For the last 12 years I had the privilege of being involved in the AKC Juniors Program. My life would be very different if I had not been given this opportunity. Initially I was shy, introverted, and lacked confidence. Fast forward through a dozen years of training and showing dogs in tracking, obedience, rally, agility, and hunt tests… today, I am a very different person. For example, this past fall I was selected as the senior drum major for our high school marching band, enrolled in several advanced placement courses, and was recruited to participate on many school committees. After participating in the Junior Obedience Classic in the bustling exhibition center in Orlando, giving a speech in front of my sophomore English class did not seem like such a daunting task. The AKC dog world helped me to develop a sense of presence, to exercise self-discipline, to interact with people from diverse ages and backgrounds, to keep the important balance between confidence and humility, and to always keep a sense of humor.
I learned how to set goals and how to develop the strong work ethic required to achieve them. Some goals I was able to accomplish, while others were more elusive but provided a sense of satisfaction knowing I gave my best. Experiences in obedience taught me the importance of building skills slowly and intentionally, keeping the end goal always in mind. Through agility I learned that speed and accuracy need to be balanced. Tracking helped me learn to be patient, be more aware of my surroundings, to trust the amazing abilities of my dog, and that a single nonverbal can be worth a thousand words. Hunt tests reminded me to see things from the dog’s perspective and that hours around a pond on a hot afternoon with two-legged and four-legged friends is time well spent.
Perhaps the award I am most proud of earning is the Top Junior for Tracking in 2019, 2021, & 2022. Some other highlights of my time in the Juniors Program included going to the AKC Junior Classic in Orlando as well as the Rally and Obedience National Championship held in Wilmington, Ohio. I was never able to attend the AKC National Tracking Invitational, but one day…
For me, one of the greatest benefits of showing and training dogs was that it was almost impossible to do it alone. Dog people are special people…in each venue there were always people willing to help a youngster learn about a shared passion. While it was “the dogs” that brought us together, many of these individuals have become family and continue to support me even in other areas of my life, attending tennis matches or band concerts. I would never have been able to do all that I have done without the support of these special individuals. The recognition received is not really mine alone… the best part is sharing it with the people who invested in me. They deserve the credit.
I enjoy giving back to the dog world by helping other people learn about their dogs. There have been plenty of opportunities to help fellow students/teachers/neighbors recognize how special a relationship with their dog can be. Once problematic behaviors are minimized people have more time and energy to enjoy their dog. It is rewarding to help owners learn how to use a variety of training methods, how to have fair and realistic expectations, and how to play with their dog in a mutually fun way. I get the honor of passing on the knowledge that I have been given.
God used the experiences that I had in the AKC Juniors Program to play a key role in my development socially, emotionally, and even academically. The people that I have met and the opportunities that I have had are irreplaceable. I have some wonderful memories of joking with fellow participants after an agility run, talking with observers about how a dog is doing out on track, or whispered conversations while sitting inside a duck blind waiting for the next dog to come to the line.
For my future, I hope to have a dog at my side and a good group of training friends around me… laughter and fun times will never be far away.
The post Junior Report: Spencer Pardee appeared first on American Kennel Club.