American AWC Gold Medalist
Sarah and I had a wonderful interview with Kris Seiter, the newly crowned FCI Agility World Champion in the Intermediate height division, and her Border Collie Naavdanya, the first American team to win an overall individual gold medal since 2011. Kris takes us inside her weekend in Kalmar, sharing what was going through her mind after each run, how she and her husband manage handling duties with the same dog, and what it’s like to compete on the world stage. You can listen to the full conversation here:
Episode 371: Kris Seiter & Naavdanya Win Worlds
New USA Junior Agility Team Coach Named
The AKC announced just a few days ago that our very own Jennifer Crank has been named the new coach for the USA Junior Agility Team (JAO), with Susan Cochran continuing as Assistant Coach.
As many of you know, Jennifer’s connection to the sport runs deep. She started training dogs at just five years old and earned her first agility title with the family sheltie by age seven. At 17, she became the first-ever junior handler to compete for Team USA at the FCI Agility World Championship with her dog, Guess, earning individual medals in both 2006 and 2007.
Since then, Jennifer has built a remarkable career as both a competitor and instructor, adding multiple national titles and international podium finishes to her name. She is a three-time AKC National Agility Champion, two-time Westminster Masters Agility Champion, and four-time AKC Premier Cup winner—all while running IncrediPAWS Dog Agility in Ohio and contributing to the development of countless teams and handlers.
Reflecting on her new role, Jennifer shared with me:
“Having started agility with the AKC before there was a junior program in place, working with juniors has always been something I’ve felt a real passion for. I look forward to the opportunity to mentor and guide the juniors I work with, and I hope to help grow the program in a way that shows lasting results in the years ahead.”
Starting her own journey as a junior handler, Jennifer brings both experience and heart to the next generation of competitors. The entire agility community is thrilled to see her leading Team USA’s future stars.
FCI Measuring Dogs
On October 16, the FCI Agility Commission shared proposed updates from their September 22 meeting in Kalmar, Sweden, changes aimed at making the measuring process clearer, fairer, and less stressful for both dogs and handlers. While these decisions still await final approval from the FCI General Committee, the agility world is already buzzing. The decisions are listed below:
𝑁𝑜𝑡𝑒: 𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑠𝑒 𝑑𝑒𝑐𝑖𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑦𝑒𝑡 𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑢𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑙 𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝐹𝐶𝐼 𝐺𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑙 𝐶𝑜𝑚𝑚𝑖𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑒.
As measuring dogs is a hot topic in the world of agility. The committee has approved some changes submitted by the Measuring Working Group. These changes will make the process clearer, fairer, and less stressful for dogs and handlers.
1. Dogs will now be measured solely to confirm that they fit within their entered size category.
2. If a dog is measured into a different category, handlers can choose to withdraw, compete “out of competition” in the original category, or move to the correct category—as long as their country remains within its allocated quota.
3. Dogs that cannot be measured correctly or display aggressive behavior will not be allowed to participate in the event.
4. The category control procedure will be streamlined, with category checks now taking place before the veterinary check.
5. Each dog can be re-measured only once in its lifetime, upon request of the National Canine Organization (NCO).
6. The standardized dog measuring process will be refined, including clearer descriptions of the equipment used, the judges’ roles (introducing the “eye judge”), the measurement point, the dog’s positioning, and the full measuring procedure.
7. A new procedure allows National Canine Organizations or FCI partner organizations to conduct official dog measurements outside of standard FCI events, using a travelling team of appointed measuring judges.
A key announcement is #7, which allows National Canine Organizations (like the AKC) or FCI partner organizations to conduct official FCI measurements outside of standard FCI events, using a travelling team of appointed measuring judges.
That’s a big deal because it means we could see official FCI measuring opportunities brought directly to major U.S. events like AKC Nationals or European Open Team Tryouts, saving handlers the time, cost, and logistical hurdles of flying overseas just to get measured (or to be told the dog is not eligible to run at the entered height).
Early community feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with handlers viewing this as a step toward greater accessibility and consistency worldwide.
Latest PowerScores Released
Sarah here! We’re running a little behind on PowerScores, but the 2025 Q2 rankings are now live! These rankings highlight the fastest dogs in every breed, along with special recognition for the top performers across all breeds. Q3 PowerScores will be released later this week—stay tuned!
- The Bad Dog Agility Preferred Power 60 for 2025 – Through Q2
- The Bad Dog Agility Power 60 for 2025 – Through Q2
- The Breed Power 10 for 2025 Through Q2
Question or comments? Email us at team@baddogagility.com.
Happy Training,