Dogged Pursuit: My Year of Competing Dusty, the World's Least Likely Agility Dog Tapa dura - 2009

de Robert Rodi

Best in Showmeets Marleyand Me inthe hilarious(mis)adventuresof an unlikely duocompeting forglory on thepro dog circuit

An urban intellectual and a scruffy, disobedient Sheltie team upto conquer the Canine Agility pro-circuit in this hysterical accountof the quest for glory in the competitive dog world. A cousin to thepopular best-in-breed show, agility competitions resemble doggieboot camp: dogs scamper across teeter-totters, jump tires, and scootdown tunnels-without leashed guidance from a human. Takinghome ribbons requires a focused handler and a cooperative dog.

Robert Rodi is a self-proclaimed Blue-stater who prefers finewine and Italian literature (in Italian) to SUVs and suburbansprawl. His dog Dusty's scrawny build and skittish personalitymake him an unnatural competitor. Nevertheless, Rodi recounts ayear filled with victories, failures, and hysterical personalities, andthe loving bond between one man and his bug-eyed dog.