It has not always been a walk in the park for Pepsi Cola, the Border Collie which jumped her way into being ranked as a 2021 National Dog Jumping League champion.
Since being found wandering the streets of Sidwell and initially being unclaimed at the Animal Welfare Society in Gqeberha, Pepsi Cola has come a long way.
The league is an annual competition that runs between June and November.
Dogs of various breeds that are entered into the competition compete in three categories (small, medium and large) over six rounds.
About 70 dogs compete and the final results of the 2021 edition were announced on Friday.
Pepsi Cola, classified as a medium-sized dog, came out tops in her category.
Talita van Eeden, 35, said her eight-year-old dog, which last competed at the Baakens Valley showgrounds on August 29, put in a superb performance.
She took in the dog in 2014.
“I spent many hours visiting the various pet shelters in the city searching for a companion dog,” she said.
“On one of my visits to Animal Welfare, I saw a cute black-and-white Border Collie-type dog with a wagging tail.
“The dog immediately caught my eye, but it was not meant to be.
“This dog was in isolation at the time and wasn’t available for adoption.
“I was told that this specific dog was yet to be saved,” Van Eeden said.
Three months later, while still searching for a companion, she found the Border Collie — still bright-eyed and wagging her tail.
This time she adopted the dog.
Van Eeden attended a few dog school classes where she decided she wanted to be a dog trainer.
She was trained by Annie Manners, who uses positive reinforcement on the animals, and for agility Van Eeden and Pepsi Cola trained with James and Nanette Perold.
The two have travelled the world competing in agility competitions with their animals.
Having competed for the past five years in the National Dog Jumping League, Pepsi Cola previously achieved second place against purebred Border Collies in 2018.
“For the first four months of adoption, Pepsi Cola was a nightmare on four legs,” Van Eeden said.
“She had no social skills with humans or other animals.
“This is typical behaviour of a dog that has been neglected.
“I was adamant that Pepsi would not go back into the system to become another statistic of a ‘returned rescue dog’ due to behavioural issues.
“You name it, Pepsi Cola destroyed it — R50 notes, bedding, shoes, anything in the garden.
“She could also not control her excitement when guests came and it led to numerous embarrassing situations,” Van Eeden said.
HeraldLIVE
From nightmare on four legs to national champion
Image: Eugene Coetzee
It has not always been a walk in the park for Pepsi Cola, the Border Collie which jumped her way into being ranked as a 2021 National Dog Jumping League champion.
Since being found wandering the streets of Sidwell and initially being unclaimed at the Animal Welfare Society in Gqeberha, Pepsi Cola has come a long way.
The league is an annual competition that runs between June and November.
Dogs of various breeds that are entered into the competition compete in three categories (small, medium and large) over six rounds.
About 70 dogs compete and the final results of the 2021 edition were announced on Friday.
Pepsi Cola, classified as a medium-sized dog, came out tops in her category.
Talita van Eeden, 35, said her eight-year-old dog, which last competed at the Baakens Valley showgrounds on August 29, put in a superb performance.
She took in the dog in 2014.
“I spent many hours visiting the various pet shelters in the city searching for a companion dog,” she said.
“On one of my visits to Animal Welfare, I saw a cute black-and-white Border Collie-type dog with a wagging tail.
“The dog immediately caught my eye, but it was not meant to be.
“This dog was in isolation at the time and wasn’t available for adoption.
“I was told that this specific dog was yet to be saved,” Van Eeden said.
Three months later, while still searching for a companion, she found the Border Collie — still bright-eyed and wagging her tail.
This time she adopted the dog.
Van Eeden attended a few dog school classes where she decided she wanted to be a dog trainer.
She was trained by Annie Manners, who uses positive reinforcement on the animals, and for agility Van Eeden and Pepsi Cola trained with James and Nanette Perold.
The two have travelled the world competing in agility competitions with their animals.
Having competed for the past five years in the National Dog Jumping League, Pepsi Cola previously achieved second place against purebred Border Collies in 2018.
“For the first four months of adoption, Pepsi Cola was a nightmare on four legs,” Van Eeden said.
“She had no social skills with humans or other animals.
“This is typical behaviour of a dog that has been neglected.
“I was adamant that Pepsi would not go back into the system to become another statistic of a ‘returned rescue dog’ due to behavioural issues.
“You name it, Pepsi Cola destroyed it — R50 notes, bedding, shoes, anything in the garden.
“She could also not control her excitement when guests came and it led to numerous embarrassing situations,” Van Eeden said.
HeraldLIVE
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