog equivalent of an Olympic athlete.

Shimmer’s ability to focus on his trainer’s verbal instructions and understand nonverbal gestures as he maneuvers over ramps, through tunnels and in between poles — at lightning speeds — has earned him a doggie bag full of medals.

In addition to winning numerous local and regional competitions, the sheltie has taken one gold and two silver medals at national agility competitions and won five silver medals at the televised ESPN Great Outdoors Games. His U.S.A. teams have won two silver medals at the World Agility Championships.

His furry face has appeared on ESPN and Animal Planet. “He has had more than five minutes of fame, that’s for sure,” said Davis.

The trainer and pet share a lighthearted rapport while practicing routines on the agility course on Davis’ five-acre Otis Orchards property. Davis, who has trained dogs for 34 years, runs alongside while commanding Shimmer to go left, right, through, up and over a series of obstacles.

The bulk of their practice happens during the summer when Davis, an instructor at North Idaho College, is off work. During the winter the two keep in shape by practicing with a group of trainers in a rented barn.

Like a soccer mom with a horde of kids, Davis spends many weekends shuttling Shimmer and her other five dogs to competitions. Last year, she spent 29 weekends at competitions.

The pair recently returned from a national competition, where Shimmer qualified to compete for a fifth time at the World Agility Championships in Italy next month.

Dogs compete in regional and state events for scores that can qualify them for nationals.

At national competitions, 50 dogs vie for 12 places on the U.S. Dog Agility Team.

Countries take turns hosting the world championships, which bring together hundreds of dogs from more than 30 countries. National anthems are played for winners and flags give the event an Olympic ambiance.

While obedience shows like Westminster feature the debutantes of the dog world, agility games feature the athletes. Judging is based on performance rather than looks.

“It’s purely a sporting event and it’s very hard for the judges to be biased in the events. It’s pretty cool that way because there isn’t much politics in it,” said Davis.

Barb Benner, a West Plains resident who does agility training for Spokane Dog Training Club and competes with her own Belgian malinois, said it’s rare it is for a dog to go to a world competition five times.

“I think Barb has really trained him effectively, but he’s also a dog that has an ‘I-can-do-that’ attitude,” said Benner.

For dogs to shine in competition, they’ve got to have enthusiasm to play the game and the ability to focus on verbal and nonverbal commands while moving at top speeds, she explained.

“It’s an exciting sport because it’s really a competition for how good the teamwork can be between you and your dogs. When you’re out there it’s a big adrenaline rush.”

During international competition, trainers get 10 minutes to size up the obstacle course and plot a strategy for getting their dogs through it quickly and without mistakes. To have a clean run, trainers must effectively convey to their dogs details like where to turn right or left and which way to enter tunnels.

Davis likens the games to solving a puzzle in a limited amount of time. “You’ve got to go slow enough that you can do it, but fast enough where you can win.”

Dogs race individually and their runs are scored, with deductions made for knocking over poles and other mishaps. Perfection is often elusive and clean runs are rare.

Scores are averaged for teams. Because dogs are so sensitive to nonverbal communication, trainers who accidentally wave their arms without thinking can send their dogs the wrong direction. Performing out of sequence usually results in a loss for the entire team. Consequently, Shimmer knows left from right better than most teenagers.

While he zigzags through poles and over teeter-totters, the sheltie has been clocked moving at 13.5 feet per second or 9.2 miles an hour.

Shimmer’s nerves are steady, and when he has a clean run, he gives Davis something that resembles a smile — a toothy grin that often coincides with a victory.

Before competing with Shimmer, Davis’ international travel was limited to Canada. Thanks to her canine teammate, she’s visited Germany, Finland, Portugal and France and will soon add Italy to the list.

“It’s been quite a life experience. I’ll never forget it and that’s for sure.”