A 6-year-old pup named Nimble from Ellicott City, Maryland, has moved into the history books, becoming the first mixed-breed dog to win the agility competition at the Westminster Dog Show.

鈥淚 am so thrilled that my dog was able to wow the crowd in New York, and I was able to bring home the big prize back to Maryland,鈥� said dog mom and , Cynthia Hornor.

Mixed-breed dogs were only recently allowed to compete in the agility competition. The contest previously exclusively featured purebred dogs, such as Hornor鈥檚 other dog Truant, a purebred Border Collie who won the competition last year.聽

鈥淭he Border Collies really do have just a little bit more 鈥� they turn better, they’re a little bit faster, usually, than most dogs,鈥� Hornor said.

This year, Nimble demonstrated that being mixed with a little bit of Papillon can go a long way. She bested 50 dogs with

Hornor said she was probably a little more nervous than Nimble going into the final event because it was held at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens, New York.

鈥淚’m a tennis fan so I keep thinking, ‘This is where Roger Federer walked down to go play,’鈥� she said. “When you’re coming down that long, narrow hall to come in [to the arena] and you see the ‘Pressure is a privilege’ sign, which lets you know that feeling, that pressure, is actually a really good thing, don’t be nervous.”

Hornor’s goal was keeping Nimble’s excitement in check ahead of her runs until it was time to walk out for the final event.

鈥淭hen, she very quickly realized where she was at and what she wanted to do, and then she was just really happy and excited,鈥� Hornor said.

Preparing for this event has been years in the making, Hornor said, and around the age of six is when agility dogs are in their prime. Nimble has always been fast and “like to do everything at 150% speed” at competitions, Hornor joked.

It’s far from retirement for Nimble, who’s getting ready to represent the United States at the European Open Agility in England. She showed the world that any breed of dog can do agility, Hornor said.

鈥淚 think there’s a spot in agility for everybody and their dog and it just helps them bond with their dog and have even more fun with their dog,” Hornor said.

Hornor said she has trained Dachshunds, mixed dogs rescued from Kuwait and even Bull Mastiffs to master the course.

While she does look for dogs that will do well in agility competition, Hornor said the most important thing to her is that her dogs are treated like pets first.

鈥淭hey鈥檙e pets first because the amount of time that we actually do agility is very small, versus the time we go hiking or swimming, or just lounge around our house,鈥� Hornor said. “I always look for dogs that will excel, as much as I can, in agility and I’ve been very blessed and lucky to have several really nice dogs.”

How is Nimble celebrating her big win?

Hornor gave Nimble got some steak and then she went for a swim, one of her favorite activities. Now, she’s ready to get back to Maryland to begin training again.

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Teaching has always been a passion for Haywood Perry, but dogs have been his obsession.

Perry, who owns , has been a professional trainer for more than four decades. He became interested in dogs at 5-years-old when his family adopted a German Shepherd, and he has not been without one since.

Perry first learned obedience training by working with an Air Force K-9 trainer. He became a veterinary technician and worked alongside several other trainers, learning different philosophies, before going out on his own.

He says an important part of their training is empowering the owner and teaching better communication.

“Being a training school, what we try to do is give the person the tools they need once they get a dog,” Perry said.聽“We seek to teach both canines and humans how to better communicate and learn using a balanced approach to training.”

Perry’s son, Jason Perry, also works at the business as its managing director.

“Communication with a dog is very important,” Jason said. “One of the things we do very well is situational training for clients so the dogs can be in an urban or rural environment without getting stressed.”

For many training services, it can be impossible to compete with all the large pet companies out there these days. According to Jason, they do it by providing a personalized experience.

“We operate a little bit differently than them because we operate based on service,” Jason said. “The retail that we have is an extension of our training, which gives us a leg up and allows us to stay alive.鈥�

As an example, Perry spoke of how many 鈥減andemic puppies鈥� people acquired at the start of COVID-19 pandemic. Many of the owners had never owned a dog before, and they needed training.

“A lot of people got dogs during the pandemic, because so many people were home by themselves,” Haywood said.

“They were piling into us asking for help,” he explained. “We couldn’t take everybody, because we had to keep the quality up.”

Jason said the experience demonstrated that pet owners want what’s best for their new family member.

