蜜桃视频

Susan and Dennis Shea, a husband and wife living in Dickinson, Texas, have always loved doing agility with their Labrador Retrievers. But they never could have imagined the heights they鈥檇 reach in the sport when they got their first Belgian Malinois, 鈥淓rina.鈥� Erina, who is now 14-years-old, showed Susan and Dennis from the start that she was different than their other agility dogs.

Thanks to Erina, the Sheas have been able to attend all kinds of invitational and national agility competitions, including the 2024 AKC National Agility Championship. The trio will be at the event taking place in Perry, Georgia, from March 14 鈥� 17, where Erina will compete in the preferred class.

Taking a Leap With a New Breed

The Sheas had been doing obedience with their Labrador Retrievers for years, but Dennis wanted to try a new breed. A friend of the Sheas had Belgian Malinois, and it sparked their interest in the breed.

After meeting Erina, they couldn鈥檛 wait to bring her home. Since they were used to caring for Labs, it took them some time to get used to her and her needs. 鈥淚t was quite a different experience going from the Labs to her,鈥� Susan says.

The family faced another challenge soon after getting Erina (MACH PACH3 Mpacts Erina Of The Shea ClanCD BN RAE MXS MJG MXP11 MXPC MJP13 MJPB2 PAX3 MXF T2B SWN SCA): another dog bit her while training. For years after, she was fine with the Sheas鈥� Labs and other familiar dogs, but very skittish with other dogs. She still doesn鈥檛 like when unfamiliar dogs to come close to her, and likes her space in all aspects of her life.

漏骋谤别补迟顿补苍别笔丑辞迟辞蝉

In agility, the learning curve continued. Where their Labs would let mistakes in the course roll off their backs, Erina was committed to doing everything perfectly, and would keep trying until she did. 鈥淪he lives to train,鈥� Susan says. 鈥淲e take any of the other dogs out, and she鈥檚 inside having a fit because she鈥檚 not outside.鈥�

Navigating Obstacles Together

Though the Sheas have done agility with their past Labs, they found that Erina had a particular skill on the course. Through training, they found that Erina prefers being handled from a distance. Dennis initially handled and trained Erina until he had to get a knee replacement when she was about 8 years old. They decided that Susan would handle Erina in agility moving forward. The pair quickly got to work training and Susan鈥檚 been running Erina ever since.

While Erina is lighter and smaller than the Sheas鈥� other labs, adjusting to her drive and independent nature was one hurdle they had to work through. 鈥淚t was totally different to try to work with her,鈥� Susan says. 鈥淪he鈥檚 fast, and she鈥檚 agile, and she loves being out there.鈥�

With their Labs, Susan could run alongside them during the course for the most part. With Erina, Susan and Dennis simply couldn鈥檛 keep up with her speed at first. But, they鈥檝e since learned to tune into her cues when running the course. 鈥淭he challenge for her is that she wanted to work with you and wanted to show you how she wanted to run, not slow her down, speed her up, or try to race her,鈥� Susan says. 鈥淚f I tried to run really fast with her, she鈥檚 just going to drop bars to catch up with you.鈥� Susan and Dennis have nearly perfected learning to have her pick her speed, and, by handling her from a distance, Erina鈥檚 speed is what she wants it to be. 鈥淪he鈥檚 one of those that she would try everything just to be right,鈥� Susan says. 鈥淪he hates to be wrong.鈥�

漏骋谤别补迟顿补苍别笔丑辞迟辞蝉

Harnessing Erina鈥檚 Drive in the Agility Ring

The first time they qualified for the AKC National Agility Championship with Erina was in 2020, but the event was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But despite not getting the start they hoped for, they鈥檝e qualified with Erina every year since then. 鈥淪he鈥檚 taken us to new heights we鈥檝e never dreamed,鈥� Susan says. 鈥淪he鈥檚 been an incredible dog, I鈥檓 so proud of her.鈥�

Erina likes her personal space, but doesn鈥檛 have problems being among the crowds or dogs and handlers at agility competitions. In fact, she knows when they鈥檙e at agility competitions, and gets so excited that she鈥檒l pull Dennis and Susan to the ring. Once in the ring, Susan says she鈥檚 completely focused on what she鈥檚 going. 鈥淪he forgets anything else that鈥檚 going on. She pays attention to only me,鈥� Susan says. 鈥淪he doesn鈥檛 look at other people in the ring, and once we鈥檙e done, she comes straight to me, and we go back to her crate. She鈥檚 quite content. She loves to compete.鈥�

Though Erina is incredibly focused, not every run is going to be perfect, and Susan knows that. 鈥淚鈥檓 never going to be angry with her,鈥� Susan says. 鈥淲hen I get upset, it鈥檚 upset with myself, because I鈥檝e messed her up.鈥� Over the years, Erina鈥檚 brought them to the National Agility Championship multiple times, ranking highly in her classes, and competing against some of the best dogs in the country. 鈥淚 think that鈥檚 pretty good. I鈥檓 not going to fault her for that,鈥� Susan says.

Slowing Down, But Not By Much

Currently, Erina is one of four dogs in the Shea household, along with a 12-year-old Labrador Retriever, who they show in conformation, a 4-year-old Lab, and a Belgian Malinois puppy. 鈥淲e love the breed,鈥� Susan says. 鈥淭he work ethic is unbelievable.鈥� Susan says they鈥檝e learned Belgian Malinois aren鈥檛 鈥渏ust backyard dogs,鈥� and need to be active and have something to do. Erina leads the pack, even training the younger dogs on the agility equipment in the backyard.

Ted's Photo Reflex

As Erina鈥檚 gotten older, people have told the couple that she鈥檒l probably slow down and won鈥檛 want to do agility anymore. But Susan says that her speed is the only thing getting slower. 鈥淪he鈥檚 given us no indication yet that she鈥檚 ready to quit,鈥� Susan says. 鈥淲e鈥檒l go until she tells me she鈥檚 done.鈥�

The couple do what they can to keep Erina healthy so that she can continue doing the sport that she loves as long as possible. Erina sees a chiropractor monthly, and trains on an underwater treadmill twice a month. She knows weekends are for agility, and gets antsy when they spend that time at home instead. 鈥淚f we鈥檙e doing something else on a Saturday, and we鈥檙e not going to a trail, she鈥檚 at the door ready to go, and looks at us like 鈥榃hat do you mean we鈥檙e not going?'鈥� Susan laughs.

Their expectations for the 2024 National Agility Championship are mostly to have fun, since Erina has already taken them higher than they ever expected to go. 鈥淲e made invitationals two years in a row, which was far beyond my expectations,鈥� Susan says. 鈥淚f she can do it again, that鈥檚 awesome. If she doesn鈥檛, she doesn鈥檛, and she鈥檚 having fun.鈥