Team CSJ Agility Handlers Profile!

CSJ Agility welcomes Leah to the team!

Leah Gardner

In the beginning

Leah says, “I always loved agility, I remember watching it at Olympia when I was really young and telling my mum that I was going to do that, and compete at Olympia!”

How many dogs and which breeds do you own now?

“I currently have 4 working collies a poodle x yorkie and a Kelpie (the Terrier is 14years old and doesn't compete and the kelpie and one WSD are run by my husband).”

What is your biggest or most memorable success?

“I have been really lucky as I have had a few, but I suppose my biggest to date was this year when Herbie and I won Silver for Great Britain at the European Opens in Germany.”

What other successes have you had?

“Link is my first agility dog, I hand raised him from 2 weeks old. He is extremely quick and keen, I was told repeatedly to give up with him, instead we battled on and my first big success was qualifying for Olympia for the first time (2006), he loved it and it suited him so much…he flew round and we came home with 2nd place at our very first Olympia. I was and still am so proud! Link was also Clever dog of the year 2005 (a mixture of agility and flyball).

Then I got Herbie - he has blown me away. He was a terrified wreck when I rescued him at 12 weeks old. Many people told me I was mad and that he would never do agility (not that I cared), I worked REALLY hard at teaching him to play and become a normal dog, he is now is a grade 7 agility dog.” Some of his achievements are:

Rescue agility dog of the year 2007 and 2008
Qualified for Olympia 2007 (came 6th in final)
Qualified pairs final 2007/2008
Qualified lazer pairs 2007 (2nd in final) and 2008
DIN final 2007 and 2008 (2nd in final)
Supa dogs final 2007 (2nd in final)
Senior agility dog of the year 2007
South East agility dog of the year 2006
Qualified Crufts senior singles 2009
Qualified Olympia 2008
Selected for the British Agility Team 2008
Silver for Great Britain 2008 at European Opens
Reserve Champion at Nottingham agility show 2008

“And now I have Hex, he too is a rescue dog who I have hand raised from 3 weeks old. He is now 17 months and is due to debut in Jan 2009. He is showing a lot of promise, and I can't wait to start competing him.”

Are you involved in any other canine activities?

“My mum has a rescue (Many Tears Rescue) so have always worked in and around it. I also teach agility and help with aggression problems, also competed in flyball and clever dogs.”

Do you have any comments about CSJ feeds?

“Having put my dogs on CSJ I have seen a number of improvements, their coats are so shiny; they have an improved energy and stamina as well as LOVING their food!”

Leah Gardner

Leah can be contacted via and seen on video at:

http://www.anjuagility.co.uk/ and http://chafforddogs.blogspot.com/

Herbie wins at Nottingham

Hex

Some of the dogs