ZENFULdog Training’s first-ever Canine Fitness Race took place last Saturday, July 10th and the puparazzi was there to tell you all about it.
It was hard to believe that this was the first Fitness Race for ZENFULdog Training. The whole event ran so smoothly. Owner and trainer, Kendra MacKinnon, was meticulous in her planning and it showed. She also had some help. Her husband, Stéphane, mowed down the ZENFULdog Training grounds’ track which looped four times to complete the final 2 km distance.
Two ZENFUdog Training members, Lindsay and Lori, tested the terrain prior to race day to make sure that any canine member and parent could successfully complete the race.
I interviewed Kendra the night before the event and she was a ball of excited energy. She was thrilled to give back to her members with a fun challenge to celebrate and show off all the progress they had made throughout the year. She was also eager to learn from a first event so that she could do many, many more.
Kendra plans to work toward a larger, annual race that includes both a 2 km and a 5 km track. In the meantime, she will hold smaller races throughout the year, with the next one slated for the Fall. Kendra explained that events like this race help to build and strengthen the community, foster confidence in dog and dog-parent alike and build trust between dog and parent.
Bright and early Saturday morning, ZENFULdog Training grounds were being prepped for the big day that would begin with a first wave at 7 am. Kendra wanted to beat the heat for this kind of endurance event to keep the atmosphere safe and comfortable. There was a snack table set up with many fun refreshments like juice boxes, Montréal bagels, muffins, and cookies. The cookies donated by event racers Judy and Donna were the hit of the table and received stellar reviews from anyone who tasted them.
Kendra had music playing to motivate racers and she was ready with her clipboard and timer to track start and end times. She had decided to stagger start times in order to avoid congestion and upset at the “gate.” A busy start could be too overwhelming and stressful for both dog and dog-parent. She had anticipated that some dog-parent combos would want to team with compatible combos to form small waves and make the course more enjoyable.
The first ones to arrive at 7 am were Lindsay with her Armenian Gampr Caz and Lori with her mixed-breed Cricket. They warmed up in the training pen then excitedly took off to complete the race with big smiles and lots of energy. They walked the more technical terrain and sped up along the river on the straightaways.
After the race, they described the course as a perfect length for dogs and for people who aren’t used to running. That being said, they also mentioned being avid walkers, which explains how quickly they finished their 2km race. Happily, they also stuck around to help by taking pics and tracking race times.
Next up, Kendra’s daughter Autumn hit the trail with her Inuit Qimmiq Ren. As much as she was slightly daunted by the actual length of the first loop, she was able to whiz through the race with Ren.
When Judy and her Old English Mastiff Gertrude arrived, there was quite a stir about “what a woman” Gertrude had become. I inquired about this later to learn that Gertrude used to arrive at training grounds barking with hackles up and it would take her a while to settle down and feel comfortable. This time, she arrived at the race confident and calm. Kendra accredits this to her parent Judy who has spent a considerable amount of time and energy training and socializing Gertrude. It was easy to see the love and pride that Judy had for Gertrude.
Judy and Gertrude paired off with Donna and her boxer crossbreed Bandit. They made a really fun, high-energy team as they completed the race with smiles all around. Judy and Donna had great suggestions to improve the race next time. Two of my personal favourite suggestions were to serve mimosas at the end of the race and to turn the race into a treasure hunt.
As the race day progressed, ZENFULdog welcomed many more walkers and runners to the race:
Clifford with his Saint-Bernard Koda
Erik with his Newfoundland Bo Diddley
Kristina with her Labradoodle Odin
Cam with his Inuit Qimmiq Finn
Julie with her poodle Winter (and with Kendra’s son Kether)
Deb with her boxer crossbreed Ruby
The overall feedback was that the event was one-of-a-kind, very enjoyable and definitely worth repeating. The length of the race was ideal as was the combination of technical passages and straightaways. Racers were also pleased with the mix of sunny and shaded passages, with a few noting that full shade would be preferable, especially for those with furrier coats.
Many racers agreed that their favourite part of the race was the stretch along the river and a few dogs took advantage to take a swim-break. As Odin’s mom Kristina joked, those dogs did more of a dog duathlon than a simple race.
A few reported challenges included dogs being spooked or distracted by teams that were either behind them or stumbled upon along the way. Everybody agreed, however, that those are normal challenges for a canine fitness race. Kendra plans to venture outside of her training grounds as she grows her events to give her ZENFULdog members more variety and bigger races.
Every dog and dog-parent looked pleased and proud as they completed the race. All of their hard work and training was on full display with a course that involved teamwork, running, a bit of parkour and some social skills. Even posing for pictures with their ribbons was an opportunity for dog-parent combos to practice and show off some training learned throughout the year.
A big Congratulations to every ZENFULdog Training member who participated. You and your dogs showed amazing sportsmanship, impeccable training skills, and a palpable spirit of community that was something to behold!
Kendra shared her thoughts with me about how she felt her first-ever ZENFULdog Training Canine Fitness Race went:
“After the race, I felt zen. I thought I would be hyped or relieved but I just felt absolutely content. I was tired but I was also pumped to host another event! After so much positive feedback and also having had a good time myself, I can really see all the possibilities in growing this type of event and all the benefits it will bring to the canine community. We are building relationships with new people and building stronger bonds with our dogs. I hope to show pet-parents many different ways to enjoy the company of their dogs. I love seeing dogs and people doing something they both enjoy. I learned so much from this event and from all the amazing people that participated and helped me along the way. Working with dogs just enriches my life every day and I aim to do the same for them.”
See you all next time and don’t forget to follow ZENFULdog Training on Facebook where you can stay connected to your like-minded dog-loving community every day.