Podcast Delayed
I have been under the weather the past few days, and sure enough, I lost my voice before we could record. We’re hoping to have a guest join us tomorrow and release the episode then.
White Dog Origin
Sarah here! Not long ago, one of our VIP members asked where the term “white dog” came from. While I’d seen plenty of explanations of what it was (an unscored dog who runs before the class), I hadn’t been able to find why it was called that, until now.
It turns out the term comes from the French phrase chien en blanc (“dog in white”) and was first used in French ring (protection) sports. In French, en blanc commonly means blank or uncounted (as in vote blanc), so in this context it means an uncounted dog. The earliest usage I found was in a Beauceron working-dog text from 1982. In 2003, the English version of the FCI rulebook translated this as “dog in white,” and the English-speaking agility community soon adopted it as simply “white dog.”
And now you know! But if you know something different, please email us.
Maintenance Required
This week we stumbled upon a delightfully light romcom on Prime called Maintenance Required. It delivered with sharp wit, likable characters, and a fun, girl-power vibe. About halfway through, I suddenly shouted, “This is You’ve Got Mail!” and Sarah couldn’t believe we hadn’t noticed sooner.
Instead of AOL, it’s Reddit. Instead of a bookstore, it’s an auto shop. Otherwise, the storyline is almost identical. It’s a clever, modern twist that feels fresh, and we enjoyed watching it with our daughter Hannah. Yes, she liked it too.
In Memory of John Nys
This week marked the passing of well-known and well-loved agility competitor John Nys. Earlier this year, John was named the new Team USA coach for the FCI Agility World Championships, taking the reins from longtime coach Nancy Gyes. Just three weeks ago, at his first world championship as coach, John oversaw one of the most successful performances in AKC international agility history—bringing home both a gold and a silver individual medal.
One of my personal memories of John comes from AKC Nationals, where Sarah and I had provided commentary on the finals for several years in a row. That particular year, I was competing in the finals, and Chris Durkee of 4 Legged Flix asked us to find a last-second replacement “in the booth.” John immediately stepped up to the mic. That was just like him—always willing to put himself out there.
John was a true enthusiast of the sport. He loved every part of it: competing, spectating, commentating, and coaching. He gave his time and energy freely, and his presence elevated every event he touched. He will be deeply missed.
Email us at team@baddogagility.com.
Happy Training,
