Reader Mailbag
Following my favorite football team’s brutal loss to the Green Bay Packers, I encouraged Dallas Cowboys haters to lay it on me while they had the chance, and they did not disappoint, although some readers offered consolation. Here are some of my favorites:
“GO PACK GO!!”
“I have hated the Cowboys since the days of Roger Staubach, so I did enjoy watching Green Bay give them a spanking.”
“Sorry, not sorry, Esteban. All you need is Love.”
“About the Cowboys–I understand your disappointment. I’ve been a Washington fan forever and have been disappointed each and every year, over and over again.”
“As a fellow lifelong Cowboys fan I am heart broken–again.”
Readers also sent some heartwarming and appreciative emails about the podcast, and for that, Jennifer, Sarah, and I say thank you!
New AKC Changes
The latest recommendations for changes in AKC agility regulations have been generating a lot of buzz on social media. In case you missed it, here are the proposed changes (also available in the minutes HERE)
The recommendations cover the following topics:
• Allow For Exhibition Only (FEO) in all classes.
• Reduce wheeling of Open courses to one time.
• Increase the course yardage allowed for 8- & 12-inch heights (and corresponding Preferred heights) for the Excellent and Master levels.
• No longer require the Pause Table in the Excellent and Master Standard classes.
• No longer require a “Bar” jump in any courses.
• Only allow one time use of the tire obstacle in a course.
• Allow the use of a Wall Jump in Excellent and Master classes to add obstacle variety.
• Increase course yardage allowed in Jumpers with Weaves at the Excellent and Master levels for all heights (and corresponding Preferred heights).
This will be discussed further at the April meeting.
In next week’s podcast, we will be joined by Carrie DeYoung, the Director of Agility for the American Kennel Club, to discuss the process for changing rules and to clarify some of the proposed changes.
Podcast Part 2: Early Take Offs
The second part of our podcast on Early Take Offs (ETO) has been released! In part 2, we discuss how a dog’s vision relates to ETO and explore strategies for instructors working with students who have dogs that show signs of ETO. We’ve gotten a lot of emails and Facebook comments about ETO:
BDA Power 2023 Final Power Rankings
We are pleased to announce the release of our year-to-date rankings for 2023, based on our exclusive PowerScore formula. The full results can be accessed here:
- Preferred Power 60: The top 12 dogs per preferred height class.
- Power 60: The top 10 dogs per regular height class
- Breed Power 10: The top 10 per height class in each breed.
FUN FACT: In an exciting development this quarter, the latest results include a new breed! Although not yet in the Masters rankings, the Croatian Sheepdog earned its first leg in AKC agility on December 30th, 2023, with Buona Splitsko Dalmatinska achieving a first-place finish in the Novice B FAST category. We extend our congratulations to this pioneering team!
Oscar Nominations
My family enjoyed the movie “Barbie” a lot and my kids have played the “I’m Just Ken” song (over 13 million views on YouTube) so often that I mentally sigh when I hear it. The movie earned 8 Oscar nominations.
Yet the Oscar nominations for the movie “Barbie” have been controversial. While the film received a Best Picture nomination and Ryan Gosling was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Ken, Margot Robbie (who played Barbie) was notably absent from the Best Leading Actress nominations. Additionally, Greta Gerwig was not nominated for Best Director. This situation has led to discussions about gender representation and the depiction of women in the film industry, considering “Barbie” is a movie that literally addresses issues of patriarchy. Let’s just say that the irony of Ken being nominated but not Barbie has been noticed by some people.
In case you didn’t know, the Academy Awards celebrate excellence in film making, and the trophies awarded at the glamorous and popular awards ceremony are called Oscars. The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, founded in 1927, is made up of actors, directors, producers, and others who vote to decide the nominees and winners of categories ranging from Best Actor and Best Actress to Best Picture and Best Director.
In a full statement that was provided to CNN, Ryan Gosling had this to say about the controversy:
“I am extremely honored to be nominated by my colleagues alongside such remarkable artists in a year of so many great films. And I never thought l’d being saying this, but I’m also incredibly honored and proud that it’s for portraying a plastic doll named Ken.
But there is no Ken without Barbie, and there is no Barbie movie without Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie, the two people most responsible for this history-making, globally-celebrated film.
No recognition would be possible for anyone on the film without their talent, grit and genius.
To say that I’m disappointed that they are not nominated in their respective categories would be an understatement.
Against all odds with nothing but a couple of soulless, scantily clad, and thankfully crotchless dolls, they made us laugh, they broke our hearts, they pushed the culture and they made history. Their work should be recognized along with the other very deserving nominees.
Having said that, I am so happy for America Ferrera and the other incredible artists who contributed their talents to making this such a groundbreaking film.”
– Ryan Gosling, “Barbie”
Email me at team@baddogagility.com and let me know what you think about the new proposed AKC rule changes, ETO, or Barbie!
Happy Training,
