Dog, trainer are 'natural champions'

"Connie Gunderson is a once-in-a-lifetime student," says local dog trainer Jan Manning.

Gunderson and her dog, Mel, recently accomplished something none of Manning's students have ever done, "and we're talking about thousands of people and dogs over 30 years," she adds.

Two weeks ago, "Team Gunderson" (Connie and Mel, a mixed-breed herding dog) competed in a dog obedience trial in Bozeman. In three days of competition, they earned two prestigious American Kennel Club awards: a Companion Dog (CD) obedience title and an Advanced title in the obedience sport of Rally.

The CD title was the most amazing accomplishment, Manning explains.

"Usually it takes a novice dog trainer several attempts over a period of months or even years to earn three qualifying scores for an obedience title," said Manning. "Connie and Mel were able to do it in three days and one fell swoop." What makes the feat even more incredible is that it was the first time Team Gunderson had ever set foot in the ring of a formal obedience trial.

"Mel got pretty nervous," Gunderson said. "She's usually so steady, but she actually threw up just outside the ring's gate before we went in. She could tell the atmosphere was very different from the other events we'd trained for, like Agility and even the Rally competition, which is much less formal."

In an obedience trial, the dog and handler are judged on precision heeling, a stand for exam, recall, and long sit-stays and down-stays done as a group with other dogs. Half the individual exercises are done on leash, and the other half off leash. Dogs and handlers are judged on precision footwork, proper use of signals, and body position. A passing or qualifying score is at least 170 out of 200 possible points. Gunderson and her dog scored 183, 188 and 193 during their three days in Bozeman.

In addition to earning the prestigious CD title, they also swept up three winning scores for their Rally Advanced (RA) title. In Rally, the dog and handler work their way across a numbered course, performing a specific movement or obedience exercise at each of the stations, or signs, along the way. The atmosphere is more casual and relaxed, and the scoring is more forgiving than in competitive obedience. A qualifying Rally score is 70 out of 100 points. They scored 98, 98, and a perfect 100 over the three days.

"By the end of the second day, people were telling me that Mel and I were their favorite team to watch in the ring," Gunderson said.

Gunderson is a member of Sanders County Dog Training Club and regularly attends classes in Rally and Agility. She said her first love is Agility, and she and Mel have trained extensively not just with the club, but also with a Missoula trainer and on their own, studying plenty of online and video courses.

"That's what makes her such a great student," says Manning. "She's highly motivated, open-minded, and compelled to find solutions to just about any of her training dilemmas with Mel. She does more than just come to classes. She trains Mel in her kitchen, while she's watching TV, or when she's working in the barn. She takes her to Home Depot and Murdoch's and works her in the aisles. She's the perfect example of a student who actually incorporates her dog's training into everything she does."

Gunderson and her dog journeyed by themselves to the Bozeman competition, without the mental support and camaraderie of any dog club friends from Thompson Falls. Several other club members had gone to Helena the same weekend to compete in an agility trial. It was intimidating being there by herself, she says, "but right away I could tell what an advantage I had over other competitors who didn't have the kind of club support and training classes we have in Thompson Falls. We are very fortunate, living where we are, to have this level of training opportunities."

According to Manning, "Connie and Mel don't fully realized what they accomplished in one weekend. They are natural champions."