Rusty originally belonged to my late grandma; however he always seemed to have a soft spot for me. I think that was due to the fact that I used to do all the obedience and trick training with him when he was a puppy. Rusty is like an extension of me, like another arm, he seems to know what I’m thinking what I’m about to do.
We got him as a puppy at 13 weeks old, and he was small enough to fit through the baby gate that was placed on the kitchen door. I fell in love with him as he was an amazing dog even at 13 weeks. I was 13 at the time, and had never really looked into any sort of doggy activities.
The first time I ever saw our potential as a team was at a local country show, I entered him into the sporting dog category against about 40 other dogs, I had no idea what I was doing, but some way or another we won! After that I was hooked and began naively entering him into local shows, and also the larger affiliated shows, I always did very well in the handling classes (where I am judged) but could never seem to do well in the breed classes.
It was then that I was introduced to the marvel that is the breed standard. Unfortunately my dog is a sporting Cocker Spaniel; he’s white and lemon, with a powerhouse for a body. Not a show dog.
By then I had also discovered the pinnacle that is Crufts, and for me, that was my ultimate goal. So I joined the Young Kennel Club in March 2005 and have never looked back. Though my parents began to realise, as did I, that I was somewhat wasting my time with dog showing, but I was stubborn enough to continue for a little while longer until eventually it happened, in the November of 2005, I qualified for the YKC Handling competition at Crufts. Even to qualify was an amazing experience, but then to attend the biggest dog show in the world for the first time, well, I was hooked. Needless to say my inexperience and nerves got the better of me and we didn’t place, but Rusty did everything I asked of him, and put on a stellar performance.
After that the dog showing dwindled out, but I continued to enter him into the local country shows, doing well in any sporting categories, as he is a brilliant example of a working dog.
Whilst all this was going on, I had also signed him up to Pet London Models, I thought this was a good idea at the time as I found very quickly that his obedience training meant he was amazingly well behaved in front of a camera and when placed in various situations he never faltered. In-fact in some instances I am sure he sees the camera and actually poses.
But not expecting anything to come of it, I was surprised that 6 months after signing he got his first job in Leeds, for Morrison’s pet food packaging. Rusty was brilliant, he’s like plasticine, you can just mould him and leave him, he’s every photographers dream. From this stemmed his side career of modelling. To date he has done various jobs, the latest one being the Elddis Caravan brochure. Rusty also signed to Boho Models, the first dog in the North East to do so, and from that we got a full page 3 spread in the Chronicle Sunday Sun.
Another amazing turning point came when we auditioned for Europe’s Top Dog, to be broadcast on Sky’s Animal Planet. I thought nothing would come of it as there were thousands of dogs, but in 2007 Sky sent a crew to my house to film introductions. Then we were invited down to take part in the show. It was a wonderful experience where we placed 2nd in our heat, but he did really well and won two of the five games during the show.
Then in 2009, I entered the Shaun McAlpine Award, and I won the over 12 age group, and again went to Crufts to receive my award, it’s an achievement I am very proud of.
Rusty has also taken part in a one to one session with a local gundog training club, being 6 years old at the time I was skeptical as to whether he would do well. Long behold he proved me wrong again, and did everything that was asked, bringing out his brilliant breeding. Rusty also worked well to the whistle, despite never being taught with one, picked up every dummy, and quartered the ground lovely.
By then I had also began agility training at North Northumberland dog club with Jim Wright, and 4 years later here I am. My first year of shows were somewhat inconsistent due to his speed, but now in the last year and a half we have gone from grade 1 to 6, and perhaps achieved the best thing to date.
After sending away my points for the year to the Young Kennel Club, Rusty was within the top 20 medium dogs in the country and we were invited to take part in the Medium Agility Final. To say I was nervous is an understatement, everything we had worked for came down to this, I was 2nd last to go, and we had been given enough time to walk the course twice, I had it straight in my head and just wanted to get in and run. When it came to my run, I knew Rusty was going to be quick, and that he was itching to go off the start line. Once I said go, my nerves lessened and Rusty took off quickly, I got more and more excited as he cleared each jump, hit each touch point, and sped though the 12 weaves, 3 jumps from the end I heard the commentator say ‘their in the lead’, and perhaps it was that, or the crowd screaming us on, but a lapse in concentration meant my dog, instead of bearing left over the last jump, went on to go through the tunnel. Consequently getting eliminated. To say I was gutted, was a BIG understatement, I beat myself up for weeks afterward, if only I had just moved a little quicker at the last, or pointed the last jump out. Then to make matters worse, I found that had he jumped that last jump and gone clear, we would have won. (You can see the clip on the ‘videos’ page of this website).
I still think about that run, but then I remember how well he had done to get there, achieving his Agility Warrant Bronze in the process.
Rusty is now 7, but I seem to be in denial about him getting older as I cannot think what it would be like if he was not here, he continues to be the best dog anyone could ask for. A great companion, leader, and astounding all round dog. To date he has done so many amazing things, he has brought me the confidence I have today with dogs, and never stops giving. Rusty also visits the local Care Home as a Pets As Therapy Dog, and he brings so much joy with his personality and nature.
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