Sport Dog of the Week: Strider the Xoloitzcuintli
Poor Strider had a rough start to life, the victim of animal cruelty, before being seized by animal control and winding up in a shelter. Jessie Hecht, the trainer behind Good Karma Dog Training, offer to foster him temporarily to get this nervous boy into a home environment and out of the shelter.
Photo courtesy of Jessie Hecht
But Strider ended up becoming a permanent member of Jessie’s pack. As Jessie says, it was a “no brainer” to adopt him: “he fit into our family as if he had been here forever”.
Strider’s favorite sports are Fast CAT and agility. He got started in sports when Jessie brought him to Fast CAT events with her German Shorthaired Pointer for socialization. She signed Strider up for a fun run and realized how much he loved the game!
Photo courtesy of Jessie Hecht
Strider has now earned his first BCAT title and takes agility classes for fun. He has gained a lot of confidence from participating in dog sports.
Recently, a friend handled Strider while Jessie was running her German Shorthaired Pointer, and he willingly walked around with the friend and even took treats from her. Jessie explained why she’s so proud of this win: “normally he would have been barking, lunging, and pulling to get back to me”. It’s been very rewarding for Jessie to see Strider trusting and building relationships with people outside of his family.
Photo by Charlotte With Dogs
If you are just getting started in dog sports, Jessie recommends joining some Facebook groups like this national one for Fast CAT or dog sports groups for your region specifically. She advises asking around to find some events whose clubs are welcoming to beginners.
Jessie also recommends finding a great rehabilitation vet and checking in with them periodically to ensure that your sport dog is feeling their best. Dogs are great at masking pain and discomfort, so seeing a rehabilitation vet can help you discover any issues your dog might be hiding.
Keep up with Strider on Instagram by following his account, @strider_the_xolo, and his sisters, @cadence.and.karma, where he is regularly featured!
