The 2021 WKC Masters Champion honors goes to Verb the border collie
June 18, 2021 4:34 AM Subscribe
Verb is a very good boy and goes heckin' fast to win the 2021 20-inch class and Masters Champions title (SLYT).
Oh awesome. I used to do some agility with my dog (now long gone) so I have an inkling of just how amazing these dogs are. Biggest challenge for me was not to always go to verbal commands, or to keep talking, but to use mostly gestures.
posted by Zumbador at 5:31 AM on June 18, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by Zumbador at 5:31 AM on June 18, 2021 [1 favorite]
the post-run interview is hilarious: The question is "What is the key to making sure the dog touches the contact zone on the A-frame" and the answer is "Training." Love it!
posted by dbx at 5:50 AM on June 18, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by dbx at 5:50 AM on June 18, 2021 [1 favorite]
Every time I see a border collie bulleting through an agility course, I'm compelled to also watch this mastiff who really thinks everyone could just relax and take time to breathe.
posted by Drastic at 6:43 AM on June 18, 2021 [49 favorites]
posted by Drastic at 6:43 AM on June 18, 2021 [49 favorites]
His favorite trick is one that all dogs know well: breathing that hot ass breath right on faces. Good boy!
posted by NoMich at 6:43 AM on June 18, 2021
posted by NoMich at 6:43 AM on June 18, 2021
Cool how on the 2nd tunnel obstacle they try to do a 'tunnel cam' but he's already gone.
"Training"
Surely, "practice"?
posted by Reasonably Everything Happens at 7:11 AM on June 18, 2021 [3 favorites]
"Training"
Surely, "practice"?
posted by Reasonably Everything Happens at 7:11 AM on June 18, 2021 [3 favorites]
This is how you bring in the cat. You tell the dog "go get the cat" and wait.
posted by zengargoyle at 7:13 AM on June 18, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by zengargoyle at 7:13 AM on June 18, 2021 [1 favorite]
I love this dog, and I love this dog's name!
VERB! THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENIN'!
He happened! Yes, he did, 'cause he's a good boy!
posted by magstheaxe at 7:44 AM on June 18, 2021 [12 favorites]
VERB! THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENIN'!
He happened! Yes, he did, 'cause he's a good boy!
posted by magstheaxe at 7:44 AM on June 18, 2021 [12 favorites]
This heckin' good boi and all the others linked to are exactly what I needed to cheer up today. There's nothing like a super happy dog. Thank you!
posted by Occula at 7:46 AM on June 18, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by Occula at 7:46 AM on June 18, 2021 [1 favorite]
This is going to be me at work today!
Also did I hear correctly that the audience sat there and watched FIFTY DOGS run this obstacle course one at a time? Now that's commitment??
posted by bleep at 7:47 AM on June 18, 2021
Also did I hear correctly that the audience sat there and watched FIFTY DOGS run this obstacle course one at a time? Now that's commitment??
posted by bleep at 7:47 AM on June 18, 2021
Now that's commitment??
That's a day well spent.
Show this to anyone considering a breed like this. These dogs need space and exercise. They will wear out your kids and still have energy. So much energy, I'm tired just watching.
A very good boy.
posted by adept256 at 7:57 AM on June 18, 2021 [8 favorites]
That's a day well spent.
Show this to anyone considering a breed like this. These dogs need space and exercise. They will wear out your kids and still have energy. So much energy, I'm tired just watching.
A very good boy.
posted by adept256 at 7:57 AM on June 18, 2021 [8 favorites]
thats a good doggo. I love the name Verb because it's so well suited to an animal that is 100% action.
posted by supermedusa at 8:19 AM on June 18, 2021 [8 favorites]
posted by supermedusa at 8:19 AM on June 18, 2021 [8 favorites]
MetaFilter: Slobber goin' everywhere!
posted by glonous keming at 8:53 AM on June 18, 2021 [8 favorites]
posted by glonous keming at 8:53 AM on June 18, 2021 [8 favorites]
They will wear out your kids and still have energy.
My son, who will be fourteen in August, has been training dogs since he was four. A few weeks ago, he told me, "I figured out what it takes to tire out [my border collie]. Two solid hours of frisbee. My arm is exhausted."
posted by Orlop at 9:41 AM on June 18, 2021 [9 favorites]
My son, who will be fourteen in August, has been training dogs since he was four. A few weeks ago, he told me, "I figured out what it takes to tire out [my border collie]. Two solid hours of frisbee. My arm is exhausted."
posted by Orlop at 9:41 AM on June 18, 2021 [9 favorites]
My son, who will be fourteen in August, has been training dogs since he was four. A few weeks ago, he told me, "I figured out what it takes to tire out [my border collie]. Two solid hours of frisbee. My arm is exhausted."
