Show offs

Coral Wilson

While reptiles, bugs, pigs, bunnies, rats, turtles, birds, cats and

even pygmy goats made appearances at the America’s Family Pet Expo at

the Orange County Fairgrounds this weekend, dogs seemed to get most

of the attention.

From Hennigan’s Spinning Frisbee K-9s and the Parade of Dog Breeds

to workshops on how to train your dog, there was much for the dog

lover to do and buy at the expo.

Asko, Chartay, Freckles, Hillary, Lad and Nick, six dogs

representing the Eukanuba Legends in Total Excellence, or ELITE Team,

demonstrated obedience, agility, beauty, search and rescue, freestyle

dancing, Frisbee catching and police assistance for the Eukanuba dog

food company.

Award-winning Frisbee dog Nick turned flips and leaped through the

air to catch a series of Frisbees being thrown in the air. Owner Bob

Evans from Dallas, Texas said the Australian shepherd keeps him young

and active at 70 years old.

“Nick says if I could run faster, he would do better,” Evans said.

It starts with getting the dog interested in the disc and then

teaching it a series of simple tricks. For Evans, it started as a

hobby and became an addiction.

Nick is a third-generation Frisbee dog. When he was not yet 2

years old, he became the youngest dog to win the world championship.

Now at 4 years old, Nick has won every major competition, and Evans

is reluctantly considering retirement for himself and the dog.

“People say I am dead in dog years, but I still have fun,” Evans

said.

Another star of the show was Lad, a canine freestyle dancer. Owner

Mari Beth Baumberger said Lad was a natural from the beginning. Now

the Shetland sheepdog understands more than 100 training words, but

interpreting body language and trust become critical while

performing, she said.

Obedience and agility are basic dog training skills, but many

trainers are afraid of being in the spotlight with their dogs.

“I think it is something everyone does in their living rooms with

the curtains closed so no one can see,” Baumberger said.

Lad is also a certified therapy dog. Baumberger and Lad visit

senior centers and hospitals to offer emotional support.

“It gives them a break from whatever they are going through,”

Baumberger said. “Kids and residents can really connect. They can

tell stories about when they had a dog.”

Not only good entertainers, dogs serve important functions in

society, said Bud Most, master of ceremonies for the ELITE team’s

demonstration. For instance, dogs assist police officers with their

sense of smell.

Sgt. Jim Nichols came from Florida with his police dog Asko. The

German shepherd impressed onlookers as it raced past several postal

boxes to attack another and tear it apart. Asko correctly identified

the five grams of pseudo-cocaine hidden inside.

The crowd clapped and cheered them on as the dogs jumped, danced,

raced and fetched.

“Look at, daddy. Watch this,” Adam Robertson, 3, said to his

father as Nick jumped on and over Evans’ back to catch a Frisbee.

“Wow, did you see that one?” Rick Robertson responded.

The family had come from Mission Viejo to see all the animals at

the expo.

Robertson said his family does not own a dog, but he knows the

questions are coming.

Adam often tells people, “They won’t let me get a dog yet,”

Robertson said.

The “Canine Dream Team,” as Eukanuba calls the dogs, was assembled

about a year ago to demonstrate the benefit of the company’s dog

food, Most said. The dogs are being fed exclusively Eukanuba food.

Other attractions at the three-day expo were Valentine’s

Performing Pigs, the Science Safari Bug Show, snake races, a wallaby

with a baby in her pouch at the petting zoo, and demonstrations by

the Fancy Rat and Mouse Assn. and the Pygmy Goat Assn.

* CORAL WILSON is the news assistant and may be reached at (949)

574-4298 or by e-mail at coral.wilson@latimes.com.