Page 12 - April_2014

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sookie,
reader athlete
border Collie

Age: 5 | residence: Milton | family: humans: ann Cattaneo, Christian Dymond, Sabena 4, Mira, 1 1/2; Canine companions: Koda, Rosa, bonnie, Lewis
and Kieza | occupation: Full-time pet

Adopted from a rescue home at Glen
of competitions all over the country VS: Where do you compete?
VS: So how do you learn your tricks?
Highland Farm, Sookie is primarily in two different categories: distance S: We’ve gone to Connecticut, Ottawa, S: Well, treats are always a powerful

a Frisbee chaser, though she harbors and freestyle. Distance is just what it New Hampshire and New York. I motivator. Running for the disc is easy
a secret ambition to be a dock dog sounds like; your human throws the don’t mean to brag, but I was second but some of the tricks take me a while
as well, and is able to satisfy her disc as far as she or he can and we get in the Vermont State Championships to learn. There’s one where I vault off
primeval urge to herd with her family’s to run and chase it. Freestyle is a bit in 2012 and last year I won the Stanley my human’s back and first I wondered

menagerie.
more complicated. We do tricks, jump Cup. Those are both local competitions whether she really wanted me to do
off things, or run complex patterns which combine distance and freestyle. that, but she convinced me with treats
VS: Where were you born?
like those over-padded football players Ever since the little humans were born that it was okay and boy is it fun. I’ve

S: I was born in New Jersey, but I you see on television, only much more we’ve done more demonstrations than also learned to walk backwards and to
ended up at Glen Highland Farm with gracefully.
competitions. I know some dogs travel spin around in circles. People seem to
a bunch of other border collies. My to competitions every weekend in the really like it when I do that.
humans took me home to foster me, VS: What is your favorite event?
summer and even some indoor ones

but I was so adorable that they decided S: I love freestyle. Every Wednesday in winter, but we don’t do as much VS: I know we’re talking about you
to adopt me. My humans are very good we do performances at Smugglers’ traveling these days.
here, but your human needs to have
about fostering other dogs from the Notch and the people there seem to some skills, too, doesn’t she?
farm so they can go to good homes. love watching. When I get big air VS: Wasn’t one of your humans a S: Absolutely. Some of the tricks are

I liked my time there, but I’m very they get all excited and cheer. I like trainer at one time? hard on her, but she’s pretty tough. To
happy to have found a forever home.
doing demonstrations because then my S: She was, but she gave up the be perfectly honest, I wish she had a
human can also teach dog safety skills business because of the little humans. stronger throwing arm. I know I can

VS: What do disc dogs do?
to kids since not all little humans know She’s still pretty good at helping me catch a disc further than she throws it,
S: We do what dogs are meant to how to interact with dogs.
learn new tricks, though.
but I still love her.
do: chase Frisbees. There are lots
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12 Vtsports.com
April 2014