The Heelwork to Music competition is an event that many people turn out for every year. In this particular year, Mary Ray and Richard Curtis were out for their performance of Riverdance. As it turns out, however, it wasn’t them that got the applause, their dog ended up stealing the show. Mary Ray and Richard were busy dancing on the stage and Levi was right there with him, spinning, skipping and clicking his heels (paws). It seems as if he learned the music very well before he showed up for the performance.
It started before Mary Ray and Richard were even out into their spot. Levi was already prancing around the stage, getting into position and sitting on his legs with his front legs crisscrossed. You can tell that he was a well-trained dog and he knew exactly when to do what he was supposed to do. He would, at times, spin around their legs and at other times, spin around in circles. He kept perfect time with the music.
From the very moment that Levi started dancing, the audience was in love. By the time the performance was over the audience was on their feet. Even the people who were watching the video online were loving what Levi was doing. One viewer said, “Such a great dog, looks like he is enjoying himself too!” Another one said, “Absolutely Brilliant, what a lot of work, effort and time went on to train this Wonderful Dog. I [applaud] this couple and [their] very special dog.” There was another viewer who tried to figure out what Levi was thinking: “And all that dog was thinking… Where’s my treat already?!”
Mary Ray has managed to master a number of different canine disciplines in her lifetime and she is the leading dog trainer in the UK. She joined the Rugby Dog Training Club in 1978 and got her start. She seems to be able to connect with the dogs on a very personal level and it wasn’t long before she was at the top of her field.
For the past two decades, Mary Ray has been in competition at Crufts and she has already won plenty of awards. In fact, the reason why the Heelwork to Music section was added to the competition is because of her efforts. It was during an interview in the 90s for the heel work she does with her dogs and they contacted her before the interview and asked if they could do it to music. Within a couple of years, it was on the schedule.
Crufts is organized by the kennel dog club in the UK and is the greatest dog event worldwide. It was started in 1981 by the late Charles Croft zzzzto celebrate old dogs, regardless of whether they were hero, rescue or working animals.
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