I see you figured out what it takes to tire out your son.
posted by jacquilynne at 9:52 AM on June 18, 2021 [28 favorites]
I see you figured out what it takes to tire out your son.
posted by jacquilynne at 9:52 AM on June 18, 2021 [28 favorites]
The distance between Verb and my own border collie is so vast as they may as well be different species. If there is ever a championship for "scariest dog to approach on a bicycle" let me know, I have the champion bloodline right here.
posted by maxwelton at 10:54 AM on June 18, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by maxwelton at 10:54 AM on June 18, 2021 [2 favorites]
If you want some relaxing agility, here's the whole two hours of 16" and 20" Masters agility at Westminster this year. I find it very soothing.
posted by suelac at 4:55 PM on June 18, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by suelac at 4:55 PM on June 18, 2021 [1 favorite]
Hey, my periodontist’s dog (Doogy) won in his class!! Seriously, Dr Golden does awesome work, and this makes me admire her even more.
posted by Atrahasis at 5:18 PM on June 18, 2021 [5 favorites]
posted by Atrahasis at 5:18 PM on June 18, 2021 [5 favorites]
I've seen a few videos of Verb doing his agility thing at this point and I'm still not convinced that he doesn't have jet engines and wings hidden somewhere, because I swear he covers like 90% of the course entirely in mid air, and 9% of that time spent on the ground is going through that slalom segment. The other 1% of his ground contact is just changing directions between obstacle features.
Seriously, I don't think it's even remotely physically possible to touch the ground any less and still hit all of the marks and mandatory contact points. If it wasn't for the training I'm pretty sure he'd just levitate or leap over the entire course from the start directly to the finish.
That or he'd just leap straight up and rebound directly off the ceiling of the venue and land directly in the end zone like some kind of fur missile.
posted by loquacious at 6:11 PM on June 18, 2021 [6 favorites]
Seriously, I don't think it's even remotely physically possible to touch the ground any less and still hit all of the marks and mandatory contact points. If it wasn't for the training I'm pretty sure he'd just levitate or leap over the entire course from the start directly to the finish.
That or he'd just leap straight up and rebound directly off the ceiling of the venue and land directly in the end zone like some kind of fur missile.
posted by loquacious at 6:11 PM on June 18, 2021 [6 favorites]
That explosion of shared joy when he leaps into her arms is as pure as is possible to capture - perhaps as pure as is possible to feel. Either way, it is beautiful to behold.
posted by thecincinnatikid at 6:48 AM on June 19, 2021 [7 favorites]
posted by thecincinnatikid at 6:48 AM on June 19, 2021 [7 favorites]
I want a buddy movie with Verb and the mastiff from Drastic's video.
posted by tuesdayschild at 7:18 AM on June 19, 2021 [9 favorites]
posted by tuesdayschild at 7:18 AM on June 19, 2021 [9 favorites]
Seriously, he looks like a pom-pom being shot out of a cannon.
oh my gosh thank you for linking to that clip, that was a JOY to watch
posted by Kutsuwamushi at 7:20 AM on June 19, 2021
oh my gosh thank you for linking to that clip, that was a JOY to watch
posted by Kutsuwamushi at 7:20 AM on June 19, 2021
Show this to anyone considering a breed like this. These dogs need space and exercise. They will wear out your kids and still have energy. So much energy, I'm tired just watching.
A very good boy.
That's basically how a lot of agility competitions shake out at the local level. #1 Border Collies #2 Everyone else.
posted by jonp72 at 10:32 AM on June 19, 2021 [1 favorite]
A very good boy.
That's basically how a lot of agility competitions shake out at the local level. #1 Border Collies #2 Everyone else.
posted by jonp72 at 10:32 AM on June 19, 2021 [1 favorite]
Well, Border Collies and Aussies. And then everyone else. Except for the 12" and below in which case it's kind of a crapshoot. Papillons do surprisingly well, and also terriers if you can get them to pay attention to you, or small poodles...
posted by suelac at 2:55 PM on June 19, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by suelac at 2:55 PM on June 19, 2021 [2 favorites]
Early in the trial, on the obstacle which was like a catwalk between an upramp and a downramp, Verb did something I've never seen before: he sprint-scurried like a mouse, with his belly practically brushing the surface, his rear end down and his front legs parallel to it.
It was incredibly fast and also percussive; it sounded like a snare drumroll.
I wouldn't have said it was possible. I'd love to know if she trained him to do it or it was part of his built-in repertoire.
posted by jamjam at 8:44 PM on June 19, 2021
It was incredibly fast and also percussive; it sounded like a snare drumroll.
I wouldn't have said it was possible. I'd love to know if she trained him to do it or it was part of his built-in repertoire.
posted by jamjam at 8:44 PM on June 19, 2021
watch this mastiff who really thinks everyone could just relax and take time to breathe.
Some brewery with a sense of humor should seriously sign this Big Boy to a lucrative sponsorship.
posted by thecincinnatikid at 4:12 PM on June 20, 2021 [1 favorite]
Some brewery with a sense of humor should seriously sign this Big Boy to a lucrative sponsorship.
posted by thecincinnatikid at 4:12 PM on June 20, 2021 [1 favorite]
I'm not sure smacking the side of a dog's face is a good way to praise it, but Verb is a very good boy indeed.
posted by turbid dahlia at 3:40 PM on June 24, 2021
posted by turbid dahlia at 3:40 PM on June 24, 2021
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Seriously, he looks like a pom-pom being shot out of a cannon.
* but didn't win because of faults
posted by firechicago at 5:03 AM on June 18, 2021 [22 favorites]