“We get people who invest heavily in their dogs, which is great because we know the work we’re doing isn’t in vain,” he said. “We love dogs, and we love our human clients as well, so it’s a perfect blend for us.”

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While the cute factor of puppies and young dogs can make us melt, some of their behaviors can drive us crazy.

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From nipping and barking to issues with housebreaking that add new color schemes to your rugs, trainers can help humans and their new dogs get through all the stages of puppyhood.

Juliana DeWillems, the owner of in northern Virginia told 91欧美激情, “Puppies are babies. So much of their developmentally appropriate behavior doesn’t always fit in the human world.”

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One of the biggest issues new owners have, DeWillems said is “puppy nipping, which is extremely normal.”

But it’s painful. Puppy teeth are notoriously sharp. Dog owners often joke with her that it feels like they’ve adopted land sharks.

That nipping, she said, is a form of communication. While gnawing on our shoes or hands, puppies are actually trying to tell us, “I’m hungry, I’m tired, I’m thirsty, I need to go to the bathroom,” said DeWillems.

While ruling out whether one of those unmet needs is at the root of the behavior, DeWillems said an immediate solution is to give the puppy something it can chew like a toy or a specially designed chew stick. And then offer praise when the pup shifts from chewing on you to taking up the offered toy.

Another thing to consider, said DeWillems, is whether the puppy 鈥� just like a baby 鈥� has had enough sleep. Without adequate rest and nap times, “You’re going to see a puppy who starts to deteriorate behaviorally, get overstimulated more easily, get what we would label as ‘grouchy’ and nippy and bitey,” and that’s just frustrating for everyone.

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Puppies and young dogs have tons of energy that’s great for young, active families. But if time is tight, or schedules shift, families should consider taking them to a dog park to allow them to let off some steam.

That’s something DeWillems doesn’t necessarily recommend for the youngest puppies. Should puppies suddenly be surrounded by a bunch of unknown dogs investigating the newcomer, “that can create lifelong fear which develops into reactivity, sometimes aggression,” she said.

When dogs are older, dog park visits could be something to consider.

Avoiding “accidents” and damage to furniture from chewing can be accomplished by limiting a puppy’s access to the whole house, said DeWillems.

Start by keeping them in a controlled space. Crate training is helpful, as is offering them a “yes space,” she said.

DeWillems explains that a doggy playpen or small puppy-proofed room where they can relax without humans hovering and telling them, “No!” is important to their development. “We have got to be careful about how many ‘no’s’ we’re saying to our dogs during the day,” otherwise, she said “no” becomes annoying white noise instead of a direction when necessary.

Finally said DeWillems, keep in mind how much fun having dogs can be for them and for us when we help them learn how to navigate our world successfully. “We want their world to be happy and positive and fun while they are learning and bonding with us,” she said.

DeWillems often offers bite-sized lessons on puppy and dog behavior

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WASHINGTON 鈥� The bonds people form with their pets can be a positive force in their lives, and a prison in Maryland is trying to harness that energy to foster a more productive atmosphere behind bars.

Inside the sprawling Patuxent Institution, in Jessup, inmates are playing the roles of dog trainers.

“I think it really breeds a sense of ownership and responsibility,” says Assistant Warden James Flood. “Watching the animal grow and develop can also lead to them growing and developing along their way to rehabilitation.”

The Patuxent dog-training program launched in September.聽 Officials with the Washington Animal Rescue League provide the dogs and the guidance that inmates need to be successful.

“We really love it,” says Alexandra Dilley, WARL鈥檚 behavior and training director.聽 “It just brings so much joy to everybody involved.”

One dog is trained by a pair of inmates over the course of 10 weeks, learning basic obedience and tricks. The dog then “graduates” from the program and is ready to be adopted.

“We have been very impressed by our trainers’ love and commitment to the animals,” Dilley says. “Animal training helps develop a strong, positive relationship.”

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Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown said Thursday that the Board of Public Works has approved a 25-year lease agreement making Seneca Creek State Park in Montgomery County the new headquarters of the Warrior Canine Connection.

The non-profit organization helps the injured veterans train service dogs for other veterans.

The group is currently headquartered at Patuxent State Park in Brookeville. Brookeville is near the former home of Walter Reed in Washington. The hospital moved to Bethesda in 2011.

The organization says the new location will enable it to offer art and music therapy, equine therapy and therapeutic farming and gardening.

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