Kristin Kaldahl (agilitymach)

Follow me on Facebook at https:e//www.facebook.com/agilitymach/ or at kristinkaldahl.com. My debut novel "Aslan: Running Joy" is up for preorder! You can order through any bookseller. Published by CrossLink Publishers.

I'm an avid dog agility competitor and professional dog agility instructor. I currently have three fantastic agility partners that I know will play an important role in my articles on dog training and agility training.

Let me first introduce you to my dogs:

Anon (EE-nuhn) is my 5 year old sheltie. He is my low vision service dog and competes in agility. He is an agility champion having earned his first MACH in 2018. Currently, he is working toward is second championship. In addition, he has qualified for the AKC Agility National Championship three times, and World Team Tryouts at least twice (maybe more...I've quit keeping track). He's an incredible partner with great verbal/distance skills.

Asher is my retired 11 year old Shetland sheepdog. He has his Agility Championship (MACH) in AKC agility. He has qualified to attend tryouts for the USA World Team three times, and he has qualified to attend the AKC Agility National Championships six times. Asher was my most intense agility partner, and running him in the agility left me shaking with adrenaline. My "Smash," as he is nicknamed, also has his RN title, a beginning title in Rally Obedience. He has earned over 34 competition titles to date.

Jericho is my mostly deaf 15 year old sheltie. He is my obedience boy and prefers to do obedience with me rather than agility. He has earned his CDX (Companion Dog Excellent) title, two high in trials, and competed in agility on a much smaller scale than his brothers. Jericho has been a blessing to own, and his handicap has taught me so much about training.

Aslan (2001 - 2016) was my first real agility dog. I began training hime when he was 12 weeks old. After competing for over 10 years, he earned six agility championships. Aslan also qualified to attend the AKC Agility National Championship nine times. He also received titles in Rally Obedience, earning AKC's highest Rally title - the RAE - which stands for Rally Advanced Excellent. He earned 96 competition titles and certifications.

My personal dog training accomplishments include:

-Series of training articles published in the nation's premier agility magazine, "Clean Run" in 2009.

-Qualifying to attend World Team Tryouts to compete for a slot to represent the USA at the Agility Worlds six times. (I've never opted to go tryout though.) (Asher/Aenon)

-Qualifying 14 times for the AKC Agility National Championships (Aslan/Asher/Aenon)

-Placing 2nd Place in the T2B Round at the 2013 AKC Agility National Championships. (Aslan)

-Placing third in the Challengers Class at the 2013 AKC Agility National Championships. (Aslan)

-Placing 20th in the Nation at the 2008 AKC Agility National Championships with a broken foot. (Aslan)

-Placing first in the Southern Regional Team in the 2007 AKC National Agility Championship ISC Tourney. (Aslan)

-Attending the AKC Agility National Championships in 2007, 2008, 2010, 2013, 2015, 2016, and 2017. (Aslan/Asher/Aenon

-Placing 18th in the Nation for Preferred Agility Dogs All Breeds in 2012. (Aslan)

-Qualified for the 2011 UKI Nationals Master's Series (Asher/Aslan)

-Earning 2nd Place in Standard at the International Sweepstake Class Tournament in Houston, 2008 (Aslan).

-Took 3rd Place in Standard at the International Sweepstake Class Tournament in Houston 2007. (Aslan)

-Earning Aslan's MACH in 2006. The first MACH in Oklahoma City!

-Earning Aslan's MACH2 in 2008

-Earning Aslan's MACH3 in 2010

-Earning Aslan's MACH4 in 2011

-Earning Aslan's PACH in 2012

-Earning Aslan's PACH2 in 2013

-Earning Asher's MACH in 2014

-Earning Aenon's Mach in 2018.

-Multiple perfect 100 scores in Rally. (Aslan/Jericho)

-High in Trials in Obedience (Jericho)

Over the years, I have put over 180 competition titles and certificates on my dogs who have included Shelties, an American Eskimo and a Collie. It has been a joy and an honor to train and compete with these wonderful canine teammates.

In addition to my experience with dog training, I also have spent years as a writer, starting my career with a BA degree in Mass Communications with a news editoral emphasis. I've been a hard news journalist on a daily newspaper, a columnist for a weekly paper, an assistant editor and a free lance journalisit. I've had thousands of by-lines.

Thanks for looking up my profile, and I hope you have time to visit some of my articles.

-agilitymach

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  1
  Equestrian, Dog Racing & Other Animal Sports

  How to Train the Straight, Here and Side Switch Directionals - Part Three in the "Distance Series"

  8 years ago

  Jericho Photo by Kevin Devine, used with permission In the second article in "The Distance Series," we talked about the Out directional cue and its importance for the physically limited handler. I explained three ways to train an Out using pattern,...

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  0
  Equestrian, Dog Racing & Other Animal Sports

  How to Train the "Out" Directional in Agility - Part Two in "The Distance Series"

  8 years ago

  A detailed article on how to train the "Out" directional for agility by agility instructor, competitor and blogger Agilitymach. The "Out" command is the most important distance cue in the sport.

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  55
  Dogs & Dog Breeds

  Do Dogs Go to Heaven? A Christian Perspective

  6 months ago

  Do dogs, cats, horses, hamsters, and other pets go to heaven? This Christian perspective examines the question and the beliefs of famous theologians and pastors and what the Bible has to say on the subject. Pets and heaven are controversial subjects in Christendom.

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  2
  Gardening

  An Overabundance of Roma Tomatoes: A Story of the Failure of a Martha Stewart Wannabe

  12 years ago

  A humorous look at how to handle an overabundance of tomatoes from a weed-filled garden. You can blame it on Martha Stewart.

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  8
  Creative Writing

  A Free Column on Original Concepts: Chocolate Lips

  12 years ago

  Chocolate lips and original ideas combine to create this funny column written for "The Girard (Kansas) Press" in the 1990s.

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  11
  Creative Writing

  Suburban Hunter: A Story about How to Get Rid of Garden Slugs

  12 years ago

  A humorous column about killing slugs in the suburbs. "Here in the suburbs, it's the animals - not the people - that rule."

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  10
  Creative Writing

  Free Train Story: Memories from the Sound of a Train Whistle

  12 years ago

  A creative look at the melancholy train whistle and the memories it invokes.

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  12
  Dog Training

  Team Agility: One Handler's Struggle to Understand the Meaning of "Teamwork" in Dog Agility

  12 years ago

  An article about being the weak link in a partnership with a dog. It examines teamwork and the loyalty and love dogs have for their owners.

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  4
  Dog Training

  Dog Column: Overcoming Injury in Agility

  12 years ago

  A column about the thrill of returning to dog agility competition after a year lay-off due to injury, and about the extra burden placed on the canine partner.

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  8
  Dogs & Dog Breeds

  Nobody Can Eat Just One: Ewww! Dogs Eating Cat Poo

  12 years ago

  A humorous look at the common problem of dogs eating cat feces, and the owner's attempt to stop the addiction.

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  26
  Dogs & Dog Breeds

  A Free Dog Story: Life with My Old Dog

  12 years ago

  A heartwarming, award winning story about the joys of owing an older dog. This story won the "Hubnuggets" award in 2012.

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  0
  Creative Writing

  Sculpture Stories: The Human Need for Yard Art

  12 years ago

  Why do people have statues in their yards? What is up with garden art? A humorous look at humans and yard art.

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  2
  Science Fiction & Fantasy Books

  Book Review: The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks

  12 years ago

  A quick and honest book review of "The Sword of Shannara." No spoilers! "The Sword of Shannara" is the first book in the Original Shannara Trilogy by Terry Brooks.