Sarah here! I hijacked the entire Wednesday Wrap Up this week as my own little April Fools prank on Esteban, so buckle up!
The first email I opened this morning was from the AKC, with the subject line “Implementation of New Agility Regulations – Effective Immediately.” Ok, that’s not a subject line you just scroll past! I opened it right away and started reading.
“In an ongoing effort to enhance the sport of agility, improve exhibitor experience, and align with evolving canine performance standards, the American Kennel Club (AKC) is implementing the following rule updates effective immediately.”
Alright, a little stiff, but ok. What kind of changes are we talking about here?
“Handler Attire Alignment Requirement”
Wait. A DRESS CODE?! Whose idea was this?! What incident did I miss?! What did somebody wear to a trial that caused THIS to happen?!
“Handlers are now required to wear attire that reflects the historical or functional purpose of their dog’s breed. Sporting breeds: field-appropriate apparel Non-Sporting breeds: business casual minimum Toy breeds: formal or semi-formal attire preferred”
…oh.
OH.
It’s April 1st. 😂 skims to bottom
You can read the whole thing here: AKC April Fools Post
Later in the day, my daughter Hannah came to me in a full panic. She’d seen an Instagram post saying Caitlin Clark was leaving the Indiana Fever for the Las Vegas Aces. She had a feeling it was an April Fools joke, but nothing said “April Fools” anywhere, and she needed someone to reassure her that it was a joke. Esteban told her that 1) there was no way Caitlin would leave and 2) if she did leave it would never be to the Aces!
We are SO ready for the WNBA season over here. We even have tickets to see the Fever take on the Sparks this year! 🏀 Can’t wait!
Podcast: Are you Team Boy Dog or Team Girl Dog?
In the Fernandezlopez household, every boy dog has been mine. Esteban? Strictly a girl dog guy. There are lots of reasons people prefer one sex over the other, and in this week’s podcast we talk through all of it, from the stereotypes to the realities!
Esteban shared one of my favorite stories on this episode. When we were looking for our first border collie, we found an incredible repeat breeding with a great athletic sire named Celt. I actually flew up there to meet him in person, and this dog stood up on his hind legs and gave me a full on hug. I was completely smitten!
The breeder picked out a little girl from that litter for Esteban, and we named her EyeSpy Rook. But there was another agility handler, Frank Yang (who has since passed away), who really had his heart set on a girl from that litter too. Frank was disappointed when he was offered second pick and steered toward a boy instead. That boy became The Flash, one of the most influential agility dogs in the sport, an exceptional competitor who went on to sire national champions.
Frank wanted a girl. He got The Flash. Sometimes the universe knows what it’s doing!
The moral of the story is that you might have your heart set on boy or a girl, and you may have had only one sex your whole life, but taking a chance might just change your whole world.
Honestly though, you’ll want to listen to this one just to hear Jenn’s boy dog voice. 😂
Listen here: Episode 386: Boy Dog or Girl Dog?
UKI Invitational Results
Now in its third year, the 1-TDC Invitational has quickly become one of the most anticipated events on the UKI calendar. The 2026 edition ran March 26-29 at Canlan Sports Lake Barrington in Barrington, Illinois. Coming just one week after AKC Nationals, plenty of competitors made the trip directly from one event to the other with barely a moment to breathe!
The Invitational featured five distinct events. The Agility Biathlon combined a Jumping round and an Agility round, with cumulative faults determining the winner. The Pentathlon was the most comprehensive test, spanning two Jumping rounds, two Agility rounds, and a Steeplechase, with obstacle faults converted to seconds on a 1:1 ratio. The Games Challenge paired a Snooker round with a Gamblers round, with the highest combined points total taking the win. For teams who hadn’t qualified for the Blue Ribbon Final, the Challenger Round offered one last shot, with the winner earning a spot in the Final. Finally, the Blue Ribbon Final brought together the top performers across all three combined events for a single, decisive Agility run.
Congratulations to all the event winners!
Games Challenge
Regular Heights:
- 8″: Lauren Kras & Noddy By Nature
- 12″: Melanie Miller & Amity
- 16″: Stephanie Jones & Firefly
- 20″: Perry DeWitt & Genuine
- 22″: Amber McCune & Typo
- 24″: Jessica Ajoux & Empowered
Select Heights:
- 4″: Joann Labs & Kuiper
- 8″: Michelle Wnek & Olivia
- 12″: Carly Treinen & Jonah
- 16″: Jessica Ajoux & Hallelujah
- 20″: Shelby Tilden & Moss
Agility Biathlon
Regular Heights:
- 8″: Lynna Feng & Barley
- 12″: Melanie Miller & Amity
- 16″: Dudley Shumate & Ernie
- 20″: Malinda Kelleher & Eno
- 22″: Kathleen Oswald & Defy
- 24″: Jessica Ajoux & Empowered
Select Heights:
- 4″: Brittany Beall & Birthday
- 8″: Shantel Julius & Rainey
- 12″: Carly Treinen & Jonah
- 16″: Deandra Gero & Rowley
- 20″: Melanie Rock & Maui Jim
Pentathlon
Regular Heights:
- 8″: Peter Wirth & Welly
- 12″: Sarah Baker & Skeptic
- 16″: Danielle Wagner & Twix
- 20″: Perry DeWitt & Genuine
- 22″: Kathleen Oswald & Defy
- 24″: Melanie Miller & Excellence
Select Heights:
- 4″: Heather Witt & Rowan
- 8″: Beth Bond & Shiloh
- 12″: Marissa Hansen & Louis
- 16″: Jessica Ajoux & Hallelujah
- 20″: Andrew Clark & Scholar
Challenger Round
Regular Heights:
- 8″: Han Yu & Opportunity
- 12″: Sarah Anger & Synapse
- 16″: Linda O’Grady & Jasper
- 20″: Amber McCune & Shelby-Cobra
- 22″: Mahayla Gernert-Dott & Swift
- 24″: Rachel Hudson & Middy
Select Heights:
- 12″: Kyle Miles & Fiction
- 16″: Sabin Aell Rusthon & Yoshi
- 20″: Alisha Olson & Jaxon
Blue Ribbon Final
Regular Heights:
- 8″: Han Yu & Opportunity
- 12″: Perry DeWitt & Spike
- 16″: Casey Keller & Liri
- 20″: Hana Spitz & Seriouslee
- 22″: Geoffrey Nieder & Kyber
- 24″: Laura Selmic & Hup
Select Heights:
- 4″: Karen Hodge & Prudence
- 8″: Emily Davis & Sophie
- 12″: Cindy McElligott & Java
- 16″: Jessica Ajoux & Hallelujah
- 20″: Maria Badamo & Kenobi
One of the most coveted outcomes at the Invitational is the WAO Win On Spot, awarded in each of the five height categories. The spot goes to the handler with the lowest combined points total across the Biathlon, Games, Pentathlon, and Blue Ribbon Final, with first place worth 1 point, second worth 2, and so on. Winners can choose to represent their country or compete under the Wildcard flag at the 2027 World Agility Open. Congratulations to this year’s WAO Win On recipients:
- 8″ — Emily Klarman with Mick
- 12″ — Melanie Miller with Amity
- 16″ — Casey Keller with Liri
- 20″ — Perry DeWitt with Genuine
- 24″ — Laura Selmic with Hup
Did the AKC get you this morning too? Or maybe you’ve got a story about a dog that surprised you, boy or girl? Tell us all about it at team@baddogagility.com.
Happy Training,
