Lee Kozicki is thrilled her miniature poodle — who started out “so anti-social” — has received one of the Canadian Kennel Club‘s top awards for the second year in a row.
Kozicki’s dog Scooter — an eight-year-old miniature poodle — has been awarded the top spot in the 2018 Grand Master Obedience Trial.
“Over the course of the year, you accumulate points every time you qualify in a Canadian Kennel Club obedience trial,” Kozicki told Global News on Tuesday. “Scores are tabulated and the top dog is the winner just based on how many qualifying scores and how high those scores are.”
This year, Scooter’s average score was 198.23 out of a possible 200 points. He completed 123 runs.
“A 198.23 average is the highest average in the last 10 years … of any dog that’s hit #1… It’s pretty cool.”
Last year, his average score was 198.02.
Watch: A Sherwood Park dog has taken home the title of the most obedient dog in Canada in 2017. So what’s the secret to his success? His owner says it has to do with something you can’t teach. Quinn Ohler reports. (Dec. 31, 2017)
“He’s actually gotten better this year,” Kozicki said. “Go figure!
“This year, in the middle of the year, I had one of the judges send me an email to say: ‘Is this deja vu? Here we go again?'”
In a rare feat, Scooter took home the exact same title in 2017.
“There have only been, counting Scooter, three dogs in the history of the Canadian Kennel Club to do it twice back to back,” Kozicki said.
READ MORE: Scooter, Canada’s most obedient dog, lives right here in Alberta
When she first brought her furry friend home from a breeder in Bragg Creek, Kozicki wasn’t sure he’d be the right demeanor for competition.
“He was so anti-social with other people,” she recalled. “In the beginning I thought it would be difficult to have him in the dog show buildings where there’s hundreds of people and noise.”
But Scooter surprised her.
“It’s amazing because he’s quite aloof to other people, doesn’t care whether he meets you or not, certainly doesn’t care about other dogs — maybe he doesn’t think he is one, I don’t know — but he’s never had any interest in the other dogs, so he’s just more than happy to be with me and that’s a good thing when you’re doing what we do.
“There is a certain percentage of dogs — he just happens to be one — that love what he does. He walks into the ring and his tail’s wagging. I have judges comment on what a happy working dog he is.
“He just loves doing it. It doesn’t matter how big the crowd is, how busy the building is, he just likes being in there with me and doing the thing we do.”
Kozicki has been around dogs her whole life. She started with the Edmonton SPCA as a teenager before working for the Lethbridge SPCA for years, then she joined a vet clinic.
“All this time I was training my own dogs and teaching for one of the dog clubs … It just evolved.”
For Kozicki, Scooter is the perfect dog at the perfect time in her life.
“I’m thrilled with him.
“I’ve taught obedience classes and trained and trialed my own dogs for more years than I care to admit — so let’s just say 50 — and to have a dog come along at this stage… There’s a certain time in life when you have enough time and money… and the right dog to do it.”
And this pair is so much more than a competition team.
“He is number one, my best buddy. He’s with me all the time. If I’m on the couch, he’s on the couch. He’s just my shadow, if you like. Tail’s always wagging, always happy. It doesn’t matter where he is, as long as I’m with him, he’s always happy.”