Pointer’s pretty agile
Published 9:00 pm Monday, December 8, 2003
SNOHOMISH — If she could talk, Laverne — a 4-year-old agility champion — might offer these pointers to anyone seeking to run faster or jump higher:
Stay focused. Point your nose. Lick before you leap.
Laverne, an English pointer from Snohomish, placed fourth last week among a field of 30 competitors at the American Kennel Club’s National Agility Championship in Long Beach, Calif.
Laverne is rated the No. 1 agility pointer in the United States, according to the American Kennel Club.
"There’s probably one or two others (pointers) that are really hot," said Sue Cockrell of Everett, who photographs agility dogs.
Pointers are not known for excelling in agility trials, said Laverne’s owner, Sandra Green of Snohomish.
But the orange-and-white pointer has made her mark on the sport. Her ability to clear a 24-inch hurdle has made her a crowd favorite and a standout in a sport dominated by border collies and shelties.
"Laverne is not your typical pointer," Cockrell said. "She’s a princess.
"Not only does she have an agility title, but she’s got a hunting title, and she’s a breed champion — she’s a looker," said Cockrell, who’s been photographing Laverne for two years.
But despite her star status, Laverne is also a team player.
A member of the Washington agility team, Laverne and her teammates, which included Tigger, Cholla, Chance, Blaze and Scarlett and their handlers, placed fourth out of 37 state teams at the championships.
"She was very much a crowd favorite, because she’s so elegant," Cockrell said.
Laverne, a sleek 55-pounder, is in the 24-inch jumping class. Compare that to Tigger, a strapping 5-pound papillon from Woodinville, that jumps in the 8-inch class. The toy spaniel walked away with the national title in that class.
Twenty-five inches tall at the shoulder, Laverne’s human equivalent — a 5-foot, 8-inch tall UW Husky basketball player such as Nate Robinson — would have to clear a 5-foot-tall hurdle to equal her prowess.
Born an upland game bird dog, Laverne has not allowed her pointer genes to keep her down, Green said.
"She’s a natural jumper," Green said. "The rest of her training took a lot of time" — and a lot of chicken and meatballs, Laverne’s favorite foods.
When not performing, Laverne is a work-a-day dog at Science Applications International Corp. in Bothell.
Green, an office administrator, brings Laverne to work.
At work, Laverne drops the show-dog mantle and coaxes treats and the last bite of sandwich out of the firm’s 30 employees.
"The best thing about Laverne, is she’s my constant companion," Green said.
Reporter Janice Podsada:
425-339-3029 or
