Sport Dog of the Week: August Moon the All American
August Moon’s sports journey begins in an obedience class.
An All American (mixed breed), August was adopted a few days after his owner, Cassandra, lost her beloved canine companion, Sarge. Cassandra say that August was exactly what she needed and helped her heal after losing Sarge.
Like many pet parents, August’s humans signed him up for an obedience class after adopting him. Ron, the trainer teaching the class, saw August’s talent and encouraged Cassandra to try Rally with August.
Photo of August Moon running Fast CAT by Charlotte With Dogs
Well, August and Cassandra fell in love with Rally, and more dog sports from there! He has tried Rally, Obedience, Fast CAT, Barn Hunt, Frisbee, and recently started Scent Work! Needless to say, August is a talented and versatile pup!
Dog sports have been a great way for August to bond with his human. Cassandra says she feels proudest when she watches video of the them competing and gets to see his tail wagging as he tries hard at the sport.
Their hard work has paid off because August has earned numerous titles so far: through Rally Intermediate, BCAT in Fast CAT, Trick Dog Performer, Virtual Home Manners Adult, Virtual Scent Work Beginner, Fit Dog Gold, Barn Hunt Instinct, and his STAR Puppy title.
Like any dog/handler team, August and Cassandra have faced some challenges in their dog sports journey. August is a sensitive boy who loves his mom and picks up on her emotions. Since August’s mom deals with some trial nerves, this has been a challenge they have both had to overcome.
Photo of August Moon courtesy of Cassandra Dinehart
Despite the trial nerves, Cassandra urges others to get involved in dog sports because “it’s so fun to do dog sports and grow as a team.”
Cassandra also shared how tight-knit her dog sports community is. A family in her dog sports network recently lost their house in a fire and the community has really rallied around them. The family lost two dogs and a cat, and one service dog who got out and is still missing. The community has raised money, searched for the missing dog, and is even holding a fun match in March to fundraise further for the family. You can read more and donate here.
August and his humans are definitely lucky to be a part of such a special dog community.
What else do you need to know about August? Probably a lot, but I’ll keep it simple: he loves food, frisbee, and balls. Make sure you bring one along when you meet him!
Want to keep up with August and Cassandra? Give them a follow on Instagram at @augustmoonthedog.
