The Price of Ignorance (Part V)

      Hurt that dog, you hurt me.     

       In 2006, ASOco (Asong  Sanay sa Obstacle Course) emerged into the public. The acronym was my brainchild. I had it registered earlier but had nowhere to post the name so only Jonathan and I knew about it. But in 2006 the name debuted in Davao during their national trials on Sept 1. At that time, only Spotty was doing agility in the metro. The organizers had fielded the invitation to all known Manila trainers for a dog from the nation’s capital. None had a dog to send.  “Conformation is the trend in Manila” was always their reply.

      But the grapevine had far-reaching tendrils. Word of mouth somehow reached them that there was a Dalmatian doing agility in Manila. 

      That year, Spotty, the lone representative from Manila carrying the ASOco name, competed in two trials in Mindanao – Sept 1 in Davao and Sept 3 in General Santos City. Jonathan flew with the dog to Davao so I missed the Sept 1 trials because my elderly father was in the hospital. But I sneaked out of Manila on Sept 2 and flew down to General Santos City where my dog was going to compete the next day.
      But alas, I saw Spotty get disqualified. The large majority of competitors were small dogs (competitors numbered 28 in Gen San, 33 in Davao) and by the time it was the large dogs’ turn, it was early evening. Lighting in that golf driving range was poor, illuminated only from the sides by fluorescent bulbs. By the time Spot’s turn was up, I couldn’t even take pictures from a distance. The field was not lit brightly enough and the center of the field had shadows.

      From the second floor ledge of the driving range where I watched, I saw my flashy Dalmatian enter the ring and the previously bored audience suddenly sat up to watch eagerly. They had seen him earlier when Spot emerged from his kennel box to stretch his legs and his appearance caused a ripple of sensation among them. He was instantly a crowd favorite by his looks alone.

      At the signal, Jonathan and Spot started into a run and the dog performed well accompanied by the admiring squeals of fans who found his appearance incredibly attractive. He slowed at the weave poles and you could hear the murmur of remarks. They rounded the corner of the ring then Spot broke into a run and (maybe Jonathan's command being late) clambered up the yellow A-frame, totally missing the spindly bar jump beside the A-frame. It was in the dark. The dog didn’t see it, seeing the bigger A-frame first. Spot’s crowd of admirers gave out a loud sigh. Any fault disqualifies the dog because a perfect score is rated first, speed second.

      We flew home, experienced finally.  But in Manila, I worried. Spot was getting older. Manila still hadn’t caught up with the sport.

ASOco in the Industry

      That following summer, in 2007, ASOco finally appeared to be recognized in Manila as a dog school at a 27-acre park in Quezon City. All these years we’ve been like a “Batman and Robin” tandem – Jonathan and me. Jonathan was the trainer, I was the one with the ideas and the direction. We were pioneering in the metro and Spot being the city’s first dog for agility, Jonathan was receiving his share of recognition for being his trainer. 

      We were finally deep in the industry and getting known. Television news teams, feature show hosts, and magazine writers visited us. But as we started operating, I started seeing too much as I did my self study.

      Positive Reinforcement Training was the new way to handle dogs.  Many informed dog owners were becoming aware of it. But as I looked at our methods (or Jonathan’s methods) – we used compulsion training. To cover up this unpleasant manner of handling dogs in training, I insisted to Jonathan that the school's policy would be to train dog owners to handle their own dogs in the sport. Besides, since agility was teamwork, I much preferred the team be composed of the dog and his owner, not his trainer. Thus, those who wanted to learn agility but were perceptive enough not to let Jonathan handle their dog were able to protect their pet from the trauma of rough handling.

Dog on the right looks with frightened eyes as a fellow dog mate is yanked at the neck for misbehavior, part of the method of compulsion training.

      But Spot was not protected by me. During fun matches which we were a part of throughout that year, when I’d study the photos afterward I’d see a fearful dog. I’d see a dog follow his handler tail between his legs. When he runs in the ring he sulks. The dog clearly was not happy. He was just obeying. His heart was not in it. True to Jonathan’s means of achieving the end results the shortest time possible, Spot's performance was always excellent. But his face was not stoic; it told a thousand unhappy stories. 

Spot stands beside his trainer at a fun match, tail between his legs.

       Finally, one afternoon I had a visitor at the school. We were engaged in animated conversation when I saw Jonathan take Spot for a run around the agility playground. He had just finished an argument with his wife who had come to visit him. Jonathan looked livid. As he ran with Spot around the course to let off steam, he yanked the dog’s neck angrily every time the dog missed a step. All the more the dog kept making mistakes. Finally when they reached the weave poles Spot blundered. Jonathan pulled the choke chain so tight the dog’s hind legs folded under him in fear and trembling. He whimpered as if begging for his life. Jonathan stared down at him, eyes blazing and brows burning in the center, one fist clenched on the choke chain as if ready to kill.

      Again and again, I saw it happen. Whenever the dog made a mistake Jonathan dragged Spot to where he wanted him to go, the dog on trembling legs, giving tiny squeaks of terror, his neck yanked high

      I was in a spot. I was with a guest whose back was turned at what was going on but I couldn’t let him see the downside of Jonathan’s method of training. It will reflect on the entire school. We were at the topic about he and his Golden Retriever enrolling for lessons. But as I saw the scene over his shoulder and struggled to keep my composure,  something inside burned fiercely. This will be the last time I will let Jonathan train Spot. Jonathan is BANNED from handling Spot.

      In the end, my friend didn’t enroll. He was wise.

      We had a group picture afterwards and Spot sat there beside his trainer on the pause table his body sitting obediently but his eyes were distressed and away from Jonathan. That face finally hit home. I had seen what he had gone through earlier. That dog was the closet thing to my heart. Hurt that dog, you hurt me.      

The Forked Road

      Jonathan and I (finally ) parted ways 2008 after a sports summit that December of 2007. That December match was a landmark event. It was Manila's first. Excited participants from Bacolod, Zamboanga and Davao flew in with their dogs to join. This was held at the park.

      I saw a glaring difference there, between Spotty and the veteran dogs from the south. As I analyzed the photos afterwards, the dogs from the south had excitement written all over their faces as they ran the course, climbed the A-frame, scampered up the ramps, jumped the hurdles, and hopped around the weave poles. They were having the time of their lives, agility was the ultimate fun. Since I’ve never run with Spot in this sport, I had to let Jonathan handle him in this event. But Spotty, though he didn’t snag any bar or miss any obstacle, was a sulking face throughout the run. 

Spot climbs the seesaw with a long face.

      In one video, I saw Jonathan yell at Spot before he was about to enter the weave poles. The dog paused, whites of his eyes showing fear from the tone of his voice, then entered carefully. He cleared it perfectly regardless.

      I sat down to a meeting with Jonathan a few days after that sports summit to evaluate with him the results. Jonathan refused to accept the differences I pointed out. When I suggested he go to Davao to “re-train” to understand the proper methods of training for agility, Jonathan said the crucial words which made me decide instantly. He said, “There is nothing those young trainers can teach me that I do not already know.”

      My mind suddenly saw a door swing wide open. This was the time I had been waiting for. Seize it!
      I said simply, “Okay. You go your way I go mine. I’m packing up ASOco from here.”

(Conclusion below)