This fall Island dogs have brought home an array of honors from off-Island agility and rally obedience trials. Two teams — Katy Upson and her Scottish terrier, Dundee; and Valerie Becker and her cairn terrier, Toby — completed the requirements for their rally novice title at the South Shore Kennel Club Show at the Barnstable County fairgrounds on Sept. 18. Earning “legs” toward their rally advanced title were Karen Ogden and her Australian shepherd, Nolan, and Susanna Sturgis and her Alaskan malamute, Travvy. Susanna and Travvy finished their rally advanced title at the Wampanoag Kennel Club trial in Taunton on Oct. 1, then earned the American Kennel Club’s Canine Good Citizen award in Tolland two days later.

Also qualifying at novice level were Julia Humphreys and her golden retriever, Xochi.

In rally obedience competition, dogs and handlers negotiate a course of between 10 and 20 stations. At each station a different exercise or maneuver is performed. At novice level all exercises are performed on leash. At advanced and excellent levels, the exercises are more demanding and must be performed off leash. Dog and handler are judged on the accuracy of their performance and on how well they work together. Each title requires that the team earn three qualifying scores from at least two different judges.

Meanwhile, Eric Bates and his Australian shepherd, Willow, have been competing successfully in agility trials. In agility competition, handlers direct their dogs over a variety of formidable obstacles, including jumps, tunnels and steep A-frames. Both speed and accuracy are essential. Willow likes jumping best but has also excelled in other classes at novice and open level. At Wrentham on Oct. 2 and 3, Willow and Eric earned new titles in novice regular, which features different kinds of obstacles, and novice weavers, where the course is composed primarily of weave poles.

Katy, Valerie, Susanna, Julia, Eric,and their canine partners are all students of Karen Ogden of Positive Rewards Dog Training in Vineyard Haven.