Dogs may be considered man’s best friends but Gretchen Fry’s shelties are a part of her award winning family.
Fry — a research technologist in the UNMC Joint Cardiology Radiology Laboratory — has raised and shown shelties since 1979.
“At that time my sister showed cocker spaniels, my college roommate showed aphgan hounds and I knew I wanted to show dogs,” Fry said. “I always was an animal lover and would watch Lassie and read the Albert Payson Terhune books.”
Fry learned to train dogs by taking classes offered by the Nebraska Kennel Club. She initially wanted to train collies but was living with her parents right of college and they didn’t want a large dog in the house. So she decided to train the smaller shelties and hasn’t looked back.
Shelties — also known as Shetland Sheepdogs — are herding dogs that were companions to the shepherds on the Shetland Islands. Shelties are very loyal, smart and trainable. Their sturdiness and agility make them ideal for all kinds of dog sports.
Currently Fry has four shelties, two of which hold champion titles, champion Drummer, champion Bunny, Cher and seven-month-old, Major.
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UNMC’s Gretchen Fry, right, with her champion sheltie, Bunny, at a dog show in 2005. Fry currently raises four shelties, two of which are champions. (Photo by Downey Dog Show Photography) |
To earn the champion title, a dog must have 15 points. To earn these 15 points the dog also must have at least two major show wins. Major show wins are shows that are worth 3 to 5 points.
Fry was able to show Drummer and Bunny to their championships without the use of professional handlers — people hired to show dogs for a living.
Fry’s seventh month old puppy, Major, already has won a best of breed, which gives him one championship point.
“Currently I am training Cher in obedience and hope to show her at our national show in Greeley, Colo., next year,” Fry said. “I’ll be showing Major in local shows but I’m going to let him grow up awhile before I really start competing with him.”
Fry’s dogs also have excelled in sports activities — earning titles in agility, obedience and flyball events. Each activity has its own rules, point systems and titles to earn.
To prepare for dog shows, Fry starts the week before with a bath and trimming and then hopes it doesn’t rain. Later, her van is loaded with all necessary items — tack box, grooming table, dog supplies, exercise pens and, of course, her dogs, and off they go.
Fry mainly shows in Nebraska and Iowa but has also shown in Wisconsin, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, California and Virginia.
“Showing dogs is not only about competition but having fun with my dogs and developing relationships with them,” Fry said. “I love traveling with my ‘doggy’ family, meeting people from all over the country and learning about other breeds.”