My dog training experience began in 1996 with my first Bernese Mountain puppy, Billie Holidog, who changed my life! She introduced me to unconditional love and profound joy. Billie was my foundation dog—to puppy training, CGC, obedience, and agility—to the dog world in general. She was an agile “Berner” who introduced me to Dog Agility by racing through woods, jumping over downed trees, and scaling hillsides with record precision and speed. Upon graduation from obedience school, we (dog and handler) enrolled in our first agility class (1998). In the fall of 1999, we qualified in our first AKC agility trial! I was hooked! We traveled and trialled everywhere, from Maine to Kentucky, Connecticut to Indiana, and north to Michigan. In 2002, Billie earned a national title for being the fastest Bernese Mountain dog in the country with a perfect score in Excellent A Jumpers (24"). In 2003, she took second place. We trained every day and attended many obedience and agility classes for several years. In addition to regular and private classes, we attended special seminars for areas that needed additional focus. It was well worth it